Floating Line Winter Steelhead

Conditions were low and clear and I had the right fisherman in my boat, Bryan Sohl.  The Sohl Man.  When I suggested fishing a floater Bryan got a wild look in his eye.  He rigged his Scandi head with a 15 foot tapered mono leader and a little unweighted claret GP looking bug tied on a 1.5 AJ.  We were BS'ing our way through the run... the rest is predictable.  Fish on!  Yank yank yank yank splash... Fish off.  F***!  That was awesome!!!! etc.  For some big head shakes and a roll Bryan was connected to a heavy fish using utterly summer gear and technique.  The connection was beautiful and amazing.

Dan Mangum tailing a rock hard doe after several leaps and a charging run straight up river.  Low water conditions called for a light tip and small sparse unweighted fly, inspiring the use of a full floater the next day.