Hello Matt, since I fished Pateros at the Methow River arm and also Rufus Woods up by the "Pens" - I sure know what that 19" football looks like if it came from Rufus. I caught several clipped triploids in Rufus at almost exactly that length and they sure are football shaped. The body is too big for the mouth. I was surprised they were all eating crawdads. It took a small crawdad immitation to not lose almost all strikers. Honestly, they had the mouth of a 15" stocker rainbow and the body of a very healthy 3 LB. rainbow. Also amazing is- the filets are like a silver salmon, not like a 'bow.

I didn't catch Steel in Pateros, but I saw them hit the surface. I also saw them on the fish finder exactly where the guides said they would be. I couldn't get a guide cause they said it was too slow and I'd get bored. Instead I went out with a guide at Rufus. I sure learned a lot about the triploids in Rufus and Steel in Pateros. He said the key to Steelheads is being extremely quiet in your boat unless you are trolling. I figured I'd have to know the exact channel before I went out to be as quiet as he said and still fish eggs or coon shrimp. I tried it one morning and got one take down - Which I lost. He was right about there being lots more action at Rufus. Walleye are a throw in bonus at Rufus.