Need Advice for Epic Steelhead Trip

[Pupa]

Hi. Trying to plan an epic steelhead trip for my 50th could use some guidance from the pros here. Looking for beautiful fly swinging or nymph bobbing rivers. My cursory list is:

Rogue (Feb/March)
Smith (Feb/March) Is this a swing river?
Quinalt (Feb/March)

Deschutes (Sept)
Salmon River Idaho (Sept?)
Skeena System (March or Sept?)


Thanks!

[Jcolin]

I'd also suggest looking into the Situk river in Yakutat, southeast Alaska in April/May. Steelhead fishing can be fantastic with double digit days of large (up to 20 lb, average seemed to be 10-12) wild steelhead. It's a small river and nymphing is much more productive than swinging unfortunately. Beautiful rain forest area with lots of bears and moose in Tongass National Forest, and despite being a small town, there are direct flights out of Seattle on Alaska airlines.

A trip id like to do if i go back there is a week long float in an inflatable or rent a drift boat; there are spots to camp along the river.

Also, yes id say the Smith is definitely a swing river, long casts and heavy tips/flies are necessary.

Good luck, I just did my first long steelhead trip this fall on the Klamath, swinging flies all day long for 15 days. Id highly suggest the Klamath in Oct-Nov for high numbers of smaller wild steelhead, maybe this year was a really good run or my timing was just lucky though, it was my first time on the Klamath.

[Jcolin]

The other thing id add is that a summer/fall SH trip would be much less riskier to plan way ahead in terms of the river being blown out from storms during the winter season. Itd be a major drag to go all the way to fish the BC rivers and have everything blown out. I have a hard time planning my winter trips up north more than a week or two in advance.

[yubaman]

I would add the Hoh, Sol Duc, Queets and Bogachiel to your epic trip to Quinnault and head up to the Olympic Peninsula. All rivers fish well and have great water to swing in. The Lower Hoh has some awesome water to swing in that is easily accessible from the road. February/ March is when the largest wild fish are usually found.

[pvsprme]

I would add the Hoh, Sol Duc, Queets and Bogachiel to your epic trip to Quinnault and head up to the Olympic Peninsula. All rivers fish well and have great water to swing in. The Lower Hoh has some awesome water to swing in that is easily accessible from the road. February/ March is when the largest wild fish are usually found.

Most Washington steelhead fisherman I know are done with the Olympic Peninsula rivers; low returns and very crowded conditions.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would recommend the Klamth, Rogue, Deschutes and Grande Ronde rivers in October for a fairly safe trip.

Runs on these rivers do vary year to year though.....

[yubaman]

Steelhead returns have have dropped for sure, but with that there is no bait allowed on OP rivers any longer, so it is only fly and artificial lure only. And with that, it is single fly only. This has resulted in a much lower fisherman population on the OP rivers. Most days, we do not see another boat, and when we do, it's 1-2.

Now, you could be in for some real Steelheading weather, especially during early February.

[Fishtopher]

+1 on the OP recommendation. Lots of rivers to choose from and lots of opportunities to fish the way you like (swing/bobber/float rod). February-April time frame would be perfect. Also probably your most realistic shot at a 20 lb+ steelhead.