Is anyone willing to share a report from the kalama?

I am going to fish the Kalama on Saturday and will post a report Satruday night. It has been years since I fished it.

I fished it several times before the high water (Fri/Sat) and it was slow.

However, the recent rain brought the water levels up and likely brought in some fresh steelhead. The water levels are dropping nicely and it should be in great shape right now.

Be aware that you won't be the only angler hoping to find fresh steelhead in the Kalama, particularly this weekend. You might be playing bumper boats in some places.

I read in the newspaper that WDFW is recycling winter steelhead to the lower river, so the Kalama Falls Hatchery is getting sufficient numbers of adults for their annual egg take. And that was before the high water. My guess is there are steelhead scattered throughout the river, from I-5 upstream to the canyon.

If you're in a DB, most folks put in at Pritchard's and drift to Modrow. Bank maggots, such as I, will be just about everywhere but the canyon is popular.

Good luck.

I had a couple of my best days ever on the Kalama on the Thursday and the Saturday before the big rains. Those were some beautiful fish. I have no trouble believing that the upper hatchery already has enough fish.

I fished there yesterday (Thursday, 16 Dec.), up in the canyon. The river was still a little high, but falling nicely, with about perfect color. The fishing was slower, for me at any rate, but there were a lot of nice fish moving. As the water drops just a little more and if you are there when they first settle down a little, it could be dynomite. I hooked two, yesterday. Both were green and silver freight trains and fairly large specimens. They are both still in the river due to long distance release. If the weather we have holds, conditions should be perfect this weekend, as the river drops about 4 inches per day, and I hate to think how crowded it might be. Come early.

I have had my best luck on eggs under a float, but sometime in later December or early January, it seems the fish start to prefer sandshrimp tails, so you might bring a dozen of those, just to change up every once in a while.

T dodge was that you in that white dodge? If so I almost stopped to talk to you. I was curious how you like those wheels. Any rubbing problems?

Kris

I'll be there on Saturday as well. Look for the black Willie. Might even be without one in the front seat. only have one front seater.

~steelymann~

I fished it Wed. Water was dropping nicely. No hits, runs or errors...no one in other boats I talked to hooked or saw anything.

One guy from the bank said he saw a couple hooked at deadline.

Giz....

Same thing last yr on the bama around xmas time....slow slow slow...last yr the day after xmas with about 20 boats or more from red barn down there was only 4 fish taken and 3 were by my boat....

I love that river but if the fish arent there I dont think I will be fishing it for some time

Glowball,

Sorry not to reply sooner. No, that wasn't me. I normally drive a "Thunder Grey" Sequoia. On the Thursday in question, I was driving my wife's similarly colored Camrey.