OK, this is a post for ideas. As many of you know, I've fished this river for all the fish the river has BUT my favorite is the summer run steelhead.

I go back to the 1st years of the planting returns, 1979. My career choice was teaching, so gave me the perfect timing during the summer months.

Early years was lot's of bait fishing, eggs, shrimp, or prawns. Did the drift boat bit, with bait divers, plugs, or just casting bait. Early 90's started carrying 2 rods.....1 for bait and the other for the "then new" bobber and jigs.

100% of my fishing now.....bobber and jigs.....pretty much have it dialed in.

This year.....June 7 - 13, fishing time 4 a.m. till around 8 a.m., with at least 2 other "early morning fishermen" and as many as 12, there HAVE BEEN NO FISH CAUGHT BY ME OR ANYONE ELSE fishing one of the best areas on the whole river.

June 7....a fish was hooked but got off within 10 seconds.....since then nothing......not a take down on jigs, nothing on tipped jigs, bait, spinners......

Success, even with "guides" and all the many boats that have been fishing the river........NOT GOOD.

I live close enough, that I can drive and take a look off the bridges....sometimes do 3-4 times a day........As of 40 minutes ago, I've not seen a fish.....I cover the "twin bridges, Black Ck., Cross over bridges".....

Season opened about a week later, than when we had a June 1 open....still no fish.!!!!

Any ideas????????????

See what shows up after this rain.......

Don't know the Nooch at all so just speculation... Has the hatchery changed their release sites from many to one? Know that a lot of other rivers are enduring that same thing. Snohomish basin used to have several release sites for summer steelhead. Now there is just one. Seriously impacts fishing in a lot of areas that would traditionally hold fish. Now instead of fishing over a "return" of summers to an area you are fishing on strays.

Good idea supcoop.

On the Willamette, they plant at each boat launch on the upper river. Fishing around those areas is generally good. Other areas (down river a few miles, for example, fishing is poor).

yeah I was talking to you on the opener DrifterWA and Ill second your reports, seems like the best action has been up top, personally seen 3 come from crossover upstream. maybe means a late run or there are some "lost" nets in the Chehalis getting all the fish who knows, but it is surprising there is nothing in your hole being caught

Its slow, but I managed to hook up one time up high. One other "bobber down". Could be worse, could be 0/0 I guess.

You think its bad now, just wait a few years when the WFC comes to your town.

You wont even be able to fish.

Enjoy it while you can.

"Grab the edge of the desk for leverage Coop!"

Looks like we are in that one together now.

my own experience says to give it another week or two. almost stepped on a small school of them, walking down past the slide hole wednesday morning. unfortunately they were pretty spooked after that and i couldn't get anything to bite.

danS has fished them all out!

was told by someone who should know that they planted less than half of what they were suppose to.. that's just hear say so don't quote me..

It's early....................Good luck,

SZ

the days of full quota plants in this [Bleeeeep!] state are history. I don't keep up on plants but if some wants to prove me wrong. share with us any river in the state getting the same number of plants as 10 or 20 years ago.

Plant numbers have been the same since 2009. We have been directed to move some of the plant numbers upstream, but we continue to plant smolts at the traditional sites along the 'nooch.
That directive came down 3 years ago. When I first got to Aberdeen, the fish seemed to staging in the middle stretch of the river. Then 1 season, they stopped that and started staging other places within the system. Could not figure out what they were up to, went and spoke to the former manger about it, to see if we were having some effect on their return timing, staging, etc.? He told me that winter-runs tend to come back to within a few river miles of where they were released. Summer -runs tend to do whatever they want and they aren't interested in your opinion about it. If anyone out there keeps a journal spanning 15+ years, I'd be interested to see when they started seeing good numbers returning. What has anyone heard about other summer-run rivers this year?

ken you got numbers to back that claim? or evidence?

Not sure what you mean by claim or evidence, our plant numbers are on WDFW's website. Elaborate please? The rest of my post is based on personal observation,conversations, and feedback from anglers that have been fishing the 'nooch for 20+ years.
Even Drifter, grouchy old poop that he is.

He means he wants to argue about it even though you're right and he's wrong.

Just numbers, a graph or a pie chart would be sufficient. seems simple enough.

A graph of a horizontal line? Lol

A pie chart.

Look yourself. http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/steelhead/

60k summers a year for the last decade.

See, how hard was that?

I stand corrected and admit I was wrong.

WDFW's website will take you to the plants reports. I believe they post several years worth. If you are down our way, stop into the Hatchery sometime, we are open 7 days a week, 8 to 4:30, we like to show people what, why and how we operate. Hope to see you.

Still hope you stop by, if not, see you on the river.

Wynoochee, 6/14/2014........4 good fishermen, same water as past 7 days.....not far above tide water......zero, 0, fish again this morning....no take downs.....just lot's of casting practice.

6 boats went by,......... when I left river.....stopped at a place, close to the river...talked with people in the first 2 boats....NO FISH for them either of those boats.....

