North Washington guide service

YAKIMA RIVER –  The river is completely blown out currently.  However with this current weather pattern it should settle down a bit.  As stated earlier,  Between now and stabilization (somewhere around June 15)  the river will fish good and not so good….It all depends on how the water comes.

Current bugs include

Salmon Flies
March Browns
Flying Ants
Caddis

Current Water Clarity as of 5/6
Upper Proper  – 6 inches
Upper Flatlands – 8 Inches
Upper Canyon – 0
Farmlands – 0
Lower Canyon – 0

UPPER COLUMBIA RIVER

This is the one river that does not “Blow Out”  believe it or not….Current visibility is 6 feet.  Current bugs include Baetis, Caddis, March Browns.   Predominant tactic lately is nymphing with some swinging and dry flies. Here is a world class trout caught recently….Not all of them are this big:)

SMALLMOUTH

Smallmouth bass action is heating up.  Top water action just started on one of our favorite desert streams…..

Clarity Chart….

Upper Proper 4.5 feet
Upper Flatlands 5.5 feet
Upper Canyon 5.5 – 4.5 feet
Farmlands  4.5 – 2.5
Lower Canyon  2 feet

The Yakima has some big water right now.   The Lower and Upper Canyons are bank to bank.  Our best fishing as of recently is to stop and fish likely water in the Farmlands or Upper Proper.  Both the listed stretches afford foot access in high water because of the islands and channels.

#1 Fly yesterday…  # 4 Black Stone fly

Current hatching bugs…
#12 March Browns
#18 Baetis
#10 Skwala

Upcoming bugs…
#4-6 Salmon Flies
#14 American Grannom – Caddis

There are still a few of these around…

The Yakima has been fishing reasonable over the last few days  with a dropping river ….

Clarity Chart
Upper Proper  4.5 feet
Upper Flatlands 5 feet
Upper canyon 4 Feet
Farmlands 4-2.5 feet
Lower Canyon 2 feet

Bugs include…Midges, March Browns,  Skwalas and Blue Wings

 March Brown

DECENT dry fly fishing to be had…Zone specific.

Hot nymphs…. Pink and Red San Juans, Tungsten Head PT’s

YAKIMA TROUT

…The Yakima will be all over the board until stabilization- Somewhere mid June.  There is going to be some great fishing from now till then.  There is also going to be some tough fishing.

Current bugs include – Skwalas, March Browns, Blue Wings
Upcoming bugs include – Caddis, Salmon Flies, PMD’s, Golden Stones

Although we have some hatches occurring,  The dry fly fishing remains less than “the old days” …Nymphing continues to be the producer. Believe it or not, The San Jaun Worm in various sizes, color has been the MVP.

WINTER STEELHEAD

…Our season is close to the end.  Although the water was not very predictable, ‘ hardly ever is’, Overall fishing was reasonable.  We have utilized both swing and nymph tactics to target the winter fish.

Nymph choices include – The bead, Yarn, and Pink Worms

Swing bugs include – The AI, Intruders, Grabflies, Bucket Bouncers

UPPER COLUMBIA TROUT

…The early season low water window of opportunity has come and gone.   April is typically the lowest lake level,  and the flows at the border are low as well.  However, this season we have a significant larger flow at the border. The lake level is typical.  Fishing recently has been average at best when it comes to numbers. Recent tactics include …swinging the fly!

Bugs include… A few Skwala and Blue Wings.  Nymphing remains the better technique for action.

Fly choices include … San Juan Worms, Stonefly’s,  PT Flashbacks

CLARITY CHART
Upper Proper  3 feet
Upper Flatlands 3.5+ feet
Upper Canyon 3-2.5 feet
Farmlands  2.5-2 feet
Lower Canyon 1-1.5 feet