Just got back from 3.5 days of fishing the Deschutes, which is usually a pretty good bet for a fish or two anytime from August 'til November. Anyway, we didn't even move one. Sure the pressure was high, but we should have at least had one fish. Oh, well. We had plenty of Banquet Beers, heard plenty of Truckers and got to throw some tight lines in perfect spey water.......so still a great little vacation and I wouldn't have been anywhere else in the world this past weekend. Thanks Shannon, Matt and Dylan for tolerating me when I was complaining about how badly I had to poop during our morning run. There really is something wrong with me. I love that canyon, even when it doesn't produce. Even when it's filled with dudes, there is still enough space to feel small and get lost in perfect steelhead country. Until we meet again, Big D.

Other than libations and good company, the new rod I just got was a pleasant highlight. The Z-Axis 5126 is everything you want in a fall steelhead rod: light, versatile, smooth, and an absolute cannon when struck properly. Throwing a RIO Steelhead Scandi head at 350 grains was perfect for any 10 foot versileader from the floater to the 7 ips sinker, which is all the depth control you will ever need in the fall in my mind (my stupid-no-steelhead mind, that is). Gosh it is fun to cast, I didn't even break out anything else all weekend. Just a perfect scandi rod.....now all she needs is a fish to test out its ability to fight something hot. I probably won't care if it ever hooks anything. Too fun to cast to not have a good time with this thing on good spey water. Snoqualmie here I come!