Anyone got a report from the Kalama this weekend? Called Prichard's and they said quite a few fish being caught ... but they seem to always say that.

Sorry but I'm going to have to call bs on prichards , I really don't mean to .
The only thing I've seen caught there has been summer run so its not looking good. I talked to a guy today who was told by the gammie that so far the fish are just barely showing. Drift

I was there Friday and the water looked great. I fished for 3 hours and touched nothing. All the other fishermen I ran in to were loading up their trucks and leaving empty handed. And the people I saw go by me in drift boats looked awful bored. I gave up and headed up to the Cowlitz. It was slow too but at least there was the sound of " fish on" from time to time.

went up into the canyon today, and ended up cathing an older wild silver. water looks great but all I seen were old fish. Lots of boats on the water and plenty of guys hiking down into the canyon for them though.

I don't know where you guys have been fishing but the canyon has done me right! I took a buddy who's skills are very limited and he landed a chrome 14 lb. native hen and I got two cookie cutter 7 lb bucks that were bright winter runs. I lost another fish and saw one landed and another one lost so the fish are there. It's not red hot but you have to put in your time. I left at 9:45 so it wasn't a bad day of fishing. So I know that Pritchards isn't all wrong. I'll post the fish when I get my buddies camera.

~steelymann~

Thanks for the report guys. Sounds like steelymann was fishing a different river than everyone else.

Idle curiosity...what ever happened to the "other" bait and tackle store on the Kalama? Last time I was through, they were too...

Steelyman
what were you driving yesterday? I got there a touch to late so I didn't get the hole I wanted. The water we were fishing wasn't great but it also wasn't taken. I don't go for people walking in and joining me so I won't do it to others. Congrats on a good day fishing.

The other bait shop is still open.

I fished Saturday up around the deadline. Like everyone says, the water was nearly perfect. Fishing wasn't hot, but I saw two winter fish landed and one on that got away at the shore. I didn't have any luck, but I do believe there are fish around, just not in great numbers - you just have to find them.

There was a report in the Tacoma paper on Saturday that said there were some bright Chinook and late run Silvers being caught. Has anyone seen or heard of any bright Kings being caught? I thought that was odd.

The on-again/off-again second bait shop is now open "under new ownership." The sign says "Mahaffey's" (sp.?). I have not been in there, but I did notice it was open.

My buddy and I fished the canyon yesterday. We fished a lot of water in the first couple of hours without a hook up and saw no other fish caught or hooked. Around 10:00am we caught 3 fish in one hole in about 15 minutes time(2 summers and one 5 pound chrome brat) One of the summer runs was a hen and still fairly bright and put up a hell of a fight. I suspect there are a number of fisherman mistaking these late summers for winter runs. I'm not saying that's the case here, but I can tell you there are not a lot of winters around yet at least in the canyon. We fished on down from the canyon and did not touch anything else. Hopefully they will show soon.

Drift Beginner is right on the mark on this one. My buddy and I fished the canyon yesterday. We fished a lot of water in the first couple of hours without a hook up and saw no other fish caught or hooked and we fish a good 1/2 mile of river. Around 10:00am we caught 3 fish in one hole in about 15 minutes time(2 summers and one 5 pound chrome brat) One of the summer runs was a hen and still fairly bright and put up a hell of a fight. I suspect there are few fisherman mistaking these late summers for winter runs. I'm not saying that's the case here, but I can tell you there are not a lot of winters around yet at least in the canyon. Sounds like Steelymann got lucky and hit a pocket of fish.

Glow ball - I was driving a green Toyota PU. The fish that Tdodge saw were probably mine. Went there today and got skunked. Saw two summer runs landed on spoons and one real small winter run landed on shrimp. Had an on-off episode but otherwise nothing. Will be out tomorrow or after christmas. Good luck all and happy holidays.

~steelymann~

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Well if you want a good report call pritchards, I called today just to listen to what they had to say and was pretty suprised what a joke. I fished the elo today and boy o boy that river is really dead, seen alot of long faces though. After the elo i traveled back to the kalama and fished the deadline hole and seen 2 old summer run hooked thats it oh and alot of people coming and leaving sortly after they arrived. I talked to a few gents and none of them had any good reports. As for the brighter summer steelhead ,I seen one caught down at beginners hole last week the fish was bright but was ultra skinny looked like a snake. Merry Christmas guys and talk to ya later Drift.