The
valley rcvd its first major snow on the morning of the 25th. Although
most of it is gone it certaily added to the festive occasion of
Thanksgiving. Mr Weather is calling for highs in the mid to upper
30's and lows in the upper 20's, with a chance of snow here and
there. The winter fishing is in full swing as we speak and here
are a few pointers that will help you catch more fish during one
of my favorite times of the year on the Yakima...
Spent yesterday on the water with the
Decker party...lots of fish caught, not too many big ones but
definitely a good number of hook-ups! Happy birthday Ed! A big
thanks to Jason for organizing the event and another big thanks
to George and Norma Jean Reece for the after fishing dining at
their "Fishing Cabin"
jack
Yakima
River Report for Nov 20, 2005
The Yakima
river is a ditto as below.......come fish with us on the Yakima
during the non-busy season; you won't be disappointed!
Winter rate is $225.00 per boat. Includes Rods and reels
if needed, lunch, flies and all your guides wisdom.
fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Nov 14, 2005
The Yakima
river is fishing quite good right now. The nymphing has
been very productive with stone flies, midge pupa and various
other small/medium size nymphs. The streamer action isn't
half bad as well! Water temps a ranging from 41 to 44.
Stripping streamers as well as the swing can be productive.
Watch for midge hatches
as we have been seeing a few in the flats and shallows. There
are a few Baetis about as well.
fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Nov 7, 2005
The mega Baetis hatches
we were seeing have slowed way down. Streamers and nymphs
are the major game currently. There are a few fish on Baetis
here and there...keep the eyes peeled! The fishing is average
to good....
fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Oct 31, 2005
Want to say thanks to everyone who showed
up and to everyone who helped out for the Second Annual Customer
Appreciation Day. It was a great time and we trust next year will
be as successful.
The Yakima
is real low and clear.
The hatches have been quite thick in the afternoon....in
fact prolific, in the Lower Canyon. Water temps are definitely
cooler than a week ago. In the Lower Canyon they are swinging
from a morning crisp temp of 44.5 to an afternoon balmy 48.5 degrees.
The Farmlands have been
good. The hatch duration not quite as long but certainly
worthy. Nymphing and streamer action early-Yes Sir!
The Upper Canyon
and Flatlands showing very light hatches...however some nice fish
to wrangle with up there. Use the hair wing attractors
religiously in the Upper Canyon and Flatlands. H&L Variants,
Royal Wullfs and Parachutes and don't forget the Para Adams.
Early in the day, swing some flesh.
Kudos to AEG Angler Exploration Group
for their cutting edge video and fishing prowess. We hope AEG
and the rest of the crew had a fun time down at the tent camp
this weekend- Sak at Xstream Angling, we love you man.
Watch for our holiday specials coming
up! Should be some good ones!
Special winter rates are in effect starting
November 1st
Nov 1
- Feb 28 Winter rates
One Rate $225.00 per
boat (1 or 2 anglers)
Your Yakima Winter
rates trip includes flies, Lunch, tippets and such and of
course all your guides wisdom. All trip rates are based
on two anglers per guide
fish-on, waterside, respectively,
jack
Yakima River Report for
Oct 22, 2005
The Yakima is loooowww and clear.
The same is true with the Methow
and Klickitat. Tiny bugs
are the game on the Yakima during the Fall season, especially
in the lower stretches of the river. I would describe this
time of year as the far and fine season. Light tippets,
spooky fish and tiny morsels. Some of the key ingredients
to successful fishing during this season include...
Presentation
Position
Drag mend
Less line is better
Strategy
Lift and drop
and lastly fly selection! The
fish can be more picky at this time of year in reference to the
offering (Fly Selection). However, as a general rule
I maintain that a well presented fly over the rising fish the
first time, not the tenth time, will usually
catch the fish as long as the fly rendition is a reasonable
offering. Currently some of the reasonable offerings we
have been fishing on the surface or in the surface include...
#16-22
Olive Thread Flies
Swisher Richards No Hackle
Para Extended Body Blue Wings
CDC Down wing Emergers
Sparkle Duns
Floating Pheasant Tails
Floating Baetis Nymphs
Attractors in #16-22 include
H&L Variants
Royal Parachutes and Wulfs
jack
Yakima River Report for
Oct 13, 2005
Just back from
guiding the Methow and it was
good.
According to
the guide staff, the Yakima report is much of the same as the
last report. One added game plan for the arsenal is the
AM hours have been giving up some swing action with a searching
bugger
End of story, Fish-on
and Waterside,
jack
Yakima River Report for
Oct 8, 2005
Just back from
guiding the Klickitat and it
was gooood. Heading to the
Methow manana to guide a few days as it just opened!
The Yakima
has been a little dry game (Baetis) in the Lower Canyon
and presentation is key with the dry fly. Nymphing is
good but producing mega white fish as well. The Farmland
stretch is also sporting decent hatches of Baetis but
not as strong as the Lower Canyon. The Upper Canyon is
spotty but decent with subsurface techniques and a variety of
dry flies here and there. The Upper Flatland stretch is
fishing similar to the Upper Canyon and the Upper
Proper is low, clear and spooky.
End of story, Fish-on
and Waterside,
jack
Yakima River Report for
Oct 1, 2005
The river experienced
a bit of a rise this past 48 hours due to the much needed rains...Fishing
continues to be quite good. The main tributaries all have
increased in flow a bit and should subside rather quickly after
the rains quite, which is predicted today. Refer to the
below report for specifics!
Fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Sept 29, 2005
I apologize
for the delay on posting a Yakima report. While the Yakima
has been great fishing I have personally been gone chasin' and
guidin' Summer Steelhead....and it has been fun. Stats
over the last week are something like 37 hookups...approximately
20 or so on nymphs and the remainder on the swing. The challenge
is landing them buggers as they are hot and strong. I have
seen some incredible displays of the anadromous heart lately.
Pretty
cool.
Back to the Yak...
Our guide crew
has been quite busy here on the Yakima. The weather
and fishing has been incredibly nice over the last week with cool
nights and warm days. The
hatches have been fairly predictable
in isolated zones and times in both the Farmlands and Lower Canyon.
