Northwest Fishing Reports

What's the word on this river? Anyone fishing here and seeing anything? I know that springers are due and should be in the dam area. Is this the case yet?

Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 284 winter-run steelhead and one spring Chinook salmon during five days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.

Those are not very high numbers, but I have seen lower.

Fishing was pretty good all through last week, who knows what this rain is going to do to things.....

I made a drive today north to scout some new coyote territory. Everything from the Samish south to the Snohomish was very high, fast, and brown. The Stilly looked like it was ready to come over its banks. About the only places to fish this weekend that could be fishable are those who's flows are dam controlled. If you pick the Cowlitz be prepared to fish with a few hundred others that have the same idea. The Skookumchuck might be fishable for ratty steelhead but be prepared for the banjo music, litter, and no teeth fishermen.

Even the cow is going to get mad colored up with this much water moving around. They have issued SERIOUS flood warning for Carnation (Snoqualmie) and all of the Snohomish river basin. I was working up there last night and the river jumped from 4,500 to about 12,500 in Duvall in about 4 hours flat, very impressive, and dangerous.

I made it down to Blue Creek last week, people were doing really pretty well. The guy right below me limited in three casts, but the boats did better than us bankies. For steelhead. Like the hatchery reports show, not very many springers around, but there are some steel running around down there, with water conditions murky and such, I'm gonna hold off for a week or two though until it looks better. But it looks to me to be the best bet, I only fished for two hours and broke off one fish, on account of I was using gear that was too light for the current. It's not that hot right now by Cowlitz standards, but by comparison to the Sky and Snoq this last season, it's pretty darn hot.

The Cowlitz was great today until they unleashed the dam in the afternoon. But for the most part fishing was hot. Ran into FishingFreak and his homey. Not that crowded either.

It was a good day for sure. There were always fish on the first half of the day, bankies and boats. Non-stop. We ended up going 5 for 9 out of a sled. Pics are soon going to be up under winter steel forum if they arent already and u wanna check it out. Got a 15 pounder

The Cowlitz was great today until they unleashed the dam in the afternoon. But for the most part fishing was hot. Ran into FishingFreak and his homey. Not that crowded either.

Yeah, That was a first for me fishing the cowlitz and i was impressed. I saw that guy limit on the bank too, he was killin it. I think I will start referring to myself as "Homey" now. haha

Lol, sorry Akochman. Good to see you there. Ill be back next friday.

Let us know if fishing stays hot, we might try to make it back again.

I got my first springer of the year today at barrier, after a limit at blue creek. It was pretty slow for most guys, but if you know where to fish, they're there.

thats awesome, any size to the springer ?

ingihuswick@hotmail.com wrote:thats awesome, any size to the springer ?

about 17 pounds. I didn't get pictures because I didn't want to get my camera wet and broken, and my phone died. By the time I got home they were all ugly and gutted, didn't seem like a big deal.

ooo dang ...was going to go read your REPORT and check it out

Hey cowlitz experts, im out of school beggining of may and wanting to fish it a few times, are there steelhead left around then still, or just springers? Not sure what my tactics will be when i get there if i go in MAY cause i dont know whats left.

Whats left? By May summer runs will be starting to show up.

there are always fish in the cowlitz. i never knew how good i had it until i moved away!

'OL GREY DOG wrote:ooo dang ...was going to go read your REPORT and check it out

I've been chastised a few too many times for posting river reports. People get all huffy about giving secrets away, spots etc. I put it in the forum so that everybody can't google it and I don't get snarky PMs from local boys getting folks en masse coming to the spot. It was empty at the barrier dam, just me and two other guys fishing, Blue Creek was a different story. But dude I was fishing by had hooked a springer and seen a couple hooked by the last couple of days, and it's just a matter of time before word gets out and folks start crowding the bank. They were chrome bright and feisty, none of the lazy spawned out fights. But I like you Dog, so I'm going to go down this weekend and I'll post a report just for you! I'll even try to take some pictures.

nawwww...ya dont have to do that....kinda pathetic people have to feel that way...cant brag or tell fish stories when,where ever ya want because some 1 will get all pishy.... "secret spot" on the Cow ??? pfffftttt....if you were there and caught a springer...i'll bet ya dollars to doughnuts some 1 called some 1 and told 'em before you even got the hook out....i "understand" the think'n and attitude behind it....unless your up on the OP or someplace wild like that and are try'n to protect some wild run of fish or piece of water....i mean lets try 'n keep it secret next fall when the fish start show'n up in the Skook...<shrugs>....for every 1 guy that's going to keep their fish'n/catch'n spot a big secret there's 10 that aint....(some)steelheaders get just like (some)flyfishers i hear/read guys complain about...all snooty..holy'r than thou...float guys or bottom fish'n guys..bait guys vs hardware guys...the "your floss'n...im not floss'n" guys...LORDY...guess the point of my ramble'n/babble'n is that i "think" by not make'n a post in reports and put'n it in here isnt accomplishing the whole "secret" thing anyway...some 1s going to end up on your rock...

i hope/believe that folks that go to the trouble to take the time to join/use a site like this(1 of the better 1s) ARE THE KIND i'd like to help find their way to "my" waters/holes/fish and maybe they'll be better/cleaner/safer fisher persons...more knowedgeable of fish handling and regs and etiquette and such...kinda guy when ya look over and see 'em next to ya out there it does bother ya a bit <shrugs>...and mayyybe even sharing their new knowledge with a friend/spouse/or kid....DOG