Road Trip Info - I am looking for good Walk & Wade Steelhead Rivers in the Fall......

[itsbenlong]

I am trying to plan a steelhead road trip in the fall and would like to ask for some advice on rivers in Oregon or Washington. I will mainly be swinging & skating with my spey rod but will have a single hand rod with me as well. I am looking for the following:

1. Good Walk & Wade Rivers
2. Best months to fish them
3. Places to camp along the way (not so important as the above)
4. Olympic Peninsula info...
5. Rivers close to other rivers that can be fished in the same day.

I would preferably like to find water I can access from Hwy 5 (not along the hwy, but within an hour or two from it). However, anything coastal is of interest as well.

Typically how I fish in my area (Klamath/Trinity) is drive, park, climb, crawl, fish, climb, crawl, drive over and over throughout the day. lol

I can't afford a guide, but would love to meet some folks to fish with or just chat with along the way.

Thank you!

[Rick J]

sent you a PM

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The Deschutes and the Rogue are the long fall run rivers that have some walk & wade.

In July/Aug/Sept you will fish more early and late in the day.

Oct/Nov will have shorter days and less of a big dead spot mid-day.

This will be much like our Klamath/Trinity fall fishing.


The shorter coastal winter run rivers will be Dec/Jan/Feb/March.



Rick Jorgensen will have very good info for you.....



OMG - I forgot about the North Umpqua River which is a little more difficult to fish but is a jew. Fourth of July through October for fall type fishing. I guess it has winter fishing too. Get a good local guide for at least one day.....



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[itsbenlong]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the info! Hope your doing well and looking forward to seeing you in the shop. I know you can't stay away! : )

[shawn kempkes]

The fall on the Olympic peninsula is mostly a salmon game. Not very many summer steelhead around. Focus on the columbia tribs on both the Orygun and Washington side of the river also there are some Willamette tribs and as always the North Umpqua. The limiting factor on the N.U will be is if the spring chinooks are spawning or not at the time you are there.

[itsbenlong]

Thanks Shawn! I was thinking the same about the OP. So far it looks like I may hit up some of the Willamette Tribs on the way to the Stilly! I am planning on doing a bit of top water fishing for Sea-Run Cutthroat in the south Puget Sound before heading home.

I really want to fish the Grande Ronde but it is so far east that it almost end up being a one river trip.

[Rick J]

actually the Salmon, Clearwater and Grand Ronde are all within an hour or so of each other depending on timing of your trip

[itsbenlong]

Now that sounds like a good time! Thanks Rick J.......