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to a special thrill every time it happened.

In his words, "I have many rods, including a heavy one specifically made for steelhead. I can't imagine getting the same feeling of excitement with a heavier pole than I always get with my light rod. That first steelhead though, nothing will surpass the feeling of elation when I actually landed it."

He laughs about that part of the adventure.

"With my light pole bent so much I was sure it would snap at any time, I finally got the fish to shore. I'm sure that as exhausted as the fish was, it wasn't as tired as me. Just as I got my fingers in its mouth, it made one last flop and came free of the fly. I was off balance, but there was no way I was going to let go of the fish, so fish, pole, and yours truly all ended up in the water. I got the fish, though!"

Since that time, he has been a staunch believer in using ultralight poles whenever possible. The man has requested to remain anonymous, and that the location not be divulged, save to say it was in the North Umpqua River in Oregon.

Many others who've used ultralight rods to catch big fish have mirrored his experiences. Often, the result has been a larger fish than the fisherman was intentionally after, however it invariably leads to an astounding thrill that can't be matched by using a standard or heavy pole. Give it a try sometime, and you will see why.

Learn more about this author, Rex Trulove.
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