I have no need to go to the 7400 line, so I'm wondering if more work was done after the opening last summer....at that time the last 1.2 miles was bad.

Winter rains would/could have made the road bad....is it????

Thanks......Happy New Year !!!!!

I'm curious, too. I went to check it out Monday. Saw two other rigs heading in at the same time. The new road looked pretty good up to the point where it heads downhill. It didn't look bad there, either, but I noticed a steady stream of runoff (from rain that ended about 24 hours prior) flowing down the left side, and that made me imagine the potential for much worse conditions ahead, so I decided to turn around before getting to any of the areas of concern down below.

One thing I can pass along definitively is that Green Diamond really doesn't want anyone parking down by the bridge. They put up a nice, big sign at the turnoff to the new road, to make sure that's clear. The sign did say it is okay to walk in from that point, which is about .6 miles. If we get a bad report on the road to the new launch, that may be an option for bank anglers, but PLEASE, folks, don't drive down there.

Incidentally, the river was still high, fast, and pretty colored-up. Probably improved yesterday, but more rain will likely put it back out again by the weekend.

Thanks....

Took a trip up there on the first of the year, lots of standing deep puddles on the new road down low and a couple of soupy muddy spots

Thanks.....that's what I would have expected from the 2 times I went down "the new road"....

looked pretty obvious the guys that launched up there on Tuesday. they're trucks were covered in mud

Makes you wonder who would even bother the way conditions have been this season. They must want to fish really bad. Long range forecasts for the next 3-4 weeks of more of the same.

bother fishing or getting your truck muddy?

Fishing. Gettn the truck muddy is the fun part. Racing downriver with a 1400+ CFS flow I guess could be a fun boat ride?

there's been plenty fishable days. I fished Tuesday, killed two winters and let a summer go. most boats that came from 7400 had none. that's a long float if you don't know where to cast it can make for an unproductive day. it's been a good winter so far. in 4 trips starting dec 2nd I've killed 6 winters lost 3 and released 1 spawner and 2 summers. 1 of these trips was on the nooch and was reminded why I don't fish there much due to the amount of other fisherman.

This was the first winter of the year. This guy was a high teen fish and was covered in sea lice. It was an epic show to say the least. We were pulling plugs in a tiny tail out when the right rod buried. I move the boat to the side, drop anchor reel in the other rod as my buddy picks it up to play the fish. I get left rod in and he says this ones you I got the last (a summer fish). I take the rod and begin to attempt to get him near us. the anchor begins to slip in the swift water. I release some more line in hopes itll bite. it doesn't so I pass the rod forward, bring in anchor, row to the edge and reset. after several minutes we get the fish up by the boat. net attempt one was a dangerous stab as we saw the size of this brute. I educated him quickly that I'll tell him when its ready to go and the next attempt was successful. it was high 5's and smiles all the way to the short row to the takeout!

Congratulations. Glad to see someone has caught the short windows available. This winter so far those windows of opportunity have been small for those that have holiday family obligations or have to work for a living. No wonder any more WDFW puts a low priority on state wide Steelhead production.

Sweet fish eswan! I'm jealous!



I would amend this by saying that WDFW seemingly puts NO priority anymore on steelhead production. Sadly, I feel that river fishing around here is a dying sport and that most of the relative newbies that have moved to this state couldn't care less. It is not on their radar. However, I will again try for later winter runs until my license expires, and as a lifetime WA resident, this year could be the first that I don't buy a new license in over 45 years.

I agree, its been apparent to me for a long time....WDFW Fish Management, prefer salmon over steelhead, been that way since the merger, in the mid 90's. Salmon are nt gillnetted. troll fish in the ocean, charter boated, bay and river fished...….steelhead on the other hand, tribal netted and river sports caught....if not for mitigation monies for steelhead, we could be at all time hatchery lows for steelhead.

Sad State of Affairs considering the Steelhead is the Washington State fish. Glad I got to be a part of the glory days. Back in the day the State put some hatchery fish in every river, creek, and slough. I caught steelhead in over 50 different streams back in the seventies and eighties. If it flowed you could bet there was a Steelhead swimming in it. Damn Shame what it has come to.

wish that were the case these days. I was born in the wrong era. my grand dad and great uncle told tales of epic fishing when they grew up in Aberdeen in the 30's and 40's. they fished the chehalis, humptulips, satsop and Clearwater. they hunted elk on the Clearwater as well via raft and had plenty interesting tales of floating 3 elk out on that raft!