Originally Posted By: seabeckraised
Interesting anecdote here.. was hiking the little trail at today he head of Cushman where the NF Skok feeds into it. This was January 1st I specifically remember because my girlfriend at the time and I wanted to get out there to start the new year.

Anyways, this was well before I got into salmon and steelhead fishing, just trout at the time, and we see these two giant salmonids basking in the sunlight. Me, not knowing the run timing of them, just assumed they were salmon. Could’ve been Coho I suppose, but I’m guessing maybe early Steelhead? I’m not aware of them passing Coho into the reservoir. We sat and watched them for five or ten minutes.

Pretty cool at the time, and still cool to think about. Really hoping they were steelies. Great habitat once you get above that damn reservoir.


There have been large bull trout and land locked Chinook in Cushman for who knows how long. I've seen dark Chinook near where the NF Skok enters Cushman as late as December, so it's certainly possible that you saw the same species on Jan. 1. I don't think TP and the other stakeholders have begun passing coho or steelhead into Cushman yet, but I should check since I've been out of the loop for about 6 years.