SouthFork Nooksack Steelies

[dj2loud]

Hi all-- Wondering what time of year the steelies start showing up on the south fork...? I managed a hatch steelie last year on the north fork and sent it back not knowing I could keep them last year.... ( didn't read regs right)

I see selective gear rules apply so i am assuming vibrax, beads and soft eggs will catch em?

Thanks for the help, or recommendations... Living in maple falls the sack is the closest...

BTW..... 15-25 inches of new snow forecast here... YAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Jakefish]

The South Fork hatchery doesn't do steelhead - only the North Fork. There won't be hardly any hatchery steelhead in the North Fork or even the whole system this year since there were no smolt released in 2014 and 2015 (see WDFW website for release info). Releases resumed this spring (2016), so there should be a catchable amount of hatchery steelhead again starting in a year (December 2017 season).

The South Fork gets a small run of wild summer steelhead, so those fish should be in the system now, but probably upstream of the current fishing boundary (the upstream portion closes October 31). Wild winter steelhead normally show up later than the hatchery fish - which is why the system is closed later in the winter. There are probably a good number of dollies in the system, which can be fun, but maybe not worth picking ice out of our rod guides!