Nice pics, Coley. I couldn't agree more about the "flawless" quality of the fish. They are truly remarkable specimens.

Tips were the norm for us but certainly not required. I fished the same chunck of T-14 tip the whole time on the spey rod and a floating line on a switch rod. My first fish of the trip was on a floating line with a barely subsurface fly. The light at the time didn't allow me to see the take though. I skated flies a couple of times, resulting in 3 "responses". I'd love to say "takes" but two of the three times, the steelhead simply boiled on the fly and certainly didn't take it. By boils, I don't mean "I think something happened." I mean a big steelhead unmistakably comes up and makes a blantant, violent move on the fly. Watching something like that will take the air out of your lungs and then force a man-growl that will send Coley and Stam running to look at absolutely nothing. The third rise to the fly briefly stuck the fish but it was over before it really began. Small, barbless hooks with their gaps stuffed with deer hair makes for a tough game. Based on my limited experience though, I can certainly see how people switch over to skating flies and never go back. Despite not even fighting a fish on a dry fly, those responses are some of the highlights of my trip.

Some other photos:


One of the lovely ladies on the trip. Plus, a nice hen.


Flyfishing is easy. Coley shows you just cast, swing, and catch steelhead:







The only handoff I've ever seen Coley take is a handoff to himself around a tree. This whole hookup and fight is one of the coolest things I've ever seen.



Sassified Stam



A proper photobombing.



Holy [Bleeeeep!]! There is a steelhead in this net. I learned that Stam HATES nets.



Giving a wave to the "River Guardians".






I think we all kind of felt like this for several days.



Just one more before dark.



Seeing things like this make it hard to sit at a desk right now.


-AP