[Now Gone]

For a number of years, I have caught Brook Trout in the SF Snoqualmie. I have found them in particular stretches of the stream, consistently. My conclusion is that in certain sections, they have established spawning populations.

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon/evening fishing up there, and caught a brookie at exit 42 (lower Tinkham Road), right under the bridge. I have never caught a brookie so low on this stream, and was surprised by the fish. My usual spots for brookies are farther upstream.

What is your experience with brookies on the SF? Quantities? Locations?

Of course, not looking for hot spots ... just looking for your experiences.

 

[Smalma]

Bonefish Jack -

Don't have any recent experience on the South Fork and its brookies but during the late 1950s, 1960s and much of the 1970s I caught a lot of trout from the South Fork including some brookies. For much of the South Fork the dominate fish were coastal cutthroat with west slopes common the very upper reaches. While the brook trout were never very numerous the seem to be two areas that consistently produced them. The bandera area where the source seemed to be beaver ponds/spring areas along the river and Boxley (Christmas) Creek which had spawning populations of brookies and cutthroat.

I spend most of time fishing the river downstream of the lower Tinkham road but would still catch a brook or two every year. The furthest downstream I every caught one was below North Bend (about a mile or so above its confluence). I always that the those downstream fish had dropped downstream to find additional rearing opportunities. On the average those down river fish were larger than those found in the headwaters or side tribs.

Curt

 

[Shipley]

I have caught some all the way down below North Bend, but they are much more common above Twin Falls in my experience.

 

[fmunoz]

Caught my one and only right in North bend.

 

[JasonG]

I caught a couple off the Bandera exit a couple of years ago. I love to catch those guys !

 

[biker_dd]

My buddy caught one a little below Weeks Falls in Ollalie State Park, this was probably 3 or 4 years ago. I fish that area a couple times a year, and have never seen another one.

 

[JayH]

Caught this one in Olallie just downstream of Change creek back in 2013. Haven't seen another one since - but I don't fish it that often any more.

 

[junkie]

Caught this one in Olallie just downstream of Change creek back in 2013. Haven't seen another one since - but I don't fish it that often any more.

Nice pic!

 

[Mark Mercer]

Yep, cool photo !

 

[Here Fishee!]

I've caught a few the past couple of years between Tinkham Rd. and North Bend. They were no whoppers but were fun and feisty guys. They are out there, just have to get out and explore.

 

[Steelhead]

They in there. Tend to fish better in the evening and by woody debris.

 

[ffb]

Fished yesterday in that same general area and ran into a bunch of brookies just a short distance upstream. Brookies, rainbows, coastal cutts, and westslope cutts all on the same afternoon. Not a bad way to break in the new 3wt.

 

[Ian Horning]

They are all over. I've caught them in the mainstem sky before. Also have got hybrid bull trout/brookies.

 

[Stew McLeod]

I've fished the SF dozens and dozens of times. Never seen a brookie, but then I don't fish too far up the fork.

Somewhere I have a reference to a study done on the SF and the fish distribution. Yup just found it. A bit old (2008) but a reference nonetheless:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01379/wdfw01379.pdf

Stew

 

[Kyle Smith]

I thought I caught one on the Middle Fork, but it may have been a landlocked Dolly Varden.

 

[fivefish]

Caught a ton of fish this evening on a yellow rubber legged stimmy, 100% coastal cutts though.

 

[Steelhead]

I suggest everyone go explore the forks this summer.

 

[eplanajr]

I suggest

or not... =P

 

[Steelhead]

or not... =P

Lots of water up there for everyone. But yeah I'll delete that post.

 

[Tugs]

I suggest everyone go explore the forks this summer.

All the stretches of the Forks are fun to fish and challenging. They are in there. I drive about 20 plus minutes from my place and work the waters. I'm finding the smaller the fly the better and have learned the hard way. There have been many days for me without much luck. Then I'll check out another pocket or run and that increases my spirits. the scenery to pretty nice, too!