I think your time would best be spent hitting the books.
steelheads near spokane
Just moved to spokane for school and I don't know any good spots for steel heads right now in the 509. I'm just seeing if anybody knows of any nice little spots. I have waiters so i am pretty accessible for most tight spots. but i NEED to get out there so some help will be nice.. thanks guys
ps i heard theres some good spots around the snake but idk of any particular spots
ps i heard theres some good spots around the snake but idk of any particular spots
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Ha! Have your waiter show you some spots!
LOL thats not nice. i thought them gonzaga boys were smart? 
ROFLMAO Tup:fishin musician said:Ha! Have your waiter show you some spots!
We fish the Snake and the Grand Ronde over here in Pullman. If you get your Idaho lisence, you can fish the Clearwater or Lewiston rivers... I don't think there is a steelhead population there anymore, but the spokane river is fun to fish for trout. The winter water levels are somtimes really screwed up, but it's close so you might as well check it out.
Also for trout, the Kettle river and upper columbia are really cool and have good fishing as well.
These are the rivers in the area I know. Perhaps somone else will help you out better. How far are you willing to drive, that is the question.
James
Also for trout, the Kettle river and upper columbia are really cool and have good fishing as well.
These are the rivers in the area I know. Perhaps somone else will help you out better. How far are you willing to drive, that is the question.
James
ok guys im learning here give me a break... but thanks for the advice im just starting to get into this stuff so I dont really know much right now, but im grateful for any help anyone can give. I do have a car and cmess knows how far i drive to fish so thats no big deal , im just looking to get out there more often but didn't really know any decent spots
thanks for the help and anything else I might need to know would be great help
, im just looking to get out there more often but didn't really know any decent spotsthanks for the help and anything else I might need to know would be great help
Nuff saidredneckborn6657 said:.....steel heads......
WOW a little tuff on a guy just asking for help...I would help u buddy but I have no clue for that area... :?:kingcracker said:Nuff saidredneckborn6657 said:.....steel heads......
omg I'm sorry i forgot to hit the space bar I STILL WANT TO FISH! i dont mean to be a **** but it seems like some of you guys care more about making yourselves feel like the **** because you know more than i do... I KNOW I DONT KNOW A LOT! ill just go somewhere else to learn even though i heard that this site was really good to learn about all kinds of fishing in the northwest.kingcracker said:Nuff saidredneckborn6657 said:.....steel heads......
look i haven't been fishing long, but i have done some... even with different people from this site ... I have some gear, which includes waders*, that was pretty dumb tho :lol:, to do this kind of fishing, because i have before, and have some knowledge.
all i was asking for were some tips on "steel head" fishing and if there are any decent places in the spokane area.
i appreciate all the people who have tried to help me and looked over some of my obvious lack of knowledge, but if ill im going to get is **** ill go somewhere else
I'm just givin ya a hard time. (its steelhead) by the way. Spokane is a tough area to find steelhead. You may be better off getting an idaho license and fishing some of the rivers out there. IMO
Don't let these guys get you down. I don't fish that area, but I know the Snake near Lyon's Ferry (Tucannon) is a good place for steelheading. Hopefully some Eastern WA folks will chime in and give you some advice.
Maybe the eastern Washington boys have grown tired of all of the nit picking. Last year about his time. I asked the same question because I was going to be over there for a week end in the middle of a two week class. Got some good information about several rivers, and an invite to fish the Clearwater above Lewiston.
I don't see any of those boys replying to this thread. And to think I was going to ask the same thing because I'm going to be over there again at the end of the month. Again with a week end to look for Steelhead.
There are some spots above Lewiston where you can fish from the bank. You have to buy a license from the natives as it's on their reservation. 25.00 for the year. Not a bad price. As for the rest of the rivers, I have no clue. You might check in at Sportsman's Warehouse when you get over there. It's in the Vally Mall.
I don't see any of those boys replying to this thread. And to think I was going to ask the same thing because I'm going to be over there again at the end of the month. Again with a week end to look for Steelhead.
