Hope to try and fish the Wynoochee this year, any information would be helpful. Best spot to bank fish, etc. How accessable is this river?

Here are a few spots.

Around the 8 mile mark on the Wynoochee Valley RD there will be a firestation on the lefthand side. and a road just past it. This road is known as the "crossover" road. Take a left on this road, and about 1/2-3/4 miles from the intersectrion is a bridge. There is a good hole right ther at the put-in on the west side.

Next spot....Keep going over the bridge and take the first right just before going up the hill. Follow this road to the end, and you will be opposite the "white bridge" boat launch. Go up and down stream, water levels permitting. Ther are a few good holes in that area.

Two should be enough to start, maybe someone else will help out. There is a fair amount of bank access, just make sure you are not trespassing.

Good Luck!

No substitute for just getting out there...head down and spend the day...take a note pad and take some notes...

Thanks Carcass for the information at least will have an area to start taking notes according to Craven Moorhead.
Since this will be the first time fishing this river and did not know the river,was looking for a place at least to start.
Why is that when someone ask a question on how to fish somewhere they never fish before, somepeople have to put in their two cents instead of helping a guy.

This is more or less a question for craven. I hope its not too long and drawn out and I hope you dont think im a dumb dumb after this. I know your a definate advocate of getting out and finding the holes after having talked to you. Im very new to fishing and have never really been an outdoorsman of any type untill the last two years. Now dont even reply to this if you think its to ignorant of a question, but when your looking for these holes do you just go buy a map, and drive around and look for river access, parked cars, etc ect? If I were to hit a river that didnt have a crowd in it, I would have no idea where to find the fish. How do you know which areas are good or how to you tell an area would hold fish if nobody seems to be fishing there "aside of actualy seeing the fish" Can you reccomend a good book to read or a place that tells you specifics to look for? I have plans for next summer to spend some time "especialy on rivers close to me" of doing exactly that. Taking a map and a notebook and finding good river access and trying to find holes that would be good to fish during the off season. The only problem is , I dont know $h!t about what to look for.
Nobody in my family has ever fished and I have one other friend that fishes but he's not real motivated so he's of almost 0 help.

me fish, I will respond to your last question.

The information Dogfish gave you is good to get you started...I obviously wasn't planning on giving you that. Here is my reasoning and I would imagine others out there.

First off: I am old enough to remember when hardly anyone fished the nooch.

Second: I have spent hours and hours and hours putting in my time learning that river. And feel others should do the same.

In conclusion, though I don't fish it as much as I used to I just simply feel that if you want to fish. Go fish, learn all that you can, by doing this you earn the "stripes" of that river...and then you will understand why many like myself don't readily share any info. The internet is an incredilble tool, you could pull the 'nooch up and get arial photos of her, you can "hear" when others are catching fish. I just don't feel like giving anyone a "silver spoon" nor do I think anyone should expect one. Thats my .02, it is not meant to mean spirited or condensending.

Jim

If you are that new to the sport, there are other rivers that have more fish and better access. I would recommend the Cowlitz at Blue Creek or Barrier Dam, how about the Kalama with ten miles of unlimited bank access.
If you are coming from Seattle, why the Wynoochie?

Neurosis and MeFish; I understand completely your situation. When I started fishing 25 odd years ago I was the first of my family and relatives to pick up the long rod. I, too, started from scratch. This was my approach and maybe it will help you out some.

First thing I did was subscribe to Salmon-Trout-Steelheader. Read that thing religiously to learn all I could. Amato publications puts out some good books, too, on steelhead fishing; just read 'em. Next I bought a catch record report of the salmon and steelhead caught in Washington/Oregon. It gave the total number of fish caught per month on every river. From that you can surmise run timing of the rivers around you. Now do some homework and pick just a couple rivers near your home that you can concentrate on. Use your catch data to determine when to target each one.

Now go get a map and check out the various areas of access. Go get a good topo map from Metzkers or something. If the road follows the river, you can see where others have created trails headed to the water. There's a reason people fish the same areas. When you find a spot that people are fishing, really pay attention to the water. Memorize what it looks like, think about WHY it looks that way. Fish are holding there for a reason. Now go find other spots on the river that look the same.

