Fishing Report Updated 04/23/24
(Bottom Of Page)
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 (Native and Hatchery)
Chinook Salmon
Coho Salmon
Sockeye Salmon
Resident cutthroat trout
Size
Small to Medium
Location
Olympic Peninsula
Nearest Towns
Forks
Season
See Seasons Below
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of Washington
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season regulations is subject to seasonal changes. Be sure and check the current year regulations and dates for seasons.
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. The wild steelhead head
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.
Fly Fishing the Sol Duc River Washington
The Sol Duc River is one of Washington’s great steelhead rivers. It’s located in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula in the capital of the winter steelhead country. This is a great winter destination for any steelhead angler but it’s winter steelhead fishing that isn’t for the faint hearted angler. It’s fishing under harsh weather conditions, very cold water, short bleak days, and if your not careful, frozen fingers can test your steelhead fishing ability to the utmost.
There’s good runs of both hatchery steelhead as well as natives. It also has good returns of summer steelhead, Chinook salmon, both in the Spring and Fall, Coho salmon and Sockeye salmon.
The Sol Duc River is also one of the very best coho salmon rivers you’ll ever fish. You’ll find them in the same type of water as the steelhead. You will need a sink-tip line and a down and a across presentation of one of our Perfect Flies, and before you make very many strips you will probably hear the reel scream.
The fish enter with the rain. Just after a good rain is the best time for fly fishing the Sol Duc River for the coho salmon. The river is one of the Olympic Peninsula’s typical small streams consisting mostly of pocket water. Short cast are normal for the Sol Duc. Switch rods are popular.
The Sol Duc stays in as good of shape as any in the Olympic Peninsula. It starts high in the mountains and is one of the first streams to clear after high water.
Winter steelhead fishing is generally from January into April and Summer steelhead fishing June through September.
If you fish from the bank, you can access to the Sol Duc from Highway 101 which runs fairly close to the river. To get the most from fly fishing the Sol Duc River, fish it from a drift boat. You can cover more water. Use caution when you use a drift boat on the Sol Duc. Though it isn’t a technically difficult river, there’s some sections that deserve attention.
Sol Duc River Fishing Report:
02/24/2020 Good numbers of steelhead
are being caught by our customers.
Swinging, SH nymphs and eggs are
working,
06/02/20 Summer run steelhead are
coming in along with sea run cutts.
Resident cutthroat fishing should be good.
09/18/20 Now is the time to get ready for
fall King and Coho salmon. They should
start coming in from the first to the middle
of October. Shoot us an emal for a fly and
gear list.
11/29/20 Steelhead should start showing
up anytime now. Now is the time to get
your flies and gear in order. Shoot us an
email. sales@perfectflystore.com
12/18/20 Steelhead are being caught by
our customers. Our Swinging, nymphing
and egg patterns are working.
12/28/20 A few more good reports on
steelhead. Stream levels are fine.
01/11/21 We have been getting a few
good reports on steelhead but water levels
are up. Fish when the levels drop some.
01/30/21 Good numbers of steelhead are
being caught in lower river. No floating
device rule is in effect. Swinging is
working good.
02/25/21 The river is in okay shape and
steelhead are being caught by our
customers.
04/26/21 The river is still turning out a few winter steelhead but for all practical purposes, the winter run is over. Get ready for the Summer runs coming in soon.
05/17/21 Fishing for resident cutthroat trout is good. There are good hatches and trout are being caught in good numbers. Stream levels are currently fine.
06/01/21 The Summer run steelhead should be starting to come in. Sea-run cutts are coming in and resident cutthroat trout fishing is good. Call or write us for a recommended fly list.
07/28/21 The summer runs are being caught in decent numbers by our customers. The water levels are low.
08/05/21 The river is very low and clear. A few fish are being caught but you need to use stealth and light tippet.
08/27/21 The stream levels are still below normal.
09/06/21 The river is closed downstream of the National Park boundary until Sept 16. Resident cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing is good.
09/30/21 Stream levels are up thanks to rain and should start bringing in some fall King and Coho salmon. They should
start coming in from the first to the middle of October and we have some unconfirmed reports they are already.
10/15/21 We are getting reports of kings and coho entering the river. We still don’t have any catch reports yet. Let us hear from you.
10/27/21 King and coho are in the river. Recent rain has brought more fish into the river. We have been getting some very good reports.