The predominant bug....Baetis. The Upper Canyon has been
OK activity and the Upper Flatlands and Upper Proper, well, quite
good behind the Salmon; however fading fast.
I would
like to tell you that we have the most incredible little dry fly
here at the shop that always catches-em' on the surface, but to
be quite honest, there are many small patterns that presented
correctly will dupe the trout on the surface. In fact, the
old classic H & L Variant in a size #18-20 has been working
quite well, assuming the fly is presented correctly-Drag free!
This is a hard task to master sometimes as the small bugs are
hard to see and the feeding lane of the trout is quite narrow.
Combine both of those parameters with the low light of the Fall
season and it makes for a challenge. A few pointers
that may help you improve your dry fly skills include terms/phrases
such as ....
Presentation,
Position,
Less line is better,
Lift and drop,
and the
Drag Mend.
One of the
more simpler presentation methods that can be used to catch
trout is the wet fly swing. This technique requires that
the angler cast to a particular zone and the presentation
is based on feel after the cast is made. Utilizing this
particular method currently can be quite effective
prior and during the emergence of any one of the three predominant
mayflies that hatch in the fall. Casting soft hackles down
and across into likely target zones and rising fish is a
great way to get beginners into fish without the frustration
level being raised to a major degree. This method is also
a great way for the more advanced angler to simply enjoy the scenery
and take a less intense route to catchin' the fish. Remember
this, all techniques and styles of fishing the fly have there
own nuances and a great traditional wet fly fisherman is a master
at the craft.
Nymphing can
be a bit more technical as this technique requires the angler
to present the fly drag free, similar to the dry fly and do it
sub-surface. Typically Small nymphs are the ticket
in the Fall.....#14 is big, # 18 the norm and #20-22
needed.. A variety of nymphs can be effective and at times
each day is different. Some times bead-heads are the ticket
and other days more subtle nymphs are the "cats meow"
Adjusting depth, weight and the choice of fly combined
with controlled and calculated presentation especially when angling
by foot is the game-plan while nymphing. Definitely
a thinking game. Currently, there are ample runs in
the system that provide the angler with the opportunity to fish
one zone all day long. A waders paradise.
It looks as
though we will be getting some precipitation here over the next
few days. Maybe the dry fly game won't be as isolated and
time specific as it has been....Wishing you all a great Fall!
Make sure to come visit us at our 2nd Annual
Customer Appreciation Day, Saturday, Oct 22,
2005.
Waterside 365
Rspectfully
and fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Sept 17, 2005
Same report as below different
day!
waterside, fish-on, swing the fly...
jack
Yakima River Report for
Sept 14, 2005
Currently the water temps
are swinging almost 10 degrees in the day. This morning
in the Farmlands the water temp was 56.5 and this afternoon the
water temp is almost 65.
The fishing throughout
the system has been quite good lately. The best rise activity
we have seen has been in the Farmlands and Lower Canyon;
Predominantly Baetis- #18-22's. Soft hackles have proven
to be quite effective, along with the dry fly and nymphs just
under the surface.
There have been a few October
Caddis showing in the Upper River, but no fish really keying in
on the large critters...yet.
waterside, fish-on, swing the fly...
jack
Yakima River Report for
Sept 4, 2005
The river levels are droppin'
and the fishing continues to be rockin'. For those of you
who love the Upper Proper stretch as much as I do, you will be
happy to know that the abnormal flows this particular stretch
has been plagued with over thast 4 weeks are now decreasing rapidly.
The cooler weather we have
seen has produced a few more bugs for us recently...PMD's , PED's,
Caddis and Summer Stones are the predominant bugs dejour.
End of story, waterside
365, respectfully and fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Aug 31, 2005
Just got off the phone
with Jack and fishing is AWESOME! PMD's, Craneflies, Summer
stones, Hoppers and Caddis is rockin the Yakima right now.
Dave
Yakima River Report for
Aug 30, 2005
Fishing is Rockin' and
droppin'.......end of story!
jack
Yakima River Report for
Aug 28, 2005
The overall weather
pattern is cooling and the water temps on the Yakima have
slightly decreased throughout the system. The
water levels will be dropping systematically over the next two
weeks. The wade fishing will be back on track and there will
be ample foot access. Watch for the fishing to do
a change up here shortly. The large October Caddis Larvae
recently migrated in toward the shoreline and sealed itself
off so as to complete its final larvae/pupae stage. Most
likely we should see some adults here within the next 2-3 weeks.
Other insects that should make more of an appearance include...
Crane flies, Baetis, Hydropsyche Caddis and Fall Cahills.
Aside from the upcoming insects, we should also see a decent
amount of Chinook Salmon Spawning activity in the Farmland
stretches and upstream. Current Chinook counts over Roza
for 2005 are at 5589 and the 10 year average is 4397.
Waterside 365 and fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Aug 27, 2005
Night time air temps have been cooling
the waters down significantly. Day time air temps over the
last few days, have been quite warm. The fishing is good
and we are continuing to fish the am until mid afternoons only.
Both dry flies and nymphs have been worthy. Covering water
has been the game for us lately....looking for the opportunistic
fish. Currently, the hatches are most definitely light....watch
for that to changes as things cool down.
Respectfully and fish-on
Yakima River Report for
Aug 22, 2005
It looks as
though the remainder of the month will be cooler overall.
We certainly hope so. All our trips are am to early afternoon
only due to water temps. We have actually been on that track
over the last two weeks with most of our trips. We however
are making it a policy now that we will not take any trips into
the evening.
The dry fly
fishing has been good lately. We wouldn't call it great
but definitely gooood. Fishing the fly tight to banks
and over drop-offs is the game.....
Still looking
forward to some cooler weather.
Fish-on
jack
Yakima River Report for
Aug 14, 2005
Summer rolls
on here, however the hint of Fall is in the air. The rivers'
water temps continue to be marginal, especially from 2pm until
1am. The coolest water temps are between 6am and 10am.
The Bureau of Reclamation
is "changing up" where the water is coming from currently.
Typically the Cle Elum river gives us the most flow but currently
the Bureau of Reclamation is decreasing the Cle Elum River flows
and increasing the Upper Proper flows out of Lake Easton.
In fact, from Lake Easton to the Cle Elum Confluence (The
Upper Proper) the water flows are at an incredibly high
flow and is basically not wader friendly. The Bureau has
been staging that particular stretch of the river up over
the last week.
The fishing continues
to be average to good, utilizing multiple techniques.
We would suggest not fishing streamers with large hooks with
this warm of water temps!
Hoppers and ants are
the best of the dry flies in the am and early afternoon.
The evenings have been producing some decent Caddis, Yellow
Mayflies and Yellow Sallie hatches, yet the water temps
are at there warmest....
The last report talked
about the rubber hatches.....The rubber hatches are not to bad
except for Saturdays in the Lower Canyon. After Labor
day the volume will only be a trickle!
Respectfully,
jack
Yakima River Report for
Aug 7, 2005
"Holy
smokes #***!!$&!!! Batman, do you see all the rubber
boats floating down the river? There are yellow ones, red
ones, grey ones, round ones, square ones"....."Yes Robin,
that is what you call a 'Rubber Hatch', and the hatch today
is incredibly strong!"
Both the Lower
Canyon and Upper Canyon Rubber Hatch's recently have been quite
thick...
Rubber Hatch- This term pertains
to the hypalon and rubber hatch that occurs on hot summer
days.
-
Latin name- Hypalon
Extravaganza Common
name-Rubber Hatch
Order-Human
- Typical
size of the hatch ranges from 100's to 1000's and is heat driven.
Prime air temp for this particular hatch- 95 degrees F
- Listed below are
some other unique factors of this seasonal hatch;
- The
amount of bare skin and aluminum cans present
- Typically
the river is the opposite of "Quiet"
- The Fauna
is generally nowhere to be seen
- Parking can
be difficult
Currently,
we would qualify the fishing as average to good.
Again the am and pm tends to be the best game overall.
Multiple tactics can be used to dupe the trout. We would
recommend not using large hooks on your streamers, as the large
hooks on a streamer can be more of an adversary to Mr. Trout
than we like. Water temps are a bit warm and we are in the same
predicament as many western streams right now. The best
water temps are in the am and that is why many of our trips currently
are in the early am until noon or so. Covering water and
throwing the dry fly to the bank has been the best game-plan lately...other
than Dinkin;
Dinkin (Verb)
- Fishing with a Bobber; or as fly fisherman like to call them-
Strike Indicators
Predominant bugs
Yellow Sally Stone Flies... #16
Yelow May flies...#14-18
Caddis...#14-18
Side notes:
I am personally
looking forward to some cooler weather and swingin' the fly!
Check out our Adventure
Pricing Page for the best of the Fall/Winter!
Swingin' (Verb)
The preferred method of fishing the fly, besides dry fly fishing.
Waterside
365, fish-on and respectfully,
Yakima River Report for
July 31, 2005
The fishing is actually
good considering the heat. We recommend the am or pm game
overall. Dry flies during the day are predominantly
of the terrestrial sort. During the evening and especially
in the last hour and into dark the Caddis (#14-18 tan and grey)
and Yellow May's can be prolific. Nymphing both
shallow and deep has been productive and of course the streamer
is always a good choice.
Water temps continue
to be on the warm side. We are not the only ones in this
predicament as the Clark fork, Bitteroot, Big hole and others
are rather warm as well.
Take care of the fish
and handle as little as possible......no photos!
Waterside 365, jack
Yakima River Report for
July 25, 2005
The river is in great
shape other than the fact that our water temps are too warm!
Fishing has been slow to average during the day time and average
to good in the am and pm, depending on the day. Our
recommendation is to fish the half day currently during the cooler
parts of the day.
Take care of the fish
and handle as little as possible......no photos!
Waterside 365, jack
Yakima River Report for
July 16, 2005
The wind has been a factor
over the last three days as predicted by Mr Weather. It
looks as though we will see a reprieve the next few days.
Fishing has been average; nothing like like the 8th through
the 12th.
Water levels increased
about 300 CFS from the Upper Flatlands down, directly related
from releases out of the Cle Elum reservoir.
Overall gameplan- Nymphing
during the day and evening dry fly fishing.
Waterside 365, jack
Yakima River Report for
July 12, 2005
The summer dry fly fishing
over the past 5 days has been exceptional. Every day is different....
and we understand that "you should have been here yesterday"
means nada, however we predict some good-great dry fly fishing
over the next few weeks.
Waterside 365, jack
Yakima
River Report for July 9, 2005
The fishing yesterday was ROCKIN!
End of Story! If I quoted numbers you wouldn't believe it anyways.
jack
Yakima
River Report for July 7, 2005
The summer fishing rolls on here on
the Yakima. The Summer stonefly activity is in drive....not
overdrive, but most certainly drive. The nymph activity
is strong and the adult activity is average. This
particular emergence is most definitely the strongest and longest
of the Yakima's stonefly emergences-In essence, the premier
stonefly on the Yakima. It also coincides with Hoppertunity
and therefore can make for some decent to great big bug dry fly
action. As of yet, the big dry fly game has
been light. Watch for that to change soon!
Currently the other types of aquatic
insects include...summer Baetis, various yellow mays
#14-18, and a variety of Caddis (predominantly Glossosoma
and Hydropsyche #14-18 Tan and Pale green), # 10 Crane flies
(We have a great pattern in the shop for the Crane fly)
The terrestrial insects include...Grasshoppers,
ants, beetles, snakes, lizards, groundhogs-just kidding on the
last three.
Interesting summer time statistic-
Percentage of terrestrial insect food versus aquatic insect food
found in the stomachs of Rainbow/Cutthroat trout in two different
stretch's of the Yakima.
Upper Canyon(Cle Elum to Thorp) - Approximately
85% Terrestrial
Lower Canyon (Ringer road to Roza) - Approximately
85% Aquatic.
Water temps remain good throughout the
sytem!
waterside 365
jack
Yakima
River Report for June 29, 2005
Contrary to what some
are saying, the fishing is quite good on the Yakima currently.
