Washington Fishing Reports ยท Southwest Region
Below Mayfield Dam, the Cowlitz is Washington's busiest hatchery steelhead and salmon river, with fish nearly year-round around Blue Creek and Barrier Dam.
Looking for the latest Cowlitz River report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Cowlitz River โ Blue Creek to Toledo.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Cowlitz River fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The gauge below Mayfield Dam reads around 3,600 cfs and clear.
Coho are in the river, and winter steelhead start soon. Fish egg patterns and small streamers in the runs below Blue Creek.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Blue Creek to Toledo, bring: Egg #8-12, Woolly Bugger #4-6, Pat', s Rubber Legs #6-8, Zebra Midge #18-22, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, Black Beauty #20-24, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Cowlitz River details
| Access | Blue Creek, Barrier Dam and other access sites near Salkum and Toledo. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 100 to 300 ft |
| Nearest town | Toledo, Washington |
| Best season | Year-round |
| Fish | Steelhead, salmon and sea-run cutthroat |
| Regulations | Steelhead and salmon seasons change often by emergency rule. Check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations and emergency rule changes before you go. A Washington fishing license is required for anglers 15 and older, plus a catch record card for steelhead and salmon. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 2X to 3X tippet |
| Camping | Lewis and Clark State Park and Ike Kinswa State Park |
| Kids | Partly. Crowded banks. |
| Good to know | Very busy at Blue Creek during runs. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Winter steelhead.
Spring
Spring Chinook and steelhead.
Summer
Summer steelhead.
Fall
Coho.
How to get there
Take I-5 to US-12 east toward Salkum, then follow signs to Blue Creek.