Steelhead Fishing Guide
Guided steelhead trips year-round on Southwest Washington’s best rivers
Steelhead Fishing in Southwest Washington
Steelhead are the ultimate freshwater gamefish — powerful, acrobatic, and challenging to hook. Southwest Washington’s rivers offer both winter and summer steelhead runs, giving Andy’s clients the opportunity to target these incredible fish nearly year-round. Andy’s time-tested techniques for both seasons have been refined over 23 years of guiding on these waters.
Winter Steelhead (December – March)
Winter steelhead are the bread and butter of Southwest Washington river fishing. The Cowlitz River is one of the most reliable winter steelhead rivers in the state, with strong hatchery returns supplementing wild runs. The Lewis and Chehalis Rivers also produce quality winter fish with significantly less boat traffic.
Side drifting is the dominant technique — working bait or jigs through holding water from a controlled drift boat. Andy also employs bobber dogging through deeper runs and tailouts where steelhead stage during their upstream migration. Light rods and quality tackle make these fights memorable, especially when a hot fish goes airborne in the cold winter air.
Summer Steelhead (June – September)
Summer steelhead fishing is a lighter, more technical game. These fish enter the rivers in warmer months and tend to be more aggressive but also more wary in clear summer flows. Andy targets summer steelhead on the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers, using finesse presentations and lighter gear.
On the Columbia’s tidal waters, Andy anchors early in the season to intercept fish moving through. As steelhead push into the tributaries, side drifting and bobber dogging with light rods produce consistent hookups. The combination of warm weather, active fish, and beautiful river scenery makes summer steelhead one of the most enjoyable fisheries Andy offers.