Why do you quit fishing so early Drifter? I catch fish throughout the day. It seems like early summerun fishing is slow in the NW but fish are on the way. Could use one more shot of rain. One more week and I'm back to the river until July for intense fishing.

I was told the other day, that there was a bacteria, that got in the ponds at the lake, and killed off most of the plant, so that may be why not alot of fish around. I was also told that earlier in the year too. I thought that was someone saying that to discourage people not to go... so who knows...

Steelheadman:

I live 7 miles from where I fish......over the years it has been my experience, on this river, early gets the fish. Boat traffic has increased, and while not so far this year.....swimmers are not a positive influence to biting fish.

Because the Wynoochee has gone from a summer run river, that not many people fished, in the 80's..........to a river, that is heavily fish from the 7400 Line to tide water....my choice of time to be fishing is "early" and let others enjoy the other hours in the day.

Just trying to give ideas. I thought I heard a couple of years ago on Wild Country they were discontinuing summerun plants on the Nooch.

Ken 1 can speak to that, he works at Lake Aberdeen hatchery.

What I know is major expenses are to be done in the "very near future". One of the expenses will be to re-build the pipe line so that the hatchery will have the ability to use 100% Wynoochee River water. The benefit will be not have to use the "heated lake water" during the summer months. The pipeline project should be starting SOON......

Sunday, June 15, 2014 .....

Only 2 of us this morning...............NO FISH, again..

2 boats put in......only 1 person in each boat

Only heard 1 drift boat being pulled up higher in the river...

Oh, well another work week coming.....maybe today??????

Summer Fish are there but extremely spread out In Tiny pods of 3 to 4 fish. And they are very spooky seemingly more than usual. Also I haven't seen more than a few summer fish per mile of river. It's pretty easy to spot fish from a boat of they're there.
Lots of down river fish not willing to bite as well.

I have heard the same thing from boaters as bankbum described despite opening day of my neighbor limiting out in one hole on divers. Few fish to be caught. Iv got a couple days off first week in July and am hoping there will be a fair amount of fish in the river for us.

Low water yr = slow spread out season unless we get a good shot of rain to bump rivers. If plants would be up around 142,000+ like in 09, it would be lights out like it was in 2011. IMO plant big numbers get big returns!

Monday June 16, 2014

2 fishermen.......I got late start, different approach.....still no fish. No rollers, to take downs, didn't see any fish off the lower bridges or up river.

2 boats trying the lower end, no idea how they did. Did stop at friends house, on the river, no fish there......just not many fish in lower part of the river.

Minus tides.....big run outs.....maybe part of the problem??????

maybe they all decided to go up the satsop instead who knows, weird nothing going on in the lower river

Tuesday June 17, 2014

5 fishermen......NO FISH, again

4 boats, today......didn't recognize any of the boats......The guides that were working lower part of the river, have stopped.

Property owner that spends lots of time watching for fish...."just not seeing steelhead", lot's of schools of suckers.

Seems to be the norm along the coast this season. Opener on the Bogachiel was a bust as well. Maybe it's the unseasonably low water, but there isn't a lot going on so far. Not much rain in the forecast.... Wondering why the snowpack isn't melting....

Oh, well. Even if the fishing sucks, the solitude and great weather are sure refreshing after last winter.

It's still early enough to not panic. But don't hold your breath!

DrifterWA, do you keep a fishing journal? How does this year compare to others? It seems kinda early to be as alarmed as you appear. Sometimes no early fish means bad season, sometimes it means the fish are late, sometimes it ends up being a banner year with a slow start. Seems like it is too early to know.

I fished it once last year and we caught two fish late in the morning drifting eggs through a quick seam. Go figure.

TedR:

Memory is very good.......there are a few of us that have the luxury of fishing every day. I've been retired since 1997 and others about same time......my wife died 3+ years ago......I like to fish, past 3 years I've fished every morning.....open of river season to around September 16, when I stop summer run and start chasing salmon.

The "group" has concerns, not only the Wynoochee but also Humptulips...just not many summer runs showing on these systems.

I don't not keep a journal but another part of the group does.....we just have a hard time believing that more fish, middle of June, aren't showing in lower part of the river.......

In 30+ plus years, of Wynoochee river fishing, I've never gone close to this long with out fish.....and then to fish around others with the same result....I'm not liking it.

Hope I'm wrong......maybe they are just late?????? I'll still fish, every morning....I'll know if the run is coming!!!!!!!

I wonder if WDFW plant numbers are legit? Could they lie?....Yes, to keep us buying in? Who audits the hatcheries? I had a friend thats retired hatchery employee that used to never follow policy or follow guidlines on numbers. Just dump all they raised. Number resrictions did not exist. Needless to say, fishn was fn awesome. I always have to say, if you plant numbers fishn will be good! If you don't, well here we are, and this isn't the only system that is having problems. Been on the mainstem "C" few times already, with limits there and good numbers showing. No "A" runs yet and are decent sized so they are going somewhere down low. Retired Kalama bud has not landed one yet and would have half dozen already. Talk there is whats up? No answers, even from the checkers. Concern is another [Bleeeeep!] season. Something is up and I don't buy survival, habitat and the other BS.
Ken I, did you whitness 60,000 Wynoochee summer steelhead planted in 2012? Or do you base your comments on some print out the Manager submits? I'm just curious if the WDFW posted hatchery plant number system has any validity any more.

