Olympic Peninsula advice

[Bucknasty]

In one month i am heading to Forks. I am getting less and less sleep each night, I feel like a child the night before christmas and its been going on for months already Five of my closest buds and 6 days of fishing epic steel rivers.. No dogs.. No wifes (disclaimer I LOVE MY WIFE) and the best part is I get to ride in the front of the boat rather than being the oarsman like every other time we fish, thats right I will be the guy hitting that perfect cast in that river right seam that sits right at the top of a hefty rapid :dance:

Ok now that im done explaining why im so excited, I was looking for any pearls of wisdom from anyone who has done this trip before The guys i am going with have been doing this trip every yr for 5 yrs and know the rivers and the floats really well, but like many other fishermen they all can be opinionated as to what works best.. I have already placed a pen-tac order for some BC steel spoons 50/50s.. anybody have any other favorites you would recommend? Thanks a ton in advance.. Cheers, Bob

 

[troutdude]

No wifes (disclaimer I LOVE MY WIFE)

I'm glad to see that you included a disclaimer. Otherwise, you might have arrived DOA, at the Penninsula!

Have a safe n' relaxing trip...and I hope that you get to ink some steel.

 

[Razz]

If you are young and GOOD on the oars and the flow is right Calawah has fish and it will also SINK you. Too old to row it so I now fish OR S rivers. Also bring snow clothes.

 

[GDBrown]

.....Also bring snow clothes.

Great advise. I haven't fished there in years but it was almost always raining. After all the Hoh is in the Hoh Rain Forest if I remember right! Check with the locals (not your buddies) they will usually give you good advise, especially if you are buying something from there shop. I always pick out a bunch of stuff and then ask them if I'm getting the correct stuff and they have me put back what doesn't work and get me what does work. It's a game I play and it works well when I have no idea what to use. They Quinault is good also.

GD

 

[DirectDrive]

Make sure you know what you are getting into before the boat comes off the trailer.
For instance, the Duc (Sol Duc) will eat your lunch and make you like it.

Good luck and have a safe trip !

 

[Bucknasty]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I do fully understand that there is some serious whitewater up there and i really appreciate everybody's concern for safety first! I would like everyone to know i am very experienced with river running and have been on the oars/paddles in every class of whitewater for over 10 yrs now.(no im not complacent either) From what i understand Forks is a slice of heaven that can work you pretty hard if you didn't bring your A game!! cheers,Bob

 

[plumb2fish]

Check out piscatorialpursuits.com. Best to read and use search unless you have tough skin, they play a little different over there. A very informative site that many members frequent the penn. daily

 

[JeannaJigs]

One word.

Lucky.

 

[fish_4_all]

Check with the locals, call around and talk to the guides and fid out where the log jams are if you can and how to handle them. Even the easier rivers in the Chehalis water shed have been eating boats because of gnarly log jams that seem passible one way but once you get there it is all over. The two guys I talked to that drifted up there this year said it was a lot of work but the water has been high. A lot of hard pulling and fast thinking and then a lot of resting in slower water and a LOT of fishing and catching. Don't nkow how it will be in a month but friends and family fish there all the way to March with good results at times.

definitely take some jigs for float fishing, bright colors have been best this year from everyone I know that fished up there. The Queets gave up a good number in pink and orange jigs. Small #3 and #2 spinners work well even in fast water. Fish the rips close to the bank hard, both of my trips to OP gave up almost all the fish in close in hard ripping water. Take some sand shrimp and eggs for back bouncing to tail outs.