Washington Report/Forecast for November

Washington Rivers in General

What to Expect in November:

A couple of years ago I had a chum salmon tripped planned for the Skagit--truck packed, lunch in bag, rods strung and in their cases. I got up at 4:30 a.m. for the drive from Portland, and made one last check of the river levels. The Skagit had blown-out overnight, and if I hadn't made that last check I would have wasted a six-hour drive. Moral: check those levels before you go anywhere!

Given that the rivers are fishable, you'll find chum salmon, coho salmon, dolly varden, and sea run cutthroat moving from saltwater to fresh. And of course there's still some fishing available for resident trout and summer steelhead.

There's are many options this month. But before you choose a species to pursue, you have to choose your river and your day to fish. Weather plays a big role in November fishing. It can be the wettest month of the year, and when the rivers are high and muddy, you're better of staying home and tying flies.

But until the big storms hit, enjoy the fishing. And remember: no matter where you go at this time of year, take a change of clothes. When you do a slam dunk into water that's 45 degrees, and the air is about the same temperature (with a bit of a wind), you don't want to be 10 miles from the nearest dry, warm clothing. Pack some extra gear on the trip. It could help you avoid a heap of discomfort, and may even save your life.

Steelhead. Summer steelhead, will remain active right through the end of the year. They're still considered summer steelhead if they entered freshwater in summer--even if there are icicles hanging off your nose when you fish for them.

Steelheading will depend on water temperature and rain. Check the river levels: sudden surges will dampen the fishing, and very high water will make the rivers too muddy for fly fishing (wade in up to your knees; if you can't see your boots, go home).

When fishing for steelhead this month, pay close attention to the water temperature. That will govern your choice of fly line--sink-tip vs. floater--and that choice can be crucial to your success. For some good advice, see Sink-Tip or Floating Line?.

When the water turns consistently cold, steelhead will be reluctant to move very far for a fly. Under those circumstances you'll need to pack a sink-tip line and present the fly more slowly (and in somewhat slower water) than you did in summer. Indicator tactics are also effective.

Chum Salmon. There should still be some chum salmon action in saltwater; see the Saltwater section for flies and tactics. Rain will bring them into the rivers. By mid-month there should be large numbers of chum in many Puget Sound rivers.

Chum are the second biggest of the Pacific salmon. Only chinook are larger. Typically 12-15 pounds, chum are hard fighters that often jump when fair-hooked. While not a "meat" fish, chum are good sport on a fly rod. A sturdy eight-weight is barely adequate. A nine- or even ten-weight is better.

Chum anglers should be familiar with three tactics: classic wet fly swing, dead drift, and strip. The latter tactic uses a weighted fly, such as a Clouser Minnow; cast the fly near the outside of a pod of fish (not in the middle of them) and retrieve it with short strips, pausing between each strip. This gives the fly a jigging motion. For strip presentations, try a Clouser for estuaries and a pink Starlight Leech farther upstream. When swinging flies or dead drifting, try an Egg Sucking Leech or Chum Candy.

For chums, it's good to carry several colors because they can have preferences depending on weather and river conditions. Pink, chartreuse, orange, black, and black-and-chartreuse can be productive.

When fishing for chums, avoid snagging fish. If you're snagging them, change your tactics or your position on the river. You can often tell if you've snagged a chum--they just pull in a straight line; if your fly line is moving all around the river, you've probably fair-hooked your salmon.

Dolly Varden. Dolly varden are anadromous char closely related to bull trout. They follow the coho and chums up river and gobble spilled roe. So drift an Egg Fly near the bottom downstream from spawning fish, and you can pick up a nice 18-20 inch dolly.

Trout. Trout anglers will find hatches of a few caddis species and the ever-present midges, but the dominant insect activity will be blue-winged olives. They will mount some kind of hatch every afternoon. The strongest hatches will be on cloudy days with a little drizzle. Some trout will be interested, many others won't want to know about it.

