I made a big mistake while fishing on the Methow River recently. My fishing buddy Plumber Jim had landed a nice wild steelhead and I told him to hold it up for a photo. Just taking orders, Jim held it up briefly and I snapped a shot. This was a mistake. A wild steelhead should never be removed from the water and we both know this. I got Jim to do it and I need to apologize to him, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and readers who saw the photo in local newspapers and on my web site. I want to let readers who noticed this infraction of the fishing rules that both Jim and I have been contacted by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and appropriate action has been taken. This was really stupid on my part. I spend enough time telling people about the rules of fishing that I not only should know the rules, but even more important should abide by them. The fact that we have the privilege of fishing our local rivers for steelhead depends on the good conduct of anglers. I fully recognize that what I did is contrary to that good conduct.