Mini Chocolate Donuts

Jack, Rob and I put another trip on the books. We have now made it a tradition to go steelheading every fall.  The first year we spent that trip on the Salmon River where Jack checked off a box on his bucket list by landing a steelhead in the DSR (Douglaston Salmon Run). So, the next couple years we moved to Erie PA and have had a blast each time. Each trip with the three of us seems to always be filled with stories, some that are only funny to us, and others that are just ridiculous to any that listen. Like last year when we got kicked out of the bar because there was a tornado headed right for us, we paid the bill and headed out into a monsoon with only inches of visibility and headed east away from the tornado. Yeah that was a first for me. This year was a bit less exciting on the weather front and more so on the fishing front.

It’s not very often as fisherman that we experience the “perfect day” of fishing, so when we do we can sometimes take it for granted while is happening. While we didn’t take it for granted, we did have three amazing days of steelhead fishing. Yes, the fishing was incredible, but it was moments like having 2 steelhead eat my dry fly, or doubling up and landing a fish with Jack, or landing Rob’s first fish of the trip only minutes after hitting the water. Oh, and the hot coffee just about the time your fingers felt like they were going to fall off, those are the memories that make a fishing trip perfect.

It was an amazing trip and I’m glad I mustered up the motivation to tell you about it.

TCO Team Meeting - Salmon River

It was that time of year again, the whole TCO team got together last weekend for our annual company meeting, this year it was on the Salmon River again. Last year we battled high water the entire time, with higher discharges each night we were there. This year we had a new set of challenges, that revolved around high wind and the threat of multiple feet of snow. The first morning was almost an exact repeat of last year, we had about 4 hours to fish before the meetings began, so we all meet super early. Shane and George Costa had never landed a steelhead, Shane never fishing for them, and George just bad luck. So after a break off and a long battle, George put one in the net! Shane had a similar experience, after a long fight, and a broken hook, he put a little chromer in the net. Its super awesome to get people into this sport, but its even more exciting when you get someone that is into the sport, even more excited about it. So the work, and meetings took place all day Sunday and Monday, but due to the forecast, Tuesdays meetings were canceled. So a select few of us stayed and fished, even though the "RealFeel" was 2, and winds up to 35mph. Shane and Casey each put one in the net that morning, so it was all worth it. Its always a blast fishing with all the guys, and also fishing with the reps, its a time when we can all relax, and just BS on the side of the river. All in all, an awesome few days on the river with the TCO Family!