Cedar River Opener

[RiverChromeGS]

Hey just wondering if anyone here fishes the Cedar River in Seattle which drains into lake Wash. I hear its a great fishery, and am thinking of hitting it early on saturday to see if i can get a look at some uneducated fish that havent seen a fly in 9 months. Ill have a fly rod and spin gear. Any tips on lures/flys and especially location will help. Thanks!

[tnj8222]

Its a local gym. My buddies fav steel river shhhhhhhh.

[racfish]

You cannot keep Steelhead or salmon or trout for that matter out of the Cedar. Its a catch and release river only. Why torture a depleted run just to say you released a fish. My theory is leave that river alone. The tree Huggers in Wa state killed that rivers runs with not wanting to hurt Herschel the sealion and his buddies. I say leave the river alone till there is a run again. The sea lions hurt the river more then St Helens ruined the Toutle. I grew up in South Seattle. Ive fished the Cedar along time. It was an all native run river.Ive caught one of my largest steelies in the Cedar up near Dorre Donne Road area behind the Firestation. Now there isnt access to that stretch cuz of home developement.JMO

[tnj8222]

There is so many fish in that river its not even funny. Nothing wrong with fishing it.

[racfish]

Is their any fish retention from the Cedar Anthony. Sometimes the older you get,what was a rule back then might not be anymore. I blame all my missinformation on age. Plus possibly a couple other things.

[RiverChromeGS]

Hmm, that helped. lol its single barbless catch and release for 3 months in summer only when theres no steel. june july august for trout. Anyways, i ended up getting 25 fish, most between 12-15 inches, with the exception of a 16, 19 and lost (dang barbless) and estimated 22-24 inch rainbow. just swinging anything ugly, big wooly buggers or terrestrials.

[LittleTrib]

tnj I dunno if you're trying to be funny or what? Please don't tell me your buddy actually fishes it for steelhead.
It seems like I almost always run into a poacher fishing bait on the Cedar. It's amazing how these native trout in our own backyards have made such a rebound during the long closure, it would be a shame to lose em.

[returnofthefish]

How long has the Cedar River been closed to rentention of fish and why? Endangered wild Steelhead or Sockeye?

[tnj8222]

tnj I dunno if you're trying to be funny or what? Please don't tell me your buddy actually fishes it for steelhead.
It seems like I almost always run into a poacher fishing bait on the Cedar. It's amazing how these native trout in our own backyards have made such a rebound during the long closure, it would be a shame to lose em.

I have seen the bait aswell. Go to the mouth during summer and somebody will be using worms. He mostly just fishes it for trout. No bait

[G-Man]

How long has the Cedar River been closed to rentention of fish and why? Endangered wild Steelhead or Sockeye?

It was closed in the mid 80's to any fishing period. I don't recall when they started to open it in the summer for C&R trout fishing. Poachers and Sea Lions killed off the native steelhead, which ran on the large side, in this river. If you read the regs, you'll notice that it is C&R for trout only, you are allowed to keep pikeminnow, suckers, bass, etc. If you do fish the river, I encourage you to take the pikeminnows and suckers home for crab bait or fertilizer as they eat the smolts, eggs and reduce the available food for the more desireable fish. As a steelhead river, it is just about dead, it is however making a comeback in the coho and chinook department. Fair warning, I will call enforcement if I see violations while on the Cedar and I guarantee they will show.