Satsop 2/27

Fished from Decker to the Hwy. 20+ boats on the water. With all this rain you'd think that the system would be stuff with fish but we only caught one smolt. Bobber dogged bait and yarnies. Disappointing to say the least.

River to the West is the same. How's that "cut thru", at Stormy's property????

It's bogus.

The way that river jumps out of its channel is crazy.

Disappointing, disgusting and frustrating.

Finally got the right conditions and all 3 of my options were screwed. Choice #1(and the one one I prepped and got up early for) had an unexpected access issue worsened by timber company gates at all alternate routes. Choice #2, an hour and a half drive away, was occupied with a couple rigs(an out-of-the-way place where I NEVER encountered anyone til' a couple years ago) and choice #3 already had 20 boats and half the population of the state cover the water before I got there. None of these were Satsop related.


Re-enforces why most of my fishing effort is Summer and Fall now.

Got to the river late and scoped things out and watched a guy catch a nice hatchery fish. Other than that pretty slow. Would rather be fishing upstream. Saw a seal too cruising up the river. Going to hit it again early.

this is why I have swithched to looking for shed antlers. not worth my time to fight that mess anymore.

I too fished the slow Satsop saturday,
Went for 1 a nice hen, talked to many, very slow, I think the higher water for so long brought thm all in early.

As for Stormy's, it's going to be some major rip rap to save his house and garage. Cook creek kind of shoring. River runs straight toward his porch and then turns 90deg right, so not a glancing blow on the bank, but a full on frontal attack.

And th WDFW was out in a DB checking yesterday, safety check also, remember to have a Whistle or horn. It is a 90 dollar ticket if ya don't.

When I crossed the Satsop bridge yesterday (Saturday), I only saw a few trailers at the takeout. Apparently, word got out quick it was slow the day before (unless everyone was taking out at the West Fork).

Grrrrrrrrrrr, they used to have a supply with them, just gave them out free!!!!!

I believe it's a whistle AND a lifejacket, isn't it? At least that's what I was told a few years ago when I had my drift boat on the lake.




They had more money in the budget in those days. They're not going to look the other way from a potential money maker. (even though they should in this case)

Saw a guide dump a lot of carcusses at one of the ramps on the Nooch. Fished the morning and nothing but a few loud jet boats. Went to show my buddy the Satsop and saw one taken out of the park. Not much access from the bank. These rivers really get hammered. Can't wait for summeruns in a more remote location and no boats less people as there are more fisheries like bottom fish. Wish I could have fished these rivers with my ancestors

Steelheadman

Not one of your direct ancestors....but I did get to fish all the local rivers, and some in the OP....in the old days!!!

Years 1968- until mid 80's---Humptulips, Wynoochee, Satsop, upper Quinault, Queets, Hoh ALL had lots of BIG fish. Wynoochee, Humptulips, and Satsop were open until the end of April, until about 1972-73.....I fished the Satsop, lots, during April, many times just "me, myself and I".

Early years very few driftboats, anywhere...and jet boats were few and far between.

Tribe never netted past October, until sometimes in late 80's. NT and QIN, netted 7 days a week, much of October....then all the nets were gone.

I knew very little about river salmon or steelhead fishing, still I caught fish and quite a few "big fish". No eggs, or any bait....to messy.....used Sammi's, okie's, and other off the shelf items. Everything seemed to work, everywhere.......just lot's of fish, I say again...Lot's of fish.

Those years will NEVER be again......called "gill net", just don't see any of the tribes cutting waaaay back on their net season.

Not many pics, camera's were just too big and most were very expensive.

Your comment of "loud jet boats", try ear plugs if you want quiet!!!! Your area lots of small rivers, no jet boats there....

Have a good day....everyone!!!!

The Satsop got hammered over the weekend.

I figure pretty much every fish in the river got touched a time or two by the end of the day yesterday. I had a highlight over the weekend losing one of the biggest hens I have hooked in years. It was a chrome ripper, built like a tank (reminded me of a February Skok fish if any of you got to experience them back when) and spit my hook on the 5th jump. What an awesome fish.

Elkman saw it, he can attest.

Stormy's new channel is a mess. WDFW does not like to allow rip rap or rocks to be put in the river, but the proximity to the back porch pretty much takes most options off the table. I'm guessing it will be a busy summer down there.

As a matter of fact the whole lower Satsop is a mess. Over the last 10 years, worse in the last 5, the river has swallowed up huge portions of the older timber on the margins. Exposing the river to the edges of farmers grass or other crop fields. Without any structure to the soil, all there is left is loose silts over gravel that erode very fast. This just flattened out most of the good old holes and what we are left with is a river that is only good to side drift for the most part. Pretty soon it is probably just going to be a straight chute from the Baker hole to the mouth.


Sad.

Was up sightseeing up the South Fork Stilly and couldn't believe all the massive trees down along the waters edge from this last winter.

I counted 13 sled trailers and about 6 drift boat trailers yesterday on my way by around 11:30ish...........@ HWY take out / put in. Good luck,

SZ

Jet boaters, trying to make up for the "screwing" we got late October to December 16 with the complete closure, west fork down and all of the Chehalis.

You don't even want to get me started on the Wynoochee River....double grrrrr

It's over folks.

Sell your aluminum now while the price is up.

It looks to me like Stormy's place could be a goner. The first major flood is either going to go right over that riprap into his house, or it's going to cut behind him, and leave his house on an island.

That river is nothing like what it used to be. It's a shame.

Mid 80's, when, you came down just above the West Fork, it was a straight across row to the boat launch. River went down past the high bank on the West side of the river, straight South to the area called the potato hole.

Lot's of change in the whole river.....question is 'What to do"????? Make a change one place, cause a problem some place else. Mother Nature has a strong personality....tough as it is, flood plain building can get you in trouble.

I wanna see a pic of the seal that crackered a nice fish just below the diversion dam on the Nooch, wadded up in a root ball!!! Just saying, he don't belong there!!

25 sleds on the Satsop in one day.....

I don't think Stormy's house will make it through very many high water events before it's toast.

So Stormy might get bent over like he's done to so many on the car lot & laundry mat eating quarters???????. What a shame...............Good luck,

SZ

"Lot's of change in the whole river.....question is 'What to do"????? Make a change one place, cause a problem some place else. Mother Nature has a strong personality....tough as it is, flood plain building can get you in trouble."


What to do?????
Really?????

Plant the god damn ditch with fish!!!
That's what the Hell you do!!

Went back out and ended up finding some fish this time around, and nearly had the river to myself.

Excellent execution, until the end.

Step 1, post thread about how terrible a river is, crowded and no fish.

Step 2, wait for reaction from internet and report chasers

Step 3, go back to the nearly empty river

Step 4, post about catching fish on a nearly empty river?

Should have eliminated step 4.

Brilliant, right? I just bought a house so chasing the silver ghost is over for now as the "projects list" will take priority. Finished my steelhead season on a high note so I'm a happy camper.

Good luck.

Just plain wow!

The old "I'm done so I'm gonna brag" move.

Very noble of you.

Report chasers are like mushrooms..... Feed them schit and keep them in the dark

I still want to see an armed militia floating down the Wynoochee. I'm pretty sure ISIS is dressing up as pinnipeds and plotting to destroy our steelhead runs at the diversion dam.

This thread may have to get some stars soon.