North Washington guide service

YAKIMA REPORT

Fishing has actually been pretty dang good……The weather has been a bit wintery! lol….

Lots of nymphing with the tried and true winter ensembles…..

#8-12 San Juan worms, #8-10 Stoneflies,  #4-8 Smolt and Sculpin patterns, #18-20Midge Larvae,  #14-16 Princes, Caddis larvae.

The entire river is in good condition.

If you are thinking of a little tying this winter…. Click here for a recipe and vid on tying the Dalai Llama on a tube.  The Dalai Llama is a great bait fish pattern…Specifically a smolt pattern.

YAKIMA RIVER

The river is in perfect shape and the White fish spawn is on!

Whitefish Egg patterns, Stoneflies, Worms, Caddis nymphs, Midge larvae and Baitfish are all great choices!

The Yakima has been fishing good when the river is in shape. Currently it is looking greatand should stay that way for quite awhile.

Techniques include;
Swinging flies
Stripping flies
Nymphing

Current hot nymph bugs include;
# 8-12 San Juan worm variations
#8-10 Stoneflies – Pat’s, Peacock double bead etc
#14-16 Rock worms, Princes, Lightning bugs, Perdigons, YB’s

San Juan Variations….

Current Streamers
#6-10  Sculpzillas, Sheila Sculpins, Dali Llama’s. Wolly Buggers, JJ’s

YAKIMA

Fishing has been a little off the last couple of days. Likely because of the unsettled weather. Nymphing with small flies and stoneflies was fair. The blue wing hatch is coming later around 2 in most spots and going to 4p. Some October caddis still showing as well as some smaller caddis in the upper.

Regardless, some wonderful fall days:))

Blue wings are strong in the upper and lower canyon. Little nymph game  until 1PM then dries til 2:30. Hatch will continue to get better over the next 3 weeks. October caddis happening in the shadows and cloudy days. Streamer fishing on the strip, under an indicator and swinging bringing some bigger fish. Bring your game!

YAKIMA

Current Food
#10-12 Craneflies
#8-10 October Cddis
#16 Yello Mayflies
# 16 Tan Caddis
#18-20 Fall Baetis

Hot Patterns
#14-18 Perigon in Brown, Lavender, Purple,
#8-12 Orange Gypsy King,
#8-12 Chubby’s in orange, tan, purple
#12 Orange and black Pat’s
#14-18 Lightning Bugs,  CDC Princes
#10-12 Adult Craneflies

The entire river is fishing AVG to GREAT depending on the day. The terrestrial game is definitely slowing.  One of the best techniques as of lately is a Dry/Dropper.  Fairly long on the dropper .  Targeting the grade A water…. Drop offs, Inside corners and some banks.  Water flow is at Fall level. This means that targeting the bank all day is not a good idea.  Much of the grade A water is not focused on the bank.

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KLICKITAT

The Klick has seen some fluctuations this fall. Clarity has been very tempermental. There are fish in the system but the steelhead numbers are certainly lower then past years stats.  We should start to see Coho showing up soon; which will be a great bonus.

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UPPER COLUMBIA

Swing, dry and nymph tactics have all been successful with some beauties to be caught….. certainly not a numbers game.  Fall is in the air. Lots of great places to be at this time of year.  This is certainly one of them.

Current food ..
Baetis #18-20
Yello Mayflies #16
October Caddis #10

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KVICHAK RIVER ALASKA

Great late Fall season with some beauties hooked, lost and landed.  Weather was unseasonable cold which pushed some of the fish back into the lake but we managed to angle with overall consistency.   Great groups and lots of fun.  Scheduling for 2022 now.

YAKIMA

Current Food
#10-12 Craneflies
#8-10 October Cddis
#16 Yello Mayflies
# 16 Tan Caddis
#4-12 Hoppers
#12-16 Ants and Beetles
#18-20 Fall Baetis

Hot Patterns
#14-18 Perigon in Brown, Lavender, Purple,
#8-12 Orange Gypsy King,
#8-12 Chubby’s in orange, tan, purple
#12 Orange and black Pat’s
#14-18 Lightning Bugs,  CDC Princes
#10-12 Adult Craneflies

The entire river is fishing AVG to GREAT depending on the da.y

KLICKITAT

The Klick is game on! more to follow.

UPPER COLUMBIA

Swing, dry and nymph tactics have all been successful with some beauties to be caught….. certainly not a numbers game.  Fall in in the air. Lots of great places to be at this time of year.  This is certainly one of them.

Current food ..
Baetis #18-20
Yello Mayflies #16
October Caddis #10

YAKIMA

The river is at Fall levels now and the Flip Flop is pretty much done.  Water temps remain good, varying from 54-62 degrees depending on time and zone.

Current Food
#10-12 Craneflies
#8-10 October Cddis
#16 Yello Mayflies
# 16 Tan Caddis
#4-12 Hoppers
#12-16 Ants and Beetles
#18 Fall Baetis

Hot Patterns
#14-18 Perigon in Brown, Lavender, Purple,
#8-12 Orange Gypsy King,
#8-12 CHubby’s in orange, tan, purple
#12 Orange and black Pat’s
#14-18 Lightning Bugs,  CDC Princes
#10-12 Adult Craneflies

The entire rive is fishing good.

KLICKITAT

Clarity on 9/9/21 just above town at 12 noon.  We should see the river in good shape with the up coming cooling trend:)

UPPER COLUMBIA

As per usual, the UC is finicky.  Understandably as it is a BIG body of water.  Swing, dry and nymph tactrics have all been successful with some beauties to be caught….. certainly not a numbers game.

YAKIMA

The Yakima is on a hard drop .  The annual Flip Flop.   Fishing has been good throughout.  Water temps were a little marginal in the Lower canyon during our last heat spell.  However, currently water temps are great throughout.

Dry Droppers, Dry Flies, Nymphing and some Streamer fishing.

Current Bugs
Crane flies  – This is KEY right now
Terrestrials – Hoppers, Ants and Beetles
Caddis
Summer Stones

KLICKITAT

While the numbers over Bonneville are not good….Recently they have improved quite a bit.  Let’s hope there is a thermal block with steelhead somewhere.  On another note, We are supposed to see a HUGE number of Coho coming into the system.   Will be good for the biomass and certainly a worthy target.

The river is definitely with cycle currently.  Down low in the morning is about 2.5 feet of vis.  By afternoon the lower river is at about 18 inches of visibility.

More to follow…