No other fresh water fish pulls at my core like Oncorhynchus mykiss. My quest has been years in the making. Thousands of fishless hours, perusing endless volumes of books on the subject, straining my eyes at the vise, frequenting fly shops, covering hundreds of miles of rivers and streams and absorbing every bit of information like a sponge. This is a brief synopsis of where it all began.The first string of experiences began like many other kids who grew up in the Great Lakes region. My friend’s father owned a piece of property among the drumlins and apple orchards of rural Wayne County. A small tributary tumbled through the ravine as it made its way north to Lake Ontario. We had fished for King Salmon there for a few years with spinning gear and egg sacs with good success. Being young and naive the dark black toothy salmon were the end all, be all, of our entire universe. Then it happened. It was in a small plunge pool at the base of a decent size waterfall. My rod bucked wildly and the drag screamed as was typical when hooked up with a giant King. The only difference was when the fish cart-wheeled out of the water it wasn’t black. This was a red hot steelhead of at least 30 inches. After a long battle the fish was exhausted. As I beached the silver giant and held it in my hands, something about that moment was magical. I still can’t describe it in the written word but ever since that transpired I’m not the same. I obsess about these fish every day and usually dream about them at night. Many of you can certainly relate. I have seen this in the eyes of anglers who grasp the tail of that first steelhead. It is good medicine for whatever ails. Fifteen years later the game has come full circle. No longer do I go weeks or months without spending a little time with this outstanding quarry. Rarely do I leave a Steelhead river without basking in that special moment. Perseverance, determination and sacrifice are the key components to understanding this truly magnificent game fish.