Got my grades up, so its fishin for me!!

Hows the green doin right now?? I wanna get in there and get some trout and steelhead baby! If anyones been fishin it tell me how you been doin!

This will be my first year goin for summer run, what kind of rig should i use? Thanks a bunch!

Curtis

Haven't heard too many reports yet, but this river fishes well with a float and jig. Spoons and spinners are worth a shot too. Basically just pick a method or 2, and a few favorite spots, and work at it. You'll learn a lot more that way.

Ask FFF. He fishes the Green a lot for steel and catches them too.

Whats FFF's email? Thanks a bunch! Hey I only got like, 500 more posts before i catch up with you bro!

yOU SHOULD NOT TAKE THE NAME OF SUCH A GOOD BAND IN VAIN!

I think a small red or darker jig under a float with 8lb or less leader would be a good bet right now. If it's really bright out and the waters clear go really dark. The opposite for dark water. And a little scent wouldn't hurt. Just my guess. The river is looking better by the day. I may have to break out the waders and head up there wednesday or thursday. If anyone else gets up there post your results. Got any free time Carl?

Not till Saturday or Sunday.

Went to the green Tueday morning for a few hours to test a reel I'm making. The water was high but good color, Did manage to hook and release a native spawner about 12 lbs on a pink worm. didn't see another fisherman.

Okay... What exactly do I use with a bobber and jig? Meaning like, do I use a slip bobber, cork bobber, etc. And what kind of jigs would you suggest? All I've got are Crappie jigs for trout, so I should go buy some others I'm sure, but what kind?
Also, where exactly do you fish? Flaming Guiser, Kanasket-Palmer, etc..?
Thanks a bunch for all the info you guys are helpin out a lot!

The Green is high but fishable, took a nice summer fish tuesday afternoon. Both Geyser and Palmer are good bets. Go with 1/4 oz. jigs in brighter colors for the water conditions. Cork floats work fine and you can find a good selection of steelhead jigs at Auburn sports.

Check out the Salmon\Steelhead forum next door. Do a search for jigs and you'll find a month worth of reading.

Many like a longer (10 or more feet) ligher rod, power pro line (for visiblity, castablitilty, and mendability\less belly drag) with an 8 to 10 lb UG leader (lighter if the water is lower and clearer). I like slip bobbers myself. But I really suggest checking out the archived topics next door, determing what you think sounds like the best advice, and giving it a shot. Over time, you'll figure out your own way to do it and decide what gear setup works best for you.

Good luck!

Well this is what i use just about everytime i go for steelhead. It all has to do with that stupid superstition crap......anyways..but it always seems to work no matter what the hole is like.

I use a Mack's glow slip bobber with the yellow and orange foam. You've seen them, and i haven't had any problem with the bright colors spooking the fish, but other people swear it does and it is summer so i would look for a wood color or just cork bobber. What matters is the shape and size. Slender floats zip under when you get a bite or tap bottom. I like that, some don't. But i think the least amount of resistance when a strike occurs is best, ensuring the fish won't let go right away also revealing suttle takes. Also giving you a mental image of the bottom conture as the jig ticks the bottom. Again i belive the macks float works just fine for the price.

I use a micro pinch weight for the stopper, works great. Next a small crome or black bearing swivel. 2-10ft of McCoy Mean Green 12lb. Green hides the line pretty well and the 12lb is only for the fact that your jig and line get beat up pretty well in the Green R. 8lb or less is probably better for summer, depending on clarity. Leader depth will vary by hole depth. I go 1-2ft less than what i think the deepest part is then adjust accordingly with the stopper. Then a barbless jig.

