Steelhead fishing on the main stem Columbia in the vicinity of Pateros and the Methow River is off to a great start. I talked with several anglers that fished from the docks right in from Howard’s on the River Hotel that had success, and also anglers that fished just down stream near the area known as the Rocks and the point across the river from there. I floated the Methow River last Friday, with my friend Jim Passage and guide Jeff Brazda. The water is low and clear, but it is full of fish. Rafts are able to navigate without hanging up too often. I was using a fly rod that Brazda had set up with a Stone Fly with a bead dropper. Passage was using a center pin rod and bobber with the same set up below. Due to the low water we found more fish in the riffles than usual, and even took a fish from a hole that Brazda hadn’t been able to get a fish out of—ever. He even bet me twenty bucks that I couldn’t get one. It was the best twenty dollars I have earned in a long time. We all got a chuckle out that. We ended the day early, having landed a total of nine steelhead, with four hatchery fish included.