Many jet sledders and drift boaters are turning to free-drifting or side-drifting to cover more water. Pulling Hot Shots and other diving plugs still works. Bank anglers score with plugs, spoons, spinners, floats and jigs, roe, or sand shrimp. A jig pattern that is especially productive is called the Nightmare. It has a pearl white head, blood red body and black marabou tail.

On the Snoqualmie, the fish are headed back to the Tokul Creek hatchery and can be ambushed along the way. The most popular stretch is from the mouth of Tokul Creek to Carnation/Fall City. The area near the mouth of the Tolt and several hundred feet up the Raging River are also good bets. If the Snoqualmie is blown out, the nearby Skykomish and Green River are good options less than an hour's drive away.

For river information, visit http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt.

SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
Plan to start fishing the Cowlitz River for winter steelhead in December. According to river guide Mike "Bear" Pallas of Bear's Fishing (360-740-0583), the river's winter run hasn't been as good in recent years. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is trying to sort out a strategy for stocking the river with hatchery smolts that will survive and produce better returns.

Still, the Cowlitz remains one of the best steelhead rivers in the state. You'll find the hatchery fish in good numbers by December and spread throughout the river by January, with the big native fish showing up in February and March. Cowlitz steelhead average 7 to 17 pounds. Try the stretch below Blue Creek, and upstream at the Barrier Dam. Prospect for steelhead in rippled water that runs 3 to 9 feet deep at about the speed of a brisk walk.

For information on stream flows on the Cowlitz, Nisqually, Wynoochee and Green rivers, call Tacoma Power's Fishing and Recreation Line, (888) 502-8690.

Since the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens the Toutle River's winter runs haven't returned to their former glory, but thanks to the work of WDFW biologists, returns have been consistent. A 125-foot earthen dam was constructed a few miles upstream from Kid Valley to control flooding. Biologists truck steelhead around this migration barrier to keep fish using the spawning habitat. Returns fluctuate between 175 and 410 winter steelhead each year.

You'll want to consider fishing the Chehalis and the Satsop for big fish in February and March. The Satsop has turned out a fair number of 20-pounders and at least one in the 30-pound range in recent years.

The Kalama is one of those rivers that can produce a lot of fish but is often spotty during the winter run. Keep an eye on this one as the season progresses. For local information, call Pritchard's Western Angler at (360) 673-4690.

The North Fork Lewis River's hatchery steelhead will show up in force in December and January. By February, fish should be spread throughout the Lewis River system.

EASTERN WASHINGTON
In eastern Washington, winter steelheaders target summer fish. To predict the fishing in December, anglers look to the July and August fish passage reports over Bonneville Dam (www.dfw.state.or.us).

When summer runs are good, you can find steelhead on the Snake River and the Grande Ronde in December. These are active fish that will take a fly. Patterns to try include green and Red Butt Skunks, Woolly Buggers, Muddler Minnows, leeches and bead flies. To fish on the surface, try skating Bomber patterns.

Spinners and diving plugs are effective methods for taking fish in these waters. Or try cured roe or whole bay shrimp under a float. Tim Johnson, of FishHawk Guides (888-548-8896) prefers this method. "Use a levelwind reel, park the boat in the hole above the fish. Let the line run and drift down through the hole. When the bobber goes under, put your thumb on the spool and set the hook."