I've only made a couple of recreational trips on this great river, and would like to learn more about it. The river is smaller than the Deschutes, and the canyon is steeper. There are some easy whitewater sections, some difficult whitewater sections, and an abundance of fish, game, and birds. I know about the winter steelhead and the fall coho. What are the characteristics of the different drifts, and what is the timing of the different fish runs. I understand there is a fish hatchery on Indian land upstream from the town of Klickitat. Is it open to the public? Is there a museum? Are there summer steelhead? Are there Chinook? What is the best information source for this river?
Bill Sanderson
Steelheader

I too would like to know more about this river, as it is not that far from where I live. I have only fished it once--just recently for spring chinook. The day was a bust. Lots of people fishing; I only saw one fish taken. I only fished the lower 2 miles of river. It is very impressive, lots of nice holding water, but access is very difficult to impossible in spots on account of the incredibly steep canyon. At around milepoint 2, the river is forced through a narrow flume formed from a volcanic basalt flow. The river is literally 10 feet wide in spots. As you gaze upstream, it is very difficult to imagine that fish traverse this stretch. It gets most of the Columbia salmon and steelhead runs--summer and winter steelhead, spring and fall chinook; I don't know about the coho--I think it gets a few, but I doubt if there is a sport season on them. Other than that, I don't know very much about the river.

My trips have put in the river right in the town of Klickitat and gone downriver for 5 miles or so. The whitewater was easy, but I have heard stories about difficult sections. There were lots of coho in September, and I imagine there actually is a sport season, but would have to check. I am looking for contact info for someone who can describe each different drift from a navigation viewpoint so I can decide which sections to try next, or if I need a guide to take me through some of it the first time. If so, then who? Thanks.

well i have never fished up there but I have a site that might do you some good it has great information on all that area
click here

Ill be doing a 4 day float down the Klick on the 17-22nd of Sept,Ill post a report when I get back