I did better then witness it, I'm the FHS4 at Lake Aberdeen Hatchery, since 1999. Started rearing Steelhead my 1st day with old Dept. of wildlife, in 1982. Stop by sometime, if you're in the area.
Ken

Legit? In so far as this particular plant goes…..yes.


The fact many systems with summer fish here on the coast seem to be taking a dump so far could indeed be some marine survival variable we have no control over. Nothing more, nothing less. The Nooch has had a good track record for returns for many summers. Some years, you just end up with a dud. We have to deal with it, fish anyway or move on to something that gives us more satisfaction.

I, for one, am enjoying thinner crowds albeit with fewer fish. I'll gladly play those cards with fewer guides and less overall pressure. The Nooch could use a break.

Eric:

I agree with all you say............maybe I will sign up to substitute????? I don't think so !!!!!!!!!!!!!

4:40 a.m.-----another late start.....maybe today??????

Lord RG if you had any familiarity with WDF&W's hatchery program you would understand just how far out in the wilderness you are. There are several ways to get the actual release estimates close including electronic counters, which was my favorite. When fish program did away with large overages on the egg take the extra fish being released went away as did the hedging on the book numbers. The extra eggtake had always been about insurance in numbers if something went wrong during rearing to make production goals not boosting adult returns. The mountains of forms and paper work that a hatchery must fill out all feed into each other so other than a little adjustment for math, messing with numbers be it returning adults or releases, just does not happen on a large scale let alone any area where the feds & tribes are involved with ESA.

Never been afraid of kicking the holy crap out of WDF&W as they royally deserve it for making this ugly mess with fish in this state. As a friend says "who was in charge when the SS Washington Salmon ran aground" and it sure as hell was not the citizens then or now. It helps though to make sure one has things correct before blasting away.

DrifterWA: I certainly won't argue with a guy with that kind of time on the water! Wow. I hope my retirement is that fishy.

See you out there sometime, good luck, I hope the fish are just late.

TedR:

I was born in Seattle, raised in Kent and then teen/high school years in Redmond. Fishing has always been something I enjoyed.....Redondo Beach, Tacoma in different areas.

Met wife, during the Seattle World's Fair, she was from S. Dakota. We were both working but I wanted to go to college. Her folks still lived in South Dakota.....so I went there for my college degrees. When I was applying for work, at that time, my choices were Seattle, Port Angeles, Longview, and Aberdeen. Got map out......Aberdeen had the most rivers, plus Ocean.....so that's where I worked 1968 - 97.

I was here before the Bolt ruling, when gillnetting was done only for salmon, and the netting was done by end of October. The Wynoochee had no dam on it, steelhead limits on Humptulips was 3 steelhead, Wynoochee, Humptulips, Satsop, Chehalis, Upper Quinault and others were full of native steelhead.....lot's of fish 25+.

Economy was great....mills running 24/7, jobs everywhere........now, well everything changes......not so good in Grays Harbor......lots of changes in salmon and steelhead numbers, compared to the old days....most numbers are way down.

If not for the summer run fishing, locally......many people couldn't afford to do much fishing for salmon and steelhead, during the summer months. I like the ability to be able to fish, almost year around.....without driving more than 7 - 10 miles.

Its a "on going battle" to make sure the fisheries we have....don't get cut any more. Lot's of wars being fought, right now.....to make sure sports fisherpersons get a chance during the salmon months. Summer run steelhead has been on the "cutting block" more than a few times....I hope never, really a good program for the dollars invested.

June 17, 2014

3 fishermen, 1 boat......

finally the stink is off.......only fish hooked, never saw any others, no sea lice on this one.....barbque gets a workout tonight.....

Good to see a dead fish from the nooch finally. I hooked up once above the 7400 earlier...thats all I have seen or heard of being touched.

Thx for the explanation/clarification. Just stating a few facts about surplus fish being released and not accounted for on paper. Imo could happen the other way. In a Democracy, its always good to question.

Thursday June 19, 2014----4 a.m. - 7:15 a.m.

3 fishermen, this a.m., 2 of us have fished every morning since opener.

I "tuner" put in, has been fishing 7400 line to WB. Caught a fish, opening day.....nothing since. Had been fishing driftboat but upper river is getting low, some dragging involved, that's why he was using pontoon today and hoping he'd find fish in lower end.

3 of us.....back to what has been the normal.....NO FISH !!!!!!!!

RG with WDF&W it ALWAYS best to question as WDF&W has history of cookin the books. Now this is one that was around a few years back concerning release numbers. It was not that they purposely put out wrong numbers but rather the smolt released had a problem so 500k could be the correct number of fish but if the health is such that only 1/3 survive the fresh to salt transition then one could & should question the accuracy. So a released smolt is not necessarily 100% healthy as planting forms do not identify the fishes historical and present condition.