I like jigalous alot but macks has some nice small chinelle bodies jigs also that have good strong hooks. Small is the idea. Dark colors for bright days, black, purple,drk green and drk reds. Lighter pinks reds whites in just about any design. Maribou, chenille, beads, 1-3" small rubber worms all work. But the color rules can go right out the window in a snap. It all depends on the fish's mood. Lightly tipping jigs with prawns,shrimp or eggs also works. Remember, your imitating a shrimp or minnow. Now depending on jig head size and current speed, you may have to put a #5 or bigger pinch weight 1-3ft above your jig to get it down fast and keep it there. I always use one about 2 ft up. Then i know i'm in the zone within seconds.Just off bottom to a foot up is best. Also i suggest a high vis green main line in 8lb on a 8.5ft or bigger med action rod so drifting, mending and casting is very easy to do. You can view the results of this exact setup on my homepage.

Personally i like Kanaskat and up. You know they are there, it's just a matter of catching them.
Also there is a nice hole below Flaming geyser park with a 100+yard tailout known as the strawberry patch hole(if you know the area) which is nice for long drifts. Both are good. Pretty much everything downstream from 18 is so so bobber water. Defined holes or big rocks are the best places. But i'm no expert this just works hassle and snag free for me. Well usually snag free. Remember, if you get nothing, change colors and action. I made 6 bait changes in the same hole before hooking my last fish of the year in March. LOL Hope that helps.

While I was out this afternoon looking for my stolen truck I noticed a few guys at car body hole, below Flaming G., and at Kanaskat P. I did not stop to see how they were doing. There are guys fishing the Green though.

Uh, Jigs don't work. Don't waste your time.

Some folks use the dink floats, others use the largest size cheaters, and others use walmart bobbers. They all work, just depends on your style. I started using fluorocarbon for leader material, about 2 feet at a time. You can go heavier on your leader, and not spook the fish.

Some folks also use a small jig, like 1/8th oz, when fished in conjunction with split shot or hollow core, but that depends on your float. Get a selection of jigs (always buy two of each color), and if you end up liking them, buy a mold, and pour your own. The cost goes from $1.50-2.50 per jig down to about 12 cents per jig. I usually lose 5-10 a trip. I'm just a cheap banker, so I like to lose a lot of money but just a little at a time.

JIGS ARE THE BEST BET FOR THE GREEN !!!!!!!!!!!
That is the only way that I have caught a Steely out of the Green. Not to mention some nice Trout. I have found some Combo's that have worked the best for me but you will have to E-mail me for the color combo's. Hell I will even give you some of my creations if you have a drift boat and let me fish off it. .

Can you fish 'off' d-boats on the green?

Check the NEW regs. I am sure you can fish from a d-boat, seen people doing it, above Hwy 18 bridge during certain times of the year.

READ THE REGS CAREFULLY! The Green is split into four different regulated sections.

Hey thanks a bunch guys! I'll go check out Work Sports & Outdoor and get some maribous and any other kinda i can find. Thanks for all the help, I've never gotten a single steelhead before! This is the summer!

does anyone know if there is access to the green at the 169 bridge? ive seen people fishing down there when i drove over it before and it looks like you would have to park at the bridge and climb down the steep hill, and that looks kind of dangerous. is there an easier way down there? you can email me if you prefer. thanks.

I was thinking that very same thing the other day when I was driving over it. I don't know. You could just jump I guess. Just kidding. I think you would have to go upstream to Kanaskat Palmer S.P.

I've seen guys hike down that canyon from the bridge. Never done it myself though.

Question......Do any of you have a girlfriend or wife that keeps buggin you to go steelheading even when it's raining??? (dumb question but i have to ask) Or should i say is your wife/gf that damm cool?

Well i do and i'm glad i do cuz she proved me wrong once again today. I finally said OK to her asking all morning and eggin me to go to the Green. Thinkin the rain and high water would make it not worth the time. Just a hassle i said. I Had to dig up all my stuff but we got on the water at about 11:30.

