Lackluster Steelhead Season

Maybe Im just spoiled....coming off the heels of one of the best coho seasons in years, at least in the places I fish. I will admit I havent even been steelhead fishing yet this winter, but with very few exceptions, all my contacts are saying slow slow and slower. I know rain has been behind schedule, but we've had enough bumps that the fish should be around, at least the normal early places. What say you?

Well, well, well.........living where I live and talking to the different people in drift boats coming in.....NOT a very good year, so far for steelhead......normal places, that historically put out fish....not so far this season.

I've been hearing/seeing people pull fish here and there, but nothing consistent to justify saying the season has really "kicked-off". Shouldn't it generally be in full swing by now?

I went out and fished last Friday on the Bogey/Calawah to check things out myself. Saw one fish caught. I've checked the creel reports/hatchery returns. Pretty slow this year. Co-worker caught his first steelhead a few weeks ago on the Cow. Hopefully late winter steelhead run is better as I've got another trip planned.

Speaking of creel reports/hatchery returns the numbers of fish at Puget Sound hatcheries are below average - can hatchery zone closures on a number of streams be too far off?

Curt

Next week a little rain, and the King tides of this week, should push those early fish in, if they are there to be pushed in. I am heading south in search of steel the next 4 days.

Low water year so far for sure. I think most of us like med to med high conditions, especially for hatchery terminal areas. Not the case this year. Have to change your tactics, the fish are around but spread out, or if your lucky, bunches can be had. Personally, I like it lower than average. Separates the men from the boys.

Been out just a few times and it definitely seems slow but the benefit is that there are far less people later in the day and fishing has been good for me after the morning rush. Hopefully rain will make the difference soon.

Was out to the coast 4 of 6 weekends first weekend of November to Dec. 15. Have caught steelhead on every trip. Typically 1 or 2 fish caught per weekend for 2 anglers - so slow. That was fish landed and the conversion rate of opportunity to landing was about 80% - so not just unlucky days where a lot of fish were lost.

Some truth to changing up tactics.

Also know of some folks who had ripping days of 5-6 fish each if you happened to be in the right spot after a bit of rain.

We have 0 fish back to the trap at my work. So far, only 20 checked by creelers on the entire river. Flow is too low to float in a DB. We turned in water samples to DEQ for Total Suspended Solids testing and the results came back None Detected for the first time ever. Gin clear is an understatement.

The "S" rivers are near empty of fish. A few here and there, but so far the worst year I've ever seen.

Yeah - its been brutal. I was able to get my buddy onto a nice little fish xmas morning on his first steelhead outing ever - so that was amazing. But past that...nothing'. GAH!

Had that exact conversion at a hatchery two days ago. There had been some grumblings about it coming to the S rivers but with the bump of water and fish right at Christmas it looks like we avoided it.

Patience. "When it rains, they will come."

Banked the OP yesterday. Did more scouting than fishing. I knew it would be tough fishing, but had to get a line wet. Only saw one dink being carried out. Came across a group of plunkers doing their annual New Years Day outing. No fish with about 10 rods out. Big fire, lots of beer and they were having fun. Thought I saw our own Mr. Vedder, but I didn't think he would be carrying his gear in a grocery sack.

I normally fish the cascade this time of the year and the past couple season it was running sub 300 cfs with lots of fish being caught but this year water is 400-500 cfs with absolutely nothing being caught. the Skagit just had a huge coho run that was a little late but the steelhead now are over a month late and still hardly any catching let alone fish in the hatchery and its not the lack of water. I have personally only seen 1 steelhead killed this year out of 4 trips and I haven't even touched one yet. lack luster is a under statement

Back to what Curt said, you can expect some closures soon.

So far the current winter run steelhead season has been extremely slow! However, I did manage to pick up this early returning wild winter run in mid-December:

Coastal rivers bumped pretty good yesterday. Lets see if that makes any difference?

My own angling efforts have been a bit lackluster.
I've been out three times so far on the local cricks. My only fish has been a wild summerrun.
Out of those three trips I've seen a total of five other fish caught.
Not stellar but there are a few around.
SF

Most of boats on the S rivers have very little to show, most I talked to in the last 2 weeks have been blanked.

looks like I am not missing much by not making it out there, no reason other than hitting the summer fall hard and cant get myself to make the 1.5 hour drive to chase......

the SW Wa. tribs are also proving to be low in brat returns so far. I have only touched one steelhead this winter and it was a late summer run. I have not seen a fish caught either.

this all comes as no surprise, sense the WDFG has been cutting smolt returns for years now.

