Wallowa Steelhead Pics + Imnaha Video
Fisherman/Chef Jake Leatherman of Triple Creek Ranch fame rolled through the Wallowas last week with Trisha Turner from Blacksmith Brewing over in Montucky.
They roped into some hardheaded fish after Mr. Steelhead Tom Farnam blindfolded them and took them to one of his secret locales.
While they were fishing the Wallowa River, Cam Scott and I ventured down to the lower Imnaha. Along with a bunch of other people, it turns out. We found wet bootprints on a bunch of trails, saw campers and tents that had set up shop . . . lots of fisherfolk down there. One hole had blood on the rocks where evidently someone whacked two hatchery steelhead and from now on I’m calling that spot Double Homicide.
I’m not opposed to keeping hatchery fish, it’s just hard to focus on casting when you’re trying not to smudge what looks like forensic evidence on the riverbank.
This Cameron guy landed 3 fish the first afternoon pretty much before I’d even finished tying up my rig. Boy was I happy for him. Yessiree. Very supportive.
I got one the next morning and Cam caught another. Here’s some footage and photos from that expedition, complete with marriage proposal by Cam to the Imnaha River. They make a cute couple.
As always, we’d love to go fishing with you. Check out the Winding Waters fly fishing page for info on guided day trips or supported steelhead floats down the roadless stretch of the Grande Ronde.
See you on the river.