When I started fishing for winter Steelhead a few years ago, I had nothing. Until then, I was a fair-weather fisherman who didn’t really know what cold was. Boy did I find out fast.
I will never forget my first time out. I had just hooked up with a longtime friend of mine who I had not seen since grade school. Steve was going to teach me all about Steelhead & Salmon fishing. It was mid December, the 16th of 1999 I think. We met at Steves house at about 5 am. All I was wearing was my jeans, T-shirt, baseball cap, regular shoes and a warm weather jacket in the car.
Steve just looked at me. Are you nuts? He said. You’re going to freeze. Well, I replied this is about all I have. Dont worry about it, Ill make it. Lets go No sooner did we get to the river I was just that, freezing. But hey, Im stoked because Im going to catch me a long over-due Steelhead. I remember looking at him as I was just about numb to the core and noticing he was warm as could be. It didn’t take long to ask Ok, how much is all that and where can I get it. I wasn’t going to go through that kind of day ever again. By Gods grace, I did catch my first ever Steelhead that...