The Kalama River drains the southwest flanks of Mt St Helens in southwest Washington and winds its way through foothills and timberland until it dumps into the Columbia River just north of the town of Kalama.
The winter steelhead run on the Kalama is typically a decent bet due to the numbers of returning steelhead relative to size of the river which is probably considered medium sized depending on levels of rain.
My approach to this page on the Kalama River (and other similar pages) is to provide highly helpful information in one place that you might need or consult periodically to prepare for a trip to the Kalama River.
You will find the fishing report WDFW publishes weekly via creel checking both boats and bank anglers to get an idea what’s going on, on the Kalama River.
Additionally, I will publish the auto-updating escapement report graphs and the historical run timing for when steelhead return to the hatchery to help you plan a trip.
We also have the permanent regulations below in a convenience place along with a link to the emergency regulations which must always be consulted in case their’s a closure or regulations change to the permanent ones.
We also include the forecast so you can get an idea what kind of run of winter steelhead you should expect on the Kalama River during the 2022-2023 season.
If you’re looking for more information on how to fish for winter steelhead, checkout our page devoted to the topic.
Kalama River Winter Steelhead Fishing Report
The below graphs will update as WDFW publishes their SW WA Fishing Report once a week.
Boat anglers on the Kalama River
Bank anglers on the Kalama River
Updated Status of returning hatchery Winter Steelhead on the Kalama River
Historical Run Timing of hatchery Winter Steelhead on the Kalama River
As you can see, the late run winter steelhead kind of trickle in until mid-March when things really take off and into early April when you see the peak of the run typically.
Fishing Regulations for the Kalama River 2022
| KALAMA RIVER – COWLITZ CO. | ||
| from mouth to railroad bridge below I-5 CRC (604) | ||
| All species | July 1-Oct. 31 | Night closure. |
| Trout | Year-round | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | July 1-July 31 | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 1. |
| Aug. 1-Aug. 31 | Closed. | |
| Sept. 1-Sept. 30 | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 1. | |
| Oct. 1-June 30 | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. | |
| Other game fish | Year-round | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| Salmon | Jan. 1-July 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
| Aug. 1-Dec. 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. | |
| from the railroad bridge below I-5 to Modrow Bridge CRC (604) | ||
| All species | Apr. 1-Oct. 31 | Night closure. Anti-snagging rule. |
| Year-round | CLOSED WATERS – from Modrow Bridge downstream to a set of markers approx. 1000’ below the temporary rack, while rack is installed in the river below Modrow Bridge. | |
| Trout | Year-round | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | Year-round | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
| Other game fish | Year-round | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| Salmon | Jan. 1-July 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
| Aug. 1-Dec. 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. | |
| from upstream of the Modrow Bridge to the natural gas pipeline crossing CRC (603) | ||
| All species | Internal combustion motors prohibited. | |
| Apr. 1-Oct. 31 | Night closure. Anti-snagging rule. | |
| Trout | Year-round | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | Year-round | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
| Other game fish | Year-round | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| Salmon | Jan. 1-July 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
| Aug. 1-Dec. 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. | |
| from the natural gas pipeline crossing to the deadline at the intake to the Fallert Creek Hatchery CRC (603) | ||
| All species | Internal combustion motors prohibited. | |
| Apr. 1-Oct. 31 | Night closure. Anti-snagging rule. | |
| Sept. 1-Oct. 31 | Fly fishing only, except use of barbed hooks is allowed. | |
| Trout | Year-round | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | Year-round | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
| Other game fish | Year-round | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| Salmon | Jan. 1-July 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
| Aug. 1-Dec. 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. | |
| from intake of the Fallert Creek Hatchery to 1,000’ below fishway at Kalama Falls Hatchery CRC (603) | ||
| All species | Internal combustion motors prohibited. | |
| Trout | Year-round | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | Year-round | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
| Other game fish | Year-round | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| Salmon | Jan. 1-July 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
| Aug. 1-Dec. 31 | Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. | |
| from 1,000’ below fishway to 1,000’ above fishway at Kalama Falls Hatchery | ||
| All species | CLOSED WATERS. | |
| from 1,000’ above fishway at Kalama Falls hatchery upstream to Summers Creek CRC (602) | ||
| All species | Selective gear rules, except barbed hooks are allowed. | |
| Trout | Year-round | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | Year-round | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
| Other game fish | Year-round | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| from Summers Creek upstream to the intersection of 6000 and 6420 Rds. CRC (602) | ||
| All species | Fly fishing only, except barbed hooks are allowed. | |
| Trout | Year-round | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | Year-round | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
| Other game fish | Year-round | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| from the intersection of 6000 and 6420 Rds. to 6600 Rd. Bridge immediately downstream of Jacks Creek CRC (602) | ||
| All species | Selective gear rules, except barbed hooks are allowed. | |
| Trout | Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30 | Min. size 14”. Daily limit 2. |
| Steelhead (hatchery) | Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30 | Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
| Other game fish | Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30 | Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
| from 6600 Rd. Bridge (just downstream of Jacks Creek) to Kalama Falls and tributaries | ||
| All species | CLOSED WATERS. | |
Emergency Fishing Regulations for the Kalama River
Please refer to WDFW’s emergency rules page for a full list that are in effect until I can get the e-rules automation working fully again.
It’s your responsibility as the recreational angler to know ALL of these rules, not just what is discussed here on the blog.
Forecast for 2022 Kalama River Winter Steelhead
Note: Smolts planted in the 2021 year will predominantly return as 3 year fish in the 2022-2023 winter steelhead season or in the case of summer steelhead, the 2023 summer steelhead season.
What’s exciting about the above bar chart is that 2021 represents an increase in smolt plants for the Kalama River basin, which if combined with improving ocean conditions, chances are decent for having a good season.
While returns have been down of late, with increased smolt plants and improving ocean conditions the 2023 season winter steelhead return could be somewhere between 700 and 900 (guess based on looking at all the factors).
