Chehalis Salmon

[ultramafic]

Has anyone here had any luck on the Chehalis River in the Lower Mainland so far this year.

I used to fish there periodically before it blew its banks must be about 5 years ago and had some good success on it.

I have recently gone out this year Once in the mid summer and then again last friday.

Earlier in the summer my buddy ( lucky bugger ) released a nice steelie doe, all I could muster was a couple of small trout also released.

Last Friday I fished a few runs from the bridge ( near hatchery ) heading downstream from there.

I saw only a couple of fish in the water which looked like it had been filtered it was so clear.

I brought in a nice 18 inch rainbow from a small pool and had lots of little bites and tugs on the line while his buddies were eating my bait but had no luck on anything bigger.

Did notice a crap load of log jams and shallow pools. Lots of good size bear tracks in the mud/sand too.

Was kind of hoping to see a couple of Coho and maybe a spring but no go. River sure has changed a lot since it shifted.

Any thoughts??

Mike

[steelheadSABO]

theres no rainbows in the chehalis lots of cutthroat tho and some huge dollies so far this year my dad caught a few 6 to 12 lb steelhead a 8 lb dollie and three red spring and ive caught a 18 and a 20 inch cuttie and a few red springs but you have to know the spots and the weather right now its pretty low and clear for fishing

[ultramafic]

Perhaps I miss identified the fish I caught... was released in any event but sure looked like a rainbow.

If there are steelies in the river then there should be rainbows too... again perhaps I am wrong.

Water was very low and clear for sure, have seen the odd dolly caught ( going back a few years ) but never caught one myself.

There did seem to be a lot of smaller 8-10 inch trout in the pools.

Wonder if the rain over the weekend has brought it up any???

mike

[lip_ripper00]

Ok so what is a steelhead? A sea going Rainbow trout. Spring fishery on this river has not been the best the last couple of years, great coho fishing in the next couple of weeks

[Iron-Head]

theres no rainbows in the chehalis lots of cutthroat tho and some huge dollies so far this year my dad caught a few 6 to 12 lb steelhead a 8 lb dollie and three red spring and ive caught a 18 and a 20 inch cuttie and a few red springs but you have to know the spots and the weather right now its pretty low and clear for fishing
The Rainbow UM caught was a steelhead smolt. I have found the cutties on the lower mainland are quite easily identifiable when compared to rainbow trout or Mykiss smolts..

Just my .2$

[rishu_pepper]

Ok so what is a steelhead? A sea going Rainbow trout. Spring fishery on this river has not been the best the last couple of years, great coho fishing in the next couple of weeks

Are you talking about the Chehalis hatchery? If so, time to break out the rods and reels! I have some unfinished business with a coho last December; long story short, we fought for a while and I was landing him and 'twas then he pulled and broke off, almost pulling me into the river in the process (wasn't wearing waders...)... I'll be back!

[kennyg826]

Rishu... That coho you said you've got a thing to settle with, um, he's all yours.:lol:

[TIKA 300]

Rishu... That coho you said you've got a thing to settle with, um, he's all yours.:lol:

X2 !!!!!! EWWWWW its all yours

[rishu_pepper]

I see what you did there.

Hahaha well played, gentlemen. :lol: