Crazy busy for us and sorry for the delay on reports; Here we go…..

Upper Columbia has turned on to some good to great fishing.  A myriad of techniques of the usual fare have proven worthy on duping the trout. Dry flies, droppers, nymphing, swinging and stripping have been worthy tactics. Beautiful weather recently, ample wildlife and some nice trout have made for some awesome days…

Best Streamer – #6  Dali LLama
Best Dry Fly –  #12 Para Adams
Best Nymph – #10 Catch All

Mr Puthoff with a UC Bow

The Klickitat, while as busy as I have ever seen it, is still producing; some days hotter then others. The nymphing has been sporadic but good and the swing fishing has definitely been worthy.  The water is low and over the last three days, ‘Steelhead Green’, in color.  Based on the weather, it will most likely get clearer.

Swing tactics have included dry lines and medium to light tips.  Nymph tactics have included Stones and egg patterns.

Rick Matsen, ‘Getting It Done’

Fall Water – Joe Donsky

The Yakima has been ‘Lights Out Good’ with little pressure.  There are so many things to do in the Fall !  Regardless,  the best of the food sources are listed below in other recent Yakima reports….
See below for more in depth on the Yakima!

The Yakima is fishing fabulous.  Predominant food sources include the
1) Salmon spawn ( specifically in the Upper Proper and the the Upper Flatlands
2) Baetis throughout the system… the Lower Canyon has seen some good to great risefests lately
3) Cranefly adults and the opportunistic trout eating them
4) Fall Cahill

Trout are creatures of habit.  If you are fishing a dry fly in a hatch , generally the imitation needs to be ‘ drag free’. If getting a drag free drift is unattainable, then utilize the wet fly swing.

Positioning yourself according to what technique is being used,  is critical. Angler position is a very important factor of fishing. Regardless of how accomplished a caster you are and how many specialty presentation casts you can perform, positioning yourself for the water you are going to fish is a primary technique. In fact depending on which type of presentation cast is going to be used in the attempt depends on what position you take to make the cast.

If you chose to fish a wet fly swing it is imperative that you are quartering downstream.

In both dry fly and nymph fishing “getting as close to the target” as the water type and situation allows is always recommended. Positioning (Quartering up, Quartering down, Direct 90 degrees, etc….) depends on where the target is and what type of cast is going to be used.

Just some food for thought!

THE UPPER COLUMBIA catching has kicked into gear.  We had a slow start but the fishing has certainly picked up recently.

Big Upper Columbia resident bow for the Davidson party

Fall Caddis Soft Hackle by The Professor

Fall Caddis

Lot’s of wildlife out and about mostly coming down to the river for water as it is sparse up in the hills. 

This little guy or gal (bear cub) swam across the Columbia river and proceeded to lumber up towards the lodge and climbed a tree to get a better look inside our place, I guess?  Photo taken from the deck at Black Bear Lodge….

Seems apropos!

THE KLICKITAT has been average to great depending on the day.  Steelhead fishing is all relative….If we boil a fish on a skater I think it is a great day, especially if we get him to come back just subsurface – This happened just the other day.

Best skater recently – “Little Gurgler”

Best subsurface swing bugs lately – Hobo Spey

Best tip lately – 3.9 IPS sinking leader

The nymphing has been average to great.  I hate to quote numbers, but the stats can go way up with the nymphing.

Best nymphs recently –

Hot headed stone

The Bead

Jim Jr and Sr with a nice Klickitat Buck

Jack and Craig with a nice Klick buck

THE YAKIMA has been fishing goooood. A variety of techniques have proven successful including streamers, nymphing and the dry fly; The dry fly being the lightest producer in numbers for us lately.  The Salmon spawn is happening in the upper river and can produce a ‘Little Alaska’ style fishing for the next week or so.

Water temps are golden!  Remember as the fall progresses, the smaller bugs start to prevail!

Yakima hook-up

Yakima double

Slow start for the Upper Columbia this Fall.  Some good fish being caught but the hopper game is in the 9th inning and the Fall hatches haven’t started ;  So a little tough.  Regardless, The river is in 1st gear and should be shifting into second, shortly.

The Baxley Gals

Water has CLEARED and the fishing just got a little TOUGHER.  It is possible this heat will bring in a little color. We will keep you posted.

Nice fish for Kuzi

GREAT FISHING – END OF STORY
Fishing, utilizing multiple tactics, has been ‘off the charts’

A light tip and Mr Hobo has been a great choice for the swung fly.

Jim Jr and Sr

The Yakima is close to being at fall levels.  Hoot Owl regulations are lifted and no longer in effect.

Highlights for the next 60 days include…

Craneflies – Currently Game On
Up river salmon spawn –
October Caddis,
Mahogany Duns
Fall Cahill
Fall Baetis