Skagit River Bull Trout: Streamer Fly Fishing Lessons from the Water

Streamer fishing the Skagit River for bull trout — key setups, fly picks, and depth strategies for more hookups.

Words by Greg Sisson. Images by Andy Lockey and Greg Sisson.

Big water and big scenery — casting deep into turquoise Skagit runs. | Andy Lockey

Some fishing days start with a perfect plan. Others start with a change of plans. Sometimes, those are the most memorable.

We’d planned to fish the Sauk River, but cloudy water made it unfishable. Our guide, Andy Lockey of River Dog Outfitters, quickly shifted gears. He loaded us into the drift boats for a float down the upper Skagit instead. It turned out to be a beautiful choice.

We put in near the entrance to North Cascades National Park and drifted down to Marblemount, watching the morning light spill over the peaks and the river wind through its glacial valley. Robert, Bart, and Larry had floated this stretch the day before, picking up three bull trout and a small rainbow.

Thumbs up! OFF Vice President Vince Portacci (left) and Secretary Paul Goldberg (right) after a day of streamers on the Skagit River. | Greg Sisson

Our day was a little leaner in terms of hookups — no bulls to the net — but several big ones charged our flies. And the river gave us plenty to talk about. Between chasing fish, changing wind, and deep holding water, we left with more than just memories. We left with a handful of lessons worth sharing.

When the wind came up, one of our group was punching that fly right out there. But as I learned (and re-learned), getting your fly out is one thing. Getting it down into the strike zone is another — especially when you’re dealing with ledges and faster current.

If the fish had been holding in 3 to 4 feet of water, we probably would’ve found more hookups. But they weren’t. They were in that 6 to 8-foot range in the deeper pools, and maybe even deeper in the slow slack pockets.

Bull Trout Quick Facts

• Native char species found in cold, clean rivers of the Pacific Northwest

• On the Skagit, many are migratory, following salmon to feed on eggs and fry

• Washington regulations require all bull trout to be released unharmed (barbless hooks only)

• Often targeted with streamers that imitate baitfish or salmon smolts

  
  

Robert Andersen wading in heavy current — streamer fishing demands patience and persistence. | Andy Lockey

Lesson 1 – Match Your Setup to the Water Depth

The day before our float, Robert Andersen landed three bulls using a setup that proved well-suited to the river’s depth and current. He shared the details so the rest of us could learn from it:

“I was using a 6wt Echo Boost Salt 8’9” rod, one of their heaviest rods designed to fling heavy flies in the salt. I was using a short 7’ Rio Skagit T14 sink tip, which sinks 9” per second. It was much better to cast than the 10’ version I started with.”

💡 Key Takeaway: Shorter, heavy sink tips can help you get deep without sacrificing casting control, especially in windy conditions.

Recommended Gear Checklist for Skagit River Fly Fishing

Success on the Skagit often comes down to matching your gear to the size of the river and the depth where bull trout hold.

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While setups vary by angler, the following checklist covers the core equipment that proved useful — or that we wished we’d had — on this trip. It’s a solid starting point for anyone planning a Skagit float or wade with streamers in hand.

• Rod: 6–8 wt, fast action, 9’ or shorter for heavy flies and wind.

• Reel: Large arbor with strong drag (these fish pull hard).

• Line: Skagit head or integrated sink tip system.

• Sink Tips: Multiple densities (T-8 through T-14 or heavier).

• Leader/Tippet: 0X–2X fluorocarbon for abrasion resistance.

• Flies: Weighted baitfish streamers, 3–5 inches, with realistic movement.

• Extras: Wading staff, polarized glasses, and a hook file.

A good crew makes any day on the river better — swapping stories between runs. | Andy Lockey

Lesson 2 – Adjust Sink Tip Length and Density to the Current

Larry Tice, an experienced stream fisher, reminded us that not all sink tips are created equal. The “right” one depends on the water in front of you:

“For pocket water fishing, a relatively short 5–7 ft sink tip might be just fine. Much easier to cast a shorter sink tip. A longer and heavier one is better suited to fast water and long runs like we had yesterday, where you’re trying to keep the fly suspended in the strike zone for as long as possible. (It’s just harder to cast.)”

He also noted that lighter-weight flies on a sink tip often have better action than heavily weighted patterns. On this trip, though, the speed of the water worked against us:

“Yesterday the water was generally too fast to give the fly more time to sink — the fly would ride high and dash past you without reaching the depth the fish were holding at. This is the problem I was having.”

💡 Key Takeaway: Use shorter, lighter tips in shallow or broken water. Go heavier and longer in deep, fast runs but be ready to sacrifice casting ease for depth control.

