I’ve discovered in steelheading that quite often the adventure as a whole is the final reward. Sometimes you may even catch a fish along the way. Up here in the coastal rivers of the Pacific Northwest, the conditions can be a bit tricky. Planning and constantly monitoring the flows and weather is a must. Even then, with all the prep, it could still blow out and make a miserable 8-hour round trip.
The coast is the perfect locale to test how weatherproof and durable your gear actually is. I try so hard to keep the photo gear dry, but sometimes I just settle for moist. Hiking miles through muddy trails, over never-ending logging roads, and down fern-engulfed ledges, I try to find the run that no one knows about…and often that is part of the game plan.
With that being said, it’s hard to rely upon that one great fish shot, especially when that “fish of a thousand casts” continues to elude the angler and the camera. This is when I prefer to tell the story of the adventure we endured to get to that desirable conclusion. Honestly, it’s not important who it was or where it was… just look at how beautiful it was.
As I put these words together, it’s prime trout season here in Central Oregon. The days are getting warmer and longer, the spring hatches are hatching and I’m thinking about whether I should wet wade or not. Looking through these images and memories of steelheading in another season, they feel slightly foreign and somber. But soon, once again these warm days will transition into the next season of 4 AM wake up calls, followed by hours of driving, long mornings chasing steelhead shadows on the emerald green and hazy waters, and being thankful that somehow my coffee is still hot 5 hours after brewing. I’ll be looking forward to it.
Contributed By
Arian Stevens
Growing up in the foothills between Yosemite and Tahoe, I’ve always been spoiled by the awesomeness of the outdoors. Fresh out of high school and having no clue what I wanted to do, I happened to take a photography class and found not only my passion, but a way to share the beauty of my surroundings with others. Back then, in every river I photographed I imagined how much cooler the image would be if there were someone fishing it. Combining the two, I added a fly rod and a few fishing buddies to my arsenal and decided to move where there was a bit more water to cover. I’m still more of a photographer than a fisherman, since I prefer a killer image to a killer fish. But… I’m still pretty stoked with a killer fish.