I got nailed with BKD for several years and the Pathologist estimated that one release of 700k had a infection rate of 40% of the population which meant in real terms that 700k was 420k of a viable smolt. The other side of it was we got a great return as we had very high & colored water on the out migration and reasonable ocean survival resulting in a adult return almost what 700k normally produced.

Friday, June 20, 2014

2 of us this morning......cast and watch bobber go, repeat.......change jigs, repeat the process.............NO FISH, again!!!

No fish rolling, no fish when looking off the bridges, mmm just don't understand.

2 boats put in........and 2 went up the valley, not much boat traffic.

Drifter, are you fishing the same spot everyday? We floated from cross over to black creek on Tuesday and went one for three on divers. Saw only a few fish in passing water that we couldn't get to go. Normally you'll see anywhere from 8-12 fish if your looking well. Just seems to be a slow year so far. Nice mot having a ton of boats on the river tho. Hoping to do it again next week week.

Eswan:

No drift boat, no pontoon, 73 years old, had knee replacement.....I fish the same spot every morning.

This is the 1st year, that on June 20th.......where there has not been 1 fish taken from this hole. Now I don't know if the "hole lights up", from 8 a.m. on BUT when I drive out and look......11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and around 8: p.m. at night......no one fishing AND not seeing fish.

If I was a "newbie" then maybe I don't know what or where to look. More than a few people that read and post on PP, know me.....have seen me catch fish......have handed off rod, to others......agree with many on here.....hatchery fish should die.

I agree with the "ton of boats" not being there.....also after opening day, all up and down the river.....just less people!!!!

WTG....on 1 for 3...... way above average.........

No ones questioning that you know where and how to get em. I have fished around you on the chehalis and Satsop for silver's and again on the nooch for winter runs. Just curious if you were fishing one particular spot or a few. First few weeks of July is always when we do best for summers. Hopefully things will pick up a bit.

Saturday June 21, 2014

7 of us this morning........NO FISH.....Hi lite of the morning....seeing the different floats fishermen use.

No boats went down from the 7 of us. 2 boats went up the valley, 1 went on west side of river.

Maybe tomorrow ?????????

Sunday, June 22, 2014

4 of us this a.m., No fish for any of the four. 2 boats put in, heard 3 boats go up the valley. 2nd boat to put in, had 2 teenage kids in boat....1st cast above us, bobber down.......1st fish to be caught in this area. Pressure on river is down.....understandable, just not many fish.

Hope fish are late???? Could be a long season with out more fish showing up.

Oh well, Chehalis opens August 16th, this year.....give me a chance to work on some of the early hatchery non-biter silvers.

Im assuming the slow fishing you are experiencing is from a plant of just 60k smolts if I read wdfw site correctly?? If the Nooch doesn't have a large run of wild fish and your fishing is dependent upon the return of 60k everyone could be in for a long season, especially on the lower end where the fish don't stage or hold up.

Its great you are out hitting it everyday. That's what a steelheader has to do when things are slow

Monday, June 23, 2014

3 fishermen, NO FISH CAUGHT....no boats, even had 1 plunker at the boat ramp.

Dry spell for the regulars, continues.....

Maybe tomorrow?

I was there opening weekend. Drifted White Bridge to Black Creek. Three of us in the boat and set up very stealthy. We saw four fish and I think they saw us first because they were moving. The water was gin clear and low! We had to exit the boat a few times to push, pull and drag. By the time we hit the culvert we were done. We just enjoyed the drift under the early afternoon sun. Got up Sunday and floated Black Creek to Twin Bridges. Saw one fish. It didn't move at all. I rowed back up for a second chance. My buddy put the jig within inches of the steelhead. Nothing! Maybe a good week of summer rain will help. Good luck Drifter, I feel your pain. I'm also pretty sure I've bank fished next to you a few times.

Tuesday June 24, 2014

8 fishermen, 6 bobber/jig and 2 plunkers. 2 fish caught, 1 lost....no other take downs.

No boats, today. Water is getting low.

Both fish were seal bit, no sea lice.

Wednesday June 25, 2014

4 fishermen, bobber/jig.......1 plunker.......0 fish, no take downs

3 boats.....

No boats pulled up river while I was there.....

Are you going to put up a report everyday? You should continue your journal on paper rather than all over the internet.

big.fishy:

Don't like......don't read..............Gives me something to do, early in the morning.......posting is more to inform people.

Well.............you DID give some dude the bi'ness about asking for a report and tips about a lake online.

If someone wants to know how the Wynoochee is fishing, they should go throw a few casts into it.

I know if you start catching fish, and post that, and then the traffic that has died down comes back, I'm going to be just a little f'n aggravated about it.

I'm just waiting until you tell me there are fish. Then I'll be there every morning in the dark to fish before work. Then I'm gonna complain about all the crowds. Lol.

