Fishing Report Updated 12/21/24
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Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Steelhead (wild and hatchery)
Coho Salmon
Chinook Salmon
Resident Cutthroat Trout
Size
Small
Location
Olympic Peninsula Washington
Nearest Towns
Forks
Season
Varies by species and area of the
river
Access:
Fair to Good
Non-Resident License
State of Washington
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
Varies with species and area of the river – make sure you see the current special regulations
Spring:
March and mid-April, Chinook salmon begin to show up. Winter steelhead are still in the river until well into April.
Summer:
Summer steelhead run from June through September
Fall:
Salmon fishing starts about the second week of October when the river levels start rising from the Fall rains.
Steelhead fishing begins about mid November.
Winter:
January to April is the best winter steelhead fishing time.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
For Steelhead and Salmon
Fly Line:
7, 8 , 9 or 10 weight for appropriate typerod, sinking, sinking tip and floating
Leaders:
10#, 12# in 9 to 15 feet lengths
Tippets:
10# and 12#
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly 7, 8, 9 and 10 ft. single hand rods
Fly Reels:
For 7 to 10 weight lines
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
KISS Strike Indicators, Lanyards, etc.
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Perfect Fly Power Pack Spey Rod Series: Click Here for full description
$225.00
Steelhead & Salmon Fly Selections
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Calawah River Washington
The Calawah River is a 31 mile long tributary of the Bogachiel River on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Its headwaters, the North and South Forks of the Calawah River, flows from the virgin forest of the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. Fly fishing the Calawah River produces anglers a good opportunity to catch a very nice size steelhead. Its water is crystal clear and fast. This is a high-gradient stream with great pocket water for nymphing. It also has plenty of water where swinging a fly works well.
The Calawah River will challenge anyone’s rowing skills to the utmost. It really consist of three different sections – its upper North and South Forks, the upper section of the main stem from the confluence of the North and South Forks to the highway #101 bridge, and the lower section from the bridge to the Calawah’s confluence with the Bogachiel River. The upper section of the main stem is considered moderate to difficult. The lower section is dangerous. We suggest first floating it with an experienced guide.
Anglers can fish from the banks on the lower section of the Calawah River by walking back of the Bogachiel ponds to the river. You can also access the river from La Push road at the Tall Timbers access. The lower two miles of the river can be crowded with anglers fishing from the bank but but once the hatchery run slows down, the crowds thin out.
Winter steelhead hatchery runs will stay strong through early January but slow down in February. The best opportunity for a shot at a big twenty pound wild steelhead is from late January through early March.
The Calawah River is open for fall salmon from highway # 101 downstream. Winter steelhead fishing from the forks downstream to highway #101 has special regulations that are different from those below highway #101. The upper section is open for winter steelhead fishing from the National Park Boundary to the forks until February 28, also with special regulations.
Calawah River Fishing Report:
07/22/20 We are getting reports of summer steelhead being caught.
02/25/21 We are getting some good steelhead reports.
04/26/21 The river is in okay shape. The winter run steelhead season is done. Chinook salmon should start showing up.
05/17/21 Fishing for resident cutthroat should be good. We didn’t receive any reports lately so let us hear from you. Chinook Salmon are in the river as well.
06/01/21 Summer runs should be starting to come in. Resident cutthroat trout fishing is good. Here are our steelhead flies: https://perfectflystore.com/product-category/flies/perfect-generic-steelhead-salmon-flies/pacific-steelhead/
08/05/21 The river is turning out some steelhead for our customers and some big cutts. The water is low and clear.
08/27/21 Stream levels are still low and rain needed. The summer steelhead fishing is slow but some are being caught. Trout fishing is okay. We received a couple good reports from customers lately.
09/06/21 The stream is still very low. A few summer steelhead are being caught but it is very slow.
09/30/21 Stream levels are up high and Coho and King salmon should start coming in if not already doing so. Now is the time to get your gear and flies ready.
09/14/21 We received one good report from an angler fishing for coho. Coho and Kings should be coming in.
10/27/21 Recent heavy rain should bring in more fish. We have a several recent good reports on kings and coho salmon. This should continue to be very good.
11/03/21 We have some more good reports on salmon catches from our customers.
11/11/21 We received one good report from a customer catching Coho.
11/21/21 Four good reports from customers fishing for Coho have come in this past week. They are swinging and fishing our salmon nymphs.
11/29/21 The river was turning out a lot of salmon prior to the heavy rain. It is very high now. Fish as soon as it drops.
12/07/21 Stream levels are down a lot and there are hatchery steelhead being caught.
12/14/21 We are still getting a few reports on hatchery steelhead in the lower river.
