Trout fishing's a puzzle, isn't it? To me, it’s less about following the crowd and more about figuring things out on your own. Last week, I had a reality check while out Steelhead fishing—a different game than the high mountain trout fishing I’m more comfortable with.

I got caught up sticking with the “normal” steelhead routine, forgetting about problem-solving altogether. Armed with two 7 wt rods, one with a skagit line and the other with a sinking line- my trusty euro nymph rods would stay in the truck, for now.

Combat the Wind with the Two P's - POSITION and POWER

This time of year is the most unpredictable but you can bet that the wind will come into play at some point in the day. Whether it’s a light breeze or strong gusts, you need different tactics when the wind shows up.

Netting trout is a skill in and of itself. It’s something that takes a lot of practice to get good at and only experience makes you better. It’s not something you can really practice in your backyard like casting and knot tying- it’s something you must do in the water and it’s something you must think about even before your net is drawn. In some cases, even before you make your first cast.