We got away with some reasonable fishing/catching the 13th-16th of this past week, considering how much rain came down. It appears there won’t be much to fish over the next week based on the precipitation prediction.  Looks like things will start to be ‘fishy’ around the 23rd.

Lake Quinault Cabin Winter Steelhead Specials…

1. Catch Magazine Week Feb 21 -25 NEW
2. Trey Combs Week March 2-7 FULL
3. John Gierach Week March 13-20

5 acres of timber

Boat launch

The river is back to normal with no ice flow.  There is certainly some shelf ice,  here and there; especially in the lower river.  Be careful wading.

Like a broken record  –  from now until March can be some incredible fishing. Some would say ‘the best of the best’.

Take advantage of our Skwala/Winter Special – You can’t go wrong!

Definitely some hatchery fish to be had as well as some early wild ones.   Nice to see water in our systems, with plenty reserve in the mountains currently:)

Both nymphing and swing tactics have proved effective. The little wild chromer below took  the Blue Fox Fly   on an integrated sink tip  (6 feet of type 2 and 6 feet of type 4)  at the end of the day in the Slick V of a sweet tailout…

Recently there has been quite a bit of ice flow in the river……As usual, when there is ice flow,  the lower mile or two above Roza Dam will become one big ‘ice extravaganza’.  Above that, there is visual flow in the river with ice shelfing currently.

Believe it or not, there are still fish to be had currently…A little rough on keeping the ice out of the guides and the body warm.   It appears the weather over the next week will be favorable for less ‘ice flow’ in the river.  Instead of 0 degree lows and 20 degree highs, we will see 20-25 degree lows and 32-35 degree highs.

Anytime there is a ‘warming’ in the winter, the fish will  ‘bite better’,  Now I know the warming I just described in the aforementioned paragraph isn’t much,  but it definitely makes a difference.  Over the years, our favorite winter air temperatures would be 28-30 in the AM and 38-42 in the afternoon. this temperature range usually coincides with weather patterns of clouds and potential precipitation. Oppositely,  clear blue sky days parrallel with COLD weather.

Go HERE on Winter Fishing, for more info.

CLARITY REPORT

Upper Proper         4 feet
Upper Flatlands     5 feet
Upper Canyon       4-5 feet
Farmlands              4-3 feet
Lower Canyon       2 feet

THE SPARKLE MINNOW

The rivers levels are back down to close to normal.  Efficient tactics currently for us would include…

1) Streamer fishing on the swing or retrieved

• Streamers –  #4-8 JJ’s, Sparkle Minnows, Sulpzillas, Bow River Buggers, Zonkers
• Sink tips are based on depth and flow
       
  Single Hand Sink Tip Options
  -Integrated Sink Tips reffered to as ‘Streamer Tips’
  -Versa Tips attached via loop to loop to a standard floating fly line

  Two Hand Rod with a
  -Standard head that sink tips can be attached; Mow tips, Sinking VersiLeaders
  -Multi density head that sink tips can be attached to; ; Mow tips, Sinking VersiLeaders 

2) Nymphing with the quintessential Stonefly and a dropper;

• Droppers to include, but not limited       to… #12-16  Formerly Known as Prince, Lightning Bugs, Caddis 
• Stonfley Patterns
• Other –  Although streamers are effective on the swing and retrieved, they can also be very effective under the bobber.

Washington State’s current Snow/Water equivalent .   Use this Link to stay current with this statistic!

The Klick closed yesterday.   Remarkable river.  On a year when most watersheds
1- Received 50 percent or less of their water &
2- Water temps were HIGH

The Klickitat was well above those statistics.  In addition the Klickitat receives fresh fish from the time it opens June 1 until they day it closes Nov 30…  Remarkable river.

Bitter/sweet to see it close,  but good to give the river a rest.  We want to thank everyone who hung out with us this year at The Steelhead Ranch and on this awesome watershed……

Couple images from ‘Guides Day Out’ the day before the closure :))