For the record, an 8,000 wild steelhead run on the Skagit ain't that hot. Just a few short years ago, 8,000 was only 80% of the 10,000 spawning escapment goal, the minimum number forecast required to have a CNR season. While decent fishing can be had when the run is 8,000, it's even better when the run is 12,000 or more, but I digress.

Another thing about the wild fish is that their timing into the upper river (i.e. upstream of the Dalles bridge) varies quite a bit more than their river entry timing. The Skagit isn't so small that the native run requires major rainstorms in order to enter freshwater. That's not to say that a rise in water level doesn't affect migration, but it appears to influence migration once the fish are in freshwater more than it affects their river entry. Extended low and cold water can cause the fish to lay lower in the river, with many not moving above the Dalles until after the season ends on April 30. But they will move eventually as only a very small % of the run spawns downstream of the Dalles.

KK,

Sorry about your broken Spey rod man. It seems to have made you surly. I'd happily loan you a couple spares than for you to have to resort to spin fishing.

Dave,

I'm not sure what the world's coming to if Stam has to remind Robbo that his bobber's down. I've got a complex Steelheader's Steelheader algorithm in Excel that I ran that through, and it just won't compute. Therefore the explanation isn't logical, rational, or of this world.

Sg