When there is a hatch of blue-winged olives, I reach for a size 18 Sparkle Dun or Baetis Cripple, generally the former. Spinner falls are sometimes important in winter, so carry a couple of Rusty Spinners.

Nymphing is generally more reliable than waiting for a hatch of blue-wings. A good nymph pattern for the fall blue-winged olive season is a size 18 dark Gold-Ribbed Hares Ear. The gold ribbing on the Hares Ear mimics the light and dark segments on the natural insect's abdomen. Pheasant Tails work, too. Either way, present the fly near the bottom.

As the weather and water settle to a low temperature, the best trout and whitefish fishing will be between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. BTW, whitefish have a hard time resisting a small white nymph.

Late in the month, whitefish could begin spawning. Trout will hang below the whitefish and scarf drifting roe, so a small Egg Fly in is a good choice; drift it near the bottom. See the article Egg Flies for tips and patterns to imitate eggs.

Most chinook salmon are done spawning, but there may be a few late-bloomers and some coho that are still at it. If so, leave them alone. You might, however, try drifting an Egg Fly on the bottom below them. Trout will eat their roe, too.

You may run into some remnant October caddis early in the month, if the day is on the warm side. You may also encounter the end of the mahogany dun hatch and the ever present midges. Midges will be small this month--size 20-22.

Most Novembers begin cloudy and maybe wet, and this shift can create good trout fishing and little pressure for the first half of the month. However, if we have an extended cold spell, trout will hole-up and it could be mid-February before they begin to stir again. Also, very rainy weather will render rivers high and muddy. Under those conditions, trout will be reluctant to rise to a dry fly, but might be enticed by a small nymph and/or San Juan Worm presented near the bottom in slower water.

Washington Lakes in General

What to Expect in November:

Eastern Washington lakes are mostly closed as of October 31, or getting too cold. A few westside stalwarts will hold up through the winter. Cool weather fishing consists mostly of presenting a streamer, such as a Woolly Bugger, deep and with a slow retrieve. Midge hatches can sometimes bring trout to the surface.

Amber Lake

What to Expect in November:

As in October, waterboatman patterns and small damselfly imitations can catch trout early in the month. The former won't last much longer. The latter imitates the early stages of damselfly nymphs and should be size 14-16 with a tan or light olive body. A rust- or claret-colored Woolly Bugger is also a good fly choice, as is a size 16-18 midge pupa pattern fished just under the surface.

For October and November, Amber is catch-and-release only. The lake closes November 30. vvvChopaka Lake 5502

Closed

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Lakes in General report. See the Amber Lake report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Bogachiel River

What to Expect in November:

Summer steelhead can be found if you look for them, and sea-run cutts if you're willing to walk and keep searching.

Winter steelhead should arrive late in November. These fish will be headed for the hatchery on the Bogachiel, so fishing here should be good late this month on the lower river. Check with a local shop before heading over, however, because heavy rain will make fishing impossible.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Bogachiel River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Calawah River

What to Expect in November:

Coho fishing could be good for a couple of more weeks (but better in the Sol Duc). You can expect the first winter steelhead to arrive in the Quillayute system late in the month. Most of them will be headed for the hatchery on the Bogachiel, but you might find a few in the lowest reaches of the Calawah.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Calawah River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Dry Falls Lake

What to Expect in November:

The lake is open until November 30. Midges and Woolly Buggers are your best choices. As it gets cooler, you will probably find trout in the shallow sections during the warm part of the day. As the water gets even cooler, however, fish will be found in the deeper sections and you'll need to present your fly deep and slow.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Lakes in General report. See the Dry Falls Lake report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Grande Ronde River

What to Expect in November:

The Grande Ronde can blow-out during a storm and it can take almost a week to drop back to fishable levels, so watch the river gage. Optimum flows are 800-1200 cfs.

