Low Water Salmon: Fishing SW Washington Rivers in a Dry Fall
Salmon Fishing in Southwest Washington hasn't been great so far. There's no sugarcoating it. This has been a dry year. The last time we checked, we were more than 25 inches below our annual rainfall average. That deficit is showing up on the water, and it's changing how we fish our home rivers this fall.
In a normal year, we've had serious rain by mid-October. A few big storms raise the rivers, color up the water, and push salmon up and down every system. You can find fish almost anywhere. This year looks different, and if you have a trip planned for the next few weeks, you should know what to expect.
Where the Fish Are: Down Low
We aren't finding good numbers of fish spread through the rivers. We're finding them low in the systems, in the tidally influenced water or just above it.
The fish have come in from the salt and they're ready to run. They just don't have the water to do it. So they hold near the head of tide and wait for the next big push of rain to send them upstream.
The pattern we keep seeing is that the tide retreats, the water clears, and the fish are sitting right there. Those windows after the outgoing tide have been our most productive time on the water. Check the tide chart before you go and plan your day around it. A few hours on the right stage of tide beats a full day of blind casting.
Covering Water: Bring Something to Float
Fishing the low end of a river on foot can mean a long day. You walk downstream to find fish and then walk back up to where you started. It's doable, but it's a lot of trouncing through the water and mud.
If you have something that floats, use it. We highly recommend a small raft or a kayak right now. It lets you drift down through the lower river, stop and fish the soft water where salmon are stacked and cover far more ground than you could on foot. You'll spend more of your day fishing and less of it walking.
Downsize Your Flies
When the rivers are up and flowing after a good rain, we love big articulated jig flies. They move a lot of water and they're easy for fish to find in off-color flows.
We're still fishing articulated flies this fall, but we've gone smaller. We're tying and fishing downsized, sleeker versions with less bulk and a slimmer profile. In this low, clear water, that change has been a deal maker for us. Fish that ignore a big, bulky fly will often eat the smaller one.
If you tie your own, start with a shorter shank and thinner materials:
- in the shorter lengths
- for a jigging action in a smaller package
- in place of magnum rabbit for a thinner tail
- for movement without bulk
Prefer to buy them tied? Stop by the shop and we'll point you to what's been working this week.
The Cutthroat Bonus
One upside to fishing the lower river: we've been running into sea-run cutthroat. When the coho fishing isn't lights out, a few good cutthroat make for a fun day. Bring a fly or two that will interest them, and enjoy the bonus fish.
Planning a Trip This Fall?
We don't have any serious rain in the forecast right now. If you've planned a trip around this time of year, plan for low-water conditions:
- Fish low. Focus on tidewater and the water just above it.
- Watch the tides. Time your day around the outgoing tide and the clearing water after it.
- Float if you can. A small raft or kayak makes covering water much easier.
- Go smaller. Bring slimmer, downsized versions of your usual articulated flies.
- Stay flexible. When the rain does come, the fish will move fast and the whole picture changes.
Conditions are changing week to week. Call or stop by the shop in Ilwaco for the latest on where fish are holding and what they're eating. We're happy to help you make the most of a tough year.