You have to love to fish to go after steelhead, as fishing, in the truest sense of the word, is what you will be doing - not catching, not playing and most of the time not even feeling a bite. Steelheading is almost the antithesis of all of these things. In fact, most experienced anglers feel that you have a better chance catching a fish while golfing than while standing chest deep in a steelhead stream.

If steelhead fishing is so difficult, and some may even say boring, why then do people do it? For two main reasons. The first is as simple as it is altruistic; steelhead fight. Unlike walleye that are not only hard to catch, but fight about like a third grader on the playground, steelhead, run, leap and pretty much have battled their way to the top of the "fight'nst freshwater fish alive" category. The second reason is that some people do catch them, and they catch them quite regularly. The old adage of 10% of the fisherman catch 90 % of the fish is not quite true for steelhead; it is more like 1% of the fisherman catch 99% of the fish.

I have fished for steelies, as they're locally called, most of my adolescent life, (which, at 29, I am still about in the middle of) and at first I was wholly in the 99% category of glum faced, non-catchers. But somewhere along my personal steelhead Odyssey, I met Rob Endsley, Owner and Head Guide of Kulshan River Excursions (360) 676-1321. To say he is a steelheading expert is like saying Einstein was pretty good with numbers. Rob is a steeheading guru; some even suspect that he may have an adipose fin. Since the first time I fished with him, I knew he was good, but it wasn't until recently that I realized how good. He sent me some photos from a recent "tournament" entitled "The Snoopy Rod Classic." As the name implies, the tournament anglers are only allowed to use kid's Snoopy rod and reel combos (according to sub-section III paragraph 2; Daffy Duck, Mickey Mouse, Tweety and Power Rangers rods also qualify). It was no surprise to anyone that knows him, that by the end of the day he was holding the coveted trophy as well as a nice steelhead!

For anyone who doesn't realize the magnitude of this accomplishment, consider for a moment that grown men are known to cry when losing a steelhead, anglers travel around the world and pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of possibly hooking one and some people spend days on a river without ever glimpsing a fish taken - by anyone. So, for a group of guys to go out and catch a few steelies on kid's tackle, all in the name of a good time, indicates that this isn't their first rodeo - they know something about steelheading.

So, when I was looking for an interview subject for a piece on fishing for steelhead, there was little doubt in my mind who to call.

Mike: How long have you been fishing for steelhead?

Rob: 20 some years now. Growing up in Washington, steelhead were, and still are, my bread and butter.

Mike: Where have you fished for them?

Rob: About everywhere they exist. I have followed them from Washington through the many streams of British Columbia to Southeast Alaska and I have guided for them in Washington and Alaska.

Mike: Steelhead come in a variety of sizes, from a couple of pounds, to bruisers over 30 pounds. What is the biggest steelhead you have caught?

Rob: Since 90 percent of the time I am on the river I am guiding, I haven't caught many huge steelhead. 24 pounds and some change is the biggest fish I have personally landed, but I have had several clients boat fish over 30 pounds.

Mike: Steelhead fishing has always been thought of as a winter sport, but for a fly-fisherman, is there a better time?

Rob: Summer is tailor-made for fly-fishermen. The fish are more aggressive, the water is warmer, and the steelhead are definitely more trout like. Surface takes can be had in the afternoon, sight fishing is much easier since the water is clear, and best off all, it is easier to get flies down to the bottom because of the lower water.

Mike: What patterns should a guy use?

Rob: It is interesting, in the winter and during times of high, murky water we use standard steelhead patterns in bright colors as well as black and purple (Egg Sucking Leeches are a great pattern) We tempt these fish with everything from large marabou and bunny leeches, to classic Spey patterns, to egg patterns, to stout, bristly flies like the General Practitioner. The majority of the flies we fish, however, have one thing in common...movement. To coerce a steelhead into striking the fly must pulsate and take on a life of it's own as it swings through the steelhead's water.

However, in the summer the steelhead respond a lot like a standard trout and nymphing techniques work great. We use strike indicators above olive and black, size 12 to 16, Hares Ears and Beadhead Hares Ears as well as a modified Lighting Bug. In the summer direct presentations work the best, but the traditional swing method still produces its share of fish.

Mike: I know many anglers have gone days without getting so much as a strike, how many strikes do your clients get a day?

Rob: My clients land an average of 3-4 fish per day with many more strikes. Granted, that is an average - there are always those zero fish days, but then again I have had clients land upwards of eight or nine fish a day.

Mike: Wow! That is impressive, give me a description of the appropriate type of steelhead set up - rod, reel, line, etcetera you guys employ to catch this many fish.

Rob: That depends upon the time of year. For summer fishing, floating lines combined with long leaders (9-foot plus) is the standard. In the winter, heavy sink tips with short leaders that keep the pattern on the bottom are more the norm, since the water is higher and more discolored. In the summer a traditional one-handed rod in 6 weight to 8 weight works great. If you are fishing from the bank, where you don't have the ability to move with the fish, as in a boat, we caution clients to use an 8 weight.

In the winter, heavier and longer rods are the norm as the water is deeper, shooting tips are heavier and the fish are generally bigger. I, as well as many of my clients, prefer to use two handed Spey rods for the added mending ability, ease of covering water and better fish fighting properties.

Mike: What is the average size of a steelhead in Washington?

Rob: That really depends upon the river system and the time of the year. In the summer most fish run between 6 and 10 pounds with the occasional one in the teens. But in the winter and the early spring, the large native fish come into many of the rivers and then fish in the upper teens are common, with the possibility of fish going into the 20-pound range.

Mike: If someone plans on coming out for a steelhead trip, are there any other species of fish to catch in addition to steelhead?

Rob: King salmon start showing up by the end of July in pretty decent numbers in some of the river systems. Later in the year, silvers, pinks, sockeye and chums can all be had depending upon the particular river. For these we use the same tackle that works for steelhead, but salmon really favor the bright patterns.

Mike: How would you currently rate the steelhead fishing in Washington?

Rob: We are experiencing one of the best years we have had in the last 10. The numbers are steady and the fishing is very consistent. It is not as good as BC or Alaska, but for the lower 48 there are plenty of fish to go around and the northern part of Washington rates among the best there is.

Like I said earlier, steelheading is a tough game. It requires an in-depth knowledge of a river system and up to date information about the particular run. But with the help of a good guide like Rob Endsley, it is relatively easy to change categories from the group of non-catchers to the few who consistently get to hold over two feet of chrome bright anadromous fish between their hands.