According to the guide staff the summer stone nymph activity
is heavy with some decent to good dry fly action in the evening.
Watch for that to escalate over the next couple weeks. There
are a variety of bugs available throughout the Yakima system besides
the summer stone and are listed above in the hatch chart.
Water basin levels
are decent considering the amount of snow
pack we rcvd. this past winter. The amount of moisture
we have rcvd this spring has been quite helpfull and a blessing.
Regardless, we will most likely see a lower than normal
flow throughout the last half of the summer...? Water
temps remain good!
Upper Columbia
River Update- 6-29-05
Just back from the UC and the Drakes
were just starting to pop. We had a few evenings that were
quite good as the fish seemed to be seeking out the Drake.
Our June was a bit wetter than normal and the Caddis hatches were
a little sporadic, yet we saw some strong rises.
Watch for the next few weeks to be awesome on the drakes and the
Caddis will continue throughout the Summer. We will be posting
some upcoming available dates for the UC...stay tuned.
fish-on 365
jack
Yakima
River Report for June 26, 2005
Throwing big dries toward
the bank on the move and utilizing the twitch was quite productive
in the evening. Nymph fishing and throwing streamers continues
to produce fish in the numbers throughout the day. Stay in the
farmlands down to the lower canyon if you want the numbers.
Taking off for the summer,
the website probably wont be updated till early July when Jack
gets back from the UC.
Dave
Yakima
River Report for June 24, 2005
Nymph fishing has been
the most productive way to fish on the Yakima right now, particularly
in the farmlands down to the lower canyon. Pay close attention
to the more oxygenated water when fishing. The dry fly action
will definitely pick up here in the next week or two. So until
then run a stone with a dropper in about 2-3 feet of depth under
your indicator (bobber). With the weather being very hot we are
wet wading the river in shorts and wearing lots of sun block.
Dave
Yakima
River Report for June 18, 2005
While the dry fly fishing
hasn't been exceptional lately the guide crew has been able to
fool some of the Yakima trout to the surface, especially in the
evening. The nymph fishing has been quite good and has been the
technique of choice for a major portion of the day. Watch for
the dry summer stonefly activity to be "two thumbs up"
just around the corner as the nymph activity currently is incredibly
active.
The evening PED's and
Eperous mayflies along with various Caddis and summer Baetis make
up the majority of other aquatic insect activity on the system.
The terrestrial insects have also started to be apart of the menu
for the trout, especailly in the Farmlands and the Upper Canyon
Dave
Upper Columbia
River Update- 6-18-05
The 2005 Caddis hatch
is starting to heat up; it is about 8-10 days later than in 2004,
probably due to the wet weather. We have also been casting to
evening risers targeting PED hatches. The PED'S are now taking
seat to the caddis.
We have decided to schedule
another week on the UC during the Green Drake hatch that coincides
with more Caddis...July 8th-16th.
Dates as follows;
7/8-7/10
7/10-7/12
7/12-7/14
7/14-7/16
http://www.theeveninghatch.com/jurassicitinerary.htm
click here for more information on the program.
For scheduling, we can
be reached at the lodge @ 509-732-8921.
The fishing has been
good and with most of the fish post spawn there is some decent
to great "bulking up" characteristics and feeding patterns
showing. Check out the photo above of Jack Conway holding an incredibly
well built wild native (fully finned) rainbow from the Jurassic!
Jack
Yakima
River Report for June 12, 2005
Nymphing activity over
the past few days has been great. Continue to fish with
a stone nymph and a dropper under an indicator. A big dry-dropper
setup in the afternoon can be fished very effectively as well.
The wind over here has been challenging at times, but the weatherman
is predicting less wind in the upcoming days. Currently the flows
at Umtanum is at 2516 cfs. If you are wading the Yakima river
please be careful.
"There is no greater
fan of fly fishing than the worm" -Patrick McManus
Dave
Yakima
River Report for June 8, 2005
Back from the UC (Upper
Columbia) for a day or so to see the family and catch up on a
few things. I see that the Bureau of Reclamation has
increased the flows on the Yakima as predicted, reported and as
usual at this time of year, due to the demands for
irrigation throughout the lower valley. The majority
of the flow is from the Cle Elum river/reservoir, however
I see the Upper proper is quite a bit higher as well. Wading
is definitely limited for the average angler currently.
The clarity on the Yakima has been decreased quite a bit from
the confluence of the Cle Elum river and downstream. This
happens yearly as the Cle Elum typically flows at 200 CFS on average
for 8-9 months a year and when the Bureau increases the
flows through that system the river picks up quite a bit of debris.
Generally things stabilize in fairly short order and within a
week or so the clarity should be quite nice.
According to the guide
staff...
The nymphing continues
to be the game on the Yakima. Our spring hatches are pretty
much over and it was a great season. Currently, the dry
fly action is light. Lately there has been a
large amount of summer stone nymph activity subsurface.
Combining a stone nymph and a dropper below an indicator (bobber)
is probably the best option for numbers of trout. A variety
of dropper nymphs ranging from Lightning bugs, to Caddis Larva,
to Copper Johns and San Jaun worms have been effective.
The Upper Columbia has
been average to good. No major hatches as of yet so the
specific rises have been limited to the minor mayfly hatches prevalent
on the optimal days. Nevertheless we have been "swingin"
the fly with both small speys as well as single hand rods,
nymphing the seem lines and back eddies and casting to the
riser when present.
Waterside and another
day in paradise-365
Jack
Yakima
River Report for June 5, 2005
Mr. Weather greeted
the valley with intermittent rain showers last night which in
turn nudged the flows up. The influx of cooler water has broken
a hot weather spell that has slowed the dry fly game. This cooler
trend has brought more underwater activity. Nymph fishing
remains to be the most effective way to fish right now.
Fish on,
Dave
Yakima
River Report for May 29, 2005
The valley has been inundated
with beautiful weather lately. Blue skies and hot weather.
Great weather for the Memorial day blitz; not so great for the
dry fly fishing. However, the nymph fishing remains good
to great and we are catching fish with a variety of nymphs under
the surface.