Drifter- castingpearls nailed it. your reports are an open invitation to everybody and their brother.

Well......don't know what to say...........

Just got home from my 8:00 p.m. "lookie lou".......no fish, Twin Bridges or next bridge up......not a good sign for the a.m. fishery BUT I'll be there.

………….How about nothing for awhile.


+1 Dan S. & Castingpearls.

Nobody trolls the internet for fishing reports anymore. Too much work. Sidedrifting is a lot easier.

Enjoy the reports, keep em coming!

June 26, 2014

5 very knowledgeable fishermen.......NO FISH, no takedowns, no bites for the "tippers".

1 boat went by, 2 turnaround rigs and 1 take out rigs....parked in lot.

1 person, fishing this morning.....now lives in eastern, WA. This person sat, down river yesterday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., waiting for new fish. Nothing, zero, naughta......


5,643 reads in less than 3 weeks........shows interest.......when numbers drops down........then, I'll just pick berries, or cherries, or pull weeds.

I'm waiting for the reports to stop. Then I know it's WHITE HOT!

A crafty vet already knows that Swifty. I'd be hitting the Nooch right now!

'nuf said

I was kind of kidding since it's a 5 hour trip for me to fish it. There's plenty of closer spots to fish and Sockeye in my back yard right now. Joke's on me as now it looks like I might be over there soon.

....so, back to "there's no fish in that river."

Friday 27, 2014

4 fishermen, 0 fish, no take downs....

No boats, either going down, no boat/trailers heading up the valley.

It was a wet morning.......not enough rain to make a change in water level.

Yesterday ---- after morning fishing, went to the river twice....4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m........twin bridges and next bridge up river.....saw NO FISH !!!!!!

Well Drifter at least the guys that got skunked today were not "Knowledgeable" ! Must not be AHS grads !!!!!

Friday June 27, 2014...

Just got back from going to the Wynoochee trap......2 of us went, been 30 years since I was there and the other person has never seen the trap. We are working on the Wynoochee mitigation and wanted to look at a few things.

On the way back, we stopped at all the boat launchs from 7400 Line to Black Ck.

Trucks and trailers:

7400 Line......nothing

White Bridge, nothing in WDFW lot.....1 truck/trailer on gravel bar.

Cross over bridge.....I didn't drive under bridge, just saw 1 truck/trailer there.

Black Creek.....2 truck/trailer rigs.

On a Friday????? Thinking maybe my posts are really showing the lack of fish in the river.

Do whatever you want with the information.......I'll be at my normal place, standing on rock 14, just in case the run starts up river.

Saturday 28. 2014

Good news/Bad news

Good news 1st......for those that think rain brings in new fish, you are getting your wish, also no boats in lower river, 1 pontoon.
Bad news.......4 fishermen, NO FISH......

4 boats went up the valley, both sides had traffic.

Sunday June 29, 2014

Good, good/Bad News

Good/good......water level did come up, overall pressure on river way down.

Bad.....4 fishermen, bobber/jig.....2 no bait.....No fish, no steelhead bites.

8 boats went up the valley....NO take rigs left at Black Creek.

Looked off Kirkwood and twin bridges.....saw no steelhead....

Monday June 30, 2014

Worst June I've had since 1979, (1979 was 1st year of returns).....some of the regulars....STILL NO FISH.

3 fishermen, 2 that tip and myself......NO FISH !!!!!!!

No boats, went down river.......3 rigs/boats went up the valley.

Water was up, now back to what it was. Hope July starts with a bang...got some catching up to do.

You need to get your butt in gear as that is my dinner fish in the summer! I mean like he-- your have to catch em to share em. So come now a little more effort!

Tuesday July 1, 2014

4 fishermen......beautiful sun rise, very clear sky....

No boats went by us, 3 boats went up the valley...........

no mention of no fish, must be stacked in there now..... time to head out...

July 2, 2014

LOL.....I wondered what would happen if I didn't post "no fish"

5 fishermen today, 2 boats......Old timer, soon to be 85, caught only fish. Rest of us jigs, jigs/tipped, and PW's......nothing.

1 boat, guy by himself.....cranked down river, never saw a fish between..."Kirkwood Bridge", and the place that is posted, and he was long gone by time I got there, 7:30 a.m.

2 of the regulars, 1 fishes everyday......have caught NO FISH since the river opened.

2 rigs went up the valley.......but I got there late this a.m., hit snooze button to many times.

I still have not seen a steelhead off the bridges, Twin or Kirkwood, and I've been looking, 3 weeks before season opened. I'm hear to tell you, many years there were lot's of fish....opener - middle of September.

Three for Four this season!
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On Moles

Zero for Two tries on the Nooch.

He looks like he fell asleep on the jungle gym with a smile on his face 'cept for the piercings.

July 3, 2014

5 fishermen, all bobber/jig or PW, some tip.....NO FISH, no take downs.

1 pontoon and 1 Kayak, went by at day light.

3 boats went up the valley, while I was there.....

