Wade68/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Washington reports
Fly fishing report · Pacific Northwest
Quinault River
Is Quinault River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Washington before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Generated artwork: BlueStreamFly · Regional illustration; not the exact location.
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Caution
Maybe. Read the cautions first.
68
No clear best access mode. Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 9:36 PM PDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge68/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Float68/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Your plan
Today's Quinault River plan.
The Quinault gives anglers a bigger valley and more developed orientation points than the Queets, but it still demands the same discipline about flow, access, and current rules. Use RiverReports for the quick chart, keep USGS 12039380 open for the official backstop above the lake, and check both Washington and Olympic National Park rules before you assume salmon or steelhead opportunity is current.
- Check first
- Flow note: the live score now reads USGS 12039500 at Quinault Lake as the official backstop instead of the no-current above-lake station.
- Try
- Use the upper-river gauge to frame the day, then read the actual water at your access point before you rig.
- Leave when
- Skip when storm damage affects roads, rules are uncertain, the river is rising, or the plan blurs upper-river wading with lower-river boat context.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 348 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 58°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 70.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 19%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Slight Chance Rain Showers
- Wind
- 0 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Quinault River near Quinault, Washington
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Quinault River at Quinault Lake
How to fish it
How to fish Quinault River today.
The Quinault is at its best when the upper-river trend is stable or dropping, valley roads are open, and you have a section-by-section plan above or below the lake rather than a vague all-day roam. If storm damage or rule uncertainty enters the picture, simplify fast.
Stable moderate flow
Best for upper-river wading, nymphing, and realistic bar access.
Storm rise
Wait it out. Valley roads may stay open while the river itself stops being reasonable.
Low clear summer flow
Shift toward stealth and trout or cutthroat-style expectations.
Big autumn water
Good only when the legal target and safe access are both clearly defined.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Tailout
- A tailout is the shallow, slower water at the lower end of a pool.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Dry-dropper
- A dry-dropper rig has a floating fly with an underwater fly tied below it.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
- Streamer
- A streamer is a fly that looks like a small fish, leech, or other swimming food.
- Terrestrial
- Terrestrials are land insects, such as ants, beetles, and grasshoppers.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 348 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1912-2025, 112 readings) show a median near 674 cfs and a low-water marker near 403 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
Best mode nowUse caution
Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Better for scouting, cutthroat, and lighter valley fishing expectations.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 58F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 70F. Slight Chance Rain Showers.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use the above-lake gauge as a trend signal, then read the actual water at your access. Stable or dropping flow with open roads is best.
Skip when storm damage affects roads, rules are uncertain, the river is rising, or the plan blurs upper-river wading with lower-river boat context.
Base around Lake Quinault, check current rules and the upper-river trend, then choose an upper-valley bank/wade plan or a clearly separate lower-river option.
Compare Queets for a wilder plan, Hoh for a Highway 101 read, or Bogachiel for easier Forks-area public access.
What to try
Quinault River flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Winter
What to look forSparse midges, stonefly nymph activity, egg windows around salmon and steelhead water
Spring
What to look forSkwala-style stoneflies, March browns, caddis, streamer windows in dropping flow
SummerCurrent
What to look forCaddis, small mayflies, terrestrials on softer edges and side channels
Flies to try
Also try hopper-dropper
Fall
What to look forCaddis, October caddis, eggs, and baitfish-style streamer windows around salmon traffic
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Quinault River access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Check Washington sport fishing rules, current emergency rule changes, and Olympic National Park rules before fishing the Quinault. Reach boundaries, steelhead and salmon rules, and park-specific handling requirements all matter.
Lake Quinault valley area
The main public orientation zone for roads, ranger information, and day-use access.
Upper river above Quinault Lake
Best fit for the official upper-river gauge used on this page.
North Shore Quinault River Bridge lower-river context
Important boundary for boat-permitted planning.
Storm damage can affect valley roads and trailheads even when the river looks reasonable on a chart.
Upper-river and lower-river plans should not be blurred together just because they share the same river name.
The valley is accessible by Olympic standards, but the river still deserves big-river caution.
River sources
Official Quinault River sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report starts with official regulation, access, flow, weather, and public-land sources, then adds practical planning guidance for fly anglers.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 11 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick Quinault River answers.
What gauge should I check for the Quinault River?
Use USGS 12039500 Quinault River at Quinault Lake as the readable official flow backstop for the score. The older above-lake station did not return current readable discharge during the July 6 review.
Can I fish the Quinault from a boat?
Olympic National Park says fishing from a boat is permitted below the North Shore Quinault River Bridge, so boat plans should stay tied to that lower-river context and current rules.
Why is the Quinault a better fallback than the Queets for many anglers?
Because the valley has more developed orientation points, road information, and public visitor infrastructure, which makes it easier to build a disciplined day without the same level of remoteness.