Fishing the mighty Spokane river

I've been told of possible colusion between the Health Dept "warning signs" and the Dept of Fish and Wildlife desire to protect red banded rainbows as "special" . This rainbow is really a landlocked steelhead trout and looks identical to steelhead in the Methow and Hood river .

Oh i long for the day where the river runs free, where you go out on this fine spring day and fish for the mighty Spokane race of Steelhead .. There would be a lot of head shaking on both sides and a mouth gapped open in disbelief . These are special fish Big Brawny and incredibly beautiful. I know, I've caught them .

  It was late fall october i believe. I decided to toss some spinners and see what happened . I'd been reluctant to go down to the river, but with Rocky, my chief of staff. I decided to go fishing and boy did we have fun .

The Spokane redband is really a landlocked steelhead trout and looks identical to steelhead in the Methow and Hood river
My daughter, the Phd in fisheries genetics from U of Montana,Missoula, says the spokane redband is a distict sub-species.  Regardless, the spokane rainbow is a beauty.  When it gets spawing colors on it is like a floresent rainbow...really makes you say wow !
This is how it starts.
I had a bump or two -rock - wood or fish? When your new and you don,t know or have the feel it,s difficult.. But; when you know your shoulder comes up,the rod goes back and your momentarily part of the bottom-until it moves! You wonder? and cry: FISH ON! your heart skips. Suddenly, he his there watching the action. the rod tip goes comes down and flattens-the fish shows ya what. Hope my equiptment holds, did i tie my knot rt? have i checked my line for nicks. Are my hooks sharp enougth? rocky stands next to me-watching. The fish rolls, rockies eyes role at me.. The fish is big. i bring him in to shallow water--rocky gets in front of me. the fish rushes back and forth. rocky watches. I,m yelling get away,away. not rocky,he knows what his job is. Even if i don,t. The fish is lying on the edge of the beach, the spoon and treble hook plainly visible.. Please not his lip, not his eye -please.. rocky there now,fish is quiet dorsal comes down, rockies mouth surrounds and clamps. the fish wiggles, rocky clamps a little tighter. picks the fish up-turns and and gives him to me.. i,m dying i sink to my knees and hold my my hands out--unable to breath. and accept my gift. The fish is incredibly beautiful--copperchrome cheeks going to copper/red and pink n red dots--a milky way of redsuns pink planet on a universe of darkgreen and black dots..

I,am INTerrupted.

Why are you holding that fish against your chest? I look up-a kayaker in the middle of january. Why? why indeed? i,m stunned unable to answer. Why am i holding this fish to my chest,i,m content, the fish is content. i tell the man i,m trying to decide. Do You have a camera? yes click.  I roll the fish-into the river .. an explosion-he,s gone. my eyes weep, my heart swells. thankyou Rocky. Thankyou Lord,  Thankyou kyaker .

I never did receive that picture, but he said he was a Spokane Riverkeeper.
Would be nice.  Still, I have the whole thing in my heart, What a day !
Reminds me of another spring day on the Hood...but that my friend is for another day.