12/23/21 We received one good report from a customer fishing for hatchery steelhead this past week.
12/31/21 No reports came in this past week. We assume it was due to the holiday and few fishing.
01/08/22 We still didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing the river this past week. There should be hatchery steelhead present.
01/16/22 Still didn’t get any reports. We don’t quite believe no one is catching anything. Let us hear from you.
01/24/22 We feel sure that someone is catching fish but we still didn’t receive any reports from anyone this past week.
02/06/22 Finally, we received a good report on steelhead. There are people fishing. Let us hear from you.
02/22/22 We received one good report from a customer fishing the river last week. Conditions are fair. ‘
04/29/22 Summer run steelhead should start coming into the river about a month from now. Now is the time to get your gear and tackle ready. We can help you with that. Shoot us an email.
06/22/22 The Summer run steelhead are in. Sea-run cutts are coming in and resident cutthroat trout fishing is good. Call or write us for a recommended fly list.
07/06/22 We didn’t receive any reports from anyone but we know summer steelhead are in the river and resident cutthroat should also be good. There are good hatches taking place.
09/10/22 Stream levels are up high and Coho and King salmon should start coming in if not already doing so. Now is the time to get your gear and flies ready.
11/01/22 King and Coho salmon are in the river in good numbers and more should be coming in with the heavy rain currently taking place.
11/17/22 There are still plenty Coho and Kings in the river and some are being caught by the few fishing. Get ready for the upcoming steelhead season.
01/03/23 There is a lot of rain for the next week, but this should increase water volume and bring in a lot of fish.
02/26/23 Sorry for the missed reports. We are getting good reports of steelhead being caught. Conditions are good for swinging flies.
05/14/23 Closed until May 27, 2023. Now is the time to get your flies and gear together.
06/12/23 Conditions are good. Summer run steelhead are in. Sea-run cutts are in and resident cutthroat trout fishing is good. Call or write us for a recommended fly list.
06/29/23 Summer runs are being caught. We didn’t get any sea run cutts or trout reports.
08/07/23 Closed due to low water levels.
08/31/23 The stream is still closed to fishing.
10/14/23 The stream is now open to fishing. Recent rain should bring a lot of fish in the river.
10/27/23 We are getting good report of cutthrout trout, Coho salmon and some Summer run steelhead being caught.
11/12/23 More good reports come in on cutthroat and summer steelhead along with some Coho.
11/19/23 Reports of a few Coho catches. Cutthroat fishing should still be good.
11/30/23 We are getting reports of cutthroat, Coho and summer steelhead being caught.
01/08/24 We received some good reports on hatchery steelhead this past week.
01/27/24 The stream is still flowing high and tough to fish but steelhead are being caught by some.
02/18/24 Conditions are good. We are getting good reports from customers catching steelhead.
02/25/24 We are still getting good catch reports. By swinging our steelhead streamers and fishing our steelhead nymphs is working.
03/04/24 The stream is still a little high and stained. We are getting reports of steelhead being caught.
03/11/24 The stream is still high and dirty. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone this past week. Give it some time to drop and clear.
04/23/24 The winter run steelhead season is done for the season.
08/29/24 We have had a few reports of summer runs and trout being caught. Now is the time to get ready for salmon and steelhead. We have a the gear and flies you will need at good prices.
09/03/24 Check out our low price on good quality spey rods as well as other Perfect Fly rods and gear.
09/11/24 We are still getting good reports from those fishing for trout.
09/17/24 Trout fishing is still very good. There are good hatches taking place. Let us help you get ready for salmon and steelhead.
10/10/24 Salmon are in the river. Trout fishing is also good with good hatches taking place.
10/17/24 We received two good reports from customers fishing for salmon.
10/24/24 The rain should increase the numbers of Salmon in the river. Let us hear from you.
11/01/24 The river is full of Coho and we are getting good catch reports from customers.
11/08/24 We are getting more good reports from customers fishing for Coho.
11/17/24 More good catch reports have come in on Coho.
11/22/24 We didn’t receive any reports this past five days. Coho fishing should still be good.
11/30/24 We are getting more good reports on Coho and Cutthroat.
12/07/24 Hatchery steelhead are being caught.
12/15/24 More reports from customers catching hatchery steelhead have come in.
12/21/24 The stream is turning out good catches of hatchery steelhead.
Perfect Flies are designed and tied to to imitate and behave like the natural foods fish rely on to survive as much as possible. The more your fly looks like and moves through and on the surface of the water like the real things, the higher your odds of success.
Click Here to see our Steelhead Flies: Click Here to see our Salmon Flies.
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly and gear recommendations.