Skykomish/Snohomish Post 2025 Flood updates/questions

I

Irish11

Steelhead
Has anyone floated the Skykomish or Snohomish recently? I went out this afternoon and scouted the launches.

  • Monroe (Skykomish River) - Muddy, but in good condition
  • High Bridge (Snoqualmie river) - 6+ inches of heavy mud/debris built up. Someone had a pallet bonfire in the middle of the parking area and its covered in rusty nails now as well. Good luck with your tires.
  • Oscar Hoover slide ramp - Good-ish condition. Road is open, ramp/parking lot have a lot of fresh mud. Slide ramp is still in okay condition.
  • Snohomish Town Launch (Snohomish River) - Open, one side clear, the other covered in sand/mud 1-2" deep
  • Lowell Launch - Closed, opening date is TBD.

Trying to figure out if its worth getting out currently until the river(s) close on Jan 31st. I was planning on floating it with my Clackacraft. I have a few buddies I have been trying to get into fly fishing and figured it might be a fun adventure. Mainly targeting trout since that is what is open until the river closes back up again at the end of the month.

I am thinking of running Sultan to Monroe, the 9.1mi or maybe Sultan to Ben Howard, 6.5mi. I have not fished the Sultan to Monroe route, but have floated it in a canoe years ago. I wanted to check the lower ramps though that I am more familiar with today. Looks rough and lots of new debris/jams, but hopefully new habitat and holes for the fish. I don't have a lot of experience post flood how things change out either. Should I hold off and just do some lake fishing with the assumption that its going to take a season or two for the fish populations to recover or do you all think its worth a try?

Here are some some photos of the ramps in case anyone is wondering (I did not get one of the Snohomish ramp or Lowell Launch)

Oscar Hoover slide ramp:
Slide.jpg

Monroe:
Monroe.jpg

High Bridge:
Bridge.jpg

Edit, looks like browns in the river system was a typo on my behalf. I was thinking bull trout/dolly varden and my mind slipped. I would have better odds winning the lotto than finding a brown.
 
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As far as I know, there are no brown trout in the Snohomish system.
I did see two adult browns about 20 years ago in a small trib in Mirrormont that drained to Issaquah Creek in the Lk WA watershed. I was monitoring some fish passage projects after a big storm and residents told me that one of the neighbors had browns in a small pond that had flooded. That's the only time I have ever seen brown trout in a western WA stream.
Can't help you on the launches or river conditions. It's been a few years since I floated in that watershed.
 
Matt B said:
I mean if you’re gonna fish for non-existent salmonids, why not swing for the fences and target Snohomish taimen?
Click to expand...
Skeena88 said:
As far as I know, there are no brown trout in the Snohomish system.
I did see two adult browns about 20 years ago in a small trib in Mirrormont that drained to Issaquah Creek in the Lk WA watershed. I was monitoring some fish passage projects after a big storm and residents told me that one of the neighbors had browns in a small pond that had flooded. That's the only time I have ever seen brown trout in a western WA stream.
Can't help you on the launches or river conditions. It's been a few years since I floated in that watershed.
Click to expand...
I had a slip up, I meant to say bull trout and talking to a friend and got browns on the mind. Would be sweet though, if only.
 
After a major flood it is not uncommon for Spada reservoir to be dirty enough to affect the fishability/turbidity of the Sky below the Sultan. Expect that condition to last for weeks.

Curt
 
Matt B said:
I mean if you’re gonna fish for non-existent salmonids, why not swing for the fences and target Snohomish taimen?
Click to expand...
What mouse patterns work best?
 
I suggest leaving the boat at home and getting out there on foot. The fish are still there, and minus 10 boats pounding every productive spot before you can get there, the success rate from the bank usually goes up significantly.

I like to float as much as anyone, but when you can't do that, going old school bank maggot often pays off.
 
Here is the ramp at Plum:

IMG_5811.jpeg
IMG_5812.jpeg

Here is the ramp at Zurfleuh:

IMG_5814.jpeg

IMG_5813.jpeg

There were three empty trailers at Z in the afternoon. Lots of people out trout fishing with surprisingly heavy gear. But I don’t judge. You gotta get them in quickly for a healthy release.
 
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