Introduction, and a question about backpacking/fishing destinations in WA

J

JeffRaines

Smolt
Hello all!

So now it makes sense why the conversation had been declining on the other website - I had no idea that it had changed hands and this new one was started. I'm pretty sure this was my username over there... but in any case, my name is Jeff and I currently live in Roy, WA. I've been fly fishing for a little over 10 years. Most of my fishing has been somewhat locally - with a few spots I like to camp/fish 3 or so hours away, and I usually take a yearly trip over to Montana for fishing with the family as well.

With that said, this coming season I'd like to put my legs to use fishing moving water and backpacking. I know this is a possibility in some of the other states(Montana, Wyoming and Idaho come to mind)... and while those places are also on my list, I'd really like to see what we have to offer in state as well.

I'd like to put together a multi-day backpacking trip... a loop preferably, but not required. My first thoughts drifted toward the Pasayten area - seems like there's a good amount of rivers and streams in the area and a lot of trails... but I'm open to any of the wilderness areas, including the Olympics(there's gotta be some awesome places in there).

Surely someone here has done something like this in state... and while I don't expect someone to give me GPS coordinates to the rocks you stood on, I'd just like some general insight regarding this matter. What area do you think would be worth planning something like this for? If you choose to share more than general information - please feel free to send a PM so we're not hot spotting.

I know most people here when you mention backpacking + fishing, their minds immediately go to lakes... and while I love packing into some lakes for fishing(I even have an Alpacka I bought just for this!) I'd like to see what moving waters are available. Also to note, I don't expect the same "quality" of fish as you'd get out of Montana or somewhere like that. I know that 6"-8" are 98% of what you're gonna catch out of there and that's perfectly fine. It makes it all the more exciting when one of the rare 10, 12 or even 14"s decide they want to play!

Thanks in advance for any advice or insight.
 
Welcome Jeff! You're right in that when people think of combining backpacking and fishing in WA they are oriented toward lakes. We have lots of streams in the high country, but they are predominately small and or very high gradient. For the most part that means cold and low productivity water. I expect there are some exceptions, but none that I know of, including the Pasayten. The only times I've seen decent sized trout in mountain streams is when they migrate out of lakes to spawn.
 
Welcome Jeff

We(my friends) use 12 ft Aire or Nrs type rafts and fish very high in the rivers watersheds. Since there are no public launches in those areas on the systems we fish, we lower our rafts off of bridges and fish for a few days and either takeout at wdfw sites lower in the river or at other bridges.
It takes proper planning and effort, but worth the price of admission.

If ya really want to get away from people and enjoy the unmolested beauty the upper rivers offer.....try our approach.

Also, the fish haven't seen a lure or man in miles of travel and they are (sometimes) very eager to take our offerings.


In my younger days, i would hike miles to fish mountain streams and lakes. There are some real gems out there calling your name.


Good luck on your quest.
 
Peyton00 said:
Welcome Jeff

We(my friends) use 12 ft Aire or Nrs type rafts and fish very high in the rivers watersheds. Since there are no public launches in those areas on the systems we fish, we lower our rafts off of bridges and fish for a few days and either takeout at wdfw sites lower in the river or at other bridges.
It takes proper planning and effort, but worth the price of admission.

If ya really want to get away from people and enjoy the unmolested beauty the upper rivers offer.....try our approach.

Also, the fish haven't seen a lure or man in miles of travel and they are (sometimes) very eager to take our offerings.


In my younger days, i would hike miles to fish mountain streams and lakes. There are some real gems out there calling your name.


Good luck on your quest.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a blast!
 
Jeff:

Nice intro. As noted, higher is skinny moving water. There would be some very nice multi day hikes off of the mountain passes for lakes. Not big fish but fun.
The best to you in your quest.

Don’t leave stuff that is important in your vehicle at trail heads. Unfortunate but necessary.
 
Thanks for the welcome guys, and the info.

I’m not usually one for posting my stuff online, but maybe I’ll make a big trip report during this upcoming season. My work is very liberal with time off, and my wife and family are understanding and accompany me when appropriate(only so far a 6yo and 1yo can go though).

