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YAKIMA RIVER REPORT – 6/28/17

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Average to great fishing daily depending on the hatches, weather etc…. One of the best techniques lately has been with the dry fly.  The entire river from top to bottom has been good.

VIF – Very Important Flies include
-> #14-16 PMD Cripples and Parachutes
-> #8-12 Chubbies in various colors
-> #12-14 Humpies in red or yellow
-> #14-16 Beadhead PMD Bubble Backs
-> #14-16 Beadhead YB’s
-> #6-8 Stone fly nymphs

Hatches…

#15-16 PMD’s
#11 Drakes
#14-18 Caddis

Coming soon….. #6-8 Summer Stones.

YAKIMA RIVER REPORT 6/22/17

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GOOD  fishing recently on the Yakima.  Dry flies and nymphs

CLARITY CHART
Upper Proper   5 feet
Upper Flatlands   6 feetUpper Canyon   5 feet
Farmlands   5-3 feet
Lower Canyon   3 feet

TOP FLY PICKS
#8 Golden Chubby
#14-16 Tung head YB Soft hackle
# 10 Catch All
# 12-16 Yellow Humpies and Purple Haze

BUGS DE JOUR
#16 PMD’s and PED’s
#16-18 Caddis
#6-8 Golden Stones
#12 Green Drakes

UPPER COLUMBIA REPORT

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This river has been a bit challenging lately.   Some good days and some tough days.  Most of the issues have been weather related.  Regardless, we have seen some cool stuff and spent time with some great people.

Bugs de Jour
#15 Undentified May
#16 PMD and PED
#14-18 Caddis

Water Clarity 7 feet

Brad and a sweet UC Bow
Brookie
Kevin with a sweet bow

 

YAKIMA RIVER REPORT 6-19-17

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Pretty GOOD fishing recently on the Yakima.  Dry flies, nymphs and the swung fly have all produced.

Clarity Chart

Upper Proper   5 feet
Upper Flatlands   6 feet
Upper Canyon   5 feet
Farmlands   5-3 feet
Lower Canyon   3 feet

Top fly picks …
#8 Golden Chubby
#14-16 Tung head YB Soft hackle
# 10 Catch All

Bugs de Jour
#16 PMD’s and PED’s
#16-18 Caddis
#6-8 Golden Stones
#12 Green Drakes

JP gettin’er done on the Yakima
Kaia and one of many Yakima Bows

YAKIMA, UPPER COLUMBIA, KLICKITAT, SMALLMOUTH BASS

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YAKIMA

Currently blown out based on direct releases…. should be back in shape by Sunday.

River has been in good condition and fishing avg. to good depending on the day.  the river has turned into a Caddis,  Stonefly, Baitfish, Terrestrial and Salmon Spawn River.   In other words,  our general mayfly population is significantly less then ‘Back in the Day’.   My take on this is  the Salmon. While our clinging Mayflies are still abundant,  our Swimming and Crawling Mayflies are significantly less.  With the abundant Salmon Smolt in our river now,  and the type of water the smolt like to ‘hang out’ in, it is no wonder the Swimmer and Crawler mayfly population is less prolific as they are easy prey for the smolts. Conversely, the clinging Mayflies are still reasonably prolific because the smolt cannot target a clinging Mayfly nymph.

BWO – Swimmer
PMD – Crawler
March Brown – Clinger

As we all know the Mayfly is the classic fly for trout to eat on the surface. The insect has an incomplete metamorphisis and becomes a sitting duck for trout in its emergence stage.  We just don’t see the Mayfly hatches as we use to on the Yakima.

Looking at the positive side… The Salmon add a dimension of biomass to the river that was missing for quite awhile.  The ‘Little Alaska’ effect from approximately Sept 10 – Oct 10 can be very fun.

Bugs Include – Salmon Flies, Golden Stones, Caddis, Carpenter Ants

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UPPER COLUMBIA

Big Water everywhere this year.  When you are on the Columbia that is all relative…It is the biggest trout fishery in the world.

Bugs include…. Caddis, Baetis, Carpenter Ants, PMD’s
Water Clarity ranging from 4-6 feet depending on the day

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SMALLMOUTH BASS

As with all fishing, it isn’t always catching.  We have had some avg. to goooood topwater action on the Smally’s or aka ‘Washington Snook’

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KLICKITAT

Currently on the rise and at 3560.  Prior to this bump in the water level, the river was on steady drop….and was down to 2850 +/-.  Tough conditions overall with not a lot of fish passage over Bonneville.  Watch for those number to increase once the Columbia system levels out.

Andy and an awesome topwater Smally
Brian and a classic Yakima Bow
Columbia highlands Redband
Upper Columbia Caddis hatch