Summer Steelhead Trip Advice

S

supaelliot

Freshly Spawned
Hey folks, new to the thread but have been learning a lot on from you all on all things steelhead.

I am looking for any general recommendations for a road trip my girlfriend and I are taking in the middle of June. We're going from the Central Coast of CA all the way up to Vancouver Island to visit a buddy. Ive had some luck over the years with winter steelhead, but summers are not around where I live. Is the middle of June too early for summers to be in the systems? I'd love to try some rivers on the Olympic Peninsula (OP) before crossing over to Canada at Port Angeles. Would there be any summers in June in the general OP region?? (not trying to spot burn the locs). Any tips would be welcome, would also love to get the GF on some coastal cutthroats but would be great if there was a river that had both in June ;). If there isnt many steelhead or even salmon for that matter in June, would it be better to just fish on Vancouver island.

So many options, so little time. Thanks in advance!
 
Most of our (Washington) rivers aren’t my pick for June steelhead, with the possible exception of the Bogie near Forks. Worst case there can be some awesome days of fishing for trouts there.

Were it up to me, I’d hit the Deschutes, the Sandy, or the Clackamas, which tend to peak about that time.
 
J Watrous said:
Most of our (Washington) rivers aren’t my pick for June steelhead, with the possible exception of the Bogie near Forks. Worst case there can be some awesome days of fishing for trouts there.

Were it up to me, I’d hit the Deschutes, the Sandy, or the Clackamas, which tend to peak about that time.
Click to expand...
"Sandy" and "Peak" don't belong in the same sentence.

You MIGHT call it a peak for the Clackamas, but that's like... If the great planes had a mole hill that was the highest point of elevation.

Honestly, with how the runs have been the last several years, it's going to be a very tough gig anywhere. June has always been a weird inbetween month. The only river I know to usually kick out a June fish or two for people I know is the Kalama, but you'd have to know the exact rock they're getting them off of.
 
Personally, I'd head straight up to Vancouver Island and fish the Cowichan. Trout are a given, might be some early Summers around as well. Bogie/Calawah hasn't had much of a summer return in recent years, sounds similar to the story Evan's telling of the Clack and Sandy. North Umpqua would be my choice if you want to fish in the US, should be fish around in June and decent public access. Just be careful with the wading. o_O
 
Evan B said:
"Sandy" and "Peak" don't belong in the same sentence.

You MIGHT call it a peak for the Clackamas, but that's like... If the great planes had a mole hill that was the highest point of elevation.

Honestly, with how the runs have been the last several years, it's going to be a very tough gig anywhere. June has always been a weird inbetween month. The only river I know to usually kick out a June fish or two for people I know is the Kalama, but you'd have to know the exact rock they're getting them off of.
Click to expand...
I appreciate the data point and the update to my intel. I haven’t fished the Sandy or the Clack since Bush was President.
 
There used to be so many reasonable choices for a June (or any month) summer run, but it's much worse than bleak these days. Statistically, you could do no better than to join the line up at Blue Creek on the Cowitz in June. There will be more summer steelhead per mile right there than anywhere else in the state. It ain't pristine; it ain't solitude; but it's the most odds on spot for a June steelhead that I can think of.
 
Salmo_g said:
There used to be so many reasonable choices for a June (or any month) summer run, but it's much worse than bleak these days. Statistically, you could do no better than to join the line up at Blue Creek on the Cowitz in June. There will be more summer steelhead per mile right there than anywhere else in the state. It ain't pristine; it ain't solitude; but it's the most odds on spot for a June steelhead that I can think of.
Click to expand...
but even the Cowlitz is a shell of its former self.
 
doublespey said:
Personally, I'd head straight up to Vancouver Island and fish the Cowichan. Trout are a given, might be some early Summers around as well. Bogie/Calawah hasn't had much of a summer return in recent years, sounds similar to the story Evan's telling of the Clack and Sandy. North Umpqua would be my choice if you want to fish in the US, should be fish around in June and decent public access. Just be careful with the wading. o_O
Click to expand...
So helpful! Thanks man i'll def do some research on the Cowichan. Looks epic. And we will be doing the Waterfall tour on the 138, right along the North Umpqua, ill give it a few casts! Again trying to balance the non-fishing days with the GF with some time on the water, because this isnt a "fishing trip" ;)
 
J Watrous said:
Most of our (Washington) rivers aren’t my pick for June steelhead, with the possible exception of the Bogie near Forks. Worst case there can be some awesome days of fishing for trouts there.

Were it up to me, I’d hit the Deschutes, the Sandy, or the Clackamas, which tend to peak about that time.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Super helpful. I plan on a full day on the lower D. How is the Sol Duc for cutthroat/salmon/summers in June? The bogie looks pretty rad, just a bit out of the way
 
supaelliot said:
Is the Sky worth the trip over in June? Looks super pretty
Click to expand...
Excellent river rafting on the Sky in early to mid-June. Check the WDFW emergency regulations to verify what (if any) sections are open for hatchery steelhead).
 
supaelliot said:
Is the Sky worth the trip over in June?
Click to expand...


The Skykomish River from the boat ramp below the Lewis Street Bridge in Monroe to the Wallace River will be open for hatchery summer steelhead and hatchery Chinook from June 10 to July 10 with a daily limit of two adult fish, night closure, and the anti-snagging rule in effect. This section of the river was closed in 2024 and had a brief three-day opening in 2023

Not much bank access in that stretch anymore and past returns say there will be very few Steelhead, better shot at getting a Chinook.

Washington state really doesn't care about our state fish!
 
supaelliot said:
Is the Sky worth the trip over in June? Looks super pretty
Click to expand...
The upper sections are VERY picturesque, but I don't think they'll be open.

Let's put it this way: There was roughly a 10yr span where steelhead fishing was just about all I did. At least 90% of my fishing time was spent doing that. Now, even living closer to what were even better steelhead rivers than I had during that era, I've changed my game entirely to concentrate on other fisheries. I might make one or two trips to target steelhead per year tops now.
 
Last edited:
Kalama and Cowlitz. I got my first ever steelhead on the Kalama on June 9, 2000, fishing the Beginner's Hole with a double-bead stonefly nymph. To this day, that's my only Kalama steelhead, but I still say it's worth a visit. Beautiful place, and there may still be some springers around if you really want to test your patience. I've only caught a handful on the Cowlitz over the years, but it's definitely the best bet for summer runs these days.

You can find steelhead in the Calawah and Bogachiel (or even the Hoh has some strays), but I think the OP is too far out of the way to be worth doing for summers anymore. Besides that, those Calawah fish are SPOOOKY. If they see so much as a shadow of your fly line, they bolt down to the next holding spot.
 
If the GF likes catching more than fishing this might be an option....
1747356051880.png

6wt single-hand Skagit, 3 or 4wt trout spey and some sink tips and you can catch a bunch. Hell, even a 5 or 6wt switch or spey rod would be fun. Evan could probably tell you where. ;)
 
skyriver said:
If the GF likes catching more than fishing this might be an option....
View attachment 153470

6wt single-hand Skagit, 3 or 4wt trout spey and some sink tips and you can catch a bunch. Hell, even a 5 or 6wt switch or spey rod would be fun. Evan could probably tell you where. ;)
Click to expand...
That I most certainly could. Also I have a boat from which even more can be caught.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top