Paul (Willie Rower) and I went up to Seattle Thursday afternoon to meet my friend Justin (Kid 'Rock and Row') to fish for a couple days. Great trip!

We met to have dinner at Hooter's on Lake Union. Really some fine dairy products in there! And Tillamook cheddar on the burgers too. Along for the treats was board member Sparkey (Ryan Petzold). Thought he would tackle me (jk), but he turned out to be a nice guy. And he can cast well ... The 4 of us had a casting contest with my new TH and BSF out in the parking lot. I was the only one that hooked anything (They can explain)

Our fishing plan A was changed to plan B due to a poor return of fish. They prefer I not reveal the alternate river that Justin fishes. But on Friday morning we were greeted by a fresh push of big nates! (had been slowish there too). Beautiful river scenery, low pressure, and trophy steelhead - honestly like fishing in NW B.C. It started out slow, but on the second half of our drift we hooked 9 steelhead and were only able to land 3 of them. But these amounted to the highest average weight of multiple landed steelhead on any trip I have ever been on! Justin and I landed and released bright nate bucks that both weighed right around 20 lbs., and Paul landed and released a chrome hen weighing in the mid teens. Average weight of a group of bright steelhead was over 18 pounds! Justin knows the rivers of Washington and how to fish them really well. If you can keep rivers a secret, book this guide. ...

Among a lot of funny stuff was at the take out. Kid and I were talking to a couple guys there and Paul comes walking up the bank saying he just caught a 'toad'. Expecting a story of another big steelhead (lingo = toad), he walks up and sticks out his hand with a real toad in it. Greenish brown with bumps on it and about 6" long with it's legs pulled outward. He C & R'd it, of course.

Because the river was on a fast rain and snowmelt rise we didn't return the next day. So we went out in the middle of the night in Justin's friend Bill's boat a short ways into Puget Sound to fish for bottom fish. Caught lots of rock cod and a couple big lings and things - all released. Fun at night! ...

Then today we went over to check out Ted's Sporting Goods. Has about everything a fisherman could want! Sparkey was there trying to get us to buy some cracker gear though (jk, again ). And I got to meet Ken (BB member) - real nice guy.

Thanks again Justin. You do rock and row!

RT

See what happens when you fish with quality anglers from WASHINGTON, RT? Now, I know Justin........and I know he's too good a guy to have you drive all the way up here and then outfish you. I'm sure Justin and Paul had a little "chat" before you hooked up and agreed not embarass you........sounds like their plan worked perfectly.

Sounds like a great trip, RT. See what a great state Washington is?

Hats off to the Kid for a great trip! I will be returnig next for sure. Great choice for the back up plan.

Hooters was fun, But the bestpart was the casting contest. RT pulled a total cracker move. He casts into a tree in the parking lot. I still cant figure out how someone can cast into a tree that has more lights on it that it does branches. Petz, Justin and I were laughing so hard at RT that the people coming out of Hooters thought we were crazy. My ribs are still sore from laughing at that.

We need a store like Ted's down here in my area. Great selection of quality stuff. The employees very helpful and know what they are doing.

The kid is da man! I cant compliment him enough for showing us a great time. He kows his stuff when it comes to fishing for the BIG nates. He also a great host who knows how to entertain his guests.
Thanks again Justin!

You guys must of had a fair amount of beer at [Bleeeeep!] bar to end up in the parking lot casting into the trees!

l'Cleo, yes we did have a little too much beer for a parking lot casting contest; or maybe just enough to get us to have one. That 12' tall but slender tree had a bunch of little white lights in it, and I had spun enough 30 lb. Power Pro braid around the upper most branches that when people came out of the Hoot they were met by a swaying tree! I couldn't get the dam stuff to let loose. The options were to either make Sparkey climb that tree, or to just wench that 'cable' off. The latter did the trick, fortunately breaking up near the branches. That stuff is so strong I thought it might even pull the dang tree down.

Hey Dan, I already knew that both Washington and it's anglers rock. Why do you think I fish it half the time? This trip just knocked it all up another notch to me. Too much fun! All this recent trash talkin was only that - meaningless fun. Some guys e-mailed asking which river and I won't ever reveal one if asked not to. Ok, it was the Quinalt. ... Not. But guessing toward the OP isn't a bad guess. But I still wanted to post about Justin and his guide service, because he deserves the publicity. Same for Superfly. They know a lot of trophy zipperlip places! ... btw, at Justin's place I saw that magazine that had Tony's article in it and your mug appears in there with you holding a nice fish. What did Tony catch it on?

If it weren't for the netting issues and the Puget metro population, northwest Washington would be like B.C. In fact, the Olympics and N. Cascades are actually southern terminous' for Canadian mountain ranges. And the resulting river gradients, glacial water cooling stability, and rich eco feed for the fish make for big tough steelhead like you would find in NW and coastal B.C. Similar awesome scenery too!

Oregon does have nicer beaches and pristine upper ends of those coastal steelhead and salmon rivers though; without nets, but smaller average fish. And closer metro proximity to the awesome scenic and fish filled Columbia Gorge. Ain't it great to live in the NW!?!

We live in the coolest place around. The mountains, ocean, and rivers what more could a guy ask for(don't answer that one.)