I've fished them all. My main problem is that none of them are particularly well suited to fly fishing for winter steelhead, and classic drift fishing water is not too common, either. They all have mostly what is best described as a deep, incised, "U" shaped channel, altho not quite so much on the Skook, which has at least a few small gravel bars. Although I've heard of them, I have yet to see a bright steelhead come from the Skook, and I don't venture there at all for salmon. Not sure that it's open to salmon fishing. I fished it quite a lot for cutts as a kid. A classmate of mine hooked a few salmon and a couple steelhead on his trout gear, but never landed any of them. Perhaps I should mention that we didn't know there was such a thing as closed seasons back then.

Like the Skook, the Newalkum is also an important spawning tributary. The rare spring chinook are fairly bright when they show up, but I don't believe they're fair game. Not sure what shape the silvers or steelhead are in when they show up.

My strategy, occasional as it is, has been to work the Chehalis below both tribs to try and intercept a bright fish. Unfortunately, I've only found one really good fly drift. Some of the locals are more familiar with the water, and I've seen them catch a few steelhead while drift fishing, so I know there are fish there when water conditions are favorable. My best fishing has been for silvers below the Satsop in the fall, however.

The Skook has the most public access for bank fishing. The Chehalis is best accessed by and fished from a boat. So if you're in the area, it might be worth a cast or two in any of these streams.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.