I plan for at least a couple of three day weekend trips(I work 4 10s) and probably one or two bigger trips - not including the week in Montana
 
JeffRaines said:
Hello all!

So now it makes sense why the conversation had been declining on the other website - I had no idea that it had changed hands and this new one was started. I'm pretty sure this was my username over there... but in any case, my name is Jeff and I currently live in Roy, WA. I've been fly fishing for a little over 10 years. Most of my fishing has been somewhat locally - with a few spots I like to camp/fish 3 or so hours away, and I usually take a yearly trip over to Montana for fishing with the family as well.

With that said, this coming season I'd like to put my legs to use fishing moving water and backpacking. I know this is a possibility in some of the other states(Montana, Wyoming and Idaho come to mind)... and while those places are also on my list, I'd really like to see what we have to offer in state as well.

I'd like to put together a multi-day backpacking trip... a loop preferably, but not required. My first thoughts drifted toward the Pasayten area - seems like there's a good amount of rivers and streams in the area and a lot of trails... but I'm open to any of the wilderness areas, including the Olympics(there's gotta be some awesome places in there).

Surely someone here has done something like this in state... and while I don't expect someone to give me GPS coordinates to the rocks you stood on, I'd just like some general insight regarding this matter. What area do you think would be worth planning something like this for? If you choose to share more than general information - please feel free to send a PM so we're not hot spotting.

I know most people here when you mention backpacking + fishing, their minds immediately go to lakes... and while I love packing into some lakes for fishing(I even have an Alpacka I bought just for this!) I'd like to see what moving waters are available. Also to note, I don't expect the same "quality" of fish as you'd get out of Montana or somewhere like that. I know that 6"-8" are 98% of what you're gonna catch out of there and that's perfectly fine. It makes it all the more exciting when one of the rare 10, 12 or even 14"s decide they want to play!

Thanks in advance for any advice or insight.
Click to expand...
Try the Bailey Range Traverse in the Olympic National Park from Sol Duc to the Elwha snow finger or out Queets Basin. Cream Lake, Lake Billy Everett, and Stephen Lake are (or at least were) very fun fishing back in the ‘90s and early ‘00s (the last time I was there). The rivers at the beginning, middle (if you detour) and end of the hike are great for fishing. The Elwha isn’t open anymore, but there were decent trout all the way to the headwaters, so you were fishing a part of the river miles and miles away from where most folks ever fished it.

Not really hot spotting as to get to Cream Lake you have to hike about 20 miles on challenging terrain (in many places a single false step and you’ll have to settle up with your maker there and then), the last 10 of which are off-trail, and the last 1-2 miles of which are through brush. Stephen Lake is a bit more accessible and has no brush to fight through, but is just as remote, and Lake Billy Everett isn’t on most maps. There were a few other lakes we fished along the way with mixed success, but we definitely had fun on the above-named ones.

For wilderness fishing, it can’t be beat. No other humans for days in any direction, tons of pristine habitat, and lots of wildlife.
 
Dave Shorett's Central Cascades and South Cascades/Mt. Rainier fishing guides may be worth checking out as well. I have the former but not the latter and it has some information on moving waters in addition to the lake information you'd expect.
 
WTA.com is your friend. If you can't find what you're looking for there, you're not looking!
 
Peyton00 said:
Welcome Jeff

We(my friends) use 12 ft Aire or Nrs type rafts and fish very high in the rivers watersheds. Since there are no public launches in those areas on the systems we fish, we lower our rafts off of bridges and fish for a few days and either takeout at wdfw sites lower in the river or at other bridges.
It takes proper planning and effort, but worth the price of admission.

If ya really want to get away from people and enjoy the unmolested beauty the upper rivers offer.....try our approach.

Also, the fish haven't seen a lure or man in miles of travel and they are (sometimes) very eager to take our offerings.


In my younger days, i would hike miles to fish mountain streams and lakes. There are some real gems out there calling your name.


Good luck on your quest.
Click to expand...

I obviously don't expect you to reveal *where* you're fishing but I'm curious about the launch/retrieval/packing systems that you use for extended multi-days that involve lowering your rigs off of bridges.
 
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