Steelhead Reports and Pics 2012-2013

[RiverChromeGS]

I was in the same area. I've never gone in to Wilson as there are always so many cars parked there and I like to avoid the crowds. I fished above & below there yesterday.This may have been my last trip. I might make a quick afternoon trip Mon. or Tues. after work.

Cool. I picked up one more today, but pretty slow. Let me know if your going up i may be up one of those days as well. Nice to have river by yourself right now ill tell you that. How was your season up there?

[Outlaw45]

anybody fishing the Cowlitz and what's running? thanks

Outlaw

[RiverChromeGS]

anybody fishing the Cowlitz and what's running? thanks

Outlaw

been VERY VERY slow, a few old steelhead but almost done, and just a springer or 2 around, nothing much yet... springers coming tho

[primetime]

What happened to to the cowlitz this year? Seems like they never got a real return!

[RiverChromeGS]

What happened to to the cowlitz this year? Seems like they never got a real return!

they got practically nothing. It was a really weird steelhead year, slow in a lot of places but the cow got hit pretty hard

[RiverChromeGS]

Picked up one more today. Season officially over, but it was a fun steelhead year! Bring on the summers! Im not much of a springer fan

[natetreat]

Picked up one more today. Season officially over, but it was a fun steelhead year! Bring on the summers! Im not much of a springer fan

Nice fish! As for springers, more for me! I love 'em

[Brat Bonker]

yeah cowlitz summer runs sound fun. I am curious on how everyone did this slow steelhead season, I ended up only going 5 for 9.

[BlakeP]

yeah cowlitz summer runs sound fun. I am curious on how everyone did this slow steelhead season, I ended up only going 5 for 9.

Better than I did. Very slow season...I think I went 0 for about 5 and my grandpa went 1 for 3. Though we only made it out 3 or 4 times due to certain reasons...Still, I couldn't believe the lack of fish in the bogy this season....Oh well, hopefully forks has a good summer run this year...

[Brat Bonker]

Better than I did. Very slow season...I think I went 0 for about 5 and my grandpa went 1 for 3. Though we only made it out 3 or 4 times due to certain reasons...Still, I couldn't believe the lack of fish in the bogy this season....Oh well, hopefully forks has a good summer run this year...

yeah I will be giving forks a try this summer as well. Normally I hook 10-20 just at the skookumchuck but this year I got 1 but the cascade was good to me though on behalf of the poor conditions.

[RiverChromeGS]

This was by far the weirdest and toughest steelhead season in quite a few years. A lot of the hatchery rivers has minumal returns, the cascade even got shut down for a few weeks, the wild fish were weirdly spotty and only came in real decent numbers much later. Even the Vedder for me was much tougher. Obviously i caught quite a few but im fishing 5 days a week all over the state. Had to work to find them. Weird. Hope we see better returns next winter!

[jd39]

This was by far the weirdest and toughest steelhead season in quite a few years. A lot of the hatchery rivers has minumal returns, the cascade even got shut down for a few weeks, the wild fish were weirdly spotty and only came in real decent numbers much later. Even the Vedder for me was much tougher. Obviously i caught quite a few but im fishing 5 days a week all over the state. Had to work to find them. Weird. Hope we see better returns next winter!

I hope so too! These fish really got under my skin this year and I can't wait to get back at them, not that I want summer/fall to go by too quick....

[Outlaw45]

that's funny, my buddy got 3 steels 3 weeks ago at Barrier Dam. so whens the springers coming?

Outlaw

[RiverChromeGS]

that's funny, my buddy got 3 steels 3 weeks ago at Barrier Dam. so whens the springers coming?

Outlaw

Swimming their way up as we speak. Lots over bonneville daily

[Brat Bonker]

Heard barrier dams fish counts for springers are improving. Hopefully it's summer run numbers are as good as last year too

[RiverChromeGS]

Yea i did a scout day backtrolling the cow and we went 1/3 on springers. Ill be doing that from blue creek to mission for a few weeks

[Outlaw45]

thanks guy's. I fly fish, what's a good fly to use at Barrier? I fish with a weight forward floating line. may go up this Sunday.
thanks

Outlaw

[Brat Bonker]

super crowded on the weekends, anything that looks like eggs would probably work and I am guessing there are some steelhead in there too

[Outlaw45]

thanks BB, yeah I know it's crowed and some of the people are not real nice. probly just use a spinning outfit and throw some eggs at em.

Outlaw

[Brat Bonker]

There are some really nice guys there but yeah can be pretty bad. Eggs or hardware or the infamous cowlitz cocktail, sand shrimp with eggs