Watch for the water to
keep increasing in flows over the next few weeks as stated in
the last report. Remember, the bigger flows of summer
generally equate to cold water releases from the Cle Elum Reservoir
which is essential for our system. While it makes for some
tough wading here and there, it is a blessing for the river
and the biomass.
Taking off for the UC
river for about 30 days. Captain Dave will be running the
web site over the next month. We will keep you posted as
to how the fishing is on the Jurassic (UC) as the month rolls
on.
waterside
jack
The 2005 general trout
opener on streams and rivers is just around the corner-June
1st!
Yakima
River Report for May 26, 2005
According to a discussion
I had with the BLM yesterday the Cle Elum river will be the venue
for most of water flows into the Yakima system, this
summer. In fact as we speak the river is ramping up.
The Cle Elum river flows will most likely hit 2000cfs by mid month
and may hit the 3000 mark towards the end of the month.
According to the BLM this year is very comparable to the 92 season/water
storage. Throughout the season the goal will be to hold
back the flows from Kachess and Keechelus. Cle Elum flows
are up from 345 yesterday to 800 today. This is actually
a good "change up" as cooler water temps will be the
result of these releases.
The fishing
has been gooood, especially with nymphs!!!
End of Story
jack
Yakima
River Report for May 24, 2005
While the
Lower Canyon might produce the most consistent day in and day
out "catchin" especially with dry flies.....The
Yakima system offers so much more; and while familiar
waters, stretches, holes etc are always more reliable
for the "catchin", new roads/waters are certainly
more intrinsic in nature. From the headwaters at Easton
to Roza and beyond... the Yakima offers a myriad of opportunity
for fishing.
Recently
the entire system has fished good to great. The "risefests"
have been stellar in the Lower Canyon lately according to the
guide staff. The Lower Canyon is sporting some strong
hatches of a variety of bugs including #16 Gray Mayflies?,
#16-18 PMD's, #14-18 Tan and Olive Caddis, #12-14 Big
Yellow Mays (Epeorus), and on warm days a few Golden and
Salmon flies
The Farmlands,
Upper Canyon, Upper Flatlands and Upper Proper have produced
some decent hatches with the above mentioned bugs and the risefests
have been significantly less, but there have been a few
pods here and there to take advantage of.
"Searching
or Prospecting" with dry flies throughout
the system has been fairly slow. Most of the fishing lately
has either been to rising fish or searching with nymphs
at different levels in the column...shallow nymphing has been
effective.
The
weather report
for the next week looks incredibly nice..... We should see another
emergence of larger stoneflies ( Salmon or Golden) as
well as the Drakes should start to make their 2005 appearance.
Check out the photo
essay from Montana!
waterside
365,
jack
Yakima
River Report for May 21, 2005
The fishing on the Yakima
the past few days has been quite good, from Easton to Roza.
The dry fly fishing continues to be mostly to specific rising
fish as opposed to searching with a dry fly. The Lower Canyon
has been sporting some good to great rises lately for about 2-3
hours a day. The nymphing has been great throughout the
system. Streamers? Don't know, haven't been tossing them
much.
waterside,
jack
Yakima
River Report for May 17, 2005
Just back from
Madison county, Montana. Mother nature dealt everything
from sustained 30 mile per hour upstream winds for an entire day,
to torrential down pours, to snow and sun. The fishing
was memorable everyday. The catching was great 2
of the 7 days. Watersheds fished included the
Missouri below Holter Dam where we saw the most incredible Blue
Wing Olive hatch for over 6 solid hours with almost no fish rising,
the Madison from Varney to Town where the wind blows hard, the
upper Madison between Quake and Hebgen which reminded me of the
Rocky Ford creek on a triple shot of java, and the beloved
Bighole in various stretches from Maiden Rock to the Notch. We
saw an incredible emergence of American Grannom Caddis on the
Bighole, Saturday the 14th. The caddis were so thick
you could literally walk on them . Sunday the 15th,
the Caddis hatch was almost non-existent.
Montana Highlights
Highlight # 1
First time fly fisher Sean Dodson landing a twenty inch bow on
the Madison using a Team Meeting fly!
Highlight #2
Doug Smith holding The Old Man and the Sea under his elbow
Highlight #
3 Big Bob Chadwell landing a twenty inch Brown on a
#3 7.5 ft Winston using a # 16 Caddis amidst a blizzard hatch
on the Big Hole. The fish went to the backing three times. That
particular day we fished from the Fish and Game launch to Browns
landing
The entire
NW has experienced an inordinate amount of moisture over
the last week, which in turn has increased the flows of most watersheds.
The Yakima was no exception. The flows increased to around
2000 but currently the river is in good shape and the fishing
and catchin' rolls on. The entire system is fishing good
according to the guide staff. Guide reports show our staff
covering the river from the headwaters to Roza over the last
week and the reports have been favorable. The 2005 American
Grannom /Mother's Day Caddis Hatch has been a bit sporadic
and seems to be dwindling. PMD's continue to show in decent
numbers and the Golden Stone is showing in minimal numbers which
is in typical fashion for the Yakima System.
Water temps
vary throughout the system from the mid 40's to mid 50's.
Nymphing has
been fairly automatic in the Farmlands and the Lower Canyon utilizing
the proverbial Stonefly and small nymph combo at various depths
below an indicator. Dry fly fishing seems to be isolated
to specific rising fish.
Searching with
dry flies in the Upper Canyon, Upper Flatlands and Upper Proper
has been decent but certainly not automatic.
Remember this,
spending time waterside is referred to as Hydrotherapy to quote
Jay Virnoche...we recommend it!
fish-on jack
Note: The shop is now
open until 5pm daily
Yakima
River Report for May 13, 2005
The
clarity in the canyon is slowly coming back into shape from the
last rainstorm that pushed through here a couple of days ago.
The fishing from the farmlands up has been pretty good. Caddis,
Golden stones, and a few Salmonflies has been the ticket
lately, with limited PMD's. I love this time of the year.
Fish on,
Dave
Yakima
River Report for May 6, 2005
We
have seen some varied fishing over the last few days, most of
it gooood. As stated in the last report the entire system
is fishing good and the catching is certainly worthy as well.
