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Chehalis River Salmon / Steelhead Fishing in the Upper River
The WDFW usually opens the Chehalis River for Salmon fishing above the Porter bridge for spring Salmon May 1 thru July 31 & for fall Salmon, from the middle of October thru the end of February. Trout & Steelhead season is usually closed from April 16th thru May 31. The marine area code for punching your Salmon punch card from the Porter Bridge to Black River is (317) above there to the high bridge on the Weyerhaeuser 1000 line above PeEll is code (315). There are NOT a lot of boat launches in this stretch of water & the water is not a slow lowing river in many places, a jetsled is recommended. Bankfishing is somewhat limited by the combination of fishable water/banks & obtaining landowner permission. (1) The lowest boat launch is at the Porter Bridge as described & shown
on the article on fishing in tidewater. The Oakville launch is situated off Hiway 12. This launch is on the 1st road to the left as you exit Oakville going west & is on the Gate Elma Rd W. It is only out there about 1/4 mile from Hiway 12. Gravel parking for about a dozen vehicles & appears to have a spot for bank fishing just downstream from the launch. No signs off Hiway 12 or at the site indicating public fishing or boat launch.
When you leave, you do not have to go back the way you came, but can head west from the parking lot & then north & back into the residential area which will take you back to the 4 way stop at the school. You could come in this way also, but it is harder to describe.
The river here is only conducive to prop outboards from the launch upstream at a mid water lever, as there are a few large rocks just above the launch area that eat props at low water. Above that is a lot of flat water where a prop boat could navigate, but not conducive to Salmon or Steelhead fishing until you get upstream to the town of Chehalis. Jetsleds or drift boats are usually used from the launch downriver toward Rochester. Above this launch about 300 yards or so is the mouth of the Skookumchuck River entering from the left. There is a trail thru the main park, south to a bankfishing area at the mouth of the Skookumchuck. The Skookumchuck itself has a run in it as
there is a hatchery upriver. Coho & Steelhead are the prime targets for this
river. River access would be the prime consideration here.
Above the Skookumchuck, the water is flat, slow flowing until you get upriver to the city of Chehalis. There are a couple of riffles behind the city of Chehalis & fishable water at the mouth of the Newaukum River. This hole at the mouth of the Newaukum can be bank fished with access from Alexander Park, which is accessible from the 1st road to the left after you cross the Hiway 6 bridge just west of I-5. There will be fishable water in the Newaukum all the way up to Onalaska where there the school raises & releases Coho & Steelhead. Again bank access would be the prime consideration. Above the Newaukum, the main Chehalis River is not really much fishing/holding water & from Adna upstream, only conducive to drift boat fishing, with only a few private gravel bars to launch or take out on. There are a few bank access areas above Adna to the Rainbow Falls area. At the Boistfort area, the South Fork of the Chehalis empties into the main Chehalis. This picture below is taken off the railroad bridge crossing the South Fork just above where it meets the main river. This South Fork is closed to Salmon fishing, but is open for Trout & Steelhead.
Above the Boistfort/South Fork bridge about 3 miles on Hiway 6 (just past the garbage transfer site) is the River Rd to the right, down it about a mile or so on the corner is an unimproved parking area that leads to the river which is close by. Here is a deep hole with a rocky riffle above on a corner. This pool below has fishable water.
Above the Boistfort/South Fork bridge about 5 miles is Rainbow Falls State Park, which is right on Hiway 6. The pictures below were taken off the bridge across the river entering the park's picnic/camping area. This falls will usually stop fall Salmon migration until the fall rains raise it enough to allow fish passage.
Above Rainbow Falls, the locals seem to think the river belongs to them. Copyright ©
2005-2006 LeeRoy Wisner All Rights Reserved Originally written 10-05-05 Last Updated
01-28-2006 |
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