Ok, I'm just going to put this out here and maybe other places, trying to get some information. I've been steelhead fishing with JustDave in Oregon a few times now and would like to find places a bit closer to home to fish. I hear all kinds of things like, "The Chehalis", "Skykomish", "Bogachiel and Calawa", "Snohomish" and so on but, these rivers may be several hundred miles long. What I'm looking for is maybe a few more precise locations or directions to them where I can fish from the bank. How about GPS coordinates or specific trails/roads that I can go to? I've read posts on various sites where people say they fished so and so but if you're not a local, or hhfamiliar with the place, it doesn't tell you anything. Or at least it doesn't tell ME anything. It seems like a lot of the time they're more like nicknames for areas, not anything that you'd find on a map.
  How about it, can anyone here in Washington help me out? I live in Port Orchard on the Kitsap Penninsula.      Thanks!

I don't usually post on this forum but had to reply to this. To be honest most fishermen won't disclose much about the GOOD spots they frequent. For obvious reason. It's the same for waterfowling spots too.

You just have to get out and scout. Put in your time. There are an infinite number of rivers and holes that get hit seemingly everyday. Combat fishing sucks to most of us so we go very much out of our way to find some honey holes. Then we keep them to ourselves.

Where you can go depends on the type of steelheading you are doing. A driftboat will open up a lot of river for you but can be difficult if you're by yourself. Most just hire a guide for this and are rarely dissapointed.

Bank fishing Is more limited but easy.

You live a short distance from some fine steelhead water. The Bogy, Hoh, Clearwater are all good rivers. Farther south you have the North, Nacelle and Johns Rivers. All good water.

I hit the Cowlits from time to time but it gets very crowded even when there is a lack of fish. You can put a lot of time in on the Chehalis without a hit.

 

Kurt

Hey Kurt, thanks for the comeback. I appreciate your input but I think our ideas about vicinity differ. It's 130-150 miles and 2.5-3 hours one way. That kind of makes it an overnight trip. Sure you can do it in one day, but that either severely limits your fishing time or makes for a possibly unsafe trip home. As for the fishermen not being too forthcoming about their favorite spots and I understand that. I'm not trying to horn in on them, just trying to get a start. I have been trying to get out on the water and maybe have picked up a little info but, there's still a lot to learn. I guess reading the water/learning the habits of the fish is the most important. Maybe we'll meet on a river sometime. That would be cool!