Spectacular fishing on Grande Ronde River

The Federation of Fly Fishers got its start in the early 60s at the mouth of the Grande Ronde River when Bill Nelson of Eugene, Ore., met up with some buddies, had a few drinks, and talked about the importance of a national organization to look after their sporting interests.

Nelson, an Everett boy who had been a member of the Evergreen Fly Fishing Club in his hometown, had this to say about the Ronde in an oral history recorded by Western Washington University in 2007: "At the time, that was the best steelhead fishing in the world."