The Lower Canyon continues
to sport the rising pods of fish in isolated zones. Aside from
the typical dry fly activity available in the Lower Canyon,
swinging the fly with various pupas, emergers and soft
hackles has been quite productive along with dry droppers and
full-on nymphing.
The river from the Farmlands
up to the headwaters is fishing good as well. The rising
pods of fish are quite a bit less frequent and the nymph and/or
subsurface game seems to be more important. Pupa patterns
are a good idea for the subsurface game.
The Upper Flatlands and
the Upper Proper saw a great Salmon Fly emergence this year.
It seems to have fizzled recently but there were a few days
approximately a week ago that were nnooiiccee.
Watch for the Caddis
and the PMD's to be the main force in bugs for the next few
week. Intermittent Stones, Beatis, Craneflies, and Ants
should also be added to the overall bugorama.
Heading to Montana today
to host 16 anglers at The Stonefly Inn and Four Rivers Fishing
company (Greg and Roosters operation) in Twin Bridges.
Will bring some photos to illustrate the fun!
respectfully and fish-on
jack
Yakima
River Report for May 2, 2005
The entire
Yakima system is sporting a variety of bugs. On the menu
for Mr Trout and depending on which section you are in an angler
will/might see Caddis, Caddis and more Caddis, PMD's, Baetis,
Crane flies, March Browns, Salmon Flies, Flying Ants,
The river from
the headwaters at Easton down to Roza has fished quite well
over the last week. We have been on EVERY stretch from
top to bottom and have met with good to great success in all parts
of the system. The Lower Canyon as usual is providing more
opportunity to cast to consistent risers. It is also a traffic
jam, especially on the weekends. Each day is a bit different
in all stretches of the river. The difference is directly related
to the weather. For eg...one day this past week while fishing
the Upper Yakima Proper (The stretch of river between Easton
and The Cle Elum river confluence) we saw goooood numbers of Salmon
flies , clouds of Caddis and March Browns. Two days later........nada
(nothing). The air-temp difference was about 25 degrees
between the two days. We caught fish on both days,
the methods of doing so were just a bit different.
Overall if
you find fish rising on the Caddis currently they are most likely
eating the emerger, egg layer or a spent adult. Today while
sitting in a particular hole we found single fish changing there
appetites from Caddis to PMD's to Baetis. Don't get
to techy as mostly the trout are interested in a well
presented
rendition and reasonable offering.
Water clarity,
temperatures and flows for the entire system are listed above
in the chart!
Been behind
schedule recently on getting photos up. April should be
almost caught up now...check it out! Mega photos of fun,
sun, fish, family, guiding, guests and more.
Waterside
jack
Yakima
River Report for April 29,
2005
Ditto the Yakima portion of
the below report and add a taste of PMD's! Yeah that's
is right we are seeing a smattering of PMD's already and they
are well received by the trout!
Waterside 365
jack
Yakima
River Report for April 26,
2005
Just back
from the UC or Upper Columbia (Jurassic). Fishing was great
and the catching was average. Lot's of fish on the spawn
and/or just done. Didn't catch as many big fish as the last
adventure, but had a good time. Give the river
and the hatches a few weeks to warm up and those Jurassic
bows time to fatten up and, we should see some great dry fly fiahing.
Recent water temps on the UC were 45 degrees and the hatches
although light included Blue Wings, Cahills and Caddis.
The Yakima
should see some strong blooms of Caddis over the next couple weeks.
Today was good. The guide staff has been utilizing
multiple techniques to dupe the trout.... imagine that?
Streamers , nymphs and dry flies in not that particular order.
Salmon flies and Golden
Stones are making light appearances in the Farmlands and upstream.
March Browns and Blue Wings continue to spurt here and there
in the Upper River but not strong.
Waterside 365
jack
Yakima
River Report for April 22,
2005
Its smorgasbord time! Currently
the river is sporting a variety of insects. Some hatches are beginning
and some are ending. The March Browns and the BWO's are beginning
to dwindle. Although, you can find select stretches of the Yakima
where they are still quite prominent. New hatches are showing.
The Golden Stone is beginning to show in numbers. The Mother's
Day Caddis is beginning to bloom and the trout are starting to
key onto them. We have spotted quite a few Salmon Fly's as well.
This is an exciting time of the year where anglers skills and
observance bring great rewards.
Warmer days have brought
a small influx of snow melt to the river. Currently near Umtanum
the flows are just below 1300 CFS and water temps of 54.
Waterside 365
Dave
Yakima
River Report for April 11, 2005
The weather
lately has been quite variable. One day the wind will be
strong and the next it will be non existent. The fishing
continues to be quite consistent from 12 noon to 4pm. Prior
and post hatch a variety of techniques have proven effective,
depending on the day and the stretch being fished; Everything
from swinging the fly to full-on nymphing, dry droppers as well
as dry flies. The March Browns have been quite strong over
the last few days, especially from the Farmlands up.
We
are literally on the verge of the 2005 American Grannom hatch....weather
dependent. On a few of the warmer days lately we have seen
light blooms in the lower Farmlands and Lower Canyon.
Watch for the Grannoms to be part of the big picture here shortly.
Depending on the season/weather, the third to last week of April
can be the major kick off. This particular hatch is called
the Mothers Day Caddis Hatch which falls on the 8th of May for
2005. However, often times as stated before the last
weeks of April can be the ignition. Water temps at the 47/48
degree mark and up with a warm and slightly humid air temp
is optimal.
In looking
back over the last 5 years
1999 Caddis
started in the first week of May
2000 Strong
caddis by third week of April
2001
"
2002
"
2003 "
2004
"
The Caddis emergence will
happen throughout the day and can be quite strong from 10am-1pm.