Fished the car body hole just below 18. No one in site. Water was stained and running fast and high. Vis was about 3 feet.I started to rig up with corky and eggs. And i look up and see my G/F setting the hook numerous times. I'm thinkin she's bumping bottom and just not use to the feeling of it and thinking they're bites.(remind you this is only her second time fishing for steelhead ever) I get my line almost tied and i hear YEAH!! and i look up and sure as sheeit she's got one on. A 10 minute fight insued then finally she lands her first Summer buck, that weighed in at 8lbs. 2nd chromie ever. It was a hatchery fish so she decided to bonk it.

This was almost an exact replay of the first time i ever took her steelheading, except she hooked a 11lb Winter Nate on her first cast. And both times i told her that what she was tieing on wasn't good for Steelhead. Now she's gotten me to believe in the power of the Rooster Tail. Just casting across and driftin the swing. Numerous raibows jumping and a few bigger fish also. I had no idea that there were that many big fish in the river already. Hooked 2 11" rainbows also, so no skunkfish this time. Off the water by 1:00.

This has caused a dilemma. If the steelhead are here in numbers, then i have to scrap the idea of spending more time bass fishing this year.

If you get out, bring a garbage bag with you. The litter was unbelievable. I could have gotten rich off the cans alone.

Damn you FFF! Always scoring fish on the Green. How come we/I never catch anything when I go with you.

I have heard the best time to fish is when the water is just starting to drop. Sounds like you had perfect timing. :rolleyes:

Yeah i think your right Carl. Wed hadn't really got any significant rain in the last 3 days and the green is known to clear out quite quickly so i though maybe some nice water might be waiting for us. It was almost muddy looking though. It was just one of those right time at the right spot, situation.

Everyone says that steelhead are really smart and finicky. In a way that is true. Finicky, i'd say cuz of the few numbers make it seem this way. But the smart part, to me, is there internal instinct to conserve energy. USE THIS!! I have yet to catch one out of swift water. I always see plunkers looking for the deepest or the middle part of the river to fish. But most of the fish are takin it easy hugging the shoreline. Even right below your feet. I'll be out lookin for more fish later today. One more thing. That buck had pure white meat, and damm it tasted so good. Too bad my g/f can't keep anymore since our self-imposed 1 keeper steelhead per year rule came into effect. A very good rule i must say.(this rule excludes the 20lb Native class ) Anyone need a guide on the Green?

That pic of the fish should be up on my homepage in a few days if anyone is interested. http://hometown.aol.com/NWNatives

Stifler: It IS possible to hike down from the bridge, but it's a pain in the arse. I've done it once myself, and I don't know if I'd do it again. I found myself in a situation where it was wet and muddy and steeper in one spot (towards the bottom) that I imagined--probably not the safest thing I've done in my life.

lol I'll take a guide anyday. I dunno about anytime soon unfortunately cause its so high... the whole safety thing kinda comes into play. Whats your email so i can get ahold of you in the next couple weeks or so?

Stifler, what road is 169? Carl mentioned you may have to go up higher to Kanaskat so are you talking the Black Diamond Enumclaw road? And the huge bridge just out of Black Diamond? If so, that is a great spot and the climb ain't nothin'.

Just look for the sign that is nailed up on a tree and walk down that trail. It's where the barrier starts to push out towards the lane. There's a great hole with a 50 yard tailout as soon as you get off the trail. Nice and deep with few snags. Perfect hole for plugs, jigs or spoons. But if you get to the the end of the trail where there's one steep spot just above the river, look to your right and there's another trail going into the trees. You'll know your on it cuz in the first 30 yards of it you have to climb over a very big log. Follow that down to the end and you come up to a dogleg left in the river and it creates a huge pool. Great spot for big rainbows and steel. Not all that great of a spot in high water though. The lower hole is much better. You can also walk downriver under the bridge. There's a few good spots there too. Make sure you bring your boots.

When salmon are in (September - November) I can be your guide. This whole steelhead thing has got me stumped. Maybe I need a guide too.
Heck, even when I had a professional guide on the Lewis I still got skunked. :rolleyes:

FFF, Hwy 169 runs from Renton through Maple Valley to Enumscratch. You drive through it on your way to Kanaskat P. when you are on Kent-Kangley (Hwy 516).

