Frank’s Steelhead Trout

Frank’s Steelhead Trout

By Jason Gunther

Frank had spent his life chasing the perfect catch, but this trip was different. This time, he was after the legendary steelhead trout, hidden away in the untouched waters of a remote, pristine stream—so secluded that it felt almost mythical. Getting there required a helicopter ride, a trek through dense forest, and a good dose of stubborn determination.

With his line cast and the cool water swirling around his boots, Frank was in his element. But then, something—or someone—caught his eye from the treeline. A shadow. A figure. Towering, shaggy, and still as stone. At first, he thought it was his imagination playing tricks on him, but the longer he stared, the more certain he became. Bigfoot.

His heart pounded. He took a step back, then another—until his foot caught under a submerged log. Before he could react, he was down. The icy stream surged into his waders, pulling him under. Panic set in as the current pushed against him, trapping him beneath the weight of the log. His world blurred into rushing water and the frantic struggle for air.

Then—darkness.

When Frank came to, he wasn’t underwater. He was sprawled on the riverbank, coughing and gasping for breath. A massive, fur-covered figure loomed over him. But as his vision cleared, he realized—this wasn’t some legendary beast.

It was a man. A wild-looking, mountain-tough man, draped in animal pelts, with a beard like a tangled thicket and eyes that held years of solitude.

Bigfoot? Not quite. But close enough.

The stranger hoisted Frank to his feet without a word and led him through the woods to a hidden cabin, tucked away like a secret. Inside, a fire crackled warmly. Frank, still in shock, was handed a steaming bowl of soup and a tin cup filled with something strong enough to chase the cold from his bones.

They ate in companionable silence, two men brought together by the wild.

The next morning, Frank hiked back to his pickup, forever changed. He had come searching for one legend and found another. And as the forest swallowed up the little cabin behind him, he couldn’t help but smile.

Sometimes, the best catch isn’t a fish—it’s a story worth telling.