This thread pops up once a week or every other week. There should be a sub forum just for new guys asking where to fish.
Looking for leads
Any suggestions on good starting points for wadable trout rivers or streams from Tacoma southwards? I've checked out some of the stuff north (Snoqualmie, Fall City), but I'm hoping to keep my travels south and away from the craziness of King County.
I have done some of the 'follow the blue squiggly lines' bit, and so far what I keep finding is lines that yield on culverts that pass under roads, or no access due to private gated communities. I'm hoping there is something in Western Washington that I can hit in the mornings after work and still get some sleep in the afternoon, so Eastern Washington isn't necessarily what I'm looking for.
I'm not looking for secret hidey-holes, just some good starting points of rivers or streams that are accessible.
I have done some of the 'follow the blue squiggly lines' bit, and so far what I keep finding is lines that yield on culverts that pass under roads, or no access due to private gated communities. I'm hoping there is something in Western Washington that I can hit in the mornings after work and still get some sleep in the afternoon, so Eastern Washington isn't necessarily what I'm looking for.
I'm not looking for secret hidey-holes, just some good starting points of rivers or streams that are accessible.
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Check the wdfw website for emergency closures from the salmon issue. Lots of rivers are closed.
That references lower sections of rivers that feed into the Sound, lakes that aren't landlocked,or any other place that holds salmon. I'm looking for trout streams. I know sometimes they will be the same. At any rate, I am hoping for some ideas on what streams are accessible. The regs don't point a bloke toward those.Check the wdfw website for emergency closures from the salmon issue. Lots of rivers are closed.
Yeah, there ought to be. In the meantime, any helpful thoughts?This thread pops up once a week or every other week. There should be a sub forum just for new guys asking where to fish.
SRCs in the sound. Not a river, but it is trout and you can do it on a tight schedule. Most of the good trout fishing will be a bit of a drive for you.
Cowpie creek? 
You may get a PM, but most answers are going to be smart ass. Best way to find out is if you grab a DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer, and a copy of the regs. Find a stream that has a natural barrier to anadromous fish, if it is legal to fish go check it out. Cutthroat and Rainbow will be your most likely catch.
They used to stock a river that feeds into the cowlitz in the town of Morton. I used to take friends or newbies there to fish for those stockers and it was a really enjoyable river.
Once we had enough "fishing in a bucket" we would spread out and occasionally get into some 10 inch cutts and some of the stockers that found greener pastures and were getting fat on the October caddis larvae.
Haven't done that since they stopped planting it a few years ago though
Not sure what the season is on this river that flows through Morton, it's probably first Saturday in June till the end of October
Hope this helps
Once we had enough "fishing in a bucket" we would spread out and occasionally get into some 10 inch cutts and some of the stockers that found greener pastures and were getting fat on the October caddis larvae.
Haven't done that since they stopped planting it a few years ago though
Not sure what the season is on this river that flows through Morton, it's probably first Saturday in June till the end of October
Hope this helps
Not really except hit me up if you ever come to Montana.In the meantime, any helpful thoughts?
DBP,
Not trying to be a smart ass, but you are at minimum 20 years late to the show as far as streams close to Tacoma go.
I grew up there and a lot of the stuff we used to fish are no longer open or now have very limited access.
People will tell you western WA doesn't offer great stream fishing for resident trout, but if you are willing to drive an hour or more out of town you can still find some pretty pleasant surprises.
The NOF closures further complicate things as far as what you can fish.
Good luck,
SF
Not trying to be a smart ass, but you are at minimum 20 years late to the show as far as streams close to Tacoma go.
I grew up there and a lot of the stuff we used to fish are no longer open or now have very limited access.
People will tell you western WA doesn't offer great stream fishing for resident trout, but if you are willing to drive an hour or more out of town you can still find some pretty pleasant surprises.
The NOF closures further complicate things as far as what you can fish.
Good luck,
SF
Thanks, that's the first suggestion I've had since I first started asking the question online in about 1999. Most people like to tell you why they aren't going to answer, which amounts to a nothing answer. I will look that up and check it out. Thanks again.They used to stock a river that feeds into the cowlitz in the town of Morton. I used to take friends or newbies there to fish for those stockers and it was a really enjoyable river.
Once we had enough "fishing in a bucket" we would spread out and occasionally get into some 10 inch cutts and some of the stockers that found greener pastures and were getting fat on the October caddis larvae.
Haven't done that since they stopped planting it a few years ago though
Not sure what the season is on this river that flows through Morton, it's probably first Saturday in June till the end of October
Hope this helps
Maybe I didn't clarify well enough, I'm not looking for streams 10 minutes from my house, it's just Tacoma is where I live, so that will always be my starting point. I haven't had any luck finding hints or suggestions online since I moved here, and I've only been as far south as Tanwax, which the state regs say is fishable. All I've found so far is no stream or gated community access. I plan to check out Alder Lake area next, but it's never easy to find where the access spots are. I know the traditional method is drive around for years until you find all your spots, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to ask, occasionally people will be helpful and offer up suggestions.DBP,
Not trying to be a smart ass, but you are at minimum 20 years late to the show as far as streams close to Tacoma go.
I grew up there and a lot of the stuff we used to fish are no longer open or now have very limited access.
People will tell you western WA doesn't offer great stream fishing for resident trout, but if you are willing to drive an hour or more out of town you can still find some pretty pleasant surprises.
The NOF closures further complicate things as far as what you can fish.
Good luck,
SF
There is a spot on the Puyallup I fish, but if memory serves it isn't open until August. Apart from that, it looks like I may have to head back up to the Snoqualmie Forks.
Is that the place where there's always a fresh stock of brown trout?Cowpie creek?
So you've been asking this question on the internet since '99 and never gotten an answer? I'd probably change my tactics.Thanks, that's the first suggestion I've had since I first started asking the question online in about 1999.
There is another thread right now on the front page here highlighting several fly shops in your area. Maybe call one of 'em.
Or join and become active in a local fly club.Try a local fly shop.
You seem fixated on streams with trout but go onto say: "10 minutes from my house", "craziness of King County"......... Some pretty crazy traffic in Pierce County in my not humble opinion, not sure how you get anywhere in ten minutes. @Swimmy and @Old406Kid have good suggestions, here's one in line with @Old406Kid's suggestion: http://www.psff.org/
When the local skinny waters open up you should check the regs as to what is open and then get a good map and go search them out. Nobody here wants to point out where to go as they have spent many hours finding the water to play in. And they are a closely guarded secret.
South of you you have the Deschutes. It dumps into the salt around Olympia. Everybody knows where it's at. As finding access spots is something you have to find by yourself.
South of you you have the Deschutes. It dumps into the salt around Olympia. Everybody knows where it's at. As finding access spots is something you have to find by yourself.
You may want to re-read my comments, I said I'm not asking for something 10 minutes from my house. What I am looking for are places southward from Tacoma. There's a whole bunch of the state that doesn't require treking north through King County, and that's what I'm focused on.You seem fixated on streams with trout but go onto say: "10 minutes from my house", "craziness of King County"......... Some pretty crazy traffic in Pierce County in my not humble opinion, not sure how you get anywhere in ten minutes. @Swimmy and @Old406Kid have good suggestions, here's one in line with @Old406Kid's suggestion: http://www.psff.org/
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