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.

_______________________

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

______________

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

_________

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:)

Quick update–Klickitat and Yakima are BLOWN out.
Smallmouth fishing in the basin is good/lots of topwater action.  The Upper Columbia is fishing as well!

Recent Images – Contact Jack @ 509.859.2280

YAKIMA

Video taken at Irene Rinehart 4PM June 5

When the river comes back into shape The predominant bugs will include….

Caddis
PMD’s
Flying Ants
Golden Stones
Green Drakes

In the mean time the Smallmouth fishing has been good! This coming week looks great for Smally’s!

UPPER COLUMBIA

Lake Roosevelt Reservoir is way lower than normal, therefore the flows near the border are FAST.  Caddis have been really strong making our fishing a little tough honestly;   Much rather have Mayflies.  Actually, everyday has been different and we have had some good fishing. Some days better than others!

The fishing has been good even with the BIG water.  However, the river just increased in size quite a bit more over the past 24 hours and although the fish still have to eat the catching was pretty darn tough yesterday! Recently the PMD’s have shown up.

Current Bugs include:
->Caddis  #14-18 Heavy hatches
->PMD’s #16
->Salmon Flies #4-8
->Salmon Smolt # 2-6

Bugs of the Week
->#14-16 YB, PMD Trigger Nymph
->#4-6 Sparkle Minnow
->#6 McSalmon
->#4-8 Pats Stone

Coming Soon 
->#12 Flying Carpenter Ants
->#10-12 Green Drakes