FINALLY... saw 2 fish, in Twin Bridge area, 8:45 p.m. last night.......Did fish private property, this a.m........same result for me.

Maybe tomorrow.....will be a "bang up day", fishing wise !!!!!!

If you keep catching nothing, why don't you just fish some where else.


It's like going to a gay bar every night expecting to meet the women of your dreams..

Well, I don't know anything about "gay bars", seem to recall that your area has some knowledge on this subject....

I fish where I do, because with a fishing history, of 30+ years.....they will have to pass by us....to get further up the river.

Now if my choice of an area to fish, was 25 miles up the river....then I'd be seeking water down lower.

What throws me, not seeing fish, in the tide water section. Even the boats going below me.....aren't seeing fish.

Actual its gotten to be a "social group", that fish's here......new people come and fish but the core group fish 5 - 7 days a week. If fish aren't there, gives us a chance to solve all the other world problems, talk stocks, investments, etc.

Like my "tag line says".....Worse day SPORT fishing, still better than the best day working....

Oh....met the women of my dreams....early 1960's, 47 married years...cancer ended that dream is 2011.......grrrrrrrrrrrr

July 4, 2014

3 fishermen.....1 drift boat went down river.......2 went up the valley, 1 on each side of the river.

1 tipper, and 2 straight jig.

Double smile for me, others worked on their casting. Could see no fish off Kirkwood Bridge or Twin Bridges. I did not drive in to the areas around Twin Bridges, so don't know if anyone is fishing lower on the river.

Have a good safe 4th..........leave the 5th alone !!!!!

Cowlitz is putting out nice fish.

July 5, 2014

4 Fishermen. 3 tippers and me......2 small fish, 1 was a 1st for a person, that like me, has fished every morning since June 7.


No boats went past us.....1 pontoon.......NO DRIFTBOATS, went up the valley, either side.......I find that really interesting, now maybe a drift boat or two, went up before my arrival time.....4:00 a.m.

I feel for ya drifter, but...

PP quote of the year nominee right there.

Although it sounds like the outlaw has high expectations. Most guys would settle for the woman of their dreams not the "women" of their dreams!

Sunday July 6, 2014

4 fishermen, 3 tippers and me....NO FISH, NO TAKE DOWNS..naughta, zero, nothing.

1 drift boat went past us, got cell phone call, that 1/2 thru float..they had no fish and had not seen any.

3 drift boats went up the valley.....one of those left take out rig at 1st boat launch.

Guess what I'm seeing......not a lot of pressure on a river that in years past would have more......

I enjoy not having lot's of boat traffic and many are boats I've not seen before........tells me that success level......boats and bankies, has not been overly good.

Tomorrow is another day.......MAYBE THE FISH will be there ????????

Well, sh!t..............keep talking about it and make sure "Wynoochee" stays at the top of the thread list every fargin' day and I'm sure you can remedy that small crowd problem once a few fish hit the bank.

I bet the whole place can be crawling with people after just a couple favorable reports.

Give it a rest, man.

Or he can continue to help others with the report so one can plan if they are coming this way. Frankly if your planning your fishing off of a PP post then you have greater issues than someone helping out others.

Then there really isn't any point in keeping this thread going, right?

Or did you just step on your dick while trying to be a smartass?

Hey Dan, why don't you go throw an $800 setup in a river, so you have something better to bitch about??
Just a suggestion

And by the way, it really isn't much of an insult saying that a guy can step on his own dick -

Dan S:

You don't like????? Don't read.......9800 people have taken a look. The river has a major problem....not "its the ocean conditions", that some people blame.

SE Olympia?????? Just head south, river of your dreams, is about an hour away.

Gives me something to do.... fish every morning and then get to practice my keyboarding skills.

Have a good day, night, morning......cause I know you'll be here.....lol Then you can practice your "words of wit"

DrifterWA PM sent
I can attest to the slowness of the river, 3 fish spotted for 7 miles of river, have fun at it guys.

WFC

Wow. You weren't kidding about the river. I floated White Bridge to Wildwood in a kayak. Low and clear. Didn't see a fish while paddling. The couple of people fishing I talked to didn't have anything.

What's up the algae? My fried who lives over there says it's new.

its not new we get it every year but not this early and not this heavy... it was blooming in early june.

Monday, July 7, 2014

3 fishermen......NO FISH.....

1 boat went down.....NO boats either side of river, going up.

Algae....It's on the bottom.......a real mess if water comes up fast and tears it lose from the bottom.......it would coat your line, jig, or bait....real "pain in the ass".

Heads up......Gravel bar at Devonshire, Twin Bridges, had cable across road.....I didn't get out to see if the cable had a lock on it....Care takers place is right there......and a donation thing....I have no idea, what's up ????

With Skamania hatchery summer runs on the west side, their timing is such that by the 4th of July, they are "in the river" in very fishable numbers. From this point on fresh arrivals may increase population density in the river, or it may stay about the same as anglers remove fish by harvest. If fish abundance is low at this point, it's not because the run is "late." The run is here.

