Freestone · Glacial · Washington

Skagit River

Skagit River — Rasar State Park
Prime · Steelhead
Intruder · 12–16
Primelive now
About as good as it gets
River steady at a fishable height. On the feed top to bottom — start on the rises with a dry, drop a nymph if they stay down.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • Level1.05 mLast reading 11h ago
  • Water temp10.6°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Intruder
Intruder12–16
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
1.05 m
Last reading 11h ago
Water temp10.6°C
ClarityClear
Weather12°C
WindE 3 km/h
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Ideal
10.6°Cideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Wild C&R spring season (Mar–Apr) WHEN OPEN; frequently closed. Verify WDFW before planning a trip.
Where
The Skagit is hallowed ground — the river that gave its name to the line and the casting style, the spiritual home of the modern two-handed wild-steelhead game.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is working for you, but insect activity is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 2 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

See the full sub-surface read with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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Evidence
ModelledModerate confidence

Modelled from regional ecology — no survey or occurrence data for this water yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July 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
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2
American March BrownHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Steelhead fly box
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 pattern
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Local fly shops: Red's Fly Shop·Gorge Fly Shop
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Puget Sound steelhead ESA-listed
  • C&R-only spring season under a 10-year RMP on a defined reach, often suspended (closed for 2025-26 on funding)
  • Treat as closed unless WDFW confirms open.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 1
Sauk River
33 km
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. Skagit River — Rasar State Park
    Rasar State Park
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Conservation note

Skagit steelhead belong to the Puget Sound DPS, ESA-listed threatened (2007). When a C&R wild-steelhead season is open it is a strictly catch-and-release, conservation-managed fishery; in many years it is closed entirely. We treat these fish as presence + run-timing read only — never promoted as a catch target, never a harvest nudge. This is iconic, fragile water that demands restraint. Chinook, coho, pink and chum present by season.

Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Not assessed
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'SKAGIT RIVER' (WA17110005000177_001_001), 2018 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Insufficient Information. 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) · WA17110005000177_001_001

Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time6013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity3412% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts