Freestone · Glacial · Washington, US

Hoh River

The glacial blue-grey Hoh River flowing past gravel bars through the temperate rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Today · Slow going — pick your moments
Sculpin Streamer
Forecast · Today
Slow going — pick your moments
Slow going — pick your moments and do not force it.
45% projected
Today's fly
Sculpin Streamer
Sculpin Streamer
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
0.59 m
Lifting fast
Water temp10.2°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather13°C
WindN 18 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
10°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
December–April, on the drop after high water as clarity returns. Avoid the peak flood and the low-clear extremes.
Where
The Hoh is the headline river of the Olympic Peninsula's rainforest coast, and standing in for a whole system of them — the Bogachiel, Sol Duc, Calawah and…
Why this works
Excellent — conditions well-balanced, with water temperature particularly in your favour.
Likely species
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 18:00

12:00(now) — Mahogany Dun

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 40%
Peak emergence window4 food groups active

Peak activity at 18:00 — October Caddis (October Caddis, Degree-days at peak)

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
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
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
Bogachiel River
12 km
85
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Sol Duc River
22 km
83
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Queets River
31 km
81
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. The glacial blue-grey Hoh River flowing past gravel bars through the temperate rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
    The Hoh River, Olympic Peninsula
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Conservation note

Olympic Peninsula wild steelhead are NOT ESA-listed (NOAA found listing 'not warranted', Jan 2026) — but they are at moderate risk of extinction and are managed conservation-first. Release wild steelhead without lifting them from the water; single barbless where required; do not fish over redds. These rivers are co-managed with the treaty tribes — respect tribal fisheries and closures. Chinook, coho, chum and sea-run cutthroat are present by season.

Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time8013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6812% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts