The Bogachiel River is located close to the heart of Olympic Peninsula’s best fishing region. Forks, Washington lays claim as the Steelhead capital of the Pacific Northwest, and “the Bogey” is among one of its most productive rivers. Expect to see some fine fishing for Salmon and Steelhead throughout its fishing season.
Originating from the rainforest interior of the Olympic National Park, this river’s flows are sourced mainly from rainfall and springs high in the foothills of the Olympic Mountain Range and offers anglers a river that usually holds clear unless torrential rains hit our coast, then it is one of the first to blow out and muddy up.
Getting Around the Bogachiel River?
The Bogachiel River originates in the Olympic National Park, draining the southwestern slopes of the Olympic Mountains through a heavily forested valley that receives some of the highest annual rainfall totals in the United States. From its mountain origins, the river flows through the town of Forks before joining with the Sol Duc River to form the Quillayute River, the system’s mainstem conduit to the Pacific Ocean.
The primary access corridor for anglers is Highway 101, which crosses the Bogachiel south of Forks and provides access to the lower river through a network of county roads and state land parcels. Bogachiel State Park, located approximately six miles south of Forks on Highway 101, provides a good accessible public fishing spot, with parking, camping facilities and direct river access.
The lower Bogachiel is mainly accessible by drift boat and raft, but there is a little fishing at Leyendecker Park at the confluence of the Bogachiel and Sol Duc. Take La Push Road (Hwy 110) to Mora Road to get there.
Bogachiel Way in Forks will take you west to the Bogachiel Hatchery, where most of the action happens during the peak of the salmon and hatchery steelhead seasons. Ample bank access, parking and a boat launch make this an obvious starting point for people exploring the river for the first time. You can also hike up and explore the lower reaches of the Calawah River from here.
Upriver from Highway 101, the Bogachiel River meanders through private property, with some bank access off Undi Road, including the trailhead for the Bogachiel River Trail, a jumping off point for access to fishing in the Olympic National Park. Hiking here is classified as difficult but offers access to some amazing trout fishing. Fishing regulations in the park are different from the rest of the river, so make sure you know where you’re at and review current Washington State regulations and Olympic National Park fishing rules before you go.
Bogachiel River Fishing Map
Bogachiel River Fishing Seasons
Most of the Bogachiel’s fishing calendar revolves around ocean going salmon and steelhead that return to the Quillayute River system, many making their way up to natural spawning grounds throughout the Bogachiel, or to the Bogachiel Hatchery, which raises a ton of salmon and steelhead.
Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout reside in the river year-round, and a number of sea-run fish will migrate up into the river during the late summer and fishing can be good even in the lower river. However, most of the efforts are higher in the river system, especially within the Olympic National Park. These fish offer a great light-tackle experience.
For Bogachiel River trout, try casting spinners and spoons in the river’s deeper riffles and runs.
Summer Steelhead can be caught in the river as early as June. Most are hatchery-origin but there are a number of wild-origin Summer Steelhead to be found in the Bogachiel. While there is a lot of action around the Bogachiel Hatchery, these fish will stray throughout the river system for most of the summer and fall, so feel free to explore!
Summer Steelhead love a bobber and jig, or try casting spinners or spoons.
Fall Chinook Salmon enter the river as early as September but the peak of the fishing season is usually October. Fall rains that lift the river levels will trigger a huge push of these powerful fish, so keep an eye on the forecast!
Coho Salmon also enter the river as early as September, but the big push happens in October. Salmon fishing is usually open from the mouth up to the Highway 101 Bridge, but definitely the lower stretch up to the hatchery is peak.
Fresh coho in the Bogachiel's clear water are aggressive and acrobatic, responding to a broader range of presentations like spinners, spoons, twitching jigs and plugs.
Winter Steelhead draw a huge crowd to the Bogachiel River. Starting in November, the first push of fin-clipped hatchery fish will enter the system, the kick-off to months of fishing. By January most of the hatchery steelhead have been caught or pushed up into the hatchery creek, and the start of the wild fish migration is beginning to build. The catch and release season for wild steelhead peaks in February and usually remains strong until they close the river, lately it has been open through the end of March.
Fishing on the Bogachiel River
The Bogachiel River’s solid variety salmon and steelhead returns make it a favorite fishing option for most of the year. From the early summer opener through the late winter closure, anglers find some great fishing throughout the system.
River flows are healthy in the spring, giving Summer Steelhead plenty of water to swim around during the first month of fishing. By July, river levels usually drop to low and clear, making fishing more of a stealthy endeavor. Salmon will enter the system even before the fall rains swell the river’s flow again, but once that first fall freshet happens, thousands of salmon push up and spread out throughout the lower river. From that first big fall rain system to the end of the Steelhead season, the river continuously changes from clear to perfect to too-high. Matching the tactic to the current conditions is the assignment.
When major rains wash over the Olympic Peninsula, the Bogachiel is usually one of the first to flood. The 24-hour change can be dramatic, but fishing the river on the drop can give you some of the best fishing of your life!
Bogachiel River in Olympic National Park
A large stretch of the Bogachiel River flows out of the Olympic National Park, through some wild country. The valley narrows and the river flows through impressive stands of old growth temperate rainforest. The Bogachiel River Trail follows the river past some sweeping gravel bars that will give you access to some great trout fishing. While the trail is in a constant state of repair, the semi-difficult hike is worth the effort. Check out Olympic National Park Fishing Rules for specifics on the season and regulations.
Seattle Fishing Co. Gear Recommendations
- Blue Fox Vibrax Spinners
- Steelhead Slammer Spinners
- Aerojig Twitching Jigs
- Yakima Bait Mag Lips
- Luhr Jensen Kwikfish
- Little Cleo Spoons
- Aerojig Steelhead Jigs
- BnR Soft Beads
- BnR Steelhead Worms
