After finishing out my Deschutes trout season with a fantastic 5-day float with the Billy Bob Show, I decided to "scout" the Middle Fork of the Willamette to assess the action heading into August. Tuesday, July 29th, was a perfect fishing day: warm, still, and cloudy with occasional light drizzle. I was joined by Fred and our buddy, Q. Q was on an "O-fer" for the summer steelhead season, having lost 12 in a row up to this point. Trout action was spotty for most of the morning but we hardly noticed after Fred surprised no one by landing a 10-pound steelhead on his spey rod.  
 
Around midday, we got into some geat rise activity with the trout taking #20 tan caddis all around the boat. Action was fast and frenzied, and quite a few rainbows and cutts came reluctantly to hand. At the end of the float on darn near the last swing of the day, Q hooked up a blisteringly hot buck of about 8 pounds. After several screaming runs and frantic leaps, the fish was in the net. I thought Q was going to cry with happiness: finally bringing home dinner for his long-suffering girlfriend, Lina. That loud splash you might have heard on Tuesday around 3 p.m. was the monkey falling off Q's back and into the river. 
Here's the proof: 
 

  

 

@ July 30, 2008 2:29:02 PM PDT ( )