Most of the time, drift-boaters opt to beach their crafts and fish tight, deep spots. Whenever you wade to cast, make sure to keep each step upstream about half a gait, instead of a full stride. Smaller steps in a current will lessen the noise pollution that all steelhead hate. Wading downriver should be done with a three-quarter gait. Downstream currents can cause waders to take bigger steps than needed, which can then cause boots to slip.

For fishermen who want to hike in and wade, there are more well known trails on the east side of the river. Hikers should pack light and remember that packing out a fish is a real possibility.

BOGACHIEL RIVER
Upriver, next to the Sol Duc, is the Bogachiel River, the subject of a number of videos about fishing and which truly exemplifies what winter steelheaders are all looking for in the way of adventure.

Nick Amato, editor of Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine, and author Bill Herzog have written extensively about the prolific amount of fish here. This river, called "The Bogy" by locals, produces absolutely huge trophy fish. Last year, it produced nearly 3,000 adult winter steelhead, making it one of the Pacific Northwest's most productive systems.

To get to the Bogy above the Calawah, take State Route 101 into Forks, and go left onto Bogachiel Way. There is a put-in and fishing access below the rearing pond hatchery. To get down near the Sol Duc, head straight through Forks on 101 and turn west onto Highway 110, also called La Push Road.

After about 5 miles, there is access to the river for bank and boat fishing. Further west on the road's left-hand side is a roughly one-mile trail that leads to the river.

The Bogy is much wider than the Sol Duc and much friendlier to drift-boats. One of the favorite fishing techniques on this river is backtrolling chrome and metallic-blue Hot Shots. Many drift-fishermen prefer to run heavy terminal gear, short leaders, and small spinners when the river runs turbid and visibility is near zero.

Where tributaries meet, tie on a spoon and jig it. In these areas you'll find deep pools, some running more than 12 feet deep. When fishing these deeper pools, use spoons heavier than 1/4 ounce to get to the bed. Lighter spoons will catch currents and flutter downstream.

Fish spoons below each tributary, making sure to fish seams closest to the bank first. This is where most steelhead hold before moving upriver. Cast on the other side of the seam, too.

Wide-bodied spoons jigged slowly get hard strikes. Conversely, the fastest way to put fish off the bite is to jig fast. During high-pressure systems, the shine from fast-moving jigs spooks steelies. So the trick is to fish with a slow up-and-down motion, and let the spoon do all the work.

The great thing about fishing with spoons is you never have to wonder if a steelhead has struck. When the fish hits, it'll head straight to the surface and explode out of the water.

If you get tired of catching big Bogy steelies, or if the bite turns off, head on over to the Calawah. You won't have far to go.

CALAWAH RIVER
The Calawah River is also famous. Since most harvested fish are not officially reported, most Washingtonians are unaware that it is a highly prized secret. This honey of a river has more easy-access points than the previous two rivers and can be fished from boat or bank. But bank access on the upper reaches makes it great to walk. Anglers who want to drift can put in near 101 and float on down to wider stretches that most bank anglers can't get to. Access trails near 101 on the Olympic Loop Highway.