The love of my life is the Klickitat River.I fish the upper river from Stinson Flats down to twin bridges. I would like to drift more of the river both higher up and from twin bridges down.Any information on put ins and take outs would be greatly appreciated. You will see me on the river in my new THOR-BUILT drift boat that is painted all black. Say "HI" when you pass me.Lester

Hey lester, love the Klicky, one of my first steelies came out of it, an August many years ago. Have never floated it though, can only remember the one launch by an old orange stucco building. Is it pretty floatable? I own a wood driftboat, but am fairly skilled at the oars, is there a section you think I could float? C

Is the Klickitat in shape right now, or is it still milky, with the cool weatherI was going to try and get up there this weekend. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Guy's,
Too answer both of you at once goes something like this:the orange building I think you are referring to is the old "ice house" just above the town of Klickitat.Great fishing hole straight out from the launch.Practically the whole river is floatable with a drift boat except the narrow chute at Fisher Hill Bridge a few miles up from the mouth.You WILL hit some rocks on the way down the river and I don't know how well your boat is made or if the bottom is coated,but I would think you could drift it and only incur some scrapes to the botom of your boat.Right now the river is probably just like chocolate milk with the hot weather we are having.We need a several days of low 90's to high 80's to clear the river up to fishable clarity.Some people can pull a fish out of a mud puddle, but I don't seem to have much luck unless there is at least a foot or so of visibility.August on the Klick is pretty iffy if you have to travel very far because she is a little tempramental about staying clear,but if she is the fishing can be great.Maybe someone on the Klickitat would volunteer to keep us updated on the river color or allow a few phone calls to see if it's worth the trip.Fish On,lester

Going to go look at the Klick this afternoon , yesterday wasn`t as hot and last night it got cool . I`ll keep you guys posted ..

I called the Chevron in the town of Klickitat, and they said it was coming back in. Still has some glacial color, but is not brown. As long as it has a foot of visibility I'll be fishing it!!!!

steelie67,
We will be waiting to hear from you.Do you bank fish or drift boat fish,either way good luck.Thanks,lester

Lester, I float the lower river quite a bit, there is the put in at the ice house (where the orange stucco building is), as well as at around mile 10 there is a put in there, and one last one about 2 miles further downstream. I make a float from mile post 17 down to the take out at mile post 10. This is a pretty easy float with good water throughout. If your fishing it this weekend and you see a banky across the river at mile post 17, that more than likely is me. I am praying the river is in shape this weekend. Tight Lines!!!!!

TFANN,
I know the area your talking about.What a beautiful stretch of river.I have never actually drifted any further than the ice house.About how long does it take to drift and fish from the ice house down to mile marker 10.The week-end of the 26th and 27th I want to do that particular drift.If you see a black Thor-Built say hi.Although my first name is lester I go by jim.I have a friend that lives at twin bridges and he caught a #20 king on thursday.The river should be fishable.Let me know how you do.I can't come down this week-end,but I will be there every week-end from here on out.Fish-on,Lester

The river is looking good for this time of year. When I got there Friday, there was only about a foot and a half of visibility, by the time I left on Sunday, there was between three and four. People were catching fish on Saturday (I got myself a nice 10# buck), the bite turned off on Sunday though, there was a weather change coming through.

Lester,
The float from the Ice House to mile marker 10 takes about 6 hours if fished pretty hard.If you want a good full day trip float from twin brisges down to mile marker 10, about three extra miles, but there is a lot of really good water between twin bridges and the ice house. We have a place right below twin bridges, about 400 yards above mile marker 17 on the opposite side of the river from the road. Take care and good fishing!

You guys are bumming me out. My parents lived in Lyle for two years when I was a freshman and sophomore in college. As a matter of fact, I don't know if it's still there, but my brother and I made the silver LYLE sign that used to be on the big hill above town. You could see it from the Oregon side of the Columbia.

Caught my first summer run steelie in the Klickitat about 20 years ago. Chrome as a car bumper. What a gas. Floated the Klickitat a few times, and loved fishing it. Hooked a summer run king in the gorge below the first bridge back in 1980. I was fishing with my Minnesota steelie gear, and the rod exploded in my hands. I giggled all the way home.

Don't be afraid to try those rubber lip sturgeon in the hole out in front of the river. Caught many nice ones there. Keep the Klick stories coming.

I live along the Klickitat. The river was muddy up until yesterday. It's fishable now that it cooled off a little. If the temp hits about 90, it will mud up again. If anyone wants to know about the water condition, Just post to leadhead and I can let you know.

Hey,I've been wondering about the Klicktat.I've never fished it and would like to know how you fish there(convetional gear or fly)?Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated,as to the when,where and hows of the Klicktat.The only information I have on it is the little I've read on it.Also when is it best to start fishing there with fly gear?

Hey Leadhead,maybe you could give me some directions on how to get to fishable water (from the bank)as I have never been to the Klicktat myself.

Hey leadhead, I was on the river Sunday and hooked a nice 25+ salmon. What a run! I was new to the river and never fished it. A friend invited me to go and kill an evening snagging rocks. I will be up Wednesday for the evening bite. I love fishing small rivers. FISH ON!!

We landed two steelies on Sunday and missed two on the plugs. On Monday we lost two steelies on drift gear and lost a big King on a plug. Great fishing, catching, and weather. We floated from the Ice House to the YIN fish counter over two days.

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