Unfortunately yes......it is becoming the norm......make a trip down south or out west where the rivers stay open longer if not all year.......good luck 
Yeah, if you want to experience steelheading in Jan/Feb/Mar even, I think this is about the only option for now. Although, I am not sure how long these other areas will hold out. I see more boats out west now and they are showing up earlier and earlier each year-presumably because so many other places getting closed earlier or closed all together. Just like they are doing with certain types of hunting, putting more and more people in smaller and smaller areas. If the nets/sealions/otters don't wipe them out, WDFW will find a way.