Fishin' Magician: Dave Graybill

I had a great trip to the Grande Ronde River this week. Eric Granstrom came along to capture the action with the video camera, and we were guided by Brian Nielson, of BJ Guide Service, from Moses Lake. Nielson has been floating the Grande Ronde for over 30 years and knows every rock in the stream, and which ones steelhead will be hiding behind. We were hosted by Boggan's Oasis, and they provide sumptuous meals, lodging and a shore lunch that included fresh baked pie. It was clear and cold when we launched below the bridge at the base of Rattlesnake Grade, and the rod went down before we were too far down stream. A small king had hit the Hot Shot and woke us all up. The next was a wild steelhead that also took a plug. We floated into the sunshine in the steep canyon and Nielson pointed out old homesteads and wagon trails as we went along. His story was interrupted once when a hatchery fish grabbed the jig I was fishing below a bobber. We hopped around other anglers on our way down the river and at the "last chance hole" another hatchery steelhead hit a hot shot and was netted. It was a terrific day, on a spectacular river.