Dang with all the social media now days ,  I forget to do the website report.

YAKIMA

Water is low and clear. The whitefish are in full spawn and therefore a dirty yellow 6 mil egg nymphed is a great bet.   The quintessential Stonefly with something behind it is a great idea.

#14-20 Nymphs to put behind the stonefly could include but are not limited to….Flashback PT’s, Lightning Bugs , Princes, Caddis Larvae , Midge Pupa etc….

When you find one fish at this time of year there are mlost likely other fish around.   The fish tend to be in pods or pooled up.

Quite a few years back / 1996.  I wrote an article on fishing the Yakima during the winter.  98 % of it it still holds true….   Winter Fishing

KLICKITAT

Getting close to the end of the 2022 season.  Reasonable to good fishing through out the season.   Both the nymph and the swing were productive.

Nice to see a reasonable number of fish. Thanks to all who joined us on the water and  at The Steelhead Ranch.  We look forward to 2023

YAKIMA

The Fall is Definitely considered the far and fine season on the Yakima as with many other rivers. Water is in great shape overall.  All stretches of the river are fishing worthy.  Float distances should be less than the previous summer season unless your only focus is streamer fishing from the boat. If that is your focus, covering likely water looking for the aggressive meat eater is an option.

If you plan on nymphing or fishing the dry fly then slow down your approach.  Blind dry fly fishing/ searching with a dry is generally less productive in the fall then the summers. It can be worthy especially during the heat of the day when the bugs are hatching.

With the exception of a sub surface October Caddis the nymphs as a general rule are size 16-20 for Fall fishing.

Predominant bugs in the fall and lately include

Baetis/ Blue Wing Olives  #18-20
Mahogany Duns #16
October Caddis #10
Caddis # 16
Salmon Egg patterns 8-10 Mil

Salmon Spawn is definitely over in the upper river.  However, Nymphing eggs can still be productive.  In addition an egg sucking leach or smolt pattern can be effective as well.

Klickitat

The season started out with a bang for us and the catching has been a little less lately.  The clarity has been an issue based on the “Big Muddy’ creek not being diverted into irrigation.  The unseasonably warm October other wise known as AUGTOBER until recently has made  the clarity a bit of a challenge. Regardless, there are more fish in the system then the past few years but should not be compared to 10 years ago which had numbers of 3 times as many.

KVICHAK RIVER ALASKA

We just finished up our Fall fall swing season on the Kvichak.  The river was extremely high but the catching was still good.  These fish are special and quite frankly happen to be the best fighting fish pound for pound I have ever experience in freshwater.  7 weights are the norm in both single hand and two hand rods.  These

UPPER COLUMBIA

Our Fall season just came to a close at Black Bear Lodge.  The catching started out a little slow but ended gooood. Techniques vary on the river including the dry fly, nymph and swing.

While numbers are rarely the feature….There are some amazing trout and this fall showed us a couple. There are still fish to be caught up there currently but the predictability gets less than we like.

We are currently reserving for the 23 season.  Let us know if we can get you down on the calendar!

Spring

Summer

Fall

YAKIMA

Good to see the cooler weather.  The river did it’s normal flip flop and has been dropping in flows as it always has at this time of year. The irrigation demand in the lower valley is being fed by The Tieton system now. The water temps with the river flows lowering were definitely going UP with that hot weather.  The cooler weather is a blessing.

There is a very tight spot from Irene Rinehart to Ringer road since the water has dropped.  The channel just after the pond dike splits and until recently going left was an easy option.  Currently it is not recommended.

Bugs and food include….Craneflies, Hoppers, Summer stones( which are almost over)  October Caddis, Fall Hydro Caddis, Fall Cahills, Baetis, Salmon spawn.

Cranefly dry flies in the  morning have been good; After that the midday nymphing and targeting the oxygenated water with a variety of nymphs has been productive.   The afternoon evening has been reasonable with a bigger bug…. October Caddis.

Remember the fish are not really on many of the banks anymore as the river has dropped significantly.

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UPPER COLUMBIA

Reasonable fishing and should only get better. Swinging bugs and tossing dry flies.   Water temps are at about 63 .  Fish are in great condition.

Hoppers, October Caddis, Ants etc….

#10 Catchall, #8PMX, #

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KLICKITAT

Good fishing and catching when the river is in shape:))

YAKIMA

The river is dropping hard and warming with the hot weather.   Fish are scattering and moving off the banks and to the oxygenated water. Crane flies and summer stones are effective on the surface. Stones, caddis pupa, and small streamers effective subsurface.

KLICKITAT

Recent image when the river came into shape.

That fish was hooked on this fly with 10 feet of T-11

Although one year of better returns isn’t Valhalla, it sure is nice to see some fish in our rivers.  It would also be nice to see management that protects the wild fish in the cold water sanctuary river mouths that enter the Columbia, but what do I know, I am just a guide.

The Klickitat has been pretty darn dirty do to nearly 3 weeks of 95-100 degree temps on the south slopes of Adams.  There have been a few days when the river cleared up with the cooler weather and the fish were happy:)

We will be running our program from about the 20th of Sept to the 20th of Nov this season.  Cooler weather and better clarity will hopefully prevail.

UPPER COLUMBIA

Overall the fishing has been average at best over the last week.  Water is in good condition.   Fish are in great condition, they have just been hard to catch recently. A variety of tactics including the dry fly, a swung fly and nymphing have all produced.

