Cowlitz Winter-Run Steelhead Action

Recently I went out fishing with Derek Althauser (Fetha Styx QC) and Todd Daniels of “Tall Tails Guide Service” on March 18th 2010. It was a very early morning and around 3:00am I packed my gear and headed south on I–5 where we met at the local gas station slash ‘meet and greet’ called “Spiffy’s”. Still dark, we dumped the sled in the water and started organizing all of the tackle that surrounded the inside of the boat.

Today was a day to have fun on the river, but also to fit some work in and test some rods. On the first pass we all started to realize how cold it was, with ice forming quickly on our guides as all of us were dunking new prototype high modulus rods into the 45 degree Cowlitz River. On our second pass I hooked into a nice winter-run steelhead. The rod performed perfectly, quick and responsive — it was an extension of my hand. The chrome bright hen gave me a couple of good runs until I finally got her close enough to the boat and turned her head to the net. It was a nice way to start my morning and temporary get the chill off my bones. THE NEW FS-ST 962-2 S blank has surpassed my expectations of how blanks should perform and it passed with flying colors. We finished the day catching two more hatchery steelhead and will be back for the springers.

- Bill Boyce

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