" 'Oh ye of little faith', I muttered, & worked out more line. And the line stopped. A heartbeat later, the water silvered in a boil and I was looking up at 8 or 9 pounds of steelhead coming down. This was a typical two year salt hen and I landed her and backed out the gold hook, my hands shaking. I'd say I was surprised but it had happened like this before--conditions going to hell, hope dwindling, then the jolting strike that erases all the world and paints it all anew..."
