The obvious spots in that area are the Kalama River, the East and North Fork of the Lewis and some sloughs along the Columbia near Ridgefield. Going a little further there is Canyon Creek and Siouxon Creek for small stream fishing. At Kalama there is little Kress Lake which holds a mixed bag of fish and can be entertaining at times. And of course there is always Merrill Lake-famous for it's summer hex hatch but can fish well at other times of the year also. I used to fish Silver Lake for blluegill after work, a bit more of a drive but have landed 100+ bluegills on Spring evenings before. Forty years ago there was a legitimate chance of catching steelhead before dark in some of those streams, I doubt that would be a good use of your time nowadays.

Ive

 

The obvious spots in that area are the Kalama River, the East and North Fork of the Lewis and some sloughs along the Columbia near Ridgefield. Going a little further there is Canyon Creek and Siouxon Creek for small stream fishing. At Kalama there is little Kress Lake which holds a mixed bag of fish and can be entertaining at times. And of course there is always Merrill Lake-famous for it's summer hex hatch but can fish well at other times of the year also. I used to fish Silver Lake for blluegill after work, a bit more of a drive but have landed 100+ bluegills on Spring evenings before. Forty years ago there was a legitimate chance of catching steelhead before dark in some of those streams, I doubt that would be a good use of your time nowadays.

Ive

You nailed it down ive...for quietude if you walk trail 31 above eagle cliffs 12 miles up...hike in down primarily...do yourself a favor...beautiful waters...away from hipster swimmers...It is getting heavily visited this year with all our 90 degree plus days...Canyon Creek will require some recon and schlepping way in...still some CT's...but nothing like 30-40 years ago...before all the lumber was cut and Weyerhauser gated the heck out of other access points less traveled.

 

Congrats, sort of. You just moved to a place that is very close to quite a number of locations that used to offer outstanding fishing for summer and winter steelheading, coho and Chinook salmon, and sea run cutthroat trout. Not so much any longer unfortunately.

I haven't fished it, but if I were in your area I'd give the NF Lewis a try upstream of the uppermost reservoir. The trout fishing there is supposed to be pretty good if you can get there on a day when the bait-fishing catch-and-kill poachers aren't there.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. It's upsetting to hear that the fishing has declined so much as of late. Is it better to make the drive to places further away for better fishing? I am definitely willing to make the drive on weekends for better action

 

Not really. Your location isn't what it once was, but it's still better than most of the state. Down there, you've got the Columbia to play in, too, and if you expand your horizons beyond typical trout fishing, there are lots of opportunities there. Just to your north runs the Cowlitz, which is the most consistent summer steelhead fishery in the state. Granted, that's not to say it's lights out; just as good as it gets these days.

 

https://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?threads/142480/#post-1411851

 

Some blue lines near the Oregon coast are worth the effort.