Split in two by the roughly 268-foot Snoqualmie Falls, the Snoqualmie River offers lowland salmon and steelhead fishing below the falls and native trout water in the Cascade forks above. It’s just 35 to 45 minutes from Seattle, making it one of the easiest rivers around for a quick outing.
Seattle Fishing Company’s guide explains how the seasons play out. Sea-run cutthroat arrive in August, and fall brings coho through November plus odd-year pinks, so September anglers can hook several species in one day. Winter steelhead build from December and peak through March. Spring is closed below the falls, but the North, Middle and South forks stay open year-round for rainbow and westslope cutthroat, with the Middle Fork most consistent.
Access highlights include Fall City’s gravel bar, David Powell and Neal roads, Tolt MacDonald Park in Carnation, McCormick Park in Duvall, and the Plum Boat Launch trail to the Cable Hole. Spinners are the go-to fall lure, with twitching jigs and plugs added during directed coho seasons, and bobbers with jigs or corkies for steelhead. Wild Chinook protections have closed parts of the river recently, so check current regulations before every trip.
Read the full post here: Fishing the Snoqualmie River
Complete Guide to fishing the Skykomish River
