[seabee_doc133]

So I keep hearing about how great the steelhead fishing is here in SW Washington. "Go to the Cowlitz", "Blue Creek is AWESOME", "The Lewis is way underrated, it's full of fish right now"... Would someone please tell me what I am doing wrong... I have spent the last two days, from dawn to dusk, throwing my arm off for one bite. And I know it's not me, cause over the course of two days, three rivers, and about 150 miles, I have seen a grand total of TWO (2) fish landed from shore. I try to talk to people along the rivers to find out whats up, and I get a ton of different stories. I am so freaking confused!!!! Shouldn't most of the rivers be full of fish right now??? I know that in the middle of December, I have not missed the peak of the run yet. Right??? Granted, water conditions haven't been ideal, but two fish in two days for two hundred people???

All I want for Christmas is a steelhead.... Could someone please make some sense out of this for me???

 

[CommanderX]

As long as you enjoy it, don't give up. Keep trying to learn by watching others, asking questions, or go with someone who has more experience catching. For most, steelhead can be the fish of a thousand casts.

 

[seabee_doc133]

OK, I am gonna try this again...

First of all, I know how to fish when there are fish to be had... From what I have seen, there are no fish. I have been to the North and East Forks of the Lewis, the Kalama, and the Cowlitz on several occassions each over the past two weeks. I have personally hooked ONE fish and seen a grand total of TWO other fish hooked... In two weeks... In popular spots...

My question is WHERE ARE THE FISH???????? From what I have been told, the middle and end of December is the height of the winter steelhead run. It is the end of December and there are NO FISH in the rivers.... Are they just late or is this gonna be one of those years when the fish just don't come in????

 

[FASTFISH]

OK, I am gonna try this again...

First of all, I know how to fish when there are fish to be had... From what I have seen, there are no fish. I have been to the North and East Forks of the Lewis, the Kalama, and the Cowlitz on several occassions each over the past two weeks. I have personally hooked ONE fish and seen a grand total of TWO other fish hooked... In two weeks... In popular spots...

My question is WHERE ARE THE FISH???????? From what I have been told, the middle and end of December is the height of the winter steelhead run. It is the end of December and there are NO FISH in the rivers.... Are they just late or is this gonna be one of those years when the fish just don't come in????

Well, I know for a fact there are fish in the Cow Right now, not a huge amount but alot---see my answer to the other cowlitz question post it may help, if I were going down this weekend, I would gladly help put you on some fish, but I am headed south with the boat, I saw the bankies puttin some fish to the rocks and we did ok from the boat for the time invested---they are tucked in close and holding in the stretch below the bc ramp, I would say if you put a day or night in down there most likely would come up with a steelie, but as said above it is called fishin, just my 2 cents

when we showed up a few folks had been glowballin in the early am and had fish on the bank as we launched

as you said in your first sentence, you should be good to go---Beacause there are fish to be had on the cow wink: anyway not sure about the other local streams havent been out anywhere else yet----

you might also think about the Eloch at the hatchery, or the Grays if they have dropped back down they have been good bets for me in the past, seem to drop back in pretty quick

 

[Fish Boy]

if i was you just go to the Cow and grind er' out. meaning that just take the basics like standard drift gear. pink , orange and yellow corkies, and yarn along with eggs and shrimp, 4foot leader and some lead and just work the bank at the hatchery either at the boat launch at night at blue creek or downstream a few hundred yards during the day. dont worry it will come.

 

[jake_e]

blue creek is all i have to say

 

[GURU]

OK, I am gonna try this again...

First of all, I know how to fish when there are fish to be had... From what I have seen, there are no fish. I have been to the North and East Forks of the Lewis, the Kalama, and the Cowlitz on several occassions each over the past two weeks. I have personally hooked ONE fish and seen a grand total of TWO other fish hooked... In two weeks... In popular spots...

My question is WHERE ARE THE FISH???????? From what I have been told, the middle and end of December is the height of the winter steelhead run. It is the end of December and there are NO FISH in the rivers.... Are they just late or is this gonna be one of those years when the fish just don't come in????

I Have seen plenty of reports from those rivers lately of people with fish in hand, I just recently caught my first Steelhead from a different river, and even i know it aint going to be easy to get any more, maybe your "I know how to fish attitude" is whats wrong, try different things you haven't used before, change it up, maybe they want something different, good luck

 

[chad]

it has been a slow year for the kalama and east fork for sure, im assuming these are new rivers for you? if you want to learn a new river the best way is to book a guided trip! wink:

 

[KingFisher85]

To be 100% with you, the NFL winter steelhead hit its peak around Dec 15th. I got some killer fishing in. Limits! I was even catching bright winters steelhead when I was salmon fishing!!
Soon as the word got out, the run was almost over with. Little early if you ask me. The last few years I've always done better right before xmas.

The EFL was only planted with 40K smolts. With everything them fish have to go thu, don't get your hopes up for a huge return.

 

[Jake Dogfish]

Congrats on your bite!!! I have fished the Green 10 times in a row without one. You must be lucky or something...

 

[Steelhead Slayer]

dont get me started on the Green, if it were not for a couple cutthroats and some chum I would say that river is EMPTY (unless you dont mind fishing terminal areas, which I do). Its to bad its the closest river to my house

 

[epidemic]

It's not that easy. I have put in MANY days with no fish to have some days that were amazing. You have to put in your time.