The smolt plant was normal, then yes, it is "ocean conditions," as in ocean smolt to adult survival. It's only a problem with the Wynoochee if other rivers stocked with the same smolts are getting typical returns. I'm not hearing of great returns anywhere. The Sky and Cowlitz have gotten more fish back, but relative to the number of smolts stocked, I don't think bragging rights are in order.

Sg

Sg

You might be correct......just tough for me and others to see what is happening this summer.........

It's a bad summerun season. Not just on the Nooch but on my favorite river too.

Tuesday....July8, 2014

5 fishermen, 3 tippers....... NO FISH !!!!!

No boats went in the lower drift, 2 boats went up the valley...

Tomorrow?????

Drifter..keep at it buddy, I'll keep on playing with the ones that got past you, tho I will admit it is slooooow....just seen about 30 or so clogged up above a small boat chute on my way back from the coast Sunday evening, got one out of the pod, surprised nobody was at that popular hole

I know that hole. Only seen a handful on Saturday

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

4 fishermen....2 tippers, I went thru 8 colors this morning, up/down, close/far...........NO FISH, no takedowns.

1 boat lower river, one boat went up the valley. All the regulars are scratching their heads. This part of July and not many fish, "the late commers" are fast becoming the "not coming". Hope I'm wrong, haven't caught enough to do my "short smoke, canning bit yet".....normally all done, by end of June............grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I'll be there tomorrow.....13' rod, cast, cast, cast......

Sounds tough................but @ least your getting out on a daily bases. Hang in there and don't chit the bed when it finally happens for ya.Good luck,

SZ

Just curious,what type of return rate on a plant of 60K would be expected for summerruns down that way......1 or 2 %?
SF

Winterrun are 1 to 2 % and working on the Mitigation issue the question was asked so once one of us has that information it will be posted. If someone knows it would be great to know.

Thursday July 10, 2014

4 fishermen.....1 tipper, 3 straight jigs.......tipper got 1 fish, small but al least a fish...........yea.

1 boat put in, said its their 1st time this summer......wished them luck !!!!!!

No boats going up valley, while I was there.....

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein

Friday, July 11, 2014

4 fishermen, 3 tippers and me. NO FISH....no rollers, no take downs, nothing.

1 boat went by, local, just wanted to do a short, fast float....

No boats went up the valley.

Reason some of the locals continue to fish every morning....gives us something to do and want to be there "if the run is late".

Yes. Personally, I don't think anything unusual is happening when I get skunked (repeatedly) while fishing for summer runs, and I don't see that (by itself) as an indication that I should be fishing elsewhere. When I'm hearing that the steelhead fishing sucks everywhere on the coast, I don't see any reason to spend gas money driving to another river to fish over an equally paltry number of fish in water I don't know as well. At least when I get skunked locally, it's while fishing water that I know does hold steelhead (when they're around), and I'm not out $40 on gas.

I'm not fishing every day like DrifterWA (I would if I could), but even though I don't expect great catching, I've been taking opportunities to wander down to the tidewater or drive up the valley a ways and wet a line as they arise. Just last night, I went down below the twin bridges to see if I could see anything coming up with the tide. I saw no fish, but I did spend some rare moments of complete solitude in the wilderness within 20 minutes of my house. Some of us see the ability to go fishing as it's own reward; catching fish is just a really (really) nice plus.

Mayne you should take a extra minutes added to that drive drifter..go check out some other holes..no boats and no people but pods of steelies and some blueback...they are turning their noses up to me but I'd like to see what you can do there.

pm'd ya

Swing:

Thanks for the information

Saturday July 12, 2014

4 fishermen....2 tippers.....again NO FISH, no take downs, no rollers, didn't see anything from the bridge.

1 boat went down river... 3 boat went up the valley, while I was there.

Hope the run is late ???????

7/12 Hit black creek, bobber fishing right above the bridge, went 2/3 in about 2.5 hours, looking over the bridge saw 4 or 5 decent pods of fish moving up...

Sunday July 13, 2014

2 fishermen, no boats went down river......only 1 boat went up the valley.

No fish for the 2 of us....fished daylight until 6:30.....when I left, there was no fish on up side of bridge or as far down in the flats as I could see.

FishinSinsation: Good for you, we must have just missed each other, cause your post was at 9:25. Must have been a phone post????? Did you take any pictures???

Down river at the "posted property", some of us can sit and watch the river....have not been seeing "pods of fish"....property owner looks many time during the day.....he was seen less than 5 fish this season.

Well maybe the run has started ????? I'll be there in the a.m.

Monday...July 14, 2014

2 fishermen, NO FISH, no take downs, no rollers......

No boats went down river, parking lot empty....

What a change in temperature, had to add a blanket during the night.

Tuesday.....July 15, 2014

5 fishermen, 3 tippers.....NO FISH, no take downs, no rollers......

No boats went down the river.....also NO boats went up the valley.

Westport salmon, Kings and Coho, seems to be plentiful......so doesn't seems to be a "ocean problem", unless it only affects steelhead. Maybe time to take a look at other factors ????????