11/03/21 We are still getting good reports on salmon catches. Customers are swinging and nymphing our salmon fly patterns.
11/11/21 The river is still turning out good catches of salmon. We received two good reports from customers this past week.
11/21/21 More good reports have come in on Coho.
11/29/21 As you probably know, the river is high right now due to recent heavy rain but fish as soon as it drops. There are lots of Coho in the river and our customers were catching plenty before the rain.
12/14/21 The stream level is down to a much better level and getting in good shape. The salmon fishing is about over. Get ready for steelhead now.
12/23/21 We still don’t have any catch reports but with the high stream levels that have occurred recently, there is likely plenty steelhead in the river.
12/31/21 We didn’t receive any reports from anyone last week. Let us hear from you.
01/08/22 Still no reports of winter steelhead being caught. Now is the time to get your flies and gear ready. Let us help you. Call or send us an email. 800 594 4726 / sales@perfectflystore.com
01/16/22 Still no reports. Rain is forecast everyday this coming week meaning higher stream levels bringing more fish into the river.
01/24/22 We still didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing this past week. Steelhead should be in the river.
02/06/22 We received one good report from a customer fishing for steelhead this past week. Conditions are pretty good now.
02/22/22 We received three good reports from customers fishing for steelhead this past week. Conditions remain okay.
03/01/22 Closed to steelhead fishing due to low returns.
04/29/22 Summer run steelhead should start coming into the river in about a month. Now is the time to get your gear and flies ready. Shoot us an email and let us help you.
06/06/22 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 received one good reports of summer runs being caught. The resident cutthroat fishing should be good as well.
09/10/22 This is the time to get ready for the Fall King and Coho salmon. They should start coming in from the first to the middle of October. Shoot us an emal for a fly and gear list.
11/01/22 King and coho salmon are in the river in good numbers. The heavy rain taking place should bring more fish into the river. We have been getting some very good reports.
11/17/22 The King and coho season is winding down but they are still some being caught. Get ready for steelhead. They will be entering the river soon.
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.
02/09//23 The stream is in good shape and turning out some very nice steelhead. All methods seem to work okay but some very large ones are coming by swinging our Steelhead streamers.
02/26/23 We continue to receive some very good reports from customers fishing for steelhead. Conditions are very good.
04/15/23 Closed until May 1st, 2023
05/29/23 Resident cutthroat trout fishing is good. There are good hatches and trout are being caught in good numbers. Stream levels are currently okay.
06/12/23 Summer run steelhead are in. Sea-run cutts are coming in and resident cutthroat trout fishing is very good. Call or write us for a recommended fly list.
07/10/23 We received a good report from a customers fishing for resident cutts. Good hatches are taking place.
08/07/23 The stream is closed to all fishing until further notice.
08/21/23 The stream is open again. Let us hear your fishing reports.
08/31/23 The stream is still closed to fishing until further notice.
10/05/23 The stream is still closed to all fishing due to low water conditions.
10/14/23 The stream is now open to fishing. The recent rain and higher water should bring more fish into the stream.
10/27/23 Coho and kings are in the river being caught. Each rain and pulse of water brings in more fish.
11/12/23 Coho and Kings are still being caught in decent numbers. Trout fishing is also good.
11/19/23 Coho are still being caught.
12/02/23 Getting reports of Kings and Coho being caught. Swinging our egg sucking leech patterns and Hexigenia steelhead nymphs is producing well.
12/14/23 More good reports have come in on Kings and Coho. Swinging our streamers and nymph fishing with out steelhead/salmon nymphs are both working.
01/08/24 We received more good reports from customers catching steelhead. Flow are currently okay and swinging and nymphing methods are both steel working.
01/27/24 The stream level is still very high. You should be able to catch steelhead when the level do subside. Our egg sucking leech patterns and Hexigenia steelhead nymphs work good.
02/18/24 We are getting very good reports. Lots of fish are in the river and being caught on both our steelhead nymphs and swinging our streamers.
02/25/24 The stream is still producing some good catches.
03/04/24 The stream is still a little high and dirty. We are getting a few good reports from our customers.
03/11/24 The stream is still high and heavily stained. You can still catch steelhead at this level but will be much better when it drops and clears some.
04/01/24 Stream levels are fine and steelhead are still in the river in good numbers.
04/23/24 The river is still turning out a few winter steelhead but the winter run is about over. Get ready for the Summer runs coming in soon.
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 recommendations.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh