The steelhead opening day on all of our rivers here in Central Washington was a great one, although participation is expected to be much higher on the coming weekend. The best reports of angler success came from the mouth of the Wenatchee River. Just like the 2007 opener, fish were stacked up in this area, waiting for a freshet of cold water to draw them further upstream. I fished in the Pateros area on opening day, and although I didn’t find any fish hanging around the bridges at the mouth of the Methow. My fishing party which included WDFW Commissioner Rollie Schmitten, of Lake Wenatchee, and Plumber Jim of Leavenworth, and I did find steelhead further down river in the area known as the Rocks. Fish are running about 6 to 8 pounds, on average this year, with many reports of fish to 10 pounds mixed in. There was moderate success on the Methow, which is very low and clear like the Wenatchee. Angler pressure and success will increase as the weather cools and water levels come up on the smaller rivers and in the main stem Columbia. Anglers are reminded that selective rules are now in force on all rivers open to steelhead fishing.