Watched the water levels all week hoping they would come down for the weekend. Got up Saturday saw the levels were just under 7K CF/s we decided to make the trip up to Reiter. Hit the river later than expected but had lines in at 7 am. By then it was snowing sheets with the biggest flakes I think I have ever seen. We started working some holes with bobber and jig on the hatchery side. As the crowd started to clear as the day went on we were able to start working downstream a bit. Tried a number of color combinations with no luck. Decided to try drift fishing. As I was tying up this guy to me right got snagged and lost all of his gear. As he was turned around re-tying this gentlemen walks into his spot makes one cast and hooks up with the first fish I saw caught all day. The guy was infuriated. I was certain I would have to break up a fight. I couldn’t believe the lack of etiquette of some of these anglers out there. All the drama settles and I get back to drifting. A few casts in and tick, tick, tick then boom! Finally FISH ON! She took a run straight up stream peeling line and sticking to the bottom, ducking in and out of the large boulders. I am finally able to fight the fish back downstream and out of any rocks. Fish in the net and landed. A pretty 6lb hen. And I have to say, it’s my first skykomish steelhead. What a relief to finally get one. I was one of 3 fish I saw landed on the hatchery side Saturday.

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