Often times the trout will key on this stage as well as the
eggl-aying which typically takes place later in the afternoon
waterside 365, jack
Yakima
River Report for April 6, 2005
Wow, great
spring fishing and loads of fun on the water. Casting to
rising fish in all types of water has been the game especially
during that 12-4 time zone. Dry flies in skinny water would
most certainly have to be my favorite. The valley
has seen a few windy days here recently but for the most part
low pressure systems have been the norm. Mr Weather is calling
for a high of 70 today!? The remainder of the week looks
as though we should see highs in the upper 50's low 60's with
the lows into the mid 30's and a 30% chance of precipitation
daily. Water levels have bumped up a bit and the clarity
down just a little due to contributing streams; nothing to
be alarmed about. In fact the river looks a bit more typical
for this time of year and the Skwala action recently has been
decent most likely due to the slight influx.
Recent daily
game-plans for the fishing
9-12
Search with Hair Wing attractors or Skwala dries, Nymph full-on,
Nymph with Dry Dropers, Swing the fly
12-4 (or there
abouts-depending on the stretch and the day) Casting to
rising fish
4-7
Searching with Hair Wing attractors or Skwala dries, Dry
droppers.
Snow pack
according to SnoTel
is certainly better than it was 3 weeks ago, but still less than
we would want.
Spawning continues throughout
the system. In fact I watched 4 pairs of trout this morning
doing there thing. Watch out for the spawning beds, as
they are the future population.
Waterside, jack
Yakima
River Report for April 3, 2005
More of the same...Major
rising fish during the hatch; 12-3pm. Blue Wings and March
Browns continue to be the fare. The March Browns are a bit
sporadic and are not as prevalent in the Lower Canyon. Prior
to the hatch utilize the good old hair-wing dries if you
want to dry fly. Otherwise, nymphing and or swinging the
fly prior to the hatch is an option. Post hatch...Hair wing
dries and or Skwala imitations are a good bet.
Waterside and fish-on
jack
Yakima
River Report for March 30, 2005
The
Cascades received a much needed dump of precipitation in the form
of snow recently, and the fish continue to rise here in the valley.
The Blue Wings and the March Browns have been the mainstay and
although the trout are definitely on the spawn the rise factor
has been awesome. Even today with the windy conditions,
the hatch was great in isolated locations.
click here for the 10day forecast and you will see the conditions
look incredibly favorable for more of the same. Prior
to the hatch both nymphing and swinging the fly has been worthy.
If you like traditional wet fly fishing, it is also most certainly
an option right smack dab in the middle of the hatch.
When fishing the dry fly to rising fish...presentation
is key!
waterside,
jack
Yakima
River Report for March 28, 2005
We hope all
enjoyed a wonderful family time over the Easter holiday.
The weather (cloudy, overcast and moisture) and the fishing (good
numbers of rising fish) over the past 5 days
has been perfect. The Farmlands and the Lower Canyon have
been experiencing great hatches of Blue Wings with March Browns
making some strong appearances. Watch for the
March Browns to continue and be a "Bug of Choice" over
the next few weeks...Tip- Don't be without a Hares Ear soft
hackle! The Upper Canyon and Flatlands have been spotty,
yet certainly worthy in isolated zones.
The Weather
man shows the weather pattern to be quite mixed over the next
week; Clouds, rain, sun for the next 6 days and a bit of
wind today and manana. The pattern bodes well for continued
Mayfly action. We have see some decent Skwala action here
and there as well; specifically more so in the afternoon
to evening. Don't be afraid to do the "Skwala twitch".
There is a
new tree down crossing the entire river in the KOA to Irene stretch.
The tree is approximately a 1/4 mile upstream for the Irene Rinehart
launch point. As many already know there is also a tree
down ccrossing the entire river in the Irene to Ringer stretch
as well. The tree is crossing at about a mile upstream of
Ringer. The river has been quite busy lately...try and give
every one a bit of room!
The river flows are
up a bit due to the rains we received. Clarity remains
good, yet not quite what it was. The biggest culprit
is the Teanaway river which is currently on the drop.
Regardless of the rise in water, The Blue Wings came strong
today and provided good entertainment!
fish-on
jack
Yakima
River Report for March 23, 2005
Blue
Wings over the last few days have been epic
like, in both the Farmlands and Lower Canyon.
It is remarkable how different the river can be from day
to day. The fishing lately has been great, with
ample targets to cast at, generally utilizing
Blue Wing renditions. Sometimes the fish are pickier than
other times, which calls for a bit more sharp shooting.
Nevertheless, the fishing has been good to great, and the catching
has been pretty darn good as well.
Remember these reports are through the eyes of 17 years
and can be a bit skewed from reflections of past seasons.
When we say it is good fishing, we mean GOOD fishing/catching.
Skwalas continue to be
a fair game. In fact, have recently been quite good.
Remember, the Skwala stonefly is never available in masses
(hordes). It is available when the adult female returns
for egg-laying or when a clumsy mail or female gets blown or falls
to the water. Generally, seeing large numbers of Skwala
in a day is not typical. Just remember, the trout know they
are available and therefore fish the pattern with confidence to
likely water!
Recently, the Upper
Lower Canyon produced some isolated and intense showings of March
Browns. Of course the fish responded wisely and dined ravishly.
Watch for the March
Brown to kick into gear over the next few weeks
on a regular basis!
waterside, jack
Yakima
River Report for March 21, 2005
Recently back from the Jurassic River ...so
click here and view the last half
of the photo section! We would consider this photo extravaganza
"The Real Deal" - Washington grown, World
class wild large riverborn rainbow trout! We have
a few openings left in April...!
Washington received a much needed wave of precipitation over the
last 4 days. The moisture fell throughout the state
and there were light snow accumulations above the 3,000 foot level.
Mr Weather predicts an upcoming weather pattern typical
of this winter...
In the longer range, the split flow
pattern that has been the
norm much of the winter should again affect the weather over the
Pacific Northwest Tuesday through Thursday. Washington and
northern Oregon should be between the two branches of flow. This
should produce relatively dry conditions throughout the week with
gradual warming.
Water temps throughout the system have
dropped considerably compared to a week ago. Clarity remains
great. The March Browns so far this season have been a bit
sporadic. Traditionally the strength of the March Browns
are typically in the first two weeks of the April. Watch
for our strong Caddis hatches to spark up a bit earlier this year
as well...most likely the third week of April. The Skwala
action lately has been on the lighter side. Overall,
the Skwala season has most certainly been decent, especially the
previous two weeks. Blue Wings continue to be the big ticket in
the Lower Canyon and the lower Farmlands.
