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The Pulse of the current 2013/2014 PNW winter steelhead season

8K views 38 replies 20 participants last post by  808steelheader 
#1 · (Edited)
Guys/Gals:

I'm just trying to get a sense of how folks are doing with finding PNW chrome encounters this winter?? For me, it's been kinda slow. I got one early dry line steelhead on black friday (November 29) and nothing since, despite the fact that I am a persistent type who gets out regularly. My friends have gotten a few, but nothing approaching any kind of consistency. I fish coastal Oregon rivers. We've had drought conditions until this past week when we finally got some rain, but who knows, maybe I'm the only one having a tough time.

Just trying to get a cross section of how fellow Pacfic Northwesterners are doing this winter, so I'd be glad to hear how your winter fishing has been so far and which region you fish most often (just general areas, ie., North Coast-OR, Mid Coast-OR, South Coast-OR, Puget Sound-WA, OP-WA, Coastal-WA, Lower Mainland-BC, Skeena-BC, etc)

Thanks,
Todd
 
#2 ·
had a great fall once the sun went away. this last spike in moisture/flows has finally got me motivated for winter fish. now its dry again, but i'm ready to go when the forecast changes. 1000 miles and 10,000 casts is all that stands between me and my next winter steelhead. i'm glad the weather is getting the dry and sunny out of its system early. any idea of predictions by odfw for the late/wild run ? dont worry, i'll be swinging your favorite run either way :eek:
 
#5 ·
As we used to say back in my research days, the size of the N matters. So given that I'm only an N of 1, don't read too much into this.

I'm still waiting for my first winter fish of the season. Fishing Puget Sound rivers, I started getting serious back before Christmas. Since then I have 2-3 mornings a week and nada. Just off the river this morning hoping last week's high water had brought in some fish but neither I nor my buddy touched anything. I have heard that the hatchery run this year has been dismal and if the latest high water period didn't bring them in, they weren't coming. Who knows?

I have never caught large numbers of winter brats so don't care too much. Back in the good old days I would start expecting to find the first wild fish about MLK day. It would continue to build through April. These days, I have to hope I find one before everything shuts down at the end of the month. :(
 
#6 ·
I got my second winter fish yesterday (posted about it in the Dry Line thread), but even my fishiest friends have been having a slow season so far. Hopefully it's just a matter that the the dry weather is causing the steelhead to be running a bit late to the party. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the season unfolds.

Todd
 
#7 ·
I guess I've been kind of lucky this year. I got my first fish in the Sandy Dec 2, after the river dropped and cleared, and got a wild one 3 days ago. Got 1 on the Clackamas, and have hooked and lost some fish on the N. coast, and had a two hookup day on the Umpqua. That being said, I guess luck has been on my side. I have also gotten to fish a lot, too. I keep hearing that it's a little slow right now, but that's not going to stop me from fishing because you will never get a grab from the couch! Being a new guy up here has been fun, and very challenging, but I must say I have been a little put off by some of the crowds and ethics, especially on the Umpqua with gear guys. Thanks for posting, and I hope I can say hi to some of you up here. All the Spey guys I meet up here are really nice and fun to chat with.
 
#8 ·
Early winter (hatchery) steelhead reports have been dismal all around WA, in Puget Sound, the coast, and lower Columbia River tributaries. Some bright spots on the coast, but Puget Sound hatcheries have had to close the rivers in the vicinity of the hatcheries because of the risk of not meeting broodstock needs. I've been out twice fishing areas that are not stocked with hatchery fish and caught nothing but a late bright coho salmon for my efforts. Wild fish should begin entering the rivers any time now, but since all of the hatchery returns are so far below average, it does not bode well for wild steelhead abundance either. Even though steelhead, like all anadromous fish, are responsive to precipitation, it is almost rare for run timing to be off by more than two weeks, early or late, except in the smallest of streams that simply are not navigable at low water. In other words, it's not likely to be a record setting season in WA.

Sg
 
#10 ·
This is my first time Winter fishing, I'm not giving up! These fish are like having a bad Girlfriend. You tie them the most beautiful flies, spend thousands on nice gear, love and respect them, and sell your soul for them, only to be shunned! That being said, I can't wait to get out tomorrow and try some more!
 
#13 ·
you can do everything right, and still find out even your best freind hooked up with her. and he has the nerve to brag about it !!
Not just that, but he hooked up with her with a wooly bugger bought at the store!

In eastern WA, it seems that the weather and I are never in sync. I went out yesterday but quit after 30 minutes of dredging tumbleweeds out of the river. We had a wind storm last week and the river is still full of them. I would have to time my casts to try to cast between them but invariably one would hook on my floating line during the swing. But overall this year, the fishing has been just OK between and my buddies. Not stellar, but not awful.

Wayne
 
#19 ·
Hey folks, just thought to bump this back up since we are nearing the end of the winter season and wanted to check back with folks on how the latter part of the season has shaped up.

I've continued to have a slow season. I was out of the game for a few weeks to due my wife's heart surgery and I've had no grabs since getting back out. My friends have gotten a few and only Keith (moethedog) has showed any consistency in catching this winter among my network of fishing buds. (I wrote a post about my fishy friends on my blog last week).

Todd
 
#20 ·
just returned from 5-1/2 days on the NU and was the recipient of a thorough ass kicking. had good bites the first 3 days and then went 0 for the last days of the trip. had a hard time even spotting fish in the river. managed to spot one fish hanging out and fished to him/her to no avail. winter steelheading is so humbling.
 
