Just wondering if any of you have been on the sop this week...going down tomorrow and would appreciate any info. Email me if you like.
Thanks in advance!
Canyon Man

fished on monday low and clear no fish had to push boat twice plus jump over one sweeper .
see below

Went Wed morning (very cold, very clear). Most of the fish hooked were kings and we were on the Lower river. Two silvers, and surprisingly few chum.
Think the fish were a bit lethargic from the cold.
Good luck

RL

Ran my last trip there tues until water comes up. Lots of kings, very cold, managed the nessecary silvers, but tons of colored kings, alot of fun, but very low and dropping fast.
Peace
Superfly

Ditto!

Rocklizard, was that you that I talked to by the road hole (not sure what the name is)? If so, man was it cold that am, only got 1 king in that hole with only a few sporadic chum moving through.

Had to try one more time today. Drifted from Cook Creek to the bridge. Once again....a few dark dogs and a boot king. No silvers to be found. The water is very low and gin clear. Beware of the sweeper on the east fork.

buzz,
If you mean the large corner hole below Cook Creek, yeah that was me, were you the guy fishing with us all morning or the guy we talked to on the way out?
Yeah it was one cold SOB that morning, Im waiting for rain and a little warmer weather before hitting it again, definatley a slow day.

take it easy
RL

Drifted Cook Cr. to Hwy 12 on Friday. Low and clear. (Like that's going to stop anyone.)

Word of caution about the unavoidable sweeper below Cook Creek. It seems more problematic with the lower flows. I was not able to run over the top with my shorter boat at these levels so we had to hoist the boat over 'dem logs. Just to dang old and ornery to drag it up the bar, around the top of those cottonwoods and back down again. OK, lazy too.
FYI, the pictures are taken from the waters edge and the tree tops extend well up onto the bar. If you drift this stretch on these flows you might want to have some help along or a come-along. Good luck and be safe.

Nice photo's mooch. Thanks for the update.

I think all the rivers should have a couple of big sweepers in them... Might keep the crowds down.

If cook creek is the area that is closed to access by the gate this year, then we were the guys you talked to as you were heading downstream.

If cook creek is the area that is closed to access by the gate this year, then we were the guys you talked to as you were heading downstream. Going back up there tomorrow with the wife so hopefully there are still a few fish up there

Yep that is the cook creek area. Its a shame it got gated off, but cant say I blame the landowner. Good luck on the upcoming trip, should get more challenging as it continues to drop.
Tight lines
RL

One question.......

Why doesnt some one just cut the tree????? A very simple solution.

sorry Mooch, got your e mail a bit late for your trip. That logs looks worse at lower flow, was there any blue paint on it from the old lavro? Looks like you must have made it ok, stay loose.

FishDoc,
No prob. Thanks anyway. Didn't notice any blue paint, I was to busy picking splinters out of my sorry butt, cause my pard forgot to bring his waders. Ah heck he's worth it.

Willie,
I suppose some cuts could be made, but I think it's going to take some really big high water to get it out of there. Problem is, this sweeper could become a much bigger problem than it already is if it does decide to move and doesn't clear out completely. Folks are going to have to watch this one carefully as the season goes on.
Also as far as cutting a sweeper, it is my undertsanding that the authorities (I'm not entirely sure who all that would be) are a bit touchy on such matters. These days, I'd do some homework first.

Cut it out and dont say anything about it.

From the pictures it looks like someone could cut the top tree easy enough. That would make getting over the sweeper alot easier and safer.

If I were to cut it out I would start at the top of the tree and cut 10 foot sections out until most of the log is gone. That would be the safest and easiest way to do it.

Willie,

Just curious about your persuasion. Large wood is very well documented as a primary component of high quality fish habitat. Cutting the tree turns it into small wood that has much less habitat value. Are you saying convenient navigation is more important than better fish habitat on the Satsop?

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Oh brother here we go again!!!
I say CUT IT OUT! That freekin cottonwood isnt gonna make any good habitat for anything!
Its nothing but trouble..

Calm down fellas. That sweeper will be long gone with the next high water anyway and there probably will be one to replace it.

Canyon Man: Fished theEast Fork last Wednesday and Friday and caught chum after chum. Lots of fish moving up on Friday. May be there Tuesday, too, though the Sky is tempting.

By the way, I support leaving the wood as the river places it. It is great habitat, though cottonwood will rot out in about 5 years. A permit from Fish and Wildlife is required by law to alter large woody debris. So if Enforcement catches someone cutting trees in the rivers, they can issue a citation for it.

Thats why I dont post much on here anymore. Someone always has a negative comment......

Since I dont fish Satsop I wont wrry about it. If it was on a river I floated the tree would be gone.

I am beginning to tremble........

Have been fishing lower river since 9 Oct- river is presently low and clear with few silvers but some chum moving through. Fly fishing today produced good results with fair hooked chums- will take some steady rain for silvers to start moving again.