There are some spots above Lewiston where you can fish from the bank. You have to buy a license from the natives as it's on their reservation. 25.00 for the year. Not a bad price. As for the rest of the rivers, I have no clue. You might check in at Sportsman's Warehouse when you get over there. It's in the Vally Mall.
hey thanks.... looks like all the good stuff might be farther down south.. but thats cool cause i got some friends at wsu which will give me a free place to stay. Ill keep looking around but anything helpful
What nit picking are you talking about? Sounds like you had a good experience after you posted your question here. How long has this thread been posted, a few hours? I know there are some big expectations to get answers right now but sometimes it doesn't work that way. Also, people come and people go, their lives change, they move on, especially young college men. Thats normal and to be expected. You can't always expect the same people who were here a year ago to jump on and help a year later, within just a few hours of the original post.gonefishin said:Maybe the eastern Washington boys have grown tired of all of the nit picking. Last year about his time. I asked the same question because I was going to be over there for a week end in the middle of a two week class. Got some good information about several rivers, and an invite to fish the Clearwater above Lewiston. I don't see any of those boys replying to this thread.
I've never fished for steelhead over there but the other poster who mentioned fishing for trout in some of the Idaho (or even Wa) rivers is giving good advice. I'd go perhaps even a bit farther to Montana. The Clark Fork is easily accessible from Spokane and there's lots of good bank access in the St. Regis area. I fished there several times about 8-10 years ago and there's some very nice rainbows and brown trout in that stream. As far as trout go - the thing I noticed about Mt. then (and it's probably still true now) is that there were like 10 times as many fish and a regulation book that was 1/10 as long. Later, when it warms up a bit, the mountains on the Idaho MT border are great for trout fishing. Lots of good camping and brookies to be had and it's <2hours from Spokane. Nothing like a good brookie from a mountain lake for breakfast.
*******..
I'd road trip it down south to either the Grande Ronde, Tucannon, or the Walla Walla. I still think the Ronde is one of the best streams in the state. I have always had good luck and a great trip whenever I fished there. Conventional drift gear has always done the trick for me, corkie/yarn combos have always produced. You could also fish near just about any of the dams on the snake. I was over in the Tri-cities two weekends ago hunting and saw a TON of steelheaders above Ice Harbor Dam. Mainly they use a bobber and shrimp or some other type of bait. Bring warm clothes and beverages, something to sit on, and some patience. We did the same thing out of Pullman way back when I was at WSU. The Walla Walla near Burbank was putting out a few fish. The Tucannon is another good bet. Most of these places are at least a couple hours from you though.
Thats about all I've got for over there.. If I lived in spokane, I'd be hitting Amber lake with the fly rod catching some nice winter trout. I loved that place and in the winter, I felt like I owned it... nobody else was ever there. Used to have triploids.
Good Luck.
I'd road trip it down south to either the Grande Ronde, Tucannon, or the Walla Walla. I still think the Ronde is one of the best streams in the state. I have always had good luck and a great trip whenever I fished there. Conventional drift gear has always done the trick for me, corkie/yarn combos have always produced. You could also fish near just about any of the dams on the snake. I was over in the Tri-cities two weekends ago hunting and saw a TON of steelheaders above Ice Harbor Dam. Mainly they use a bobber and shrimp or some other type of bait. Bring warm clothes and beverages, something to sit on, and some patience. We did the same thing out of Pullman way back when I was at WSU. The Walla Walla near Burbank was putting out a few fish. The Tucannon is another good bet. Most of these places are at least a couple hours from you though.
Thats about all I've got for over there.. If I lived in spokane, I'd be hitting Amber lake with the fly rod catching some nice winter trout. I loved that place and in the winter, I felt like I owned it... nobody else was ever there. Used to have triploids.
Good Luck.
Elkrun gave you planty of good info on finding steelheads near Spokane. You should also do a search for "Grande Ronde", there have been several posts on here in the past few years including pictures of where to fish and descriptions of what to use. If you are interested in catching rainbow trouts you should look into Hog Canyon and Fourth of July lakes which are close to Spokane and are usually a lot of fun.
Alrighty... i can't say i've got the 509 dialed in, but within an hour or two of WSU you've got a few options.. You're a bit late for the snake- the mainstem from tri cities to lewiston is a fall game, and I did pretty good on them fishing bobbers and shrimp around lower granite ( we'll get more on that subject when the time comes around again next year ), and theres boat and bank spots all up and down the big riv. Other options which are still open right now are 1. Mainstem snake above lewiston (heller bar) 2. Grande Ronde 3. Clearwater. I'm not familiar but theres always the lower palouse and tucannon that kick out some steelhead too...
1. Mainstem snake above lewiston
Headed past asotin about a half hour, you'll come to the end of the line at heller bar. This is some big heavy water at the mouth of the grande ronde, but it has some pretty good bank access, and even though the best fishing is in the fall, you can still pick up fish here through the spring. You'll be able to drift fish, use hardware, and bob/jig.