I just got back from the green. It sure looks alot better than Friday. Quite a few people on the river. Saw 4 driftboats go by. One guys said he had 2 winter run on just 5 minutes out of the launch just downriver from Flaming Geyser. Pink Corkie and prawn. No one at Metzler park or the upper Strawberry patch hole. So i stopped there and threw a spinner for half hour. Then switched to an orange jig and float and hooked up on my first cast but lost it. Seems as though there are alot of fish around.

Anything up high yet, anyone???

Ps. Email is on the envelope icon above my posts.

I can not believe the size of the rainbows !!!! I hooked one that had to be at least 20 in. I talked to many people at Palmer and they had no luck. THE WATER IS VERY HIGH. I went to a zipper-lip local and same thing monster rainbows but no steelies. I am still willing to trade hand tied jigs for a float on the Green.

fff, if you happen to be goingfishing on the green say anytime during the week in the coming months, would you happen to want to show me that place with the monster rainbows?? i release jus about anything, except hatchery steels and kings/coho..anyways, i want to learn some other holes on the green **berkley boy**

Well, i dont' know what Wang is talking about, if he means there's alot of them.

I know there are nice rainbows in the Green but there aren't too many of them. I've fished the Green along time for bows and up till about 6 years ago the biggest fish of all my friends i took up there and including myself was 14". It was a nice fish but not big like most rivers. But i went up to the Black Diamond Bridge hole and hiked up to the dogleg with a buddy in August(the hole i mentioned previously) and landed a nice 18" bow.

But i've seen people walk out of that same hole with 14-17" fish. I'ts said that the Green doesn't carry the same mineral content of other rivers around here and it make slow growing for the bows. And i think if someone is so lucky to hook a nice fish, it's most likely they will keep it. Not exatally helping out the population any.

Although, my friends and I have fished mid summer in low water up at Kanaskat park many times. Take your first right and drive to the gate and walk down to the river. We hiked upstream fishing small yellow roosters and just killin fish between 8-13". I mean like 15-20 fish apiece. So that kinda says the population is good. But where the hell are the grandpas???

So i don't know if i can help ya on that one. Just pick an area and jump in. Don't think of just fishing pools. Every 2 foot rock is a potential resting spot for a fatty.

Probably most of those rainbows are actually salmon or steelhead smolts. On the Green I fish only for steelhead if I am catching this smolts I move to a different area of the river or different techique. Why ruin a possible 14lb fish to bring home a 14 inch fish? I use 1/0 hook unfortulately some smolts die in the process not a good feeling. I caught over 20 steelhead on the green last year(hatchery only kept). I am very gentle in setting the hook when the smolts are abundant.Trying to catch a 14 inch resident trout is not very common on the green. You are probably actually catching these smolts or young steelhead. To target this fish is hurting the return of the large fish. If you must try to catch this small fish use techiques that are fish friendly (barbless,fly, no bait). My comments are just my thoughts about my home river. I don't mean to offend anyone just want to keep the river healthly with adult steelhead.

Tight lines

i went to the green last night 6/13, and i caight 2 smolts which were released and i handle them some what gently, as there was no place to land them, i was on a embankment..i know the differnace between a smolt and a resident trout, there body shape for example, but as spoonman says, why keep a 14" when it could come back as a adult to 14#, i agree with that also...**berkley boy**

I tend to agree with Spoonman; most of these small "rainbows" are probably steelhead smolts and should be left alone. Just curious: how can one tell the difference between a resident rainbow and a steelhead smolt? At what size (how many inches long) do smolts make their way to sea?

It's pretty easy to tell the salmon smolt from the rainbows. The pattern on their sides is pretty obvious. And i always thought the steelhead smolt look a little similar to the salmon smolt a little less silver than the salmon. But that i'm not sure of. You do catch one now and then but most are rainbows. That's why we stuck with yellow. It picked up more rainbows than not. White seems to be the color for salmon, from smolt up to adult, even spawners.

