Flowing out of the Olympic National Forest into the north side of Grays Harbor, the Humptulips River is often called the heart of the Washington coast’s fall salmon fishery. It’s about 2.5 to 3 hours from Seattle, and it pairs well with other nearby central coast rivers for a multi-river trip.
Seattle Fishing Company’s guide explains why. Salmon season typically opens September 1, when Chinook in the 20- to 30-pound range and hard-charging coho flood the lower river, followed by chum in October and November. Winter brings strong hatchery steelhead in December and January, then a world-class wild catch-and-release fishery into April, with 20-pound fish landed regularly. Summer offers trout and summer steelhead from June.
Top bank spots include Bluff Hole below the hatchery, the Stevens Creek mouth and the Hansen Road access with its big gravel bar, while the Reynvaan’s and Dike launches serve the lower river. Much of the best water is boat-only, so drift boats and hired guides are popular. The guide also covers bobbers and bait, back-trolled plugs, twitching jigs and spinners, and stresses checking regulations, which differ between the main stem and forks.
Read the full post here: Fishing the Humptulips River
Guide to fishing the Sol Duc River
