02/02/2022

Rivrguy and myself have had MANY discussions on summer run steelhead. Wynoochee River has had summer run steelhead since about 1979. The general public really didn't take part, until the 90's. As a public school teacher, living just 7 miles away, this fishery was perfect for me.

Early years, eggs, prawns, sand shrimp, spinners and a very small group of fly fishers. No bobber and jigs until the 90's, they completely changed this fishery.

Early years also had land owners that allowed access to prime waters, that included the large timber companies.

The 90's to present day, jigs and bait divers, took the largest percentage of caught SR fish.

The fishery was from late May, into September......then my fishing for SR went to the Chehalis and silver jacks, adult salmon.

Like many rivers, I5 population found Grays Harbor and the OP, more guides, drift boats, jet boats, and bank fishers.......trash, cut trees, led to many areas shut down to bank fishers.

Summer run steelhead DO EAT BETTER than winter run.....

In the more than 40 years since the introduction of the summer run steelhead there must be almost no effective spawning, un marked fish are few, on the Wynoochee River.