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Skykomish River Fishing Report

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

Puget Sound steelhead: the Skykomish runs winter and summer fish an hour from Seattle.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
435 cfs
Air / High
68 / 69 F
Wind
NW 6 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 12134500, 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.

Skykomish River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 435 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind NW around 6 mph, steady pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 69. 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 71 F with a rain chance. 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 Skykomish River near Gold Bar.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 12134500.

408459510435 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp68 F
High / Low69 / 53 F
WindNW 6-8 mph
Pressure1013.2 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain2% cloud, 31%
Sunrise / Sunset06:29 / 19:41
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 · Rain, 69/53 F, wind 9 mph, rain 31%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Skykomish 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 Skykomish 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 Skykomish 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 67 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 71 F, wind to 8 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 67 F, wind to 7 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 plus catch record card. Steelhead and salmon seasons change frequently by emergency rule: check current WDFW regulations before every trip.

Access

Bank and boat access at Sultan, Gold Bar, Big Eddy and points between; commercial shuttles for floats.

About this water

A Cascade river joining the Snoqualmie to form the Snohomish, Snohomish County, Washington.

Fishing Skykomish River: the full guide

A river close to the city

The Skykomish River drains the Cascades east of Everett, joining the Snoqualmie to form the Snohomish. It is one of Puget Sound’s best-known steelhead rivers and among the closest quality water to Seattle: winter steelhead, summer-run fish, chinook and coho salmon in season, plus resident trout and whitefish in the upper reaches.

Steelhead seasons

Winter steelhead run from December into spring, with the river fishing best on the drop after rain: float-fished jigs and beads, drifted bait and swung flies all produce through the classic runs from Sultan to Gold Bar. Summer-run fish arrive in the warmer months and hold in the upper river, offering lighter-tackle fishing in low, clear water.

Salmon and the rules

Chinook and coho return in late summer and fall, though seasons are tightly regulated and change frequently in response to run forecasts. Washington’s emergency rule changes are a constant on Puget Sound rivers: check the WDFW rule page before every trip, because openings and closures can shift with days of notice.

Snohomish County logistics

Access at Sultan, Gold Bar, Big Eddy and numerous bar and bank spots serves waders and drift boats, with commercial shuttles available. Monroe and Sultan provide services. The river rises fast with rain and snowmelt: watch the gauge at Gold Bar and fish the falling water for the best conditions.

Common questions

When is the steelhead run?

Winter fish from December into spring, with summer-run steelhead in the warmer months in the upper river.

Why do the rules change so often?

Puget Sound seasons respond to run forecasts and in-season counts: emergency rules can open or close water with days of notice.

What flow is best?

Falling water after a rain rise, when the river drops and clears into fishable green.

Is fishing good at Skykomish 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

Lake Sammamish26 miLake Washington31 miSkagit River50 miIcicle Creek50 miBaker Lake59 miLake Chelan70 mi
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