The Outdoor Line Forum

For the last several seasons it seems runs of wild and hatchery steelhead have been declining. There has been some standout rivers in one place or the next but as a general rule here in Washington numbers have been a bit down. The reports so far for 2010-2011 have been outstanding thus far. Many of us are having stellar days fishing for hatchery fish and in some drainages, wild fish are already making a strong showing!

So how are you doing on your local river? I know it's early yet but, how would you rate the winter steelhead season thus far? Pictures definitely encouraged!

Decent for me so far. Got two this winter. One down at the Cowlitz and one up on the Cascade and lost one there too.





Mikes Atlas Eggs have been good. I like the new Glo Bug Bling yarn with them too.

Great question, I'm looking forward to hearing some responses. Great to get some perspective from some guys that have been around for awhile,

For the second time today, I have to agree with the Cantankerous Cougar... This is a great topic!

I wrote a blog about the possible upswing in steelheading back in mid November. Take a look at Best Hatchery Steelhead Year Since...???

Of course, I was taking a guess and the season didn't play out quite as I thought. The Cowlitz remains an enigma, the Skykomish has been limited by clarity below Sultan combined with winds above Sultan and nobody, but nobody could have forseen the white-hot hatchery action on the Bogachiel and other coastal rivers.

Let's just hope our wild steelhead take a ride on this productivity train, have a strong bounce in abundance and a productive spring spawn.

Heck, if we're losing February on our Puget Sound streams due to conservation closures lets hope we get some payback in the form of more juvenile steelies!

I didn't do all that well on the Sky (home waters), but in the last five days of fishing (didn't bother with the Sky) I went 11-18.

There were some very good days near Reiter, but I wasn't there when it happened.

Those Atlas eggs are the shiz!

I especially like the pearl pink Atlas eggs. Also impressed with the bouyancy. Corkies? What are those? Yes, I had to get away from that heartwrenching game and cheer myself up by getting on here for a few minutes.

Brutal game!

I will say this. The few times I went to reiter this season were quite good. One day it seems every time I looked upstream, (I always fish the tailout) there was always a fish or even two bending a rod. The hatchery tank is stuffed to the brim as well so if you could get out on the Sky this season and had favorable conditions you probably faired decent.

Mikes plastic ( rubber) egg cluster and white yarn are a deadly combo...

2010/2011 has been a great season for me so far... can't complain