#21 ·
Had to laugh!



The most interesting river I've ever fished. Thousands of casts and the number of fish I've actually hooked can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Susan Creek camp ground ... a good bbq, a large quaff of single malt and dog(s) (Husky's gone now) and "To Sleep perchant to dream."

Sun down and back on the river.
:smokin:
 
#23 ·
It's been a real strange and erratic pulse for me this year. Fall handed me some really glorious days, with lots of action and a few decent sized fish to hand (and an "almost" or two). Was starting to feel like I knew what I was doing even... then a bad ankle twist (North Umpqua) put me out of the game early. By the time that was tolerable the drought conditions had all the rivers around Northern California were under low flow closures. Missed what few opportunities there were, tied a bazillion flies, pulled my hair out, cursed at the weather forecasts, etc etc.

Well I finally did manage a couple of trips to the north coast of California, and a fabulous trip with my Father in Oregon all in the last couple weeks in Feb and first two in March. Had a fair bit of action and a couple landed on my Oregon trip, despite some tough conditions and having to spend a good bit of my energy helping out my Dad. As many can relate, it was a great trip regardless of fish (my Dad didn't get so much as a solid grab the whole time).

My very last trip of the year started slow, but turned into the most action filled steelheading yet for me. Lots of grabs (double digits two days in a row), 3 hookups in the first run one morning, etc. The very last day bumped into a friend I met last year, and we all fished down a run together with my wife landing the first fish (her first winter run, and first on a spey rod), he got one about a half hour later, and just before heading for home I managed to land one too. :D

It's really funny how I went from feeling like I was cursed, and that the elements of nature had almost conspired against me; to feeling like I had been given the most generous parting gift of the season. More than enough to keep at it... can't hardly wait for January now.
JB
 
#26 · (Edited)
It has been an interesting winter for sure... Late weather, not a lot of fish up, it has been weird?

That being said, I was in Bend yesterday and heading south, decided to grab a room at the Dogwood and fish a few hours on the N.U. this morning. What an amazing place! Met some cool guys from Tahoe and Shasta, who were pumped to go out and get to work! Man, I feel pretty lucky to have such waters so close... It is pretty high right now, and I sure a ankle sprain or worse is in my future as well but it will be worth it. I was able to hook a nice lady, not huge but super fun! Landed her, caught my breath(cause I am not really sure if I ever am breathing while in those awesome moments)took it all in and thought, what a great start to a week!
 

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#29 ·
only my second year chasing winter steelhead. much fishier than last year, but still had lots of fishless days, even with prime conditions ! lots of blowout days too. a week straight without fishable conditions anywhere on the o.c, but i now see those more dynamic flow patterns make for grabbier fish. lots of warm weather, and a great winter to be out of montana too. i've learned that i like sunshine more than i knew, and in higher flows, the fish dont mind either. i also found you dont always need to fish skagit heads in winter. this year i mostly fished a WA 45 and 15' tips up to type 8. much more enjoyable casting and fishing for me, throwing single speys for most of my fish. skagit still had its uses on really small and chunky water tho. i'm really starting to enjoy my winter fishing more. so much warmer than chasing summer fish in late oct-early dec. not to mention the fish ! maybe i'll try some dryline swinging next year, but i dont mind throwing tips anymore.
 

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#31 ·
I was up on the OP and picked up one fish and had another tug the first evening on the river. After that it was followed up by 4 days without as much as a sniff. A buddy of mine went the whole trip without a bite. Water conditions were pretty much as good as they get the whole time. I was talking to a guy who has been 24 days without a fish up there. Didn't really seem like the gear guys were doing much better. Once I fished lower and saw the barrage of gill nets spanning the river I was a little less surprised.
 
#36 ·
I'm in Forks right now.
I've put in four days and I'm two for two. One of which was a real nice hen that slammed the fly and took me into the next run.
I was shaking when it was all over. I don't have a lot of experience with wild winter fish and that one was by far and away the biggest steelhead I've caught.
I left the camera in the boat which was no big deal. It was nice just to be able to leave her in the water and admire her until she was ready to go.

I was here in early March with two other guys and none of us touched a fish in four days though conditions were tough with rising water three of those days.
 
#37 ·
fished two rivers on the OP with 7 friends for 6 days. One fish landed between all of us. Its always a tough game out there, but this season sucked for fish landed. The bonfires and drinking were incredible tho! Time to explore some new water next year....seems like too many people and a decimated population of wild fish. Im starting to feel guilty harassing them.
 
#38 ·
Season seems to be late this year...

I have a gear friend that is doing extremely well on the OP rivers, using a drift boat and side drifiting. He reports that the run is just late this year. If you haven't had luck, don't give up. Give the winter run another chance in April, if your river is open.

I am nursing an injury and won't get out this Spring. I am tying flies and biding my time for the summer run.

Mark
 
#39 ·
I have a gear friend that is doing extremely well on the OP rivers, using a drift boat and side drifiting. He reports that the run is just late this year. If you haven't had luck, don't give up. Give the winter run another chance in April, if your river is open.

I am nursing an injury and won't get out this Spring. I am tying flies and biding my time for the summer run.

Mark
Thanks for the observation from the OP. I'll be on the lookout for any late arrivals on my winter rivers.

Hope you feel better and will be ready for the summers!

Todd
 
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