What fishing gamut would be complete without spending some time on the Methow River in North Central Washington?  This is a beautiful, free-flowing river that works its way from the east side of the North Cascades near Early Winters,  to it's confluence with the Columbia River at Pateros.  This river is still very much "wild", complete with riffles, pools, boulders, white water and everything in between.  The river has always been popular with people who live in the area, and in recent years has been gaining notoriety with the rest of the state for its quality fishing and Class IV rapids (during spring run-off).  Pine forests, orchards, meadows and cliffs all share its banks.  In the hot summer months, the air smells like pine needles and dried grass, the water crystal clear.  In the fall, the aroma of apples and pears wafts through the valley.  Winters are crisp, the snow quieting everything down to a whisper.  Spring is wild flower blooms, bird and animal calls as they look for a partner and the raging torrent of the melting winter snow pack.