Summer Steel – Skykomish River Report

It’s officially warm enough to leave the waders in the car and wade the rivers in sandals and swim trunks. There is nothing more enjoyable than swingin’ flies in a tank top and sunglasses. With the season starting off a bit slow, like the July weather, the fishing has been getting warmer.



Paul with a nice hatchery steelhead

Towards the end of June and the first week of July, the Skykomish river was flowing nicely right around 4000 CFS. I had the opportunity to spend Friday June 28th with Matt from Get Hooked NW and some customers from work. We met at the Lewis Street bridge bright and early ready to drag some eggs for Kings and Summer Steelhead.  We made several passes with opportunities each time. About 9:00 a.m. we finally hooked a chrome bright hatchery steelhead.  We had multiple chances at fish throughout the day. Many boats on the river were also hooking fish. Matt and his sidekick Sean did a great job throughout the day taking care of us and giving us opportunities to set the hook. He makes a good cheeseburger too. All in all, it was a very enjoyable highly recommended trip.

The next weekend, Katie and I decided take the meat sticks down the Sky to float some jigs for summer steel. Since last winter I have been 100% fly fishing, so it was fun to break out the spinning rods and gear fish for a day. We arrived to the river right about 6:00 a.m. The river already crowded, but fish were rolling and people were catching them. I hadn’t tied my jig on before Katie hooked a fish in the rocks. It was a chrome bright 6 lb hatchery steelhead. As soon as I was geared up, I too had bobber down. I missed the first opportunity, made a cast to the same spot and this time I hooked him. It was identical to Katie’s fish. These brats we super bright and fresh. We went home about mid morning and started the BBQ later that night. Fishing was good. However, I can only handle so much crossing lines with 15 other fisherman before I start to lose it. 

After getting the first steelhead of the summer onto the BBQ, I decided to recommit to swingin’ flies for the summer. It has been warm and dry, so the river dropped down to about 2500 CFS. It was low and clear. This can make for some tough fishing, but Friday July 12th, Katie and I decided to go swing some flies in Sultan. After fighting the summer time eastbound traffic on hwy 2, we arrived to the river at 6:00 p.m. I started at the top of the bar swinging a dark purple intruder. This area of the river is typically pretty swift, but today with the lower flows the water looked nice. I swung through the first half of the run and about half way through I had a couple solid baps at my intruder. After a premature hook set I missed the fish. Made several more cast through the same spot with no touches. Finished out the run to no avail. Overall it was very nice night with one missed opportunity.

The Skykomish river is overall probably best chance to hook a summer steelhead the Seattle area. The river is low, today is running about 2000 CFS. This is a good time to study the river and take mental notes to find holding buckets. Even though it’s low, it is still very fishable and good days on the river are still very likely.

Skykomish on Dwellable