January 3, 2014

Portions of the Cascade and Stillaguamish rivers will close to fishing

Action: Portions of the Cascade and Stillaguamish rivers will be closed to fishing.

Effective dates: Jan. 6, through Jan. 31, 2014.

Species affected: All species.

Locations:

The Cascade River, a tributary of the Skagit River, from the Rockport-Cascade Road downstream to the mouth.

The North Fork Stillaguamish River, from the Swede Heaven Bridge downstream approximately 4 river miles to the French Creek confluence. This closure includes the Whitehorse Hatchery intake and Fortson Hole area of the North Fork Stillaguamish.

Reasons for action: The Marblemount and Whitehorse hatcheries have been unable to collect enough returning hatchery winter steelhead broodstock to meet egg take needs. Closure of the fisheries are needed to collect sufficient fish to meet egg take needs.

Other information: On Feb. 1 the fisheries will re-open to fishing as listed in the 2013-14 Fishing in Washington sport fishing pamphlet or sooner if egg take goals at the hatcheries are met.

Information Contact: Jennifer Whitney, Stillaguamish River 425-775-1311 ext. 107. Brett Barkdull, Skagit River 360-466-4345 ext. 270

I'm surprised that the Nooksack isn't already on the list, too...it's the yearly "closing it to hatchery fish so that we can make a handful of hatchery fish that you won't get to fish for in a couple of years when they come back because we need all of the returning adults to make more hatchery fish...that you won't get to fish for in a couple of years..."...thing.

Fish on...

Todd

Todd,

This is the first time I remember Kendell Creek getting more steelhead than Fortson and Marblemount at this point in the year. It is very strange to see because it is usually the opposite. Usually Kendell is falling far behind right now. Actually, Kendell is kind of having a typical year, which isn't saying much.

Now what is really strange is why my earlier post in this thread got deleted.....

Jason you made a post in a diff similar thread that was deleted in entirety.
I've given up on Hatchery fish this year. The returns are so low it seems futile to fish for them.

Made a "christmas week annual trip" for the first time in several years. We managed to hook 2 steelhead landing 1. In years past and time frame, it used to produce near limits every year.

Sad to see such shotty fishing...

Keith

This season's been really slow... While I've personally only been out a few times, everyone I know is also having a slow year with 1 here and there.
Today I did manage to spoon up a decent little hatchery buck on the Snoq and saw one caught downstream from me. At least the Dollies have been around for some fun.

I have had one exceptionally good day for brats on the OP, which I guess puts me in the minority, but the local fishing has been a bust for me so far. Trying again Monday; we'll see.

Steelhead really are a tough nut to crack. In years where every species native to our waterways has been returning in great (or record) numbers, the steelhead seem to be dropping off even further. The answers are out there, but man, are they elusive.

Drifted high bridge to sultan saturday. Fished all the good water. Between 2 of us we didn't get a sniff. Nobody else we talked to reported fish.

-S

For Snohomish basin I beg to differ. Can't speak for other locals but it flat out sucks around these parts and we are about done for the season.

Its tough this yearon the Sky. I had steel 3 ot of my first 4 trips. Had some decent dollie fishin too. The last 3 trips were nada. Wish I could blow some smoke, but never even had a bite. Had a few dollies. Some were about 5 lbs. Never talked to so many folks that were getting blanked. There was one day about 1 1/2 week ago were every boat I talked to had a fish or two. Im wore out on the fishin close to home. Time to travel. Maybe rufus or something.

I agree...the last couple of high waters produced pathetic numbers of fish in the terminal zones. There have been no "banner days"...on a typical year there are usually a couple of 50+ fish days during or after a good high water; this year those days were 5-10 fish days. The traps have no fish either....I anticipate other terminal area closures to happen here soon.

Last year we were catching the wild fish pretty good by now, this year I've heard of a couple, mostly caught by Bantam.

I've given up on the brats too Ryley....the March on the OP may happen sooner than normal this year.

Ike

No doubt a pretty sh!tty hatchery winter toilet trout season indeed. Ive never seen it this bad ever! Its not only the my local system, its everywhere from the coast to the PS rivers and all the way to the SW streams.... Ive put in a lot, I mean a lot of time in November and December and its pretty depressing to think about how many river hours have been to put in for the lack if fish caught. Normally its been game on in early November, well we're coming into the second week of January and they're still aint SH!T for decent steelhead fishing in PS area this year.....

