Operation: Grande Ronde River Steelhead

So a rig pulls into my driveway yesterday looking like this:

And I think: Oh, great, they finally tracked me down. Can’t trust those witness relocation people farther than you can throw them. And now I’ll be beaten with flyrods just like that last time in Singapore when I was in that prison and . . . wait, no . . . it’s my pal Tom Farnum. Pheww. So I put the baseball bat back in its place by the front door and we talked fishing.

And it was good talk. Farnum’s been racking up successful day after successful day on the Grande Ronde. Better yet, he had a day coming up when he wouldn’t be guiding and since Tom fishes every day, on his days off he, well, goes fishing.

And that day is tomorrow. I imagine seeing something along these lines:

Or these lines:

Just as long as there’s a line and a steelhead or two or four on the end of it, I’ll chalk that up to a day well-spent.

To illustrate the allure of steelhead season here in the Wallowas, allow me to direct your attention to my travel plans for later this week. I shall be boarding an airplane for the islands of Hawaii, where I’ll enjoy much beach time with my dear family in ideal weather — and yet . . . and yet . . . I find myself regretting that this trip coincides with the steelhead run.

I’m pretty sure I’ll get over that, but I’m glad to get in one more day on the river before boarding the plane for paradise and with any luck Tom and I will be hearing the sweet sweet music of a racing drag tomorrow.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

And, as always, if you find yourself wearing your waders around the house, or making casting motions from your desk at work or show any signs that you’d much, much rather be going after Grande Ronde River steelhead than working on that boring Haskins account — here’s what we’ll do . . . you contact Winding Waters Steelhead Headquarters and set up your own day on the river with Tom — then if you need a cover story for the boss, just let me know and I’ll dust off my old covert operations work kit from when I was an operative in Singapore and I’ll set you up with an ironclad alibi that will they’ll never see through. Trust me.