Stehekin River

[Abalone]

33 rd. Anniversery
Taking the wife up there for Three days next week to Lake Chelan. We are going to ferry over to the resort. Plan to stay three nights. I have been reading that the Stehekin river is good trout water. So I think I will sneak my Four Piece rod into my baggage with a few flies. Anyone fish it ?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Season is open for C&R........

[straightweave]

There are trout in that system, for sure. Not sure on the size, but definitely fish. We saw fly fishermen each day that we were at Stehiken and they had all reported catching fish.

[klamathfish]

I have some of the best childhood memories fishing the Stehekin River. I last went at about the age of 12, around 1987. I don't remember what we used but we caught fish about every second or third cast. Most were in the 10 to 13 inch range but I remember a few hogs. Enjoy your trip, it is a beautiful area. Check out Rainbow Falls while you are there. Make sure you post an update after your trip. I may have to make a trip there for old time sake.

:) :) :)

[Abalone]

I am back. Didn't take my flyrod but learned a little bit about the area. Tim, the guy that runs the Lodge is a Flyfisherman. That end of the lake is colder and has less aquatic life then the Chelan end. Therefore less fish.
There are Kookanie and land locked Chinook in the lake. Tim targets the Chinook. He told me that is is a highly specialized type of fishing that requires a specific Eggfly pattern presented in a specific way or you are wasting your time. The fish can run from Five pounds up to Forty depending on the run. I checked with the other locals and they told me Tim was definatly the guru for the Stehekin. Because of recent floods and other conditions the Stehekin is not the Trout Stream it once was. Oh ! and planting of Rainbow trout has played a negative in the native Cutthroat populations. There are lots of hike in lakes that provide great fly fishing opportunities.

Beautiful Country.