Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[canoeboy]

I'll keep that in mind for sure, I use as much respect as I can with every fish and I always bring a non abrasive net. I would head down to the states but I'm waiting on my passport which should be here next week. I wasn't going to fish the cap as I feel there are just too many people most of the time. When would you say you start seeing them in the river?  I was going to target smaller rivers/creeks as usually less pressure.

[Darko]

I'll keep that in mind for sure, I use as much respect as I can with every fish and I always bring a non abrasive net. I would head down to the states but I'm waiting on my passport which should be here next week. I wasn't going to fish the cap as I feel there are just too many people most of the time. When would you say you start seeing them in the river?  I was going to target smaller rivers/creeks as usually less pressure.

I have read July-September

[wildmanyeah]

I was told the summer run steelhead almost exclusively hold up in the deep water canyon pools on the  Chehalis.

I am not sure that’s an area I would suggest to go venturing in.

[canoeboy]

Ya, I've heard lots about the chehalis as being a place people went to catch them, then ive also heard that the run no longer exists. I'll probably check it out at some point just to poke around but I'll probably head further east for this weekend. And thanks for the info dark, hopefully some more people have some input and then I can cross reference and narrow down my time frame.

[RalphH]

where ever you do check the regs as there are closures and tackle restrictions on most summer steelhead streams.

[MetalAndFeathers]

Peak summer run season has passed locally, Chehalis has a few great fish if you’re willing to hike. If you have a passport I wouldn't even bother fishing for them locally, Washington is much better for Summers. My fish landed per days fished ratio is much higher in Washington than locally, great eating and they are some crazy fighters especially the Skamanias. 

[canoeboy]

I am totally willing to hike, if it has passed when would you say is peak?

[RalphH]

Peak summer run season has passed locally, Chehalis has a few great fish if you’re willing to hike. If you have a passport I wouldn't even bother fishing for them locally, Washington is much better for Summers. My fish landed per days fished ratio is much higher in Washington than locally, great eating and they are some crazy fighters especially the Skamanias.

depends on the stream. In a couple of Region 2 streams June was way too early. July or even late July early August was good. Warm and low water made success less likely after that but cool days and fall rain brought on good angling in latter part of September and into October when the fish got very "trouty".

Skamanias are a hatchery breed like Fraser Valley domestics. At one  time Washington was considering discontinuing their use but I am not sure if that happened.

FWIW in recent years, Summer steelhead have generally done better number wise than winter runs in many locations.

[MetalAndFeathers]

I am totally willing to hike, if it has passed when would you say is peak?

Last week of May to first week of June is your best chance at a fresh one but they enter from late April to July. With the high water on the Chehalis I doubt any have been caught so chances at some hot ones are still great.

depends on the stream. In a couple of Region 2 streams June was way too early. July or even late July early August was good. Warm and low water made success less likely after that but cool days and fall rain brought on good angling in latter part of September and into October when the fish got very "trouty".

Skamanias are a hatchery breed like Fraser Valley domestics. At one  time Washington was considering discontinuing their use but I am not sure if that happened.

FWIW in recent years, Summer steelhead have generally done better number wise than winter runs in many locations.

I should have been more specific, on the Cap and Chehalis I’ve noticed peak movements to happen before the water drops in late June, by then many have been hooked already.

Skamanias are still stocked and despite being highly domesticated they are quite impressive for hatchery steelhead standards, I’ve had some scraps that rival most BC hatchery steelhead. They would be a real money maker and probably utilized as much as the Vedder red spring if stocked in BC but that will never happen.

[RalphH]

Well, Washington's steelhead enhancement program is unlike BC as they don't state where the stock comes from. Some years back they wanted to move to sourcing to native fish directly from the specific watershed. Most streams stocked are on the Columbia system. Those are mostly fall run fish. Only a half dozen streams in the Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula are stocked.

It's available here: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/stocking/steelhead#2023