Bob Brown/For The Olympian
Fishing guide Roger A. Smith keeps his boat steady on the Cowlitz River in southwest Washington.

Fishers find steelhead success with Cowlitz River guide

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published July 27, 2001

The kicker motor keeps the 19-foot jet sled rock steady in the current at the mouth of Blue Creek on the Cowlitz River.

On board are Chris Nyssen of Edmonds, Hitoshi Suoki -- an 18-year-old student from Japan -- and fishing guide Roger A. Smith of Olympia based Cowlitz/Columbia Guide Service.

Licensed, insured and Coast Guard approved, Smith is a veteran of 37 years guiding and fishing on the Lewis, Columbia and Cowlitz rivers and is one of the most experienced freshwater guides in the state.

Smith has guided for celebrities such as former baseball star Steve Garvey, former pro football player Merlin Olson and even former Washington State Gov. Dan Evans.

On this day, Smith is after one of the most sought after game fish in the state -- a sea-run rainbow trout called a summer-run steelhead.

The Cowlitz is regarded as one of Washington's top steelhead rivers because of its productivity and accessibility.

By far the most popular section of the river is a 300-foot stretch of river bank at the mouth of Blue Creek, just downstream from the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery.

It has been estimated during a normal good winter-run and summer-run steelhead season more than 38,000 people fish the river, says Don Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground.

On this day, fishing conditions are ideal. Under cloudy skies, the river is clear with a flow of approximately 2,500 cubic feet per second.

Smith is in the middle of explaining the nature of summer- run steelhead and what to expect when one bites and Suoki's rod suddenly slams in its holder.

"Fish on," Smith yells.

Sure enough, about 50 yards behind the boat a steelhead comes out of the water like a breaching submarine and begins dancing across the water's surface on its tail.

Falling back into the water, the fish starts making wide erratic swings back and forth across the whole width of the river before emerging again in a spectacular sidelong spiraling leap.

Suoki grabs his rod, but appears taken back by the tenacious fight the steelhead puts up as it tries to free itself from the hook in its mouth.

Smith tries to give instructions to Suoki on how to handle the rod and when to take up line. But Suoki does not speak English and all instructions must be translated by Nyssen, who is fluent in Japanese.

All this takes time and the steelhead makes the most of it. The fish runs downriver at a furious pace. For a moment, it looks like it might makes its escape, but by following Smith's instructions Suoki manages to stop the run and turn the fish.

After about 15 minutes, the steelhead tires and is pulled close enough to the boat to be netted.

The hatchery-raised fish, identifiable by a missing adipose fin which has been clipped off, weighs about 7.5 pounds. It is a keeper. Steelhead with an adipose fin are wild fish and must be released.

"Hitoshi now really has something to talk about when he gets home," Nyssen says. "Not only has he caught a trophy fish, he now shares a mutual experience with his father."

Nyssen explains that several years ago Hitoshi's father caught a steelhead near the same spot during a visit to Washington.

By the end of the day, the expedition has boated two hatchery-raised steelhead and lost three.

Smith knows the appeal of steelhead to fishers.

"It's the challenge," he says. "The steelhead is a wary fish and not easily outsmarted or fooled. Patience, knowing the river and acquiring the skill to read the water is essential if you want to catch steelhead."

Steelhead swimming upstream periodically stop to rest in spots that give cover and a break from the current. Identifying the resting spots is also called "reading the water."

While fishers readily admit that catching and landing a steelhead is never guaranteed, one thing is for sure. Once a steelhead is hooked the strength and stamina of the fish, featuring powerful runs and high leaps, will test the skill of any angler.

"I suppose that is the reason why there are many anglers that feel the steelhead is a trophy fish without equal," Smith says.

"As a guide, my satisfaction comes when one of my customers boats a steelhead. I think it is as much of a thrill for me as it is for the customer. I am most happy when there are fish on board. I am sure all guides feel the same way."

Guided fishing

-The lowdown: For many people, an outfitted fishing trip is the only practical means of fishing Washington's numerous streams, rivers and marine fishing areas. Guides have intimate knowledge of waters and they can provide modern drift boats or jet sleds, state-of-the-art tackle, lures and bait.

-State stance: Department of Fish and Wildlife records show 132 licensed salmon guides and 313 licensed non-salmon guides. To avoid accusations of favoritism, department does not recommend particular guide, but suggests that anyone seeking guide service contact a Chamber of Commerce or Washington Outfitters and Guide Association.

-Statewide: Washington Outfitters & Guides Association at 509-962-4222 or on the Web at www.woga.org.com.

-Information: Roger A. Smith at 360-438-1979 or e-mail at Cowlitzfishing@aol.com

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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