If you are a fly angler and have been frustrated trying to catch steelhead on our area rivers, there is a place that you can go and get some big fish. This is actually my favorite time of year to start fishing at Rocky Ford Creek near Ephrata. The mile-long public access area of Rocky Ford is loaded with very large rainbow trout and last year I caught one that was as large as many of the steelhead I was getting on the Columbia River. Most of the big trout at Rocky Ford are taken by anglers tossing a dry line, with a strike indicator and small scud pattern below it. I have had terrific success fishing a small leech patter with an Ultra Scud pattern behind it as a dropper. I have found that this combo works best when fished on an intermediate-sinking line. When fishing with this set up I like to throw into moderate water depth, with some flow. Some times the fish hit the leech and some times take the scud. Either way it has turned out to be a winning combo for me at Rocky Ford Creek. Fishing at the Ford is great clear through the winter months.