If this all sounds a bit confusing, just fish the Salmon the way nearly everyone else does, by concentrating on the section in the national park.

All you need to do is turn off Highway 101 onto the Queets River Road. (The sign says "Lower Queets Valley.") Drive about a mile to the bridge and park. Although this lies in the absolute heart of the Olympic Peninsula rain forest, one of the most remote places in the state, you often see a dozen or more cars along the road when fresh fish are in the river.

For years, a well-worn fisherman's trail has led anglers downstream along the right bank of the river. Less well-defined "elk-angler" trails have led in other directions.

In December 2007, however, the devastating windstorm and flooding made the path to the mouth impassable in many spots. That requires you to bushwhack around blowdowns and other obstructions.

In addition, during one of last winter's floods, the Queets flooded through an old alder bottom directly into the Salmon, and the nature of the bottom in several areas has also changed. In other words, even if you're a longtime regular, this winter you'll have to find your way and learn the river again.

TOKUL CREEK

One of the Snoqualmie River's major tributaries, Tokul Creek has been one of western Washington's most consistently productive "small" steelhead streams for decades.

Ten years ago, during the 1998-99 winter steelhead season, anglers took 530 fish, with 232 of them caught in January and 127 in February.

During 2001-02, 650 steelhead were recorded. The tallies for January and February, respectively, were 249 and 121. Two years ago, the numbers were still good, at 376 for January and 183 in February.

Unlike most steelhead rivers, Tokul Creek has a delayed winter steelhead opener. The section downstream of the Fish Hatchery Road Bridge is open from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28.

According to Andrew Moravec, of Three Rivers Marine and Tackle, the creek's productivity in February depends on how much of the river is open.

"The best water is above the bridge," he said. "Some years it's open, and sometimes it's not. When it is open, they do real well."

One of the most popular spots is the "big eddy" at the confluence of Tokul Creek and the Snoqualmie. As you move up into the creek, the water becomes faster and shallower.

"The main setup there is a 12- to 15-inch leader and yarn," Moravec said. "It's a fast-moving creek. Any pocket that's three feet long can hold a steelhead."

CASCADE RIVER
Flowing into the Skagit River at the community of Marblemount, the Cascade River is the only "creek" covered in this article with a glacial component to its flow. Though it's larger than your typical creek, it's still possible to fish from its bank.

Small-water tactics, such as yarn-and-bobbers and spoons, also work well.

It receives a substantial plant of hatchery steelhead, usually more than 100,000. When it's in shape, it can provide good fishing during the early season, often yielding as many as 200 steelhead a month in December and January. By late January, the bulk of the hatchery run is over, and the crowds thin out considerably.