Thinking of taking a drift down the Skykomish on Sunday afternoon to see some of the old sights even if the fish aren't there. Does anyone know if the Two Bit access is still open?
Is the Two Bit access still open on the Skykomish
- Thread starter Dave Westburg
- Start date
skyrise
Steelhead
In the old days we could put money at the gate and drive down to the river. Launch wasn’t bad most years, but high water could leave a bunch of mud & dirt down at the bottom before you hit the gravel bar. Good salmon and steelhead area back then. Also some wild/native fish would spawn around there. Also pretty busy as boats from Sultan would be mixed in with 2 bit boats. That area below 2 bit down to Elwel has changed so many times over the years. Sad that most of the access to the lower river is gone. Too much crime and property owners can’t trust anyone now.
Speaking of old access sites, I always wondered about the Turnstile on the lower Sky. We parked near the farmer's utility shed or somesuch. I don't recall for sure, but I think I heard that the county has, or had, an easement through the farmer's driveway down to the river. Not that it matters now, but there was no turnstile (maybe the name was just to throw people off track), just the driveway degraded to a wheel rut road down to a gravel bar. At that bar was a small riffle. Seemed almost inconsequential, but I swear that on any given morning there would be a steelhead laying there. It was almost as if there were a traffic sign for fish that read: "All steelhead must stop here to rest a bit." High water, low water, in between water, there was a fish there. Wonder if that riffle is still there. Wonder if you're still allowed to park in the farm yard. Nonetheless, I think I caught my first Skykomish steelhead off the 2-bit bar. The reason for remembering is because the first time it jumped, I saw the orange marabou hanging from its mouth. The second time it jumped it wasn't there and made a long uncontrollable run down the bar. Turns out it had wound the leader around its body, coho style, thrown the fly, and then got hooked in the azz-mouth, which made it hard to reel in.
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
2 bit is about 1.5 miles below Sultan and was a pay 25cents for access, in the 70's n 80's had a great riffle n run. Now there's little reason to go there there and only selling keys to a certain few.
Below the prison was the Hansen farm that requested 1$ to walk down the Army Core of Engineers rip rap(owned by the goverment so not privately owned) I know a while slew of people refused to pay for access from state land.
The same could be said about the walk in to Firemans below Sultan!
so where was the turnstile that salmo mentions
i used to wheel it through the gate at hansons and park on the gravelbar below the barn.
He closed the road in when someone stole his fire wood pile below the barn. when someone walked into his barn when it was walk in only he closed access. that was my last chat with the owner.
I only walked to the hole below Hansons by the house on the south bank below the Indian hole.