Wow! What a week! The sun is out, the snow is melting and bringing in fresh river rockets from the salt. We’ve been fishing the Skykomish hard for steelhead and springers, and it’s been a lot of fun. Right now we have some higher flows which are drawing fish in and moving them around. The best bet on catching Chinook from the bank is fishing high in the system, and being patient. These fish are moving, and haven’t really taken up holding water yet. Find a likely travel lane and hitting it hard has been the ticket, eggs and sandshrimp under a float or plunked on the bottom have been drawing strikes. Lower in the river around Monroe and Ben Howard, plunking the travel lanes is work, but drawing fish out with big vibrax spinners in silver and chartreuse has been puling fish as well.

Steelhead are fishing better than the kings right now. The heavy snowmelt flows have made them fearless, and they have been taking spoons just as easily as a bobber and jig or drifted yarnie. We’re even catching them on the bug sticks, swinging intruders through the inside corners. We’re pulling big dollies in too, which makes for an exciting day. The higher up holes between big riffles have been catching those fish taking a break from their big journey, and the holes above high bridge are doing well from the bank.

On the drift boat, side drifting quality bait with clown yarn balls on a shorter leader have been doing great. We’re side drifting and bobber dogging through the long stretches, hitting the sticks along the bank to pick up fish. Anchoring up in the deeper holding pools with bait divers and pulling plugs through the tailouts have picked up fish. If you work each stretch hard, you’re likely to have at least a few chances at a hookup.

With the heavy flows we’re in a unique position to cover a lot of water. The longer days combined with fish presence have been allowing us to do the double drift and gives us a chance at both the upper river steelhead and lower Chinook. I’m offering a special double drift price, from High Bridge to Ben Howard at $450, only $100 more than the normal single drift price, which is like two trips in one! I have a few open days, and if you’d like to get the full Skykomish experience, I’d love to fish with you!

Another fun idea for you fly fishermen to keep in mind is the North Fork of the Stilliguamish summer run steelhead. As it is fly fishing only, it keeps the crowds light and the fish hungry, so if you like to get out and maybe get your first steelhead on the fly, I'll be running bank lessons through some of the neatest fly fish water in the west side.

Remember, keep your bait fresh and your leaders strong, these fish are feisty and the current gives them the advantage. Some of these Chinook are huge! As always, may your lines be tight and your freezer be full! I’ll see you out on the water!


Nate Treat Fishing
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"Specializing in Fishing Instruction and Shore Guiding on Washington's Rivers."
NateTreatFishing.com

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