These are sad times and I sure do hope this is a fluke, or all of our future steelheading opportunities may soon come to an end...

I agree. I've hit the Kalama a few times in Nov and Dec with only one fish. The water is really low, and the fish are nowhere to be seen. The river came up in the third week of December with the heavy rain, but when it dropped, there still weren't any fish. That is unusual. Ever since, everyone says it has been really, really slow. The returns to the hatchery are far behind too, so it's not just me. I've heard the same for other SW Washington rivers including the NFL and the Cow, but I haven't been on those rivers.

Been tough...but a few around.Good luck,

SZ

what sucks is when all the seattle boys don't catch fish they start to venture. the fishing is TERRIBLE down here. JUST ATROCIOUS. heard the Cowlitz is flaming.

We're on our way Merg

It sure is. Which is why they just announced the closure of the whole river. What a [Bleeeeep!] joke. Shut that POS hatchery down and just be done with it. EVERY year, they shut down now during hatchery season in order to get enough hatchery fish back to do it again next year.

The only impressive thing about a Nooksack hatchery fish is how expensive they are.

Yeah, but without that "robust" Kendall Creek Hatchery run how would they justify the tribal fisheries?

Fish on...

Todd

Find water, find fish, when the rains come, so will the fish. I heard the Green was fishin. And the Umpqua has been smokin.

It IS lackluster. All the hatchery areas around me and some good river miles are now closed. Fawk, I hate it more and more every year.

Weather forecast......lot's of rain, rivers rise.....then drop, fast....the next 10 - 17 days should be the indicator for this winters hatchery steelhead run...........


Go Seahawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I usually catch a bunch of these hatchery fish before, on, or around Thanksgiving in my area. We have had several good high water scenarios since than. Some years we get them okay in October.

I just started tying leaders for steelhead season yesterday. I gave up on coho about a month ago, fishing was still good but I am over it.

When discretionary time is at a premium, you have to cherry pick your days. I could let you know about steelhead season sometime next week (probably won't).

I let my die-hard buddies tell me about the fishing when conditions are tough.

This next batch of extended weather will go a long ways towards showing this season's hand. Lots of blown PS rivers by Saturday. What remains afterwards will tell the story.

The fish just aren't there... Period... Every good to great hatchery steelhead season ive had the pleasure to partake in(long time ago on the westside) The runs came early and often, with the exception of an occasional late run. You guys will see a spurt after this next rain event but its not gonna be wack n stack. More interested in how many Natives roll in??

On the eastside, these cats were crying in their keystone light over just 100k steel over lower granite dam, versus 2-300k. Even with our low numbers, its been multiple fish every trip. Instead of a holding lie baring 10-20 steel, this year there may be 5-10 home,stil equates to fish on!

Spent 15yrs plying the S-Rivers, and stil call the Sky my favorite, but it flat out doesn't have any #'s anymore... I don't care if 15 fish were caught at Reiter today, that's a joke... when 70-90 are landed per day, there are fish around..

Rain has just started to fall around here. I'm hoping for some good things!

This season does suck. Many river hours logged with success that can be counted on one hand. I recall a conversation a couple of years ago with a reliable inside source that this was the year we would have poor Winter Steelhead returns in the Snohomiish system due to poor management decisions and unfortunate things that happened to the smolts. This condition will continue on to next Summer's returns for the same reasons. But there are many other factors that have affected all systems as well, most of which have to do with ocean conditions and survival. habitat loss, indecriminate gill net practices, buget cut backs, ect. But instead of whining about how poor fishing is, perhaps each of us divert that energy into doing something to improve fishing not only for ourselves, but for future generations. I am not an expert or a fish biologist, but I think each of us know in our hearts and minds that if we can stand together in unity, make our voices heard, we can make positive changes for all.

Get ready........get those "yarnies, leaders, corkies, etc. at the ready mode. Rivers in my area are dropping fast.....plunkers are probably leaving for their favorite spots as I keyboard this.

No real rain forecast this week............next weekend could be the one that tells about this SH winter run season.

Be safe, be nice......remember the rivers aren't yours, every fisherperson has the same right to be there.

I haven't even given the Sky a shot in 2014 yet. How is the pressure on it? Lots of people, or are people pretty discouraged and staying home?