There are large numbers of King Salmon
fry in the system currently due to the 2005 "egg hatch"
from the 2004 Chinook Spawn. Most of these fry accumulate
in the softer edges and dead water sections. Don't be afraid
to utilize fry/smolt patterns over the next month.
Streamer techniques for smolt patterns include- Dead
drifting, swinging and stripping.
waterside, jack
Yakima
River Report for March 19, 2005
Just back from the Jurassic River ...so click
here and view the last half of the photo section! We
would consider this photo extravaganza the "Real Deal"
- Washington grown, large wild rainbow trout !
Water temps on the Yakima have lowered considerably; The
predominant dry fly game in the Farmlands and Lower Canyon-Blue
Wings!
waterside, jack
Yakima
River Report for March 18, 2005
Fishing
the past couple of days has been tough at times. With wind speeds
up to 30mph, it was quite challenging to lay down a #18 BWO on
the water. Weatherman predicts rain at times for the next two
days. With the big ones on the spawn, the trout lately have been
anywhere between 12"-17". The action with Skwala dries
has definitely slowed down lately. Most of the action on top has
been with BWO's in #18-20's. Skwala nymphs and pheasant tails
have been the ticket as well.
Yakima
River Report for March 12, 2005
The overall
fishing in the last 3-4 days has slowed a bit from the "Holy
mega rising fish" standard to more like normal fishing.
There is definitely evidence of fish on the spawn and therefore
the window of opportunity tends to be a bit more narrow.
Nevertheless, we have seen some average to good fishing over the
last few days and the weather, well, it's almost too nice!
fish-on
jack
Yakima
River Report for March 9, 2005
Holy mega rising
fish Batman, do you see all those heads and tails?
"Yes Robin, It's a tough job we have, isn't it!"
Everyday
has been different. Most days recently, you could almost
bank on an incredible rise in the numerous flats throughout
the Farmlands and Lower Canyon in the last hour of the day;
The trout's target...Midge Pupa #18-24. Everyday over
the last week we have experienced Blue Wing hatches, some prolific,
some not; There really hasn't been any special rhythm/timing
to the hatch. For
example, this morning in the Farmlands there were quite a few
fish rising to a Blue Wing Hatch at around 10am. As soon
as the breeze came, the fish went down in that particular location;
That is not to say that around the corner in a more sheltered
location some fish continued to rise. It is safe to say
that The Blue Wings have been hatching throughout the day and
sometimes quite prolific. The Parachute Adams has been a
great pattern for the go-to and if you want to get a bit more
specific a Sparkle Dun or a Para-Cripple.
The Skwala's continue
to be the opportunity de jour. While actual pods
of rising fish on Skwala doesn't happen very often, the
trout makes the Skwala it's opportunity food choice.
A variety of patterns have proven to be effective this season
so far including, Stimulators, PMX's, The Ugly Rudamas,
The Hummer, John's Skwala, The Peacock Skwala and of course,
last but not least, The Designated Hitter!
Other Bugs starting
to show (hatch) recently include, #10-12 March Browns, #6-8
True Golden Stones, and #16 Dark Caddis. All in
all the fishing is good to great; and the catching, well,
we would say about the same.
This is the season...don't
miss out!
Waterside
jack
Yakima
River Report for March 6, 2005
We
continue to see good to great dry fly fishing and the Spring hatches
are well under way. It looks as though we are in for another
high pressure system (except for Wednesday) which doesn't bode
as well for the mayfly rises, yet the past few days of bright
sun hasn't slowed down the rises to the Blue Wing.
As listed
in the last report, every day will be a bit different, based
on multiple factors...All in all we would rate the fishing
with a Two thumbs up, currently !!! The fish rising to
the Blue Wings don't seem to be too pattern picky, more
so presentation picky. Click here for more pattern info
on the
Blue Wing
and click here for more info on
Presentation
We continue to see
low and clear water conditions, which should be the case for
the next 60-90 days. Somewhere around the first to the
30th of June the Bureau of Reclamation will open the gates for
the senior water rights holders; how long will the flows
last? That is yet to be seen. Our fishing
until Mid-July should be awesome.
Mr. Weather
is calling for some incredibly nice weather over the next week,
in fact Tuesday's high is supposed to be 68 degrees! Bring
the sun screen, the sunglasses and let's go fishing.
waterside,
jack
Yakima
River Report for March 3, 2005
We
have seen some strong Blue Wing hatches
over the last couple days as well as good Skwala
activtiy. Fishing is good to great and we are enjoying
the first big hatches of the 2005 season! We had some good
streamer fishing last week but we are happy to put down the streamer
rods for some dry fly fishing!
Hatch time for the Blue
Wings 1pm-Dark (Bulk of the hatch 1:30-4)
Remember - Every
days hatch will be different based on weather. The cloudy
and overcast days will be optimal. The sunny days won't
be as prolific, yet can produce some good activity.
waterside,
jack
Yakima
River Report for March 2, 2005
We have adult Skwala
action , end of story!
the hatch
Yakima
River Report for Feb
28, 2005
The valley received a low pressure system
that produced some rain in the am and then disappeared.
Mr Weather is calling for mostly cloudy with a slight chance of
rain in the AM; Great catching/fishing weather! Water
temps have increased a bit. Things look favorable
for dry fly fishing! We have been stirring some fish up
with the dry fly, but this weather pattern should make it
better!
on the water-
jack
Yakima
River Report for Feb
27, 2005
The weather according to the report
shows mostly cloudy with a chance of rain showers here and there
from Monday through Thursday. Night time lows to 30 and
daytime highs to low to mid 50's. We have seen some incredible
high pressure lately and the low pressure is a welcomed anticipated
change; Let's hope Mr Weather is right. If the report
holds true, the dry fly angle will most likely improve.
A bit of overcast, maybe even some light precipitation,
warmer water temps, a full moon fading, Skwalas starting,
and well...you get the picture- "thumbs up"
waterside