One other thing just so it doesn't sound like we are raping the green of rainbows or smolt of any kind, we have never, in the 16 years of fishing it, kept 1 single fish except for 8 steelhead. It's just not worth the impact on the system, to me anyways.

Wow... look what ive created!

For what it's worth, I found this interesting post on the Washington Fly Fishing site about this very subject (resident trout vs. steelhead smolt). I'm not trying to stir any trouble or do any fingerpointing here; I'm just enjoying the exchange of ideas and trying to educate myself. Anyway, here's the post:

Well I imagine you're not too confused about the difference between adult rainbows and juvenile steelhead. The question seems to be how to tell the difference between juvenile (read small) residents, and juvenile steelhead. Unfortunately, the short answer is you can't, not in the field anyway, unless the steelhead is actually "smolting." (That is, preparing to make the transition to saltwater; its scales will be fine and silvery, sluffing off easily when handled.)
What most of us refer to as "smolts" are usually steelhead parr. They generally won't be bigger than 6-8 inches, with rare individuals up to about ten inches. Some notable exceptions can occur in the southern range -- CA and far-southern OR -- where some coastal steelhead streams can go subterraneon at their mouths for years at a time. The juvenile steelhead involutarily "residualize" in the somewhat brackish lagoons, reaching lengths commonly up to 16". Meanwhile of course, the stream is gathering no annual runs of anadromous spawners. Fairly consistent fisheries can develop for these lagoon "trout." When conditions finally allow the mouths to break open, the "trout" almost immediately disappear, and the stream starts gathering genetically distinct anadromous steelhead again.

One of the many things those cases illustrate is the amazing life-history flexibility of steelhead/rainbows. Other posters on this thread have noted the tendency of juvenile steelhead to residualise. But it works in reverse as well. "Resident" rainbows can provide a genetic "bank" for sympatric steelhead populations, when resident rainbows and steelhead spawn together (documented in many areas of the range). Also, resident rainbows (even if both parents were residents) can and will spontaneously smolt and become anadromous (lots of cases all over Washington). This can be an important factor for populations that could use any kind of a demographic leg up (don't suppose there are any of those around here, huh?).

So the long and short of it is that any juvenile rainbow under 8" in an anadromous stream-reach is a possible (or potential) steelhead. The chances go up in rivers with a large ratio of steelhead to resident-rainbows (like most westside Washington streams).

I'll don the professor's cap (he should come with a companion emocon that he's putting to sleep), even though I don't know that I've answered your question. I guess I'd have to say that if you're into nothing but sub-8s with adipose fins on the North-Fork Sky, or the Tolt, or someplace similar, and catching juvenile steelhead bothers you, it wouldn't hurt to move on. Now of course we could get into a whole other discussion of when, where, how, why, and if it's OK to C&R juvenile steelhead. Like everything else, the answers certainly wouldn't be cut and dry.

I tell you what guys I have fished alot of holes on the Upper Green. I recently went to a spot not known for Fishing and came to a question that I could not answer. Why are the trout so much bigger this year? I am targeting Steelies and nailing Trout that are in the 15 to 20 Inch range. I do not like to share fishing tactics (a topic between me and my buddies) but will tell you I am bobber fishing. I finally landed one of the suckers and it looked exactly like the ones I was hooking into last weekend. I banked 4 (one deffinetly close to 20 IN.(released all)) and lost one that was comparible to the biggest of the day.

Now another question:
Do you think that Steely season will arrive early due to the amount of water in the river?? Or, will they return when their instincts tell them that it is time?? Any and all input would be appreciated.

Wingwang: Is it possible that the 15 to 20 inch trout are actually steelhead jacks, meaning steelies that only spent one year at sea? You might check to see if they have clipped adipose fins. Just a thought...

Good luck!

Believe me man I was looking for clipped fins. These were 100% rainbows.