Muddlers and other traditional patterns, such as Green Butt Skunks, work well here. The best fishing is usually between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Keep an eye on the weather this month. The Grande Ronde is in a deep canyon, and you drop almost 3,000 feet to get to the river. The weather on top could be quite different than on the river. It could be a chilly rain while you're fishing . . . and a raging blizzard on the only road home. In other words, you could be stranded in tiny Troy. Scary thought.

Make sure you have licenses and tags for both Washington and Oregon; good fishing doesn't stop at the border.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Grande Ronde River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Hoh River

What to Expect in November:

Expect to find coho salmon and chinook this month. They can be caught by fly fishers using Marabous or Egg Sucking Leeches. Late in the month, the first winter steelhead should arrive.

The Hoh blows-out quickly in a storm, so watch the weather carefully. If the river is running a little murky, use a large, bright fly. Even more murky, and you should use a big, dark fly and work it near the edges of the runs. If it's really really murky, you should go home.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Hoh River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Kalama River

What to Expect in November:

The chinook salmon are no longer ripping around and stirring up the other fish. Those salmon are now dead and rotting in the backwaters and beaches. So it goes.

Second-round coho have been entering the river. Expect bright fish to be available up to the second hatchery for much of the month. These fish spread out more--both in space and in time--than the early coho. This makes it a much more interesting run.

Summer steelhead are present, too. The vanguard of the winter run should enter late in the month.

The biggest determinant of good fishing will be the weather. The Kalama does not clear quickly after a storm. Drizzle is good--very good. But downpours are not. There is a gage for the East Fork of the Lewis, but not for the Kalama. So if we get a deluge, watch the charts for the East Fork. After it begins to drop, wait a couple of more days before coming to the Kalama.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Kalama River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Klickitat River

What to Expect in November:

Steelhead should be available in all parts of the river. The party will end, however, when the weather turns cold. Regardless, the river closes November 30.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Klickitat River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Lake Lenore

What to Expect in November:

Lenore stays open until the end of November. Try a Woolly Bugger, Rubber Leg Hares Ear, leech pattern, Blood Midge, or other midge imitation. The midges may be the best bet as they can generate enough interest from the cutthroat to bring them to the surface and reveal themselves. That's good because your biggest problem here is finding fish. These big guys like to form into pods, so if you find some rising fish, you should have enough entertainment to keep you going for an afternoon.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Lakes in General report. See the Lake Lenore report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Lenice, Nunnally, Merry Lakes

What to Expect in November:

This trio stays open until November 30. Look for midge hatches during the warm parts of the day (if the day has any warm parts). The rest of the time you may find active trout in the shallow areas because those spots are warmer. An olive Woolly Bugger or other streamer can be effective. You might also try an immature damselfly nymph imitation; use a traditional pattern, such a Marabou Damsel, but use a tan or light-olive body color and a size 14-16 hook.

Resting fish can be found in deeper water. Although they are probably not actively feeding, they will sometimes take a streamer that is dandled in front of their nose. The colder the water, the slower your fly should move. A streamer or Woolly Bugger that is barely moving could prove the best tactic.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Lakes in General report. See the Lenice, Nunnally, Merry Lakes report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Lewis River, East Fork

What to Expect in November:

You can catch some summer steelhead when the river levels come up to a reasonable flow (a few hundred cfs). Late in November we should see the first winter-run fish.

The East Fork clears more quickly after a rain than the nearby Kalama. There is a gage for the East Fork, but not for the Kalama. So if we get a deluge, wait for the river to begin to drop before fishing here. A couple of days later the Kalama will be fishable.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Lewis River, East Fork report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Merrill Lake

What to Expect in November:

Merrill has a strong population of brown trout, some of which are pretty hefty. Browns are more tolerant of cold water than rainbows, so if you head up here and cast a streamer, you could pick up a long-as-your-arm brown trout. Crowds are low, so there won't be anyone around to witness the event--or to contradict whatever fish story you want to tell.

As the lake cools down, look for trout in shallow areas, where the water is warmer. If that doesn't work, present your streamer low-and-slow: down deep and barely moving.

