The hatchery run has come and gone - MAYBE...

What a great November and early December for hatchery fish!!!! However, is it just me, or do other people think that the runs about done? My belief is that all this high water has brought in the majority of the fish. I say this because I was fishing a fav. river on Saturday and Sunday and hit one, count it, ONE FISH. Conditions were absolutely perfect. Usually, now is peak time but rivers seemed to have hit their peak a couple of weeks ago. Folks, I think it's about over....... Thank God for rivers with late brat returns.... Am I being too pessimistic or do you agree with me?

I'll give you a personal opinion/observation in about a week now that my blackpowder deer season is done. I will say different friends of mine have been doing well the last week and a half with no indication of a let up.

Let's hope your wrong!

It's not over yet!!!!!.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Not even close to being over.
Runs don't stop all at once, just like they don't start all at once and one day does not make a fishing season. 3rd week of Dec might only be the peak for brats.
The "most' fishing may start to taper off over the next few weeks but the "best" fishing has just begun.
Nates are starting to show.

They have been trucking some of the early brats back down the river. Bring on the big boys!

Its about that time of the year for the Bogie stock fish to start slowing down.

Look for another much smaller shot of chrome brat cruiser towards the end of Jan in the Bogie and Clawah. Bee a good number of jacks mixed in. Not many people then and a few new fish.

Fish move.....maybe you need to, too. No offense intented....try further up or down your favorite spot(s)....you are probably in the only empty stretch of water, or are offering the same thing to fish that have seen it 57 times already....try something different.

Washougal has yet to have a run at all

fun5acres,
Dude, I know how to fish. I was implying that I believe that the "bulk" of the fish have already entered the systems with early hatchery returns (Nov, Dec). Trust me, I will find fish when I go fishing and my arsenal is well-stocked so that I may present something "different." I'm talking about those chrome bright cookie cutters fresh from the ocean. My guess is that the rain pushed the majority in... Hopefully I'm wrong......I'd love to see more "pushes" of fresh brats.

Most North Sound rivers saw a decent push in late Nov-early December. Now that the water has dropped and cleared so has the fishing. If we dont have a good "run" after the next freshet, then i think things are deffinetly on the down swing for the brats.

The early shot of fish sure got me excited, but it was back to cold hard winter brat reality the last few days... Still fish to be had but not the chrome ocean specimens.

Ive heard rumors of parts of the Skagit shutting down because of lack of fish...

Cant wait for the Nates, the hatchery runs around most rivers are just a joke. Plunker had some good info on hatchery numbers and stats...

On average north sound rivers don't really pick up until late December early January.

It seems the Bogi/Calawah, Queets/Salmon and Hump all boasted very early returns this year. I know of hatchery brats being caught the first week in November on all of these streams. Whether or not we're seeing our typical number of returning brats year early vs. an extrordinarily large number of returning fish, only time will tell. But, I agree with cuthroattosteelies, things seem to have peaked earlyer than normal on the above mentioned rivers.

Anybody know about the typical January runs (nooch, etc.), are they early too?

Just got back from the Peninsula tonight. fished a few rivers and lost alot. i couldnt get them to the bank. Did bring home a few however. No sea lice but still pretty bright.......

COHO

Yes the brats came early this year and you have to remember that each system only gets a certain % of fish returning so yes the bulk has come and gone. It was definetly one of the better brat years in a long time and I would imagine fishing will still be decent for a week or two a standard year, don't expect banner days but a fish or two a day always keeps me happy, bring on the nates!!!PEACE!!!

personally i could care less about brats. bring on the trophy nates! thats where the fun begins. my camera is ready to rock and roll and so are the barbless hooks.

You guys just keep on thinking its over thats fine by me, got a precise report yesterday and from that I can say it is not over, 50 to 100 on the bank just a few days ago is not anywhere close to over. Best Ive seen in a few years, but there will always be critics.

I agree with matt, and from what I've seen lately would give you a couranary!!!(pure chrome)

wow! the river i fish seems to just be getting better and better.hooked five and landed two in less than two hours.fishing bud did the same.we were home at 9:30 limited out."yep" guess its all over-till tomorow that is.good luck to all