The Trask was high, muddy, and still rising on Wednesday, Feb. 5. There is a chance it will green up and fish by the weekend, but even if it does it will still be high. Doesn’t look like it will be back in “good” shape until early next week. The forks should fish over the weekend? There are fish throughout the system.

When fishing high or colored up water, large presentations and bright colors are key. This is also a good time to break out the bait or scents for added attraction. In addition fishing techniques that keep the presentation near the bottom (drift fishing, bobber doggin’, side drifting) are a good bet. 

The Trask is a mostly wild fish river, and as such peaks January through mid-April. Bank and boat access are both available on the Trask, though interspersed with private land. In addition, there is good bank access on both the North and South forks (check regulations for deadlines on the forks).

Catching and releasing a big wild winter steelhead is one of the best experiences I know of, but anglers are encouraged to treat these fish with care. The best practices for a good release are to not over fight the fish, and release them as quickly as possible without taking them out of the water.

Trout season will reopen on May 22, 2020.

For anglers planning to fish the Trask River at the popular “hatchery hole,” be advised the hatchery grounds are currently closed to the public.

The hatchery grounds closure does not affect fishing on the river itself, only access through the hatchery grounds. During the hatchery grounds closure, all vehicle and angler access is prohibited until further notice to ensure public safety while the construction is in progress.

Parking is available to anglers on Chance Rd. near the entrance to the hatchery, and anglers can continue to access the river on the trail from the parking area but from there must remain on the riverbank without accessing the main hatchery grounds.