The road into the campground is either closed or about to be closed. You can carry your float tube down the hill, or head for the north end of the lake where you'll have less distance to walk. You can also just wade the shoreline and cast your fly; this works until the rains arrive and the lake rises into the willows.

Olive Woolly Buggers and Bunny Leeches are good fly choices.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Lakes in General report. See the Merrill Lake report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Queets River

What to Expect in November:

You might find some coho salmon in the system and some early winter steelhead. They are headed for the Salmon river.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Queets River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Rocky Ford Creek

What to Expect in November:

During November, blue-winged olives (size 18-20) and midges (size 20-22) are the main show. Stock up on Baetis Cripples, CDC Baetis, Sparkle Duns, and similar patterns. Toss in some Baetis nymph imitations such as Pheasant Tails and sparse Hares Ears; sizes 18-20 should do it.

When you're not fishing those patterns, tie-on some Blood Midges or Brassies. You should also carry a few Griffiths Gnats or Sprout Midges.

Size 16 Scuds (olive-gray, pink, orange) are another pattern to put in your box. Use a long leader--14-16 feet tapered to 5X fluorocarbon, skip the indicator. Present the scud on a dead drift or with a slow retrieve.

A few mahogany duns might still be hatching early in the month.

If all else fails, try a sparse, black leech. White Bunny Leeches can also be productive, but only if no one else is using them.

Don't expect solitude. Weekdays will be less busy than weekends.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Rocky Ford Creek report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Skagit River

What to Expect in November:

Chum salmon should be arriving very soon, with the peak of the run in the middle two weeks of the month. Look for fish from the mouth to Marblemount or higher. There should be decent numbers of the big salmon. See the Rivers in General section for chum tactics.

The Skagit has a good population of dolly varden. They are dropping out of their spawning tributaries and will follow the salmon and pick up eggs that are spilled. You can find them all the way to the Sauk; use Egg Flies.

Wild coho salmon enter the river in late November. These are big fish, and you'll enjoy hooking one if you can make the contact.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Skagit River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Skykomish River

What to Expect in November:

Another chum salmon venue, the Sky should offer good fishing from early-November through Thanksgiving. Expect to find good chum fishing between Monroe and the Sultan/Gold Bar area. Chums should be arriving soon, with the peak of the run in the last half of the month.

Winter steelhead could start showing up near the end of the month.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Skykomish River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Snoqualmie Basin

What to Expect in November:

The forks are technically open all month for trout fishing, but get your licks in early before cold weather and heavy rain shut them down. A Parachute Adams is a good choice, and standard nymphs such as Princes, Pheasant Tails, and Hares Ears can be effective. In larger pools you might entice a trout with a Muddler retrieved near the bottom.

The mainstem holds a few summer steelhead, but most of them will head for the tributaries when the heavy rains arrive.

The confluence with the Snohomish is a good place to seek chum salmon, as is the area near Carnation. You'll need a boat for the latter venue.

Sea-run cutthroat will also be available in the Carnation area.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Snoqualmie Basin report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Sol Duc River

What to Expect in November:

Normally the Sol Duc has the best coho fishing in the area, but at the end of October the river was extremely low and the coho were not present. If conditions improve and the fish show up, the lower reaches are the best places to seek them. An Egg Sucking Leech or Marabou fished with a sink-tip line should pick up fresh fish. Low-light conditions are best. If you're in a run and coho are jumping and rolling all around you, your chances for a fish are not good. When they're like that, they're not good biters.

The first winter steelhead should enter the river by the end of the month.

River conditions will be variable due to weather. Rain can quickly send the rivers into an unfishable state. The Sol Duc clears faster than most other streams, however.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Sol Duc River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Spokane River

What to Expect in November:

On October 31 the Spokane River closes between the Upriver Dam on the east end of town and Idaho. However, the rest of the river below Monroe Street remains open all year (check your regs for details).