Like a broken recored…..Fishing remains good.   The dry fly fishing has been consistent.  One of the key components to that equation “ meaning, good dry fly fishing’ is the ability to place the fly on the ‘feed me’ lane with a drag free float and then be able to impart a controlled twitch …not drag, but a slight movement and then afterward a drag free drift…

Therefore the equation is;

Drag free drift on the feedme line, slight twitch timed correctly and then back to a drag free drift.

This equation has been a formula on the river since 1990.  The Yakima actually produces some good to great dry fly fishing at this time of year with this technique.  Not always easy but fun and rewarding.

In addition to the dry fly fishing the nymphing has been worthy with both the indicator and a dropper style behind a big dry fly. Streamer fishing is decent as well.

Currently there are salmon in the river and typically the last week of Sept is the prime week to fish ‘Alaska style’. Some would call it dirty, I would call appropriate to the given food source….. EGGS.   In fact utilizing an egg from here on out when nymphing can be very productive,  especially in the areas below salmon spawning activity.  Also swinging a fly such as an egg sucking sculpin or minnow can very productive.

We need to be aware of those areas where spawning occurs and give a wide berth to the spawning beds.  Also targeting salmon is not allowed as there is no season for them in the upper river. In addition we need to let them do their thing:))

This type of salmon activity is really from the Teanaway confluence upstream……Although some of these techniques will work below this point, the best of the spawn activity will be upstream.

Since 1988 – The Evening Hatch

YAKIMA

The Yakima is rocking on.  This river continues to produce strongly.  Dry flies are game on with summer stones and hoppers being the main fare.  The Yakima is a great river with the big dry fly in the heat of summer.

Current hatches include…
Summer Stones, Hoppers, Yellow Sallies, PED’s, Caddis

Coming soon to a river bank near you…
Craneflies, Fall Cahills

Best big bugs lately;
#6 to #12 Gypsy Kings, Chubby’s, Dave’s hopper

Best droppers lately;
#14-16 YB’s, Yellow Sally perdigon,

Covering lots of water and tossing dry flies, dry droppers, streamers etc…..

No float distance is too long.

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Klickitat

To dirty to fish…..There are lots of steelhead around! Can’t wait for the temperatures to cool and the river to come back into shape..

YAKIMA RIVER

Pmds, Sally’s, and some summer stones throughout the river. Action is great for smaller fish with a few larger fish occasionally. Dry/dropper and deep Indictator nymphing mid day.

Overall fishing has been GOOOOOD

Best bugs lately

#8-12 Chubbys and Gypsy Kings
#14-16 Yellow Sally nymphs -Perdigon, Two Bit Sally
#14-16 YB Beadhead

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KLICKITAT

A little rough on the Klick lately.  Clarity is BAD. Numbers over Bonneville remain the strongest  in quite awhile… Going to be a good when things clear up!

Photo is 9 AM at Twin Bridges

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UPPERCOLUMBIA

Overall opportunity has dwindled down to the last hour.  The fish are INCREDIBLY healthy.  We are on hold till the end of August when we will start back up again:))

YAKIMA TROUT

The river is in great shape and we are good to go for the remainder of the year. We will see some fluctuations on flow based on demand variation but overall we have stabilized for the 2022 season. Caddis, PMD’s, Golden stones, Drakes and Salmon smolt Would be the main fare.

Water clarity
Upper Proper 5 feet
Upper Flatlands 6 feet
Upper Canyon 5 feet
Farmlands 5-3 feet
Lower Canyon 2.5 feet

Verbatim report from a guide
for 6/28   Fishing was pretty darn good yesterday in the lower canyon. Lots of action nymphing. Not many big fish landed but lots of strikes. Pats Stones, Yellow Sallie and PMD nymphs were the ticket.

….and 6/29Fished the upper canyon with my daughter today and the dry fly and dry dropper fishing was very good. A ton of 9-13 inchers with a few kicker 15-18’s. Some tank refusers. Lots of pressure I’m guessing.  Prevalent bugs Sallies, PMDS, beetles and a size 10-12 yellowish brown stone.

YAKIMA BASS

Dang good fishing down low on the Yakima for Bass.  Predominant tactic has been retreiving streamers utilizing sink tips.  The topwater activity should be good over the next week.

UPPER COLUMBIA-BLACK BEAR LODGE…. Catching has been average to good depending on the day. Water clarity is about 6 feet of visibility. Bugs include Caddis and PMDs. Honestly hatches have been pretty light so far-1st gear….. but they are about to kick into 2nd and 3rd gear this week.   Mostly nymphing with some soft hackle and some dry fly action starting.

KLICKITAT-THE STEELHEAD RANCH River is in great shape… And there are Steelhead in the river. So far over Bonneville the fish counts are matching an average for the 10 year number! The fish trap on the Klickitat is showing a consistent number of fish coming up! Happy to see this – should be a good season!

Fishing is spot on!  Big water but spot on.  Short leash nymphing has been the key.

#4-8Pats Stones
#4-6 Salmon smolt patterns
#10-12 Prince nymphs
#14-16 CDC PT’s, Perdigons, Duracells & YB’s
#10-12 San Juans in variations

Appears we might get a bump in flows this week.  It will be dam released clean water. If it happens, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Cover lots of water – Target likely spots – Enjoy the day.

LOOKING good….Big, but looking good.  We will be back on the wtaer starting Friday:)