Beautiful January day a few years ago on the Wynoochee... snow on the banks, 29 degrees... clear skies... (can't get any better than that). I was with my Steelhead Sensei (Ron Bob), and had never floated the 'Nooch before.... We launched at the White Bridge about 10am (all of the other boats had already gone downriver) and we were on that stretch of river all by ourselves.... We put the Dr. Death and the McRib out in that first long stretch of the river below the launch on the left.... I was sitting there in the front of the boat, drinking coffee, looking at the scenery, not paying attention, etc.... As I looked to the left I noticed that the left rod was down... not moving... I said to Ron Bob, "dude, you hung that one up already!?"... he said, "NO, FISH!"... I slowly got up and said something like "no f'n way"... when I grabbed the rod, it was all I could do it get it out, I was like "holy S**T!" and the fight was on... the fish kind of set its tail in the center of the river, then headed for a root wad on the right side... I clamped down the thumb to keep it out of there and luckily it didnt come unbuttoned... then the fish came right at me... at first, I thought I had lost it, and Ron Bob screamed at me "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"...as I caught up to the fish, all you could hear was the line screaming upriver... I think that was the coolest sound I had ever heard..... to make a long story short, after a few more runs, I FINALLY got her to the boat... chrome bright 15 1/2 lb hen... Even though I have caught bigger since, that was without a doubt the most fun and exciting fish I have ever caught... in fact, those two days were the best days of fishing I have ever experienced... too bad the Mailbox takeout is closed now, that was a great place to camp.