Zip #1: First time I ever fished it, I caught a clean 8# wild hen steelhead. Fished it twice a season for the next 3 years and never touched another fish.

Zip #2: First time I fished it, I caught a cleaned up hatchery kelt. Next several times, zippo. Then one day late in the season for hatchery fish, I hooked 4 wild fish. This river isn't noted for it's wild fish. The following season, I fished it one day and caught 5 hatchery kelts, followed by a few skunkings. Last Friday, I hooked, then lost a bright hatchery steelhead.

Those 2 hatchery summer runs from the Cowlitz last October really weren't so bad.

Conclusion: zips ain't all they're cracked up to be. But I do have less company there.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.