The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Most of my winter trips to the Wallowa River are characterized by slippery travel across the Tollgate Crossing during an active snow or ice storm. The five-foot walls of packed snow confining the highway are intimidating yet comforting, considering that I might bounce off the wall rather than ditch my rig in the creek draining the Elgin side of the mountain. Most days are frigid, snowy, or rainy, so a bluebird sky means instant victory upon arrival at Minam State Park.

Flow conditions were about perfect this day. I typically only fish for steelhead on the descending limb of the hydrograph afte...