Watch what the others are doing, and HOW they're doing it, especially the ones catching fish. Don't be afraid to ask a few simple questions, but remember that the guy fishing is trying to concentrate on his drift, too.

At the end of the day think about what happened. If you got skunked, think about why; water conditions? presentation? timing? not holding your tongue right? Make note of what you'll change/try next time.

Bottom line is that you MUST do some homework and read everything you can get your hands on.

Hope some of that helps.
Rick

me, neurosis and others.

the other option is to spend $150 (or whatever he charges) hire Bob for a day and bug him all day about holding water etc...you will learn all you need to know to really get started on any river. It is a very reasonable amount based on learning curve.

Jim

I tend to agree with the "beat the streets attitude." It's acceptable to swap technique ideas, but what makes this sport fun and still affords us some lonely river banks is the mentality of "let me grab a map and explore on my own." Getting places to go while talking to a friend or BS'n in a bar is great. Most people on the board have learned that asking for places to fish is taboo, and some haven't. The one that really gives me a chuckle are the guys that get crap for asking for a place to fish, then on their next post they ask for the same type of info. but qualify it with an "email me if you don't want to post it publicly." I just don't think some questions are appropriate for people you don't know. Asking for email replies is an aggressive way to get info. from innapropriate questions. Now I know some folks know each other quite well and should feel free communicating with each other. I'm talking about guys that are new to the sport that start their first post with a "where to fish post." I do believe some of the small streams that I used to consider zipper have become very busy due to the ease on info. obtained on the net.

All that being said, there are tons of books out there, plenty of written info. on the net. Grab some catch stats and a map and plan a trip. Get to the river, see a guy like me and ask questions. Being on the river tends to make me tell all, especially to a newbie. This is the one part of the game that should be learned the hard way. Learning where fish lie in a particular river can only be learned the hard way.

Who is bob? Sorry, im new here. I think it would be worth 150 for some decent knowledge. Thats a point worth thinking about.

Haha... Sorry Bob. Does he teach any secrets about where to fish on local rivers? I may even let him have a date with my g/f for that. <img border="0" alt="[wall]" title="" src="graemlins/wall.gif" />

If you are new to this board and new to drift fishing cruise this whole site, not just the BB, for info. There is great technical info to be found here - hell, I have been fishing these rivers since the 50's and I found a new favorite lure (rags) and instructions on making them here. For info on reading water and fishing it go out fishing with an expert - if you don't know one hire one, particularly The Really Big One. And there are huge amounts of published literature, including hole by hole maps, out there in various books on fishing for steelhead - a library search will provide you with a lifetime of fishing spots. Share technical info, fishing stories (only about hugely popular well known areas though), and BS on this board, and take any info on hot spots with a boatload of salt (see the previous reference to BS). Have fun, be happy, and be

I started out fishing for Salmon and Steelhead 20+ years ago when the only school was the school of hard knocks. When I wanted to fish the Wynoochie, there was nobody to ask, so I did exactly what you suggested....I went and bought a Metzkers map and drove down there...I looked for cars...drove down public roads, talked to other guys on the river and ended up catching a fish later in the day.

On the other note....I am not trying to be a jerk about it, but why should I broadcast to the 100,000 plus people who visit this sight each week which rock to go stand on at the Nooch?...Is this fair to the other guy who has done his homework and is headed down there tomorrow...NO

To all the new people in the sport....like the Visa card ads say....Fishing rod...$150, vest $30, wadders $100....finding a spot on your own...priceless

I too am an advocate of the search and learn technique- the reality is that there weren't many alternatives 30 years ago. I think a person who endures that learning process is hooked for life and develops an appreciation for fishing quality- rather than the terminal madness and combat scenes that are common now.

However- I think there is a good argument for getting new fisherfolks into fish quickly. Fishing is a political/economic game- votes and advocacy count. What counts even more in that game is a negative reaction (fishermen are selfish) or complete apathy. Younger people have less patience and may peter out quickly without the quick fix of some "action". Even if the fun fades as we get into the high hours to hookup ratios that are soon to be here, maybe they will have caught the fever at the expense of being directed to a few popular chum spots, and they will endure the winter drudgery (or enjoy the serenity it's all perspective) on their own.

