A major Chehalis basin tributary, the Satsop River offers strong fall salmon and winter steelhead fishing with far fewer crowds than its better-known neighbors. Its East and West Forks wind through Olympic Peninsula timber country, and because the river is free-flowing and rain-fed, levels rise and fall quickly. It’s about 2 to 2.5 hours from …
Winter Steelhead
Complete guide to fishing the Copalis River
Small and often overlooked, the Copalis River winds through forested coastal lowlands to the Pacific at Copalis Beach, between Ocean Shores and Pacific Beach. It’s about 2.5 to 3 hours from Seattle, and its lighter crowds make it a local favorite and an easy add-on to a beach day or a Grays Harbor fishing trip. …
Guide to Wynoochee River fishing
Flowing about 60 miles from the Olympic Mountains to the Chehalis River near Montesano, the Wynoochee is a clear, cold, dam-regulated river that often stays fishable after storms blow out its neighbors. It’s roughly 2 to 2.5 hours from Seattle and pairs easily with the Satsop or Chehalis on the same trip. Seattle Fishing Company’s …
Fishing on the Snoqualmie River
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 …
Complete Guide to fishing the Skykomish River
Fast, boulder-filled and full of classic runs, the Skykomish River forms near Index and flows about 29 miles past Gold Bar and Sultan before joining the Snoqualmie near Monroe. Just 45 minutes to an hour from Seattle, the “Sky” is one of the region’s most famous steelhead rivers, with Highway 2 providing easy access. Seattle …
Fishing on the Nooksack River
Fed by glaciers on Mount Baker, the Nooksack River flows through Whatcom County to Bellingham Bay and ranks among the North Sound’s most productive salmon and steelhead rivers. Its North, Middle and South forks join near Deming, each with its own character, and the whole system is only about 1.5 to 2 hours from Seattle. …
Our guide to fishing the Quillayute River
Just six miles long, the Quillayute River forms where the Bogachiel, Calawah and Sol Duc meet near Forks, then picks up the Dickey before reaching the Pacific at La Push. Because it carries the combined runs of several legendary Olympic Peninsula rivers, it’s a bucket-list destination for fall salmon and winter steelhead, about 3.5 to …
Fishing on the Snohomish River
Formed where the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers meet near Monroe, the Snohomish River flows northwest to Possession Sound at Everett and ranks among the most accessible salmon fisheries in the Puget Sound region. It’s only 35 to 45 minutes from Seattle, and its wide, tidal lower river draws everyone from bank anglers to guided jet …
Guide to fishing on the Skagit River
As the largest river flowing into Puget Sound, the Skagit stretches about 150 miles from British Columbia through the North Cascades to Skagit Bay near Mount Vernon. The lower river is only an hour north of Seattle, and the wild upper valley near Concrete, Rockport and Marblemount is just a bit farther via the North …
Our complete guide to fishing the Humptulips River
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 …
Guide to fishing the Sol Duc River
Winding about 78 miles from the Olympic Mountains through classic peninsula rainforest, the Sol Duc River joins the Bogachiel near Forks to form the Quillayute. The river supports all five species of Pacific salmon and some of the healthiest wild steelhead stocks in the Pacific Northwest. Expect a 3.5- to 4-hour trip from Seattle. Seattle …
Our guide to fishing the Chehalis River
As the largest river system on the Washington Coast, the Chehalis flows more than 125 miles from the Willapa Hills to Grays Harbor at Aberdeen, fed by productive tributaries like the Wynoochee, Satsop and Skookumchuck. The upper river is just 1.5 to 2 hours from Seattle, making it one of the easiest big rivers to …
Complete guide to fishing the Naselle River
Winding through the coastal rainforest of Pacific County before emptying into Willapa Bay, the Naselle River is a small, quiet stream known for chrome-bright winter steelhead and a strong fall coho run. It’s a 3.5- to 4-hour drive from Seattle, but anglers are rewarded with misty, moss-covered scenery and far fewer crowds than rivers closer …
Guide to fishing on the Lewis River
With two steelhead runs and four salmon runs, the Lewis River near Woodland offers year-round fishing just two hours south of Seattle. Three dams on the North Fork keep flows cold and stable below Merwin Dam, so the river often stays fishable when neighboring rivers blow out, and it tends to see lighter crowds than …
Our guide to fishing the Kalama River
Draining the southwest side of Mount St. Helens, the Kalama River runs about 45 miles to the Columbia near the town of Kalama, and its clear, green water produces steelhead in nearly every month of the year. Just two hours south of Seattle with access right off I-5, it’s one of Southwest Washington’s most convenient …
Guide to fishing on the Puyallup River
Born on the glaciers of Mount Rainier, the Puyallup River runs about 45 miles to Tacoma’s Commencement Bay and ranks among the most accessible salmon rivers near Seattle. The lower river is just 35 to 40 minutes away, making it an easy after-work option. Because it’s glacier-fed, though, it can turn high and milky quickly, …
Our guide to fishing the Cowlitz River
Backed by one of Washington’s largest hatchery programs, the Cowlitz River offers salmon and steelhead action nearly every month of the year. The river flows about 105 miles from the Cascades near Mount Rainier to the Columbia at Longview and Kelso, and its upstream dams keep flows steadier and clearer than on many nearby rivers, …
Guide to fishing on the Green River
Flowing roughly 65 miles out of the Cascade foothills before becoming the Duwamish, the Green River is one of the most convenient salmon and steelhead fisheries near Seattle. The lower river around Auburn and Kent is about a half-hour drive from the city, while the dramatic upper gorge near Enumclaw and Black Diamond is about …
Complete Guide to fishing the Queets River
Flowing out of the Olympic Mountains, the Queets River spends most of its length inside Olympic National Park, giving anglers a rare amount of public access. Downstream, it enters the Quinault Indian Reservation, where fishing requires a tribal guide. Seattle Fishing Company’s complete guide explains how to make the most of this wild Olympic Peninsula …
Complete guide to fishing the Hoh River
Born in the glaciers of Mount Olympus, the Hoh River winds through one of the world’s wettest temperate rainforests before reaching the Pacific, and it ranks among the Olympic Peninsula’s most iconic fishing rivers. Seattle Fishing Company’s guide breaks down when, where and how to fish it. Winter belongs to Steelhead, Chinook and Coho take …
