are there many streams on the west side of the state that support trout? I'm not looking for spacific waters,

Yes

 

Yes there is. @Dupher hit the nail on the head.

Most of the waters that are open to fishing and produce are highly regarded secrets among the fisherman who hike into them.

I am a firm believer of the "there is no secrets around here" thought, but small streams are among the secrets still left.

Have fun and put some miles in. Let me know when you find some

 

You would be better off looking at the head waters of the wet side streams. Lots of good water up in there. All it takes is lots if gas to go explore them.

 

It's good to know there out there, now i guess I've got to follow some blue lines. Thank you guys so much!
On a side note would it be a better bet to target these streams into the summer?

 

Some of the best are now closed year round but yes, there are some nice fish to be caught if you pay your dues and earn them.
SF

 

Well I had a place i could go but I haven't been able to for a couple years because of junior angler rules. Do the wdfw ever change their rules about these streams?

 

Yes, if you submit a well justified rule change proposal.

When I first moved here an old timer told me, "There's fish in all these [west side] streams, and the higher you go, the more fish there are." You'll find exceptions, but it's not a bad rule of thumb. Most of the resident trout are small, but not all of them.

 

With the large snow pack this year, You'd be better off waiting until July to hit the mountain skinny water. But few of the lower based ones should be good to go after the 1st Saturday in June.

 

Ok that makes sense, how long do they typically fish into the fall?

 

There are plenty of streams on the west side that hold trout, depending on your definition of "trout". Most of the rainbows in western Washington streams are actually immature steelhead and, although the number of actual resident rainbows seems to be gradually increasing, most will still opt to take the saltwater option. If you really enjoy catching juvenile rainbow parr and smolts, have at it. But be aware that most serious anglers will look somewhat askance at increasing the potential mortality of the younger generation.

 

Grab the Regs and study them. You will find where to go and not bother juvenile anadromous species. Old man made a good suggestion that most of the good streams will not be fishable until summer. Lakes and beaches will be your best bet until runoff is done.

 

Ok sounds like a plan stan, always want to keep the steelhead runs strong. Plus they should probably be more productive after runoff anyway.

 

I am more willing to give away Col. Sanders secret recipe.
Put in some time and energy, you will find a river that produces nice size fish and you can choose to share the intel or not.
Once you find that river(s) and fish it for a few years or decades, you will thank yourself for not giving away the name and area.
Good luck exploring, you will enjoy the entire experience.
#1. Go high
#2. Take dirt roads, then hike, hike, hike.
#3. Use maps
#4. Leave a note to the general area in case of emergencies .

I started in the mid 80's, i enjoy the whole trip, and havent seen an increase in fishermen today than i did in 1986. I do see more hikers and people outdoors, but guys fishing those areas....nope.

 

I am more willing to give away Col. Sanders secret recipe.
Put in some time and energy, you will find a river that produces nice size fish and you can choose to share the intel or not.
Once you find that river(s) and fish it for a few years or decades, you will thank yourself for not giving away the name and area.
Good luck exploring, you will enjoy the entire experience.
#1. Go high
#2. Take dirt roads, then hike, hike, hike.
#3. Use maps
#4. Leave a note to the general area in case of emergencies .

I started in the mid 80's, i enjoy the whole trip, and havent seen an increase in fishermen today than i did in 1986. I do see more hikers and people outdoors, but guys fishing those areas....nope.

Alright, now it's just finding the right water, the right time of year, and find the fish. Haha easy enough

 

Look for rivers that run into lakes or have beaver dams. They will have the biggest trout. Coastal cutthroat are lots of fun, as are westslopes, and the Cascades are full of them.

 

Find impassable barriers on any west side stream. Find water open for fishing above it. Find fish (you will).

 

One way to avoid small fish is to use bigger flies.
There is one westside stream we used to fish that is now closed. It closed several years ago when the state started listing streams by specific areas in the front of the regulation pamphlet. My understanding it closed due to possible interaction with steelhead.

