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youngsteelheader

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going to seattle to watch a mariners game in march and wondering what the steelhead situation is like down there. i know they pump way more money into the hatchery programs down there but is there many wild rivers. i would kinda like to make a few day trip out of it so i dont mind driving a little to find some seclusion, and dont really want to fish an american gong show like the skagit.... any advice would be greatly appreciated... thanx
 
YS if there was a river down here that is not an " American gong show" I have not found it. We have the same people plugged rivers down here. If you want a chance at some of our HOG steelies do a little research on the south fork of the Clearwater that time of year. It is located in Idaho, a little out of your way. But this little gem can produce fish into the 20lb range. But it will have LOTS of people. But no boats because of how small it is. On a good day you can reach double digit catches.
 
From what I hear I think you need to hire a native guide on WC Olympic Peninsula rivers or you cannot fish the river.
 
I do several trips to the Olympic Peninsula each year. The fishing is great. 5 rivers flowing out of an unlogged watershed. There is lots of bank angling without a guide if you do a bit of research. Guided driftboat trips are cheap in comparison to Canadian $$$ costs. Accomodation in Forks Washington is cheap in comparison to local prices. The Hoh River produces some of the States largest Steelhead and the big wild fish peak in mid-march to early april. Virtually all rivers in the area have good runs of hatchery fish and my yearly non- resident steelhead license is cheaper than my BC season license and steelhead tag. For me, it is a no brainer.
 
is it like it is in canada where a non-resident license i quite a bit more expensive? i assume i cannot bring hatchery fish across the border, is this true.. winephart do uu live in washington?
 
after doing some reseach and realizing home many tens of thousands of people live within a few hours drive from all the O.P. rivers and that it is legal to use bait, barbed hooks, and bonk wild steelhead i think im going to keep my fishin travels to this side of the border. i have heard while some of these rivers like the hoh and sol duc hold steel into the 20`s, they get hammered by drift boats, way more people in seattle than the whole island
 
Well young steelheader, a yearly non-resident Washington State, freshwater license with steelhead tag cost me $48.00. My BC Resident license with steelhead tag was $ 64.05. You are able to bring fresh steelhead across the border. They even allow one wild fish from each river system per year. That doesn't make sense to me, but that is what is allowed. We've never killed a wild washington steelhead!
 
Whenever I've been to the Peninsula, the fishing pressure has been way less than my local flows ( Stamp and Cowichan). Yes you are allowed to use bait ( As anyone can in BC, unless they want to fish Vancouver island or the stamp river above GirlGuide Falls).
The peninsula rivers do allow driftboats and pontoon boats but they don't allow Jet Boats like many BC rivers. I ve never felt crowded fishing the Olympic Peninsula. I don't , for the life of me , know why they allow a one wild steelhead per river kill? Maybe thats what you do in a republic? I live in BC and am a born and bred Canadian, but the Olympic Peninsula is a great place to fish Steelhead. Its different from what we have her, but it is still a great fishing experience!
 
thanks for the awesome advice winephart, i love doing fishing road trips and the op sounds like a good one. i guess the idea of crowded is in the eye of the beholder. i was born and raised in vancouver, so the vedder seems crowded to me but the stamp does not at all unless u are at the falls pool. is there many wadable rivers down there, i hear the hoh and sol duc are quite large rivers.
 
The wadeability of OP rivers is dependant on flow, just like BC Rivers. Its good to take a local backroads map to help you find access.
None of the big steelhead rivers on the peninsula are closed. They have closed 5 creeks that have small fragile wild steelhead runs.
 
winephart said:
The wadeability of OP rivers is dependant on flow, just like BC Rivers. Its good to take a local backroads map to help you find access.
None of the big steelhead rivers on the peninsula are closed. They have closed 5 creeks that have small fragile wild steelhead runs.
Click to expand...


A buddy of mine has been bugging me to go do this trip, so I was wondering if you could give me a little more info......Been a long long time since I was down that way, so I imagine things have changed a lot....Did you use a guide at all....if so, any recommendations?? We were thinking of using a guide for the first day and then hitting the banks for a couple more. How was the shore access?? Any places in Forks to get some local info or maps about access?? Any and all info would be greatly appreciated.......please PM me if you wish.....Thanks,

SS
 
I don't know howmuch they have changed. We stay at 3 rivers resort on La Push road, just outside Forks. A 2 bedroom Cabin costs us $79 pernight. @ bedrooms with Queen beds, a Sofa bed in the living room and a full kitchen. They will provide Guides if you want. They charge $ 320.00 perday split between 2 anglers for a full day guided drift with lunch. We use a guide named Dave Mallahan (fishingwithdave.com). He is a great guy and will provide lots of info about where to bank fish. Ther is a fishing shop on the main drag of Forks that will provide more info and maps. If you need any more info PM me.
 
Thanks for the info....it is much appreciated. I will be looking into all of the above mentioned. We are also heading down to the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show in Portland next week, so hopefully, we can pick up some more info there. Trying to time the trip for when the big wild fish are in......I believe it ( the peak ) used to be from mid Feb. to end of March. Looking forward to getting some good pics!!
 
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