Olympic Fly Fishers members work a broad Skagit River run with streamers, while the River Dog Outfitters drift boat rests mid-river under a bluebird sky. | Andy Lockey

Lesson 3 – Carry Multiple Sink Tips and Experiment

Larry carries three sink tips he can attach to either a floating line or a dedicated sink tip fly line. But even his usual selection wasn’t enough for the Skagit that day:

“NONE of the tips I regularly carry were up to the conditions yesterday. A dedicated type 6 sinking tip line would have been a bare minimum, with a heavy sink tip added to that if necessary. The sink tip Robert gave me was about as heavy as they get… maybe 2X as heavy as the ones I carry for most trout fishing conditions.”

Depth Control Tricks

• Stack the odds: Combine a fast-sinking line with a short, heavy tip for extra punch.

• Count it down: After the cast, let the fly sink for 3–8 seconds before starting the retrieve.

• Angle your cast: Casting slightly upstream gives the fly more time to sink before it swings.

• Mend early: A big upstream mend can slow the swing and keep the fly deeper longer.

A bright rainbow trout brought to hand on the Skagit River — its pink lateral stripe and heavy spotting make it easy to tell apart from a bull trout. | Greg Sisson

Flies for Skagit Bull Trout

Bull trout are aggressive, predatory fish — especially when they’re following salmon or targeting baitfish. On the Skagit, that means flies should do two things well:

1. Match the local menu — sculpin, smelt, salmon parr, and juvenile whitefish are common food sources.

2. Trigger a reaction — big profile, lifelike movement, and colors that stand out in glacial water.

These patterns have proven reliable for Skagit bulls, either from our own outings or from trusted local sources:

Dolly Llama (black/white or olive/white, sizes 2–6)

The go-to for many bull trout anglers. Its articulated design and rabbit strip body give it a lifelike, flowing action that works on both the swing and the strip. Black/white is a top choice in clear water; olive/white or chartreuse/white can be more visible in slightly stained conditions.

Articulated Sculpin (olive, brown, or mottled, sizes 4–6)

Designed to mimic the Skagit’s abundant sculpin, these flies get down quickly and stay in the zone. Fish them low and slow along ledges or strip them across the current in softer pockets.

Skagit release — a wild rainbow trout shows off its colors before swimming free. | Andy Lockey

Clouser Minnows (olive/white, chartreuse/white, pink/white, sizes 2–6)

Simple, effective, and versatile. Clousers ride hook-point up, reducing snags, and their jigging motion is deadly in faster runs. Olive/white and chartreuse/white are standards, while pink/white can trigger aggressive follows during salmon fry migrations.

Intruders (olive, white, pink, or combinations, 3–5 inches)

Originally tied for steelhead, these big-profile flies also draw savage strikes from bull trout. The long, flowing materials pulse in the current, making them ideal for swinging through broad runs. Olive and white are consistent performers; pink can shine in low-light conditions.

Rabbit Strip Zonkers (natural, black, or olive, sizes 2–6)

An easy tie and a great choice for tight quarters. Zonkers have a strong side-to-side kick on the strip and can be tied weighted or unweighted. Natural or olive matches local forage; black creates a strong silhouette in deep pools.

💡 Tip: Match fly weight to your sink tip. With a heavy tip, you can get away with unweighted or lightly weighted flies for better action. In slower, shallower runs, a lighter tip with a weighted fly can help you reach depth without hanging up.

Anchored on the gravel bar while anglers cover a side channel with streamers. | Andy Lockey

Why This Trip Was Still a Win

Would I do this trip again? Absolutely. I can see why some fishers are hooked on throwing streamers. It’s an active, problem-solving style of fishing that keeps you learning.

And when you’re standing in beautiful Skagit River water with a shot at a big bull trout, it’s hard not to enjoy the challenge.

I’m looking forward to returning this fall when bulls are following the salmon. Andy is one of the best teaching guides I’ve met — always improving his own skills and passing them on to clients.

Big thanks to my fellow anglers for sharing their knowledge and trying something new.

Holding steady on the bank — one angler works the seam while the drift boat waits in softer water nearby. | Andy Lockey

Streamer Addict’s Glossary

Pocket Water: Short, turbulent sections of a river between rocks or ledges, often holding fish.

Sink Tip: A fly line with a sinking front section to get the fly down while allowing easier casting.

T-14: Tungsten-coated sink tip material, “T” for tungsten, “14” for grains per foot.

Swing: Presenting the fly by letting it drift across the current under tension.

Intruder: A large-profile fly designed to entice predatory fish with movement and silhouette.

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Greg Sisson, president of Olympic Fly Fishers of Edmonds, turns club outings into living notebooks — capturing the clarity of the water, the flies that worked, and the moments that made the day. A dedicated fly tyer and stillwater angler, he sees documenting trips as a way to pass along hard-earned lessons and keep the club’s shared knowledge alive. For Greg, these reports are less about tallying fish and more about building community on and off the water.