So drifter I get that your trying to keep region 6 's ass to the proverbial fire here with the continued posts to negate their idea of ocean conditions being a major contributing factor, I won't pic sides cause I think it's a combo of several sh!tflurries causing this one big sh!tstorm..but your info on salmon vs steelhead life is wrong. ..it's right in the sense that they all go to the ocean and swim around up north but beyond that you are way off..they travels different routes, in different directions, in totally different levels of the water column, and eat a different diet. So the comparison just has no real relevance, it's gonna take actually looking at these fish to give a real idea as to what has happened to the majority of them..i would imagine even a read on a something as simple as a scale sample might give us some good info

Swing:

You are probably correct.......

I'm just the person doing the posting......lot's of daily summer run fishermen are seeing the very same or in some cases worse. Actually, this fine river, has been in a downward trend. I've been retired since 1997.....so fish the Wynoochee for steelhead, winter and summer. Plant numbers have been the same for a long time....wish I had access to punch card data, I don't, but believe it would show there are less being caught than a few years back......do I have answers ????? no, but are the people that should be seeking the answers.....doing their jobs?????

Drifter - Look at the link below, particularly session five. The people seeking the answers are doing their job even though their answers aren't always popular.

Steelhead Management

Wednesday...July 16, 2014

5 fisherpersons, slipped a lady into the group, result......still NO FISH.

1 boat went down river, just texted me, 7 hrs. and never saw a fish.

1 takeout rig....never saw them, long gone up the valley before I got there.


WN1A......thanks

I do remember killin it out there several years back with i think 40 or 50 caught outta that river for the season but that is also cause that year class had received a 140k+ or something smolt plant..these 60 plants don't always cut it when ocean survivability and other factors such as genetics, over harvest in other regions, and other environmental thing here to referred to as "[Bleeeeep!]" come into play. .
Granted they aren't always 60k but pretty close..and only one year of like 25k...we all remember that season..and the even i remember the posts on this board about how horrible it was..river was officially given over to the swimmers for 4 months.
But there are PLENTY of very, very hard working people out there gathering the needed data and trying their best to work with all of the parties trying to exploit the resource. .granted, most of their technical advice might not make it up the political chain that is wdfw...but that is not to say that it isn't gathered..cause it is and is right there in black and white for you the fishermen to utilize.. many of those guys should have some beers bought for them for their dedication to their jobs. .cause those jobs kinda suck

Thursday.....July 17, 2014

3 fishermen, 1 tipper.....NO FISH

1 boat went down the river...No boats went up the valley, while I was there.

Water is up, a little, increased flow from the dam.....

Not aware of any guides on the river.......another telling story. Guides COULD BE working the 7400 to White Bridge ????? I don't drive to White Bridge to see how many rigs are there......can't believe it would be many....water would be low in upper stretch of river, not my favorite when I used to be "on the sticks"....

I would try somewhere else.

fish4brains:

Thanks......my truck just drives to "the spot"......and I have fished other places....not seeing people, or fish......

Thanks.....

Don't make me come down there.... Lol.

Friday.....July 18, 2014

4 fishermen, 3 tippers and me......

1 boat went down river

2 boats went up the valley......thanks to the 2nd boat for honking to let me know they were passing......I liked it.....also tells me, that they have been reading my posts,

Was a fun morning.......... and , that's all I'm saying............

Drifter,
I have been away from home for a couple of weeks working on the fires on the east side. Every night before I go to bed, I check this thread to see how you have done. You made my evening tonight reading that!

Saturday....July 19, 2014


3 fishermen. 2 tippers and me......

2 boats went down river

2 boats went up the west side

3 boats went up the valley........horn honker went by, but he wasn't 1st..

and a

Now there could be more boats.....that go up the valley before I get there....I'm still not seeing fish off the bridges, I don't like that

As I don't fish jigs I guess I gotta guess.

A tipper? Jig with bait?

?

?

fp

yip

Sunday........July 20, 2014



...................This Posting ends today.................

Tried to do a couple of things.......some took it the wrong way........thanks for those that sent the pm's....I did try to be as honest as I could be......so that fishermen, didn't spend $$$$$$ to fish on a river that has had more fish, than this year.....

enjoy the rest of the summer......I'll still be there !!!!!!

Thanks for the reports...doesn't sound like fishing can get worse so things should be looking up...Good luck !

Thanks for the posts DrifterWA, what you have been doing is much appreciated.

This post is the only reason I've been checking piscatorial pursuits. Good luck for the rest of the summer. I have yet to land a summerrun this summer. I fish the other summerrun river on the harbor. The Chehalis basin summerrun took a dump this year.

Hey...........15 days until Chehalis River opens........yea!!!!!!!

Never listened to a word you said but I think others might have and stayed away... THANKS!

Now it is puking mud and whole trees. Damn, just when fishing was getting good.

Larry B must have had a trip booked to fish there....

Dammit Larry! I get to the launch this morning and it is puking mud and whole trees!!