…..has started for us:) Definitely some hot, bright hatchery fish in the South OP. More of a report, soon.
12/17/16 – WINTER STEELHEAD
Author Jack MitchellPosted on Author Jack MitchellPosted on YAKIMA RIVER REPORT 12/9/2016
Author Jack MitchellPosted on 
YAKIMA RIVER REPORT 12/3/16
Author Jack MitchellPosted on The last month on the Yakima was pretty darn good nymph fishing especially with the Whitefish spawn. That is slowing down dramatically and the key food sources right now would include midges, stonefly nymphs and sculpins.
Fishing today was worthy; not great, not bad….but average, anyways. Pictured below is Jeremy holding a nice Yakima bow for Cory.
Water is low and clear and water temps are ranging between 40-44 degrees.
Flies used today included #16-20 Brassies and #8-12 Pat’s Stones.
SORRY FOR THE PAGE CONSTRUCTION ISSUES- 12/1/16
Author Jack MitchellPosted on YAKIMA RIVER WINTER FISHING – 11/17/16
Author Jack MitchellPosted on Aside from the actual fishing, which can be fabulous, winter brings a new perspective to rivers. The landscape is ‘pared to the bone’. The birds of prey are on the hunt. The big horn sheep are wintering in the Lower Canyon after a long and arduous rutting season. The most patient fisher of all, the Blue heron, is present daily. Small herds of elk find refuge near the river bottom, especially from Ellensburg upstream. Rarely is the river crowded, in fact, never.
Klickitat and Yakima River 11/15/16
Author Jack MitchellPosted on 
KLICKITAT RIVER REPORT 11/2/16
Author Jack MitchellPosted on 
Some sweet fish to be caught on the Klickitat lately. Remarkable creatures. Lots of big water lately but we have been able to find quite a few biters through the big and dirty water.
Both nymph and swing tactics have been worthy. The Yarn under the bobber has been key and sink tips based on depth and flow.
Clarity is ranging from 2-2.5 feet depending on time and zone.
KLICKITAT, YAKIMA & UPPER COLUMBIA REPORT 10/22/15
Author Jack MitchellPosted on 
KLICKITAT
Reasonable steelhead fishing in the mud lately, believe it or not. Nymphing yarn and the like has been a good technique. Lately, short casts and light tips for the swing has been the approach Soft water has been the key. River is pushing hard.
YAKIMA RIVER
The river saw some fluctuations in color down low recently due to the mega rain.
Best tactics for us lately include….A well placed and delivered #4-8 streamer, #16-20 Beatis and attractor mayfly nymphs, #16-18 Baetis rendition to risers, #16 Purple Haze as a searcher, #8-10 October Caddis here and there!
Clarity chart is currently as follows
Upper Proper – 5 feet
Upper Flatlands – 6 feet
Upper Canyon – 5 feet
Farmlands 5-3 feet
Lower Canyon 2 1/2 feet
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| Classic Yakima Bow |
UPPER COLUMBIA
Dry fly fishing has slowed quite a bit on the American Reach. Swing tactics have been the game plan. Beautiful colors and rainbows……
Sink tip lengths and weight based on depth and flow….
Morning coffee and gear at Black Bear
Jason with an awesome bow on the micro spey
YAKIMA, KLICKITAT & UPPER COLUMBIA REPORTS 10/15/16
Author Jack MitchellPosted on 
Per usual, a little late on posting! Watch for our new website to be launched shortly. Pretty much the same content, just streamlined in a Word Press format. The new site will be mobile friendly.
KLICKITAT river is currently ‘outa shape’ The fishing/catching has been more unpredictable then years past, but recently the numbers have increased. Looking forward to this upcoming few weeks after the water subsides from this current blowout. It appears we have ‘a ways’ to go until ‘fishable’ again.
UPPER COLUMBIA has been consistent this fall. We have just buttoned up the hatches at Black Bear Lodge. We finished with a great group of people from Eddie Bauer . Awesome time, good fishing, great gear for the outdoors.
YAKIMA The Yakima has basically stayed in shape through this deluge……It received a little bump in flows.
Clarity Chart
Upper Proper – 5 feet
Upper Flatlands – 6 feet
Upper Canyon – 5 feet
Farmlands – 3 to 2 feet
Lower Canyon – 1.5 feet
This season would be considered the Far and Fine of the Yakima. From now until November 20 is when ‘little’ is generally better. #16-22 BWO’s, midges and the like. A well place streamer is not a bad technique either. However, aside from the cool little dry fly fishing it offers, I would choose December over the next few months as my favorite. Good to great streamers on the move and with little two hander’s.
YAKIMA – KLICKITAT – UPPER COLUMBIA REPORT SEPTEMBER 30, 2016
Author Jack MitchellPosted on 
YAKIMA
Water is low and clear. Water temps are 54 -61 depending on where you are in the system and at what time. Those temps are little warmer than usual. Should start to drop soon with cooler weather coming are way.
Bugs throughout the river
#10-12 Craneflies
#10 October Caddis
#16 Tan Caddis
#14-16 Yellow Mays
Salmon Spawn
The Lower Canyon fishing has been a little rough lately. Low and pressured. Not giving up many fish.
The Farmlands, upper Canyon and Upper Flatlands have been a bit more predictable. Egg drift, dry flies and streamers have all produced.
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| Schumacher party |
KLICKITAT RIVER
Catching remains a bit unpredictable and is a direct relation to the number of fish over Bonneville which is at about 40 percent of the 10 year average. Regardless we have seen some sweet steelhead over the past few weeks. In fact some rather large fish that have had their way.
The warmer weather colored up the river a bit, which was welcomed. Clarity is now increasing daily. The river also received in influx of Chinook recently.
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| Bill Douglas Crew |
UPPER COLUMBIA RIVER
Current bugs include…
#8-10 october Caddis
#16 Tan Caddis’
#12-8 Hoppers
Water level is currently higher then the 40 year average and has been jumping up and down a bit more then usual.
Fishing remains good and multiple techniques have been used to catch ’em. Dry flies, nymphs and streamers.
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| Brian and Jack |
