The Yakima river water temps has been ranging between 37-34 degrees depending on time and one.  As seen in the picture below,  the Lower Canyon has significant ice and slush.  Best zone right now would be the Upper Flatlands or the Farmlands.  Watch for the next warming cycle;  Should see some great fishing!

Reasonable fishing over the past few days for hatchery winter steelhead. Hooked a handful of some BRIGHT ones that we weren’t able to land. Certainly are a decent number of upstreamers and downstreamers around…..

The fish pictured below had sea lice on it but was not  bright….kinda interesting.

The top photo is one of our favorite boat launches;  yeah right!

…..has started for us:)  Definitely some hot, bright hatchery fish in the South OP.   More of a report, soon.

Swingtime on the Yakima River…..Plain and simple. Other techniques will work, but fishing a bait fish retrieved or swung is a great technique at this time of year! Staff member Garth Luke picked up this beautiful trout today on a swung Sparkle Bugger!

The last month on the Yakima was pretty darn good nymph fishing especially with the Whitefish spawn. That is slowing down dramatically and the key food sources right now would include midges, stonefly nymphs and sculpins.

Fishing today was worthy; not great, not bad….but average, anyways. Pictured below is Jeremy holding a nice Yakima bow for Cory.

Water is low and clear and water temps are ranging between 40-44 degrees.

Flies used today included #16-20 Brassies and #8-12 Pat’s Stones.

Apologize for the delay in getting this report page back up and current….Should not be an issue from this day forward.

Thanks

Aside from the actual fishing, which can be fabulous, winter brings a new perspective to rivers. The landscape is ‘pared to the bone’. The birds of prey are on the hunt. The big horn sheep are wintering in the Lower Canyon after a long and arduous rutting season. The most patient fisher of all, the Blue heron, is present daily. Small herds of elk find refuge near the river bottom, especially from Ellensburg upstream. Rarely is the river crowded, in fact, never.

Gonna make this short and sweet….

Tough fishing on the Klick overall…. However some nice fish to be had!

Gonna make this short and sweet….

Tough fishing on the Klick overall…. However some nice fish to be had!