Fishing Washington

Smelt fishing remains slow on the Cowlitz River.  Sturgeon fishing is slow in the Cowlitz and will stay that way until the smelt show.  The Cowlitz and Columbia have both reached the magic 43 degree mark where the pilot run of smelt should be coming upriver in waves. And the sturgeon shhould be right behind them.   The Sandy was hot this weekend with a mix of hatchery and native fish hitting in the upper river sections.  Southwest Washington Rivers have dropped into shape and the Wild Fish are on the bite. A buddy of mine fish Saturday morning on a small local river and he hit three nice fish including a 15 lb native that ripped our most of his line before coming to hand.  Steelheading is heating back up for late hatchery fish in the Blue Creek are of the Cowlitz.  With the weather finally clearing up and rivers dropping back into shape, coastal rivers are all starting to produce well.  It is time to get out on the water and catch the largest steelhead of the year. 

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The Steelheading this winter has been a tough one at times.  The drift boat has been sitting mainly unused with all the high water.  I have managed to pull a few good trips on the Kalama in between the bouts of rain and blown out rivers.  The late hatchery steelhead are getting ready to start hammering lures and bait on the Cowlitz.  Side drifting has been producing some dark steelhead with a few fresh fish being caught.  The hatchery fish in the Cowlitz have been set up by the state so that they come in over an extended period of time.  The is a health shot of fish that is supposed to be headed in this month.  Expectations are high for a good February with mixed catches of hatchery brats and native steelhead. 

Once the Cowlitz hits 40 degrees or higher the smelt should show up in the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers.  Early netting has had a few smelt caught but not in high enough numbers to be able to start dipping.  I will be keeping a eye on the river and will post when the smelt dipping gets hot.

Cowlitz River, Cowlitz River Guides, Hatchery Steelhead, Native Steelhead, Smelt dipping, Smelt fishing, Winter Steelhead

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Winter Steelheading has run both hot and cold in Southwest Washington and northern Oregon.  Steelheading in the Sandy and Clackamas Rivers have really heated up with the native broodstock hatchery brats moving in and on the bite in between heavy winter storms that have blow the rivers our making the unfishable. 

The washington steelheading scene has been steady fishing with lots of blown out river days.  Even on the worst days we have been able to pull steelhead to the boat but it has not been a spectacular winter season so far.  The hatchery steelhead are slowly tapering off and many of them have already spawned.  The Native runs have been starting to build to catchable numbers in the Cowlitz, Lewis, and Kalama River systems.  As we move in to February and March the natives will be in the rivers in full force.  These months are a great time to focus your efforts on the coastal streams like the Satsop, Wynoochie, Chehalis and others for monster Steelhead of 20 lbs and higher. 

In the Cowlitz sidedrifting rules and this has been the go to method for the guides and local anglers.  The Hatchery brats have been being caught in front of the Blue Creek Hatchery Ramp.  On a slow day you will be fishing with 20 other boats in a 100 yard section of the water,  on a busy weekend that may be 100 boats.  Pure insanity!  I take my clients and we work the river from Blue Creek on down to Mission Bar.   Instead of working over the schooled up fish with the crowd, many of which are now dark or spawned out.  I spend my time searching for groups of fresh bright fish moving up the river.  These fish are agressive and ready to bite.  Being fresh they eat great and fight like a hooked banshee.

The go to method for the side drifting crowd is on or two size 4 hooks with a corky or cheater and a small cluster of eggs.  Steelhead are not big on the suflite cures that catch Chinook.  I prefer to focus my egg cures for steelhead around borax, salt, and sugar cures that are mild and have no extra chemicals in them.  A personal favorite is a jello and salt cure that is simple and easy.  I store the eggs in Borax to toughen the egg skein and skins to make for a long lasting cluster.

I often step out of the side drifting game and pull plugs and divers with bait for these hot winter fish.  I like to back down slowly working the water hard and giving the fish a lot of time to see the bait in the colder water.  Sand Shrimp behind a spin-n-glo or a cheater is a go to bait, eggs are a great second.  On those days when  nothing seems to work I pull out the plastic worms and either side drift or back troll them.  These little plastic lures are Steelhead killers!  I like to use berkely power worms since the extra scent can really increase the bites, and the hook up to bite ratio.

Keep your lines tight and your bait fresh.
Clay Walker 

For the bank fishermen and drift boaters, hit the Kalama between the rain storms.  When this river is falling or in shape it is a constant producer for  

Cowlitz River, East Fork Lewis River, Kalama River, Lewis River, Winter Steelhead, Winter Steelheading

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Steelhead fishing on the upper Grays River has started as of the 15th of December.  There were lots of anglers on the water with most of the holes being taken at first light.  Fishing was productive but not hot on the 15th.    I saw about a dozen fish hooked up and caught by 12:00 when the hail and heavy rains started in.  This was a scouting fishing trip and I decided to load up the girlfriend and head back into town for some Christmas Shopping instead of having her out there freezing to death.   I did manage to put the hooks into a nice 8 lb fish throwing a green hot shot in a nice long run.  Most anglers were casting float and jigs.  The water was dark with a good shot of silt and a green / brown color.  I figured throwing a reaction lure would work and it did.  The fish was in front of a rock and hit about 10 feet from the rod tip as the plug swam past the rock.

Grays River, Grays River Fishing, Grays River Steelheading, Hot Steelheading Spots, Steelheading, Winter Steelhead, Winter Steelheading

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Winter Steelhead fishing is hot for hatchery run Steelhead on the Grays River.  This small river is a fun and challenging fishery with tons of small to medium sized hatchery brats to put on the bank. Fishing this river will have you stalking agressive fish in low clear water conditions.  The fish are often easy to see in the clear water.  You have to stalk close and then make careful casts to the fish.  Once you get your drift right you can see the fish slide up and take your jig or fly.  Once you are hooked up the fish will tear up the river and you can see every roll, twist and turn the fish makes.  Come out and enjoy a day enjoying the excitement of shallow water fishing for the northwest premier winter fishery Steelhead Trout.

Grays River, Grays River Fishing Guides. Grays River Fishing, Grays River Fly Fishing, Grays River Guides, Grays River Steelhead, Grays River Washington

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  Well gang, Winter Steelhead is about to kick off full speed.  Thanksgiving is the traditional kick off and we are already picking up a few nice Steelhead while fishing for the B run Silvers in the Cowlitz and Lewis Rivers in South West Washington.

Cowlitz River, Lewis River, Winter Steelhead Fishing

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