I heard at the end of November last year that the Kanaskat hachery has been closed down these last 3 years making this years run the last of the hatchery fish.(i know, they can go longer) Has anyone else heard this? That might explain why everyone i talk to say they have only caught natives lately. I know steelhead come and go as they please but if this is true then no more hatchery fish of any size should be in the river right now accept for the returners. Right? How long to smolt stay in the river? And can they grow to 15" in one year? I don't think the green can sustain growth of that rate.

Wingwang those fish probably immature wild steelhead. How was the fight? Resident rainbow don't seem to fight very hard.

FFF The hatchery is still in operation I believe the fish are started some where else but get imprinted at Palmer. Also they are releasing Fall Kings smolt from a undisclosed location in the upper river.

Yeah they are also planning a fish managment center and a new Salmon Hatchery up at the headworks. Also, everytime i've driven by the Kanaskat hatchery it looks run down. I've never seen fish in it and it's always badly infested with millweed. And the nets are all holey. Not exactally the place to raise fragile steelhead fry, compared to other steelhead hatcheries i've seen. Are you sure? Is there another place they are being introduced in? This has interested me quite abit this year. Any definate info would be great. The hatchery and fish management center were said to be finished by 2004. But you know how that goes. Strange they put a hatchery right in and ontop of native spawning grounds. That don't seem right.

Hope your goin barbless Wang... 2 is your limit

So...you say you were up high and got these fish? I may see you up there soon. And are you going to disclose what you caught them on or are you going to be a tight !#% ? Good goin on the fish man!

Yeah FFF, no problem man i will tell you what I was using when I meet you up there. I took my dad up to my honey hole and we got straight SKUNKED we both caught a couple of immature Jacks and my dad hooked into something that had his rodtip touching his toes for a few seconds and that was it. The only info I will release about what i was using is that i made it. :p

Cool - must be fun getting some action on your homemade float and jigs (do you make the floats too?).

I'll show you my honeyhole if you show me yours.

Anyone familiar with the trail that leads down into the gorge just before the green river gorge park bridge, the one laner??? On the black diamond side.? The one that is just before all the houses next to the bridge? That has some access to some very sweet and untouched holes. I know there are new houses up by the trail and was wondering if you can still get to it.

sorry it took so long to get back to you guys:
sure FFF we should hook up some time and fish some holes up there. I love the Green. Although the last 2 times I fished it (last sunday and today) I didn't even get a nibble. The river looks higher to me than it did 2 weeks ago. Some day soon I hope to float the Green and see the river from a hole new perspective. I just got layed off again monday so I am now a professional Green river fisherman. And no PhishPhreak I didn't even know you could tie your own floats. Yeah you can still access the Gorge trail but I usually don't fish there till the water drops some. You ever fished Cpt. Kirk's hole by there it is a good mid July spot but it is an all-day hike to get there. N-E-how man E-mail me and maybe we can hook up. wingythefurry@hotmail.com make sure to put GREEN RIVER in the subject line.

Cool, i have some time off too. Me and a friend are going up to the strawberry patch holes today. Hopefully we hook up. Good, i'm glad that trail is still acessable. Never heard of the Capt. Kirk Hole. I just know that trail leads to some prime holes. I'll drop you a line and we'll hook up.

Those pictures are up on my site now if you want to check them out. Steelhead Page 3. Check out the Mackinaw Page 3 also. We caught some fatties this weekend.

Here, don't know why i just did'nt do this before. And no, that's not me...LOL Dam g/f and her dam luck.

What was the method and where?

Fan drifting a pink roostertail at the carbody hole. It's the hole that you access from the railroad tracks near highway 18, just off the blackdiamond exit. She caught this one the same way at the 272nd bridge hole near the Auburn Golf Course. Her first steelhead ever on her first cast. An orange rooster fooled this thick winter native. Though this picture doesn't show the thickness of this fish. Sweet though.

Where is the Capt. Kirk Hole?? On a planet far far away.