With the recent drop in temperature, I was hopeful that one of my favorite winter steelhead fisheries might get into shape for a shot at some summers. This river is largely fed by the year round glaciers, which make it a mess during warm summer months. However, the rumor of a large run in the tri-river basin made it too tempting to pass up.



Unfortunately, I think I was just a few days too early - while it had been cooling down on the mountain, the river will still need a few days to clear up. Regardless, I swung flies all morning hoping to lure a steelie up...



Heading back to the pickup for a coffee refill, stumbled across this rather "fresh" scat. It wasn't here just two hours earlier and I was currently standing in the middle of the berry thicket.



Spent the afternoon exploring some of the upper stretches of the river. This section is closed to steelheading, as the ODFW only moves natives above the dam, however it is open to catch and release fly fishing only during trout season.



Given that the river is still open for trout through the end of October, I might have to sneak out in the next few weeks as overnight temps drop even further and chase summer steelies and trout for a day or two...



scott