Ideas for an August trip

My significant other is heading out of town and it leaves me with the opportunity for an extended fishing trip August 20 - 23rd.

I'm pondering my options and wanted to check to see if folks here had any good ideas!

Obviously by then we may be surrounded by wildfires with rivers reduced to a trickle but I'll be positive that won't be the case.

I'm based in Federal Way and I'm a trout guy primarily, but I've been chasing Steelhead the past couple of years.

From what I can tell Steelhead at that time of year would be a trip to either the Clearwater or Deschutes. It's early season so is it really worth it? Guess they could be mixed with some trout fishing too?

Other options that'd be appealing to me would be picking an area in the state to do some blue line/general river fishing for trout (caveats above obviously apply).
I've fished the Forks area for steelhead so possibly revisiting this time of year would be kinda fun.
Possibly the North Cascades or Southern WA as other options.

I haven't really looked at the river systems in WA in any detail yet and thought I'd check here to see if anyone had any "you must do this" or "please avoid at all costs" advice.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DimeBrite]

Yakima River or central Cascades high lakes.

 

[Brian in OR.]

Should be some steel in the lower Deschutes.....

 

[Merle]

If it were me, I would try to get a campsite at at one of the "Fort" state parks and target Admiralty Inlet migratory coho from the various beaches.

 

[stillreleasing]

I would keep my options open until a week or two out and then drive to the waters which are fishing the best.

 

[srickaby99]

If it were me, I would try to get a campsite at at one of the "Fort" state parks and target Admiralty Inlet migratory coho from the various beaches.

Thanks for sharing, that's a cool option esp. if the rivers are all reduced to a trickle. Can also hit up some SRC action too!

 

[Burt Dagger]

Thanks for sharing, that's a cool option esp. if the rivers are all reduced to a trickle. Can also hit up some SRC action too!

It’s a good time. Roll out of the tent and fish the daybreak hours, take a nap, do some low-prospect afternoon wet wading and casting, go get some coffee then hit it hard again until sunset. Depending on the State Park, you might have to suffer through hours of “the sound of freedom” overhead every day, though.

 

[chrome/22]

I've been in your boots. Gave up on the late summer freshwater trickles and went offshore for salmon. Lapush usually, but have done a few charters out of Neah. Even rented a boat out of Sekio once during a pink year

That or fish the tide changes on the lower Quilliute you can use the Dicky river boat launch for egress / ingress if you have a little boat like a water master or personal watercraft you can fish the tides. Just have sea lions & seals for competition

 

[troutpocket]

Depending on your willingness to drive, the high lakes in BC, OR, ID, and the Rockies offer good fishing and nice scenery that time of year. Lakes above 5000’ should be good in late August.

 

[Wadin' Boot]

That or fish the tide changes on the lower Quilliute you can use the Dicky river boat launch for egress / ingress if you have a little boat like a water master or personal watercraft you can fish the tides. Just have sea lions & seals for competition

Chrome as i was looking at the regs for Quillayute for july (not August) it has this:

July 16-July 31

Bait or lure must be suspended below a float.

Does that mean if you're fly fishing you have to use a bobber/indicator?