October 21, 2010 in Outdoors

After being reeled in to the boat by an angler on the Salmon River, a beefy wild steelhead is released by fishing guide Norm Klobetanz of Exodus Wilderness Adventures based in Riggins, Idaho.

Salmon River fishing guide Norm Klobetanz of Exodus Wilderness Adventures rows his drift boat off a gravel bar to go resume steelhead fishing Amy Sinclair, co-owner of Exodus Wilderness Adventures based in Riggins, ID.

Salmon River fishing guide Norm Klobetanz holds a hatchery steelhead landed by Amy Sinclair, co-owner of Exodus Wilderness Adventures based in Riggins, ID. This is the smaller-size of steelhead anglers catch in the Snake drainage. Some are at least four-time larger.

Salmon River drift-boat fishing guide Norm Klobetanz of Riggins, Idaho, keeps an arsenal of tools at the ready – including backtrolling rigs and bait casting outfits — while fishing for steelhead.

A diving plug makes up the top half of a “truck and trailer” plug and bait rig. The hooks are removed and leader is attached to the middle eye screw. The leader runs down to two tandem hooks. Salmon River guide Norm Klobetanz prefers to attach shrimp to the first hook with a bait loop.

The bottom half of a “truck and trailer” plug-and-bait rig involves shrimp in a bait loop and twin hooks. The line runs up to attach to the middle eye screw on a diving plug in which the hooks have been removed.

Amy Sinclair of Exodus Wilderness Adventures based in Riggins, ID, reels in a steelhead while fishing on the Salmon River.

Salmon River fishing guide Norm Klobetanz prepares to land and release a large steelhead reeled in by Amy Sinclair, co-owner of Exodus Wilderness Adventures based in Riggins, ID.

Salmon River fishing guide Norm Klobetanz of Riggins, Idaho, quickly untangles fishing line from a prize wild steelhead before releasing it unharmed. The fish has scars on its side and dorsal fin, possibly inflicted by predators during its two years living in the ocean and returning up the Columbia, Snake and into the Salmon River.

Salmon River fishing guide Norm Klobetanz of Exodus Wilderness Adventures maneuvers his drift boat through a jet-boat deterring rapid. Floating the Salmon River is half the fun for anglers. With him is Amy Sinclair, co-owner of Exodus Wilderness Adventures based in Riggins.