We always used a minimum of a size 8 dry fly as well as big streamers. I'd say the smallest fish we ever caught was around 12". The biggest I personally caught was 22". We never caught anything I'd consider a true summerrun steelhead unless these bows were possibly similar to or slightly bigger then half pounders. I'm not really sure what they were.
Hopefully it will open again some day in the future. It took a lot of work to fish it and we saw very few other anglers.
SF

 

One way to avoid small fish is to use bigger flies.
There is one westside stream we used to fish that is now closed. It closed several years ago when the state started listing streams by specific areas in the front of the regulation pamphlet. My understanding it closed due to possible interaction with steelhead.

We always used a minimum of a size 8 dry fly as well as big streamers. I'd say the smallest fish we ever caught was around 12". The biggest I personally caught was 22". We never caught anything I'd consider a true summerrun steelhead unless these bows were possibly similar to or slightly bigger then half pounders. I'm not really sure what they were.
Hopefully it will open again some day in the future. It took a lot of work to fish it and we saw very few other anglers.
SF

Are these fish more finicky or are attractor patterns the way to go?

 

I'd say they are like any trout, opportunistic....
The fish we were catching would eat a size 8 stimulator as well as a size 4 bugger.
They need to make hay on the eating side of things when given the opportunity. The further way you get from other anglers and pressure, the better your chances of good success.
Prepare to burn some gas and boot soles.
SF

 

A beautiful native coastal cutthroat trout 10 inches long in a stream above a waterfall is as good as it gets.
Keep your spots a secret and you may have them for decades. Share and risk all.

 

The westside mountain streams fish best from when the flows start dropping after runoff sometime in late June (most years) until it gets cold and rainy in the fall. For whatever reason, even the streams that are open all year don't produce much in fall/winter/early spring.

 

One way to minimize the impact on smolts is if you run into a couple smolts in a spot, move on. I know in my earlier days of fishing, I'd just keep pounding away at that spot waiting for a bigger one. The bigger ones would never come, but I'd nab a whole slew of 6 inchers out of the same spot. I think the chances of a big dog letting smolt have first crack and then later rising to a dry on the 7th pass is slim.

Pay attention to drainage elevation. The streams that drain from an elevation lower than snowpack will be nearly good to go come May. Some of them are very productive.

 

Look up, find a cone shaped Mountain with snow on top.
Drive as High as you can, get out and hike two miles up stream.
Then fish your way back down.

 

Keaton, where do you live?
I know a couple good ones but more towards Portland

 

I live in the bothell area so about 10 miles north of seattle

 

I'll send a PM

 

@fivefish The snoqualmie forks are great for first timers ... easy access, lots of little fish, gorgeous scenery

 

I've really enjoyed getting into the small stream thing with a short 3wt fiberglass rod. Bushwhacking into a remote area is fun and the solitude while fishing is so nice. Find streams above impassable barriers like falls and hike up stream. You'll find a lot of small fish, but when you find larger pools there will be bigger fish (usually no more than 10"). The fish are usually hungry and are not picky about flies. My favorite pool is 50-60' in both length and width, 3-6' deep with lots of structure and a 5' waterfall at the head. I start out fishing dries with an upstream cast and after catching 6-10 fish they stop taking surface flies. OK, switch to nymphs catch some more, then switch to stripping a small Bugger and catch a few more. Then time for a beer and cigar before hiking out. A perfect day and home in time for dinner

 

My favorite pool

Yes! Finding these places is the best part. And there is no shortage of them.

 

Anything called a "creek" that looks like a small river is money where I live. I imagine that's true in other places, too. Just make sure that good-looking creek is open for fishing first....

In water close to easy access, you'll catch a few smolt, but usually nothing more, so I usually hike upstream as far as I can stand to go (or until I get blocked) and fish my way out. If you hook a 2-3 lb. cutthroat in the first hole you fish, you're in the right spot.

 

I caught some damn nice coastal cutthroat in your neck of the woods when I was growing up there. Reminds me that I need to hit up one of the guys I went to HS with and see if his mom will let me access the water behind their ranch, its primo for sea runs.