Fishing Guide Near Mossyrock, WA
Guided salmon and steelhead trips from the heart of the Cowlitz Valley
Mossyrock Fishing Guide
Andy Coleman grew up in the Cowlitz Valley and has fished the waters around Mossyrock his entire life. As a 4th-generation fisherman from this area, nobody knows the upper Cowlitz River better. Mossyrock sits at the gateway to some of the finest steelhead and salmon water in Southwest Washington, with the river flowing right through the heart of town below Mossyrock Dam.
The stretch of the Cowlitz from Mossyrock downstream to Mayfield Lake and beyond is home to excellent hatchery returns, thanks to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery and the barrier dam fish collection facility. This infrastructure supports some of the most consistent steelhead and salmon runs in Washington state.
What You Can Catch Near Mossyrock
Winter Steelhead (December – March) — The Cowlitz below Mossyrock produces some of the best winter steelhead fishing in the state. Andy side drifts bait and jigs through the prime holding water he’s fished since childhood.
Spring Chinook (April – June) — Cowlitz springers are highly prized for their table quality. Andy back bounces eggs and herring through the staging pools where these fish hold before pushing upstream.
Fall Salmon (September – November) — Strong returns of chinook and coho fill the Cowlitz each fall, providing fast action on a variety of techniques from side drifting to casting spinners.
Launch Points & Access
Andy launches from several access points along the Cowlitz near Mossyrock, choosing the best put-in based on river conditions and where the fish are holding. The town of Mossyrock is located about 25 miles east of I-5 on Highway 12, with easy access from Chehalis, Centralia, and the greater Lewis County area. Clients traveling from the Portland or Seattle metro areas typically reach the meeting point in under two hours.