Just a different opinion to consider. The preceding might just be a pile of crap- I have no insight on how people think, just a concern for the fishery. I'm fortunate enough to have developed a network of friends to get my info from, but it took a long time and lots of no fish days- hmm those still happen frequently.

Neurosis- I see this is a post concerning the Nooch, but here is some green Chum info- you've asked about that on other posts. Head East from Hwy 18 and find Flaming Geyser or Metzler's Park. Both are popular and will have fish now or very soon. Be courteous and observe. Take the time to walk up and down from the kill zones to find other fishy water, rather than continue in the harrassment mode of one school of fish. Share info with other newbies and develop a personal network- it'll be much more satisfying in the long run.
Enjoy.

First Craven: I know and realize your not trying to be a jerk my question is a serious one and I really am looking to go on a search. Im just looking for the tools to get me started so I dont have to ask people "where are you catching fish" . I am truly interested in learning how to find these spots on my own, I just dont have a clue where to start. I'll use the board to my advantage when I can, but I will take all advice and beat the streets as well. Im not lazy even though some times my sentiment may seem that way.
Im just trying to have fun at the same time. I admire the tribulations that you have been through and only hope that I can enjoy the same fishing experience after time spent.

Next I also am just looking for people to fish with the same. I dont care to have them show me their secret spots or drag every fishing secret they hold out of them. Im more or less looking for people to fish with that enjoy it as much as I do. I enjoyed fishing with you and trouthead and hope to fish with you again. I also want you "believe it or not" to teach me some C & R etiquette. I was going to make seperate post about it, but maye i'll just add it into this one. I C & R most of the fish I catch, so it will come in handy to know the proper way to do it without trashing the fish. The people I have fished with so far "not you guys included" are for the most part, as new as me and usualy dont release anything they catch.

Next.... About the green.

Thanks for the info. Ive never tried around Met. park, but have been to the other. I fish there regularly durning the winter although never cought anything. Im going to try float fishing this year up there and hopefully I can get some better luck.

One thing you don't want to depend on when fishing the nooch is media reports. In today's Seattle Times a fishing reports descirbes the Wynoochee as good for winter steelhead.
The only way you could fish for steelhead on the nooch in the last couple of days is with a shovel. It has been MUDDY at best.

I must say I am pleasently surprised!!! In the past...when certain rivers are brought up the thread turns into a ***** fest and everyone ends up pissed off at each other...it is great to see everyone lending a hand and not being a d*ck because a neophyte asked about a certain river.

Secondly...I began fishing long before I could drive so that gave me all the time in the world to spend studying up on technique and places etc. etc. So when I finally got my license, I was able to hit the rivers with gusto!!

What helped me the most??? Published literature...

Must haves include Stan Jone's Washington State Fishing Guide, Terry Rudnick's Washington Fishing, Wa. State regs which can be a great source if you are intuitive and most importantly the DeLorme Washington Atlas and Gazeater!!...this last one is required!!!

To better understand reading steelhead water, Bill Herzog's Drift Fishing for Steelhead is the best source. It will give you the ability to drive around looking at a river and be able to understand where to fish and why.

Lastly, hire Bob for a day. Let him know you want to learn how to read water, drift fish, ask 101 questions about everything...including steelhead behavior which is commonly bypassed.

Hope this helps...and keep a journal!

One more thing...

Dont pay much attention to Fishing and Hunting News or newspaper reports.

For one, they are hardly ever accurate and most importantly if you spend all your time chasing down the lastest hotspot, you will always have arrived too late and you will never have given your chance to learn a few rivers well...once a river or two becomes a part of your life, you will become the best fisherman you possible can!!

neurosis- shoot me an e mail at philpac33@hotmail.com...i may be able to help you enough so you can get started on your own...i'm not going to show every spot on the river nor will i take you on some wild goose chase..simply put i can take you to a couple of the more popular drifts, give a few tips on gear and techniques, what type of holding water to look for (which will apply to most or all rivers), and most likely put you on a couple fish...i didn't learn to fish without the help of some friends(and strangers), but it takes a lot of individual time and effort, as you will see...hit me up if you'd like