2. Grande Ronde
South of pullman about an hour you'll find lots of water (and steelhead too) from where the highway meets the river at boggans oasis all the way upstream on a little road to the oregon border. Fish trickle in in the early fall, and the fishing gets decent through late fall and early winter. You'll be able to catch fish here for a few more months, but you'll have to work harder for some bright fish. This is a smaller river (compared to the snake!), and you'll be able to use about anything you want. Method of choice by the locals is usually the bober and jig, and i have found it to be successful on one occasion this winter. The view is awesome even if the fish aren't biting, and there is plenty of shoulder room especially this time of the year. For a quick report to see how the river is doing, call the guys down at boggans oasis @ 509-256-3372. They'l let you know everything you need to hear before heading down....
3. Clearwater
The clearwater from the mouth all the way up past the N fork and kamiah get a big run of steelhead from august to early spring, and the river is especially known for the "B" run fish which consistently work the limits of the double digits. Being in idaho, you'll need an idaho license. This is gonna cost you around 80 bucks for non res, plus you'll need the 12 dollar steelhead card. Yeah, its alot- and it sucks because IDFG even charges their employees full price! ( i tried! ) You could always go for a short term license which will save you some $$ too. Anyways, earlier in the season (august, sepetember ), alot of those snake fish and some clearwater fish later on stage right in the lower mile or two of the river where they seek thermal refuge in the colder waters of the clearwater. Here they are caught by boat or sometimes bank with plugs, shrimp, jigs- and for a real kick in the but try lite up plugs at night! Upstream of lewiston along HWY 12 you'll come out of the backup from lower granite lake and into the free flowing stretch of the clearwater. Theres great access and holes all the way up the river to where it meets the lochsa, but for this time of the year, you'll want to focus more upstream. Best bets would be around the north fork and orifino, and upstream. You're probably best off fishing jigs right now, or maybe drift some eggs.
Lots of water to explore, and the best way to find some fish is to get out there and check out what the area has to offer! Theres always people around to point you in the right direction, and if you're completely stumped- stop by black sheep sporting goods in lewiston and those guys usually have the down-low on how fishing has been.
Good luck!
1. Mainstem snake above lewiston
Headed past asotin about a half hour, you'll come to the end of the line at heller bar. This is some big heavy water at the mouth of the grande ronde, but it has some pretty good bank access, and even though the best fishing is in the fall, you can still pick up fish here through the spring. You'll be able to drift fish, use hardware, and bob/jig.
2. Grande Ronde
South of pullman about an hour you'll find lots of water (and steelhead too) from where the highway meets the river at boggans oasis all the way upstream on a little road to the oregon border. Fish trickle in in the early fall, and the fishing gets decent through late fall and early winter. You'll be able to catch fish here for a few more months, but you'll have to work harder for some bright fish. This is a smaller river (compared to the snake!), and you'll be able to use about anything you want. Method of choice by the locals is usually the bober and jig, and i have found it to be successful on one occasion this winter. The view is awesome even if the fish aren't biting, and there is plenty of shoulder room especially this time of the year. For a quick report to see how the river is doing, call the guys down at boggans oasis @ 509-256-3372. They'l let you know everything you need to hear before heading down....
3. Clearwater
The clearwater from the mouth all the way up past the N fork and kamiah get a big run of steelhead from august to early spring, and the river is especially known for the "B" run fish which consistently work the limits of the double digits. Being in idaho, you'll need an idaho license. This is gonna cost you around 80 bucks for non res, plus you'll need the 12 dollar steelhead card. Yeah, its alot- and it sucks because IDFG even charges their employees full price! ( i tried! ) You could always go for a short term license which will save you some $$ too. Anyways, earlier in the season (august, sepetember ), alot of those snake fish and some clearwater fish later on stage right in the lower mile or two of the river where they seek thermal refuge in the colder waters of the clearwater. Here they are caught by boat or sometimes bank with plugs, shrimp, jigs- and for a real kick in the but try lite up plugs at night! Upstream of lewiston along HWY 12 you'll come out of the backup from lower granite lake and into the free flowing stretch of the clearwater. Theres great access and holes all the way up the river to where it meets the lochsa, but for this time of the year, you'll want to focus more upstream. Best bets would be around the north fork and orifino, and upstream. You're probably best off fishing jigs right now, or maybe drift some eggs.
Lots of water to explore, and the best way to find some fish is to get out there and check out what the area has to offer! Theres always people around to point you in the right direction, and if you're completely stumped- stop by black sheep sporting goods in lewiston and those guys usually have the down-low on how fishing has been.
Good luck!
1 - 20 of 33 Posts
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