Trout Streams in SW Washington

[saxwonder]

I just got a new guy at work this week who moved here from Idaho and was asking me if I know of any good trout streams in SW Washington for fly fishing, I don't know that area well so I was hoping you guys might be able to throw out some suggestions for him. He said he is used to dry fly fishing mostly, seeing as he lived minutes from the Henry's Fork in Idaho. Any advice you all might have would be really appreciated, he seems like he has the fishing itch so bad right now he might go bananas.

Thanks,
Adam

[mgdfly]

Lewis River above the reserviors is fair trout fishing, but mostly a Lake show for trout in SW WA. Closest QUALITY trout river is the Deschutes, although the Cowlitz and some of the small CR tribs get some nice Sea-run Cutts here pretty soon.

[jaxflyfish]

Pine Creek, Muddy and clear creeks are all ok (tributaries to the North Fork of the Lewis), lakes are better right now....Goose, Merrill and Coldwater are good this time of year with ant/termite or hornet patterns.

[Tar Heel]

If he is a glutton for punnishemnt, hike in to the Little White Salmon. It has a good trout population, and most of the creek doesnt get touched. It is in a beautiful gorge full of class five rapids and waterfalls w/ a pool drop character. I used to kayak it, and it's one of the best kayaking rivers in the US. We would see large fly hatches, and hear stories of large trout below the biggest falls. The best water is below the upper hatchery and the lower hatchery--near "sppirit falls." Now how to get in there, now that's a differnt story....

[Swift Fly Guy]

Originally Posted by jaxflyfish

Pine Creek, Muddy and clear creeks are all ok (tributaries to the North Fork of the Lewis), lakes are better right now....Goose, Merrill and Coldwater are good this time of year with ant/termite or hornet patterns.

Pine Creek was hot last weekend...one of my best days:grin: I wouldn't recommend it for dry flies right now but ooooohh man the wet stuff was sweeeeet

[Reel_Big_Fish]

I've heard good things about Muddy Creek. I've never fished any of the creeks that feed the Lewis, but my brother's father-in-law does a lot.

[Tar Heel]

Another one that I have seen is the Souxon (sp?). This is a drainage that hasn't been logged for a long time, and flows into one of the Lewis R. Reservoirs--Swift Creek? It's really a nice creek, and has only a couple of access points. When we kayaked the Souxon, I heard tales of good trout populations. It's neighboring Creek, Canyon Creek, is heavily loogged and poorer water quality and flood prone.

[chromeseeker]

Yeah, there are a few options for stream trout fishing in SWW, but if your friend is used to fishing in Idaho and especially the Henrys Fork and the like, all I can say is...poor *******. He just went from trout stream (and lake, for that matter) fishing nirvana to trout fishing hell.

Good luck to him!

CS

[saxwonder]

Thanks for the input guys, he definitely realizes that his fishing life just got alot worse by moving away from a river like the Henry's (somehow women can convince men to do all sorts of stupid things).

[Reel_Big_Fish]

Originally Posted by Tar heel

It's neighboring Creek, Canyon Creek, is heavily loogged and poorer water quality and flood prone.

Canyon Creek gets planted with trout once a year, usually around the first of June for the opener.