It's encouraging to hear about better numbers returning. It's not so good to hear about the inferiority of the winter brats. I rarely fish for the winters, but I used to fish the Skamania strain of summer steelhead like a fanatic through the 70's; some in the 80's. These fish are perhaps the most hardy of summer strains; that's why they have been used to plant rivers all over the NW and even the Great Lakes rivers. The Sk. brats fight like nates! It suprises me somewhat that the winters are apparently the opposite. I used to fish very small egg clusters on 6 lb. leader in April and May, then switch to only steelhead flyfishing for them in June and July. Along with the Deschutes R. in Oregon, the 'Shou' was a rare place that I caught (and released) limits of flycaught steelhead. I had to give it up due to foot surgeries that limited my wading; but the pod is improved and I'm dabling again over there. I landed a flycaught over there this summer and it was an exhilerating and naustalgic outing for sure! Got a cataraft too. Since landowners have sown up the Laurel Lane area above the store, where I used to cast flies along side guys like Bill McMillan, I just might have to find a way to float my Cat. thru that section next June. - RT