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Elwha River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The river that got its dams removed: the Elwha is rebuilding wild salmon runs on the Olympic Peninsula.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
289 cfs
Air / High
61 / 67 F
Wind
ENE 6 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 12045500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Elwha River lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 289 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind ENE around 6 mph, steady pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 67. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown troutGood

Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

SteelheadSlow

First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Tomorrow: Similar at 65 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Elwha River at McDonald Bridge near Port Angeles.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 12045500.

264306348289 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp61 F
High / Low67 / 48 F
WindENE 6-8 mph
Pressure1013.7 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain5% cloud, 9%
Sunrise / Sunset06:36 / 19:49
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 67/48 F, wind 8 mph, rain 9%

Fair or better. A 8 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Elwha River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Steelhead illustration

Steelhead

Best: Oct-Apr

Lake-run rainbows that turn tributaries into winter fisheries. First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

When to come: the Elwha River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Steelhead
Smallmouth bass
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Elwha River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 63 F, wind to 7 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 67 F, wind to 11 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 69 F, wind to 11 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Washington requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Washington license. The Elwha has been closed or tightly restricted during salmon recovery: verify current WDFW and Olympic National Park rules before fishing.

Access

Olympic National Park trails and Highway 101 access west of Port Angeles.

About this water

A 45-mile Olympic Peninsula river to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Clallam County, Washington, site of the largest dam removal in US history.

Fishing Elwha River: the full guide

A restoration in progress

The Elwha River flows 45 miles from the Olympic Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and its story is the largest dam removal in American history: two dams came out in 2011-2014, reopening 70 miles of habitat that had been blocked for a century. Salmon and steelhead are recolonizing, and the fishery is managed cautiously as those runs rebuild.

A fishery under recovery

Fishing on the Elwha has been closed or tightly restricted through much of the recovery period to protect returning wild fish. Limited opportunities have opened in some years and reaches as populations respond. Anglers must check the current regulations carefully: this is a river where the rules change with the science, and closures are the default assumption.

What is coming back

Chinook, coho, pink and chum salmon, steelhead and bull trout are all recolonizing the newly accessible river, with fish now spawning above the former dam sites. The sediment released by the removals reshaped the channel and rebuilt the estuary at the mouth. It is one of the most closely watched river recoveries anywhere.

Olympic Peninsula logistics

Access is via Olympic National Park and Highway 101 west of Port Angeles, with trails following the river into the park. Even when fishing is closed, the corridor is worth walking to see a river remaking itself. Port Angeles provides services, and the peninsula’s other rivers offer open fishing when the Elwha is not.

Common questions

Can I fish the Elwha?

Often not: the river has been closed or tightly restricted while salmon runs rebuild. Assume closure and verify current rules.

What happened to the dams?

Both were removed between 2011 and 2014, reopening 70 miles of habitat: the largest dam removal project in American history.

Is it worth visiting anyway?

Yes: the corridor shows a river physically remaking itself, and Olympic National Park trails follow much of it.

Is fishing good at Elwha River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Skagit River61 miHumptulips River63 miLake Washington69 miLake Sammamish77 miWestport87 miSkykomish River87 mi
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