Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 08:53:02 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Topics

[Today at 08:17:00 AM]

[Today at 08:02:19 AM]

[Today at 05:07:22 AM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:25:42 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:05:39 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 04:18:57 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 12:35:34 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 11:18:23 AM]

[March 26, 2024, 07:45:07 PM]

[March 26, 2024, 06:19:03 PM]

[March 26, 2024, 05:47:06 PM]

Support NCKA

Support the site by making a donation.

Topic: Little PNW Trout Fishing Roadtrip  (Read 856 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Raacerx

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • View Profile
  • Location: Sebastopol, CA
  • Date Registered: Nov 2020
  • Posts: 143
Although there wasn't much kayaking, figured I'd share a recent fishing trip up to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.

I take a 2 week fishing and overlanding road trip up to Washington every year during this time, although sometimes end of August, sometimes mid September; it's incredible to see what just a week or two can do in terms of changing weather, flora, and fauna.  Mid September is always full on rain and cold, but the bounties are endless; earlier is far nicer camping weather, but slow on the collection. 

We were hoping to get some super early river-mouth salmon and steelhead in Olympic National Park and Forest, but the first rains were just starting in the NW area of the peninsula and stuff was still quite dry otherwise.  Tides weren't quite high enough either; right as we left the area, the Hoh River mouth hit +9 ft which is enough to get some good infill. But most of the weather was high 60's and low 70's, sunny skies, and mid 30's at night, and air quality was a dream compared to the 250AQI I had to camp in on the drive up.

Despite the lack of salmon and being way early for the fall mushroom flush, we still managed to forage some initial sample fungi offerings and brought in a ton of gorgeous rainbow trout from a variety of rivers and creeks, mostly wild, including my personal best wild river-caught rainbow, at 20.5" and 2.5 pounds, C&R'ed.  Regulations are tough and rough in the area so we were mostly on single barbless artificial and C&R, and although we put the fly rods out with a ton of different options, small classic spinners were the star of the show. 

Caught my PB on a generic 1/4oz china purple spinner I clipped into single barbless (no pictures of course, too excited and he was a fighter), but 75% of the fish we landed were on a Panther Martin Classic, 1/8oz with a #4 flasher.  The only downside to the little Panther Classic was that the little 6" trouts would go nuts on it, but it also caught some great +12".   

In the course of 10 days of fishing, we literally landed over 120 trout, keeping only a small handful.  Most we caught were gorgeous young wild rainbows under 10" with some young wild steelhead in the mix, only a few Cutthroat, and a handful of decent hatchery that are allowed keep pretty much anywhere.  It was amazing to see how healthy the wild fish stocks were, and even more amazing that at one point we didn't see another human for 72 hours, although there were plenty of bears (they kept their respectful distance). 

This was my first decent road trip on the new truck as well, 2021 Ranger Lariat Tremor, hence a lot of truck pictures, and aside from some odd A/C issues on the way back, it handled the 1500 miles of pavement and 800 miles of dirt with gusto.  Started the trip without much of a scratch, came home pretty dented.  Had an excellent time at the OHV's in the Tilamook State Forest area, crazy capable for a stock truck. 

Headed back up mid October to do some real salmon fishing.




































« Last Edit: September 13, 2021, 01:56:17 PM by Raacerx »
I'd rather be swinging...


lucky13

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • View Profile
  • Location: Union City
  • Date Registered: Jan 2009
  • Posts: 1597
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. So envious. My wife would never allow me to have so much fun by myself ;(


Raacerx

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • View Profile
  • Location: Sebastopol, CA
  • Date Registered: Nov 2020
  • Posts: 143
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. So envious. My wife would never allow me to have so much fun by myself ;(

Hah!  I have the exact opposite experience; my wife knows that if I don't go fishing and camping with a buddy, it means she has to go fishing and camping with me. 

The glory of no kids!  =D
I'd rather be swinging...


AlsHobieOutback

  • - = Proud Member of Team A-HULLS! = -
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • "I love it when a plan comes together!"
  • View Profile
  • Location: "In the Redwoods!" AKA: Boulder Creek, CA
  • Date Registered: Apr 2007
  • Posts: 14002
Very nice report, and a view of fishing in the PNW!  Thanks for sharing!
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."

 IG: alshobie


Eric B

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • View Profile
  • Location: Fremont
  • Date Registered: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 4410
Awesome report. 

We can’t wait to get back home in Port Angeles.

The new rangers are pretty sweet.


NowhereMan

  • Manatee
  • *****
  • 44.5"/38.5#
  • View Profile YouTube Channel
  • Location: Lexington Hills (Santa Clara County)
  • Date Registered: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 11259
Fantastic report and pictures!
Born in Arizona
Moved to Babylonia
Got a condo made of stone-a


fishbushing

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • View Profile
  • Location: San Jose
  • Date Registered: Oct 2018
  • Posts: 2878
Good times and digging the overlanding setup! :smt007
-Jason


christianbrat

  • "Top 3 Spot Burner" according to Nick Fish
  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • Christian
  • View Profile
  • Location: The Bay
  • Date Registered: May 2019
  • Posts: 1115
Bitching truck and awesome trip!! I ordered a Cactus Grey Ranger XLT in July. cannot wait to pimp it out
Current Fleet
- 1989 Arima Sea Explorer w/ custom Pilot House
- 2018 Hobie Revolution 13

Historical Fleet
- 1985 Hobie PowerSkiff 15'
- 1975 Valco U-14
- 2009 Ocean Kayak Scrambler XT


 

anything