Anyone been down there yet? I went down yesterday to a favorite hole, nothing. A couple other fisherman. A little early I guess. Historically when do they start showing in numbers?

I fish the Carbon and Pooallup, as you say, in the beggining of September for kings and October for coho and late kings. I like being able to catch salmon ten minutes from my house. I seem to be able to pull one twenty pounder a year out of there...

BTW, I wouldn't be fishing with spoons right now seeing as the rivers have about a three inch visibility due to their glaciers. Wait until the river becomes clear to use spoons between October and December for steelhead.

[edit] Sorry, I thought you said that you used spoons.

This time of year with the color of water go with a bigger profile and slow presentation down.. Carbon doesnt open until sept but the fish are there from first of aug. Sad thing is when it opens the fish are all colored..There are a few small creeks that flow in where there is some clearer water find those and fish..
I would tell where they are but I have spent 25 years trying to find these spots on my own I'm not gonna give info up that easy

Last year I started to fish the Poopallup at the end of August and did very well. I hooked a couple of ugly kings but mostly hooked silvers. I dont fish up high nor do I spend much time on the carbon due to the quality "or lack there of" of fish that are up there. Start thinking beginning of sept.

I do fish spoons but only for steelhead. I mostly float fish eggs for salmon. As far as dark fish, there is always some chromers mixed in. That's okay, don't fish it, less people to contend with. Lack of fish? Okay that sounds good keep telling people that.

the puyallup river? clear water?

Went to the Voights Creek hatchery last night, nothing but dead smolts in the pool so far, went down to Alderton for about an hour or so, did a little plunking, not a bump now did I see anything rolling.

This river never clears up until the fishing is over and done with.

Metalhead:

I fish the Puyallup and Carbon rivers all the time when they are clear. If we have rain fallowed by a cold snap this September or October the rivers will be clear. Or just weather cold enough to stay freezing at the glaciers. But most of the time I fish it when it is clear it is the middle of winter for steelhead.