Olympic Peninsula Steelhead ?

[geebee]

Hi,

I'm planning a 6 day trip out there next late march - for wild steelhead, likely to the Sol Duc and Hoh, and maybe the Queets.

Has anyone fished out there, have any recommendations for guides, sections of river, small streams, eats, flies etc ?

I think i'm going to do 2 days guided walk n wade, one on each river and then DIY it for three days. i might also fish the beaches one day for sea run cutthroats. Guide rates seem $3-400 for WnW....

flights are currently $440 direct from Philly to Seattle then its a two hour drive to Port Angeles or Forks.

i've been advised that chances of wild steelhead are much higher in the OP than southern BC or the Vedder etc (the Skagit closes Jan 31..) thats why i'm looking into the OP.

If anyone is interested in sharing a 4x4 and guides, i'm planning for 03/29 to 04/04.

weather should be mild (50's) and rainy, if the lower steelhead stretches are blown out for a few days, i'll fish the upper stretches for wild bows, the rainforest spate streams for steel, and the beach for sea run cutts.

Cheers

Mark.

 

[Stevie-B]

Very tempting on your offer. I was out there three years ago in August and fished the Sol Duc above the hot spring baths. It was sort of an impromptu stop so I only fished for about 30 mins. (Nice cutthroat) Beautiful water and area. From what I've read (after the fact) they're great steelhead rivers.

 

[RLeeP]

>>if the lower steelhead stretches are blown out for a few days, i'll fish the upper stretches for wild bows, the rainforest spate streams for steel, and the beach for sea run cutts.>>

Unless things have changed significantly in the last 6-8 years, there is very little fishing for resident RT in Olympic Park rivers other than the Elwha, even when you hike clear the h*** up into the park interior. The rivers are so loaded with (mostly) stocked steelhead and salmon fingerings/smolts that RT populations are pretty much overwhelmed/nonexistent. Before we went out in 2006 or 2007 (I forget which it was..), I wrote to the Washington state fisheries people about these sorts of opportunities and they told me that resident trout opportunities (again, other than in the Elwha..) were all but negligible. I didn't believe them and probably fished 6-8 miles of the Quinault well up into the interior and a shorter section of the Queets, still way up in there. They were telling the truth. I caught hundreds of steelhead and salmon smolts up to 8-9" (most were closer to 6"), but I did not catch a single resident wild RT, to my knowledge. It was crazy making because this was some of the most beautiful, fishy looking water I've ever been on.

At least this is the way it was then. Perhaps everything has changed since. Point is, I wouldn't count on any real RT fishing to speak of, regardless of how far up in you go...

Unless you're on the Elwha, of course.

 

[geebee]

am all booked up now, 2 days DIY on the Sol Duc and Bogachiel and 3 days with Mike ****son of ****son Fly Fishing.

i am sharing the guide so works out $585 for three days of float, walk n wade.

can't wait ! - am going to be based in Forks. unless the streams blow out then i'll head east to the snoqualmie or another stream for cutts and bows.

i'm told its a little early for sea run cutts though. shame.

 

[bikerfish]

I was just out in that area, fished the hoh, but the water was low at the time, no luck getting into any sea run cuts, I did catch a bunch of steelhead smolts, but no big fish.
It IS some of the most beautiful water I've ever seen, the surround scenery is simply amazing.
on the non fishing side, I wouldn't miss doing a short hike in the Hoh rain forest, the trail of mosses is a good one. Also, head to the Rialto beach and hike along the beach to the sea stacks, the size of the driftwood is amazing.
Forks if a funky little place, but there's a good diner for breakfast(can't remember the name, but all the locals eat there) There is also a good grocery store with a great beer selection.

 

[geebee]

thanks Biker - i was planning to Hike the Upper Hoh trail with the fly rod and see both.

I am counting the weeks.

 

[Chaz]

I'm intrigued, I wonder if those rivers ever get blown out like ours do, they are forested watersheds for the most part. The Coastal Cutts are fun, sounds like there won't be bows. I may meet you at the Airport and go along, I've nothing panned for those dates, and I've always wanted to fish there.
We ought to work in some squatching. PM me.

 

[Rollingdog]

yes they blow out

http://www.northforkstudios.net/
If you are looking for a frame a reference for OP steelhead

 

[geebee]

i have no idea why, but my reply last night didnt post...

anyway, yes they blow out - the hoh and quinault not so much, as one is glacial and the other lake fed.

plus there are small rainforest spate streams that can fish on small floods.

faced with a major weather event, the choices are 3 hours north to southern BC - Squamish & chekamus, 3 hours south to Portland & the Sandy & clickamat, 4 hours east to the grand ronde, umpqua etc.

and if its snowzilla, then i'll go skiing.