When I first started steelhead fishing my buddy and I used to spend untold hours just driving around exploring the wide variety of rivers we have in this state. In retrospect maybe it would have been better not to start on the OP, most everything else has been a little disappointing. One such disappointing little river flows into the Columbia down south...

Our heads were filled with images of Jim Teeny holding up (and out ) huge native chromers amid steeply rugged canyon walls. When the first eight or twelve miles of river were hemmed in by private property on both sides we started to get a little discouraged...but eventually the higher we got (hehehe) the further away from the river the private property was....not so coincidentally this is where access to the river became impossible due to the rugged canyon.

About the same time we started driving past these pretty impressive waterfalls and our conversation turned to wondering whether or not fish could pass these barriers. My friend was convinced after the first one that 'there was no way in Hell a fish could get past that barrier'. As usual I was skeptical and kept trying to imagine which path they would take during high water...

We come to an even more impressive set of falls and now by buddy is almost inconsolable. This river sucks, he says...no access, private property, slick rocks, long drive, no fish, too steep, too flat, etc....if any of you have buddies like this you know it can be more than a little aggravating....

We pass the last bridge on the upper river, above which there is no fishing. Now, our stupid petty argument whether or not a fish could make it up this high really starts to heat up....basically it consisted of 'Yes it can!', 'No it can't' with a few insults and expletives thrown in to keep it interesting.

So we stop at this bridge and get out to peek our heads over the side into what seems like a pretty awesome pool...and sure enough there are two enormous native steelhead holding on the bottom of this hole. My buddies reaction? 'They probably trucked 'em up here' he says...'those ratty old tired things wouldn't bite anything anyway' 'You could probably cast on them for days and not even get them to move' he says....the grumpy *******. As usual I am skeptical and need to see for myself if this is true...

So I reached in my pocket and pulled out the second shiniest penny I had in there (wouldn't want to spook them ) and tossed it about eight feet in front of the holding steel.

You should have seen the expression on my buddies face when the biggest fish took note of my 'offering', bossed the other fish out of the way and absolutely inhaled my penny. It rejected it just as fast, thankfully. Watching the last three flips of that penny after the fish had spit it out is one of the most satisfying experiences of my life...

I always say that is the only fish I ever caught without a line....

Thanks Aunty...

It would never work in traditional printed media....

....no icons.

Good story. We throw a few m&m at bunch of pinks and one of them nailed one as it hit the water. Pinks don't rise to fly

Hopefully I will not get lectured by an "ethical" fisherman about harassing fish besides m&m is good for them. It increases their sex drive

Actually we were on top of a bridge as well and the first m&m fell by accident and got some attention so we did some more experimentation

I can't believe you wasted M&M's like that , was it the ESA listed color?

here is a gross one that wont make it in sts.

last winter I was fishing the green all by myself. I had drank alot the night before and i rarely drink. I was super hung over so i didnt make it out to the river until about 9:00.I could barely fish i was so hung over so i went and got a bacon cheeseburger and smoked a lil (Total. Hole. Control) I thought i felt better so i went back and fished some more .i threw a super gaudy jig I made, with lead eyes painted pink, right behind a big boulder into a 4 foot wide trough of soft water. i hooked into a huge steelhead and was almost completely spooled in about 5 seconds. I was runnig down a big boulder steep bank trying to chase the fish. i finally got it back to me and it jumped 3 or maybe 4 times in a row. i kept falling and stumbling on the rocks but finally pulled the fish upriver of me and back behind one of the bank boulders in to a lil pocket of protected water. I saw that it was a huge native hen, over 20lbs and definately the biggest i had ever caught. I didnt want it to get hurt banging on the boulder so i instantly dropped the rod and grabbed the fish. when i tried to lift it out of the pool it instantly snapped my leader and lept out of my arms. i stumbled again and threw my arms up in the air and gave out a huge scream of victory... before falling backwards....****ting my pants and puking.

i dont normally tell this one... for obvious reasons- but it was a 20lb he for gods sake and the only steelhead that i can sy truley beat the crap out of me!

Chappy,
Is that "Chappy", or "Crappy"? (not to be confused with "Crappie").

Anyone know how to rig a penny?

usually chappy... sometimes crappy... but that day i was crappy chappy. however i would do it again for another 20lb hen. I guess that is just how desperate we get here in seattle.