Blue-winged olives are on the menu this month; expect the best fishing from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (standard time, not daylight savings time). As usual for this river, emerger and just-subsurface patterns will work best during blue-winged olive hatches. CDC Baetis, Baetis Cripples, and Soft Hackles are good near-surface patterns; the latter can sometimes be presented with a retrieve.

Most blue-wing imitations should be size 20 or even 22. Sparkle Duns are an excellent dun imitation. You can get by with a Parachute Baetis on faster water. Look for fish in the backeddies and slow runs.

Small beadhead Princes, Hares Ears, and Pheasant Tails are good nymphs to dead-drift near the bottom.

Flies with gold on them are very attractive to trout at this time of year. Gold-ribbed Hares Ears, Princes with gold ribbing, etc., can do very well when presented near the bottom; take lots of split shot. A size 8 Woolly Bugger with a gold body and black hackle can be very productive in the fall. Use a surface swing, then retrieve the fly. Strikes often come just as the fly stops its swing.

The colder it gets, the deeper and slower your fly will need to be. As the water cools, trout will move into winter lies: quieter, deeper water near structure.

Hangman Creek can muddy the Spokane after a storm, so make sure the river is fishable before heading out.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Spokane River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Stillaguamish Basin

What to Expect in November:

Chum salmon are available. Some sea-run cutts are also present.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Stillaguamish Basin report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Yakima River

What to Expect in November:

At the end of October the river was low and very wadable. This is a delightful time on the Yakima, as fall colors brighten the river banks. Fly anglers should be finding decent hatches of blue-winged olives in the canyon. As the month wears on, however, eastern Washington will turn cold and the Yakima will become a poor prospect for trout fishing (it will be good for whitefish angling, however).

Until that happens, all stages of blue-winged olive imitations will work: Pheasant Tails for nymphs; CDC Baetis, Baetis Cripple, Parachute Baetis, Comparadun, Sparkle Dun during a hatch when trout are rising; Rusty Spinner for the spinner stage. Look for trout in slower runs, along foam lines, and in backeddies. The best dry fly opportunities are in the early afternoon. Nymphing can be decent for most of the day; use a dark color. Olive, brown, and black streamers are good choices here, too.

Mahogany duns may still be hatching early in the month, and some pale evening dun-like mayflies in size 16. All hatches will quickly shut down when the weather turns cold.

The best fishing will be in the afternoons, from noon to 4:00 p.m.

Watch the weather carefully; the Yakima canyon can be a treacherous place when it's icy and snowy.

For more on November tactics and flies, see the Rivers in General report. See the Yakima River report for current conditions, hatches, guides, and other information.

Northwest Region

What to Expect in November:

Pass and Lone Lakes should be fair stillwater venues this month. Midges and leech patterns will work best.

Peninsula Region

What to Expect in November:

The lower Dungeness, Elwah, and Lyre rivers have strong chum salmon runs. The regs do not allow these fish to be kept, but incidental hookups are not uncommon when pursuing other species. The Dungeness has a good coho run, as does the Quillcene.

Puget Sound

What to Expect in November:

Chum salmon will provide sport for fly anglers during the first few weeks of the month. Hoodsport is a traditional hot spot. While Hoodsport is popular, you can find chums in saltwater near any creek or river mouth where there's a run.

When fishing for chums in saltwater, use a floating line and long (10-13 foot) ten- or twelve-pound leader. A size 6 Chum Candy is dandy for a fly; tie it on a saltwater hook. Look for schools of moving fish and cast on the outside of the school. Retrieve in foot-long strips with a pause between each strip. First light offers the best fishing; chums are much more aggressive when the light is low. High tides bring in more fish, but also more anglers. Likewise, low tides offer less opportunity but fewer competitors.

"Traveling" water--the traditional venues at Point No Point, Kayak Point, and other Puget Sound public access areas--may be the best prospects when a storm roils a chum river.

Sea-run cutthroat should hold up for a few more weeks in the saltwater.