Thanks for the report. Do you need waders to fish where you were?

yes

Thanks for the report! When do you think they will be in in numbers?

i'm not quite sure but the way all of the guide boats are coming in... we would think the fishes would be heading up the river soon.

Thank you for the great report. Were the fish that you and your son hooked springers or late steelhead? I’ll be fishing the area on Sunday morning and I had planned to target spring chinook. Having a few steelhead swimming around will mix things up a little, adding to the excitement.

Ok, additional research suggests research and your son were fishing steelhead. The "B" run and from what I understand the larger of the winter run fish. I think that I am still going to target spring chinook but changes can be made quickly. Have you heard of any springers up at the dam? Also, If you are comfortable sharing the information what can you tell me about fishing the Blue Creek boat launch area? I have fished the Barrier dam area but not Blue Creek. Actually, even at that I have not fished the Cowlitz in 25 years. Over the weekend I am attending a 4-H training opportunity and then Sunday plan to do some yard work for great grandma in Napavine but I will be able to slip out Sunday morning for a few hours. Any information available will help me maximize my time in the river.

My son and hooked either the "B" run steelies or the late steelies... when my son and i were there, on the way out a local told us that he had seen fish on the banks up at the barrier dam and said that people up there were getting some springers. fishing around the blue creek boat launch is pretty good, there is lots of bank access and plenty of areas to try out. Oh and if you do go down by the Blue Creek boat launch you have to be 100' from the area where the disabled fish, unless you want a ticket but i'm sure you don't... anyways... there are signs above and below the disabled area to let you know where you can start fishing.