Spate · Sedimentary · Washington, US

Bogachiel River

An angler in waders casting a fly rod while standing in the calm, tree-lined Bogachiel River, Washington.
Today · About as good as it gets
Pheasant Tail
Forecast · Today
About as good as it gets
On the feed top to bottom — start on the rises with a dry, drop a nymph if they stay down.
90% projected
Today's fly
Pheasant Tail
Pheasant Tail
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Steady
7.45 m
Water temp11.9°C
ClarityClear
Weather12°C
WindN 20 km/h
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Ideal
12°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
December–April on the fall after a rise as it clears. Early season has the hatchery run; wild fish later.
Where
The Bogachiel — the 'Bogey' to everyone who fishes it — is the workhorse of the Quillayute system: accessible, productive, and busy, the river a lot of…
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 21:00

12:00(now) — Mahogany Dun

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 63%
Peak emergence window6 food groups active

Peak activity at 21:00 — Brown Dun (Brown Dun, 5 food groups active)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
SalmonflyHatch
2
3
2
Golden StoneHatch
2
3
2
SkwalaHatch
2
3
2
Yellow SallyHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Steelhead
MT
Marabou Tube
8–10 · Salmon fly
Swing it through the holding lie at a steady pace.
RS
Rabbit-strip Leech
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
BP
Bright Prawn/Shrimp pattern
8–10 · Salmon fly
Swing it through the holding lie at a steady pace.
Local fly shops: Red's Fly Shop·Gorge Fly Shop
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • WDFW coastal steelhead rules (2025-26 permanent set): release wild steelhead/rainbow/cutthroat, no removal of wild steelhead from water, 2 hatchery/day, ~Dec 1–Mar 31
  • Frequent emergency changes; tribal co-management
  • Verify before every trip.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 3
Sol Duc River
10 km
83
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Hoh River
12 km
87
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Queets River
40 km
81
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. An angler in waders casting a fly rod while standing in the calm, tree-lined Bogachiel River, Washington.
    Bogachiel River, Washington 1995 - Steelhead
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Conservation note

Olympic Peninsula wild steelhead are NOT ESA-listed (NOAA 'not warranted', Jan 2026) but are managed conservation-first. The 'Bogey' gets an early hatchery winter run followed by wild fish later in the season — keep the distinction clear and release all wild steelhead in the water, single barbless where required, off the redds. Co-managed with the treaty tribes. Chinook, coho and sea-run cutthroat present by season.

Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'BOGACHIEL RIVER' (WA17100101000171_001_001), 2018 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Temperature. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · WA17100101000171_001_001

Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time8013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity5712% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts