Pilchuck Creek runs into the north channel of the main Stilly (which splits
just below I-5 to form the island on which Silvana is located). Northbound,
cross the Stilly on the I-5 bridge and take the first exit (it used to be
called Kackman Road but now has some numerical designation which I can't
remember), Take a left on Kackman Road and cross back over the freeway.
>From there you have two options: continue to the Pilchuck Creek bridge which
you can see straight ahead. Park on the wide shoulder on the south side of
the road and go underneath the bridge; there is a hole under the bridge
that's too deep to wade, so take the trail upstream for a short distance.
There is probably a half mile of water from the Pilchuck bridge to I-5. The
other option is to take the first right after coming across the freeway and
to follow the road that parallels the west side of I-5. Park near the
bridge adjacent to the I-5 bridges over Pilchuck Creek and fish upstream as
far as your legs will take you. Pilchuck is managed under selective gear
rules, but gets baitfished pretty heavily by the locals. It has good
numbers of cutthroat in the fall (I've caught fresh, bright sea-run
cutthroat in the Stilly at the mouth of Pilchuck Creek as late as February
while steelheading) and a few steelhead. It's a fair sized creek but there
are lots of steep banks, blackberries, brush, etc. so practice your roll and
steeple casts and keep an eye behind you. Pilchuck, by the way is from the
Chinook jargon for "red water" and the creek's waters are that red-brown tea
color typical of tannic streams.
