Spokane attorney Alan Green and local school teacher Britten Jay spent two days fishing the Grande Ronde for steelhead over the President’s Day weekend. Floating the canyon stretch between Boggan’s and Shumaker, the anglers (including Spokane fisherman Kevin, and James from Dayton) managed to hook 18 fish in two days, and land 13 of them. Two of the fish caught by James Brandon were wild fish, one of which weighed an estimated 10 pounds. That’s a sizable steelhead for the Ronde, and quite an accomplishment, considering James had never fished for steelhead with a fly rod before.

All fish were caught using one of a variety of orange, tangerine and multicolored egg and flesh patterns under an indicator. Several of the anglers fished many of the runs swinging leeches with spey rods, however no fish were caught on the swing. With the exception of the inconsiderate guide out of Oregon running a jet boat up the river, the anglers had the river nearly to themselves. You are urged to contact Washington Dept. of Fish and Game to ask that jet boats be banned from the Grande Ronde.