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My second ever winter steelhead trip is in the books, and i still haven't laid a finger on a steelhead.  I did catch a handful of tiny cut throat today, including this one.

Yes, that fish has my goofy green nymph AND a corky in its mouth.  Even stranger, I am pretty sure the fish ate my fly while stuck to the bottom of the river by the rig in its mouth.  Near as I can tell, someone snagged the bottom and broke off the corky rig.  Along came the cut, and ate the snagged up rig, hooking itself in the process.  I must have drifted right by the tethered fish, and he ate that nymph too.  When I hooked the fish I could see him down there, but I had to pull really hard to get the snag free.  Weird.  

Despite not catching a steelhead, it was a glorious day.  The Oregon coast is stunning, and I spent all day lost in the rainforest.  Everything is green, ,mossy, and wet...and it got wetter throughout the day.  I was reminded today that there is no substitute for good gear!  I fished in pouring rain and some heavy gusts of wind, but with the right gear it was simply a part of the experience.  I was never uncomfortable.

The river was still high and off color, but I don't think it was unfishable by any stretch.  I had two heart stopping moments when I set the hook, felt a head shake and then nothing.  One of those was a definite steelhead...big, heavy throbs on the end of my line.  The other might have been a cut, or it might have been a steelhead.  Who knows.  

Despite getting blanked (again) I am starting to get the fascination with winter steelhead.  I really, really want to catch one, but part of the allure is the environment.  Such a beautiful, wild, natural setting...when it comes together with a bright, hopefully wild fish I think it will be a special moment.  I will keep after them.