Steelhead Season on the Klickitat is Underway!

The middle of September marks the beginning of our Fall Steelhead season on the Klickitat River.  We have been offering Klickitat River multi day trips since 2005.  The headquarters of operation have evolved over the years from a tent camp on the river, to the Klickitat River Inn in Klickitat, and currently to the Mount Adams Lodge near Glenwood.  We've been at the location for the past 3 years, but our crew is particularly excited for this season for a number of reasons.  First of all, we have made significant upgrades to the food and lodging component of the these trips.  Not only will guests find a newly decorated main lodge, but also brand new beds and linens!  In addition the lodge upgrades, we have also upgraded the food menu.  We appreciate the fact that we can control some factors on a fishing trip.  Food and lodging are an obvious one, and our goal is to shine in those areas.

As far as the fishing goes, the forecast for Steelhead numbers are well below the average.  That being said, the difference between a great day of steelhead fishing and a tough one can be 1 cast.  While the fishing itself can be unpredictable, our guides are very stable, and a host of familiar faces are there to greet you. Our main guides, Ricky Davidson and Craig Chittenden, have been rowing the Klickitat for years and specialize in teaching anglers of all experience levels.  We anticipate this season being similar to last year in terms of fishing.  While productivity may be slow, particularly during periods of ultra clear river conditions, the low fish counts (both steelhead and salmon) typically reduce the amount of traffic, too.  If you're looking for a quality outdoor experience, the Klickitat River is a great choice.  Regardless of the fishing, the scenery, guiding and learning, food, and accommodations combine to make this a memorable and worthwhile experience to share with friends or family.

I had a load of provisons to bring down to the lodge last week, so I invited Max and Curtis to lend a hand.  Getting them to tag along was not hard with the promise of float after we got unloaded.  We floated from Leidl to the Slide, and just fished nymphs on the go.  We fished on the go the whole time, hooking 3 total, and landing a spunky 6 lb wild hen. Max hooked 2 hot fish and lost both of them to hard charging upriver runs in fast water!  Those fish typically calm down by the end of October, but early season steelhead are known for their incredible strength and difficulty in landing.  When you hook into one hot fish, you begin to understand why hardcore steelhead anglers are willing to endure cold weather, slow fishing, and incredible travels to pursie these fish we love.