12-23-99/Their hasn't been much of a change in the Yakima's conditions over the past week.  We have begun to see a drop in the flows, but the river is still running much to high and fast.  The weather has begun to cool and snow levels have dropped, which should help.  The reservoirs are still holding to much water, so expect to see the river running high & fast for some time.

The "Ford" is still fishing very well.  Anglers are catching fish between 14" and 30", mostly on sub-surface patterns, but their has been some dry fly active during the day with tiny midges.

Everyone here at "Worley-Bugger Fly Co." would like to thank everyone that has supported us over the past year and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  We look forward to seeing you for the up-coming season on the Yakima.

12-17-99/The weather here in the Kittitas Valley remains abnormally warm for December with highs reaching into the 50's over the past couple of days.  Water flows are running between 8000cfs in the upper county to almost 14,000cfs here in Ellensburg.  Flows south of E'burg into the Yakima canyon do drop off to about 9000cfs, but the river is on a steady increase. With the reservoirs, especially the Cle Elum holding almost 80% full expect to see the river running high, fast and muddy for some time.

Even though most rivers in the state are blown out, the Eastern Basin fisheries like Rocky Ford are fishing extremely well now.  We have been conducting guided trips to our Eastern Basin fishery and having great days there as well.  Anglers are catching fish between 14" and 27".  

12-6-99/The Yakima continues to run heavy with flows exceeding 4000cfs in the lower sections of the river.  Most of the water now is being dumped into the river from the Cle Elum Reservoir, which remains unusually high for this time of year. The water clarity has returned to the river, but wading anglers will be stuck to the banks in most sections of the Yakima at this time.  With all the reservoirs holding an abnormal amount of water for this time of year, expect the river to run high for the next couple of weeks, as the Bureau of Reclamation continues to dump water from the reservoirs.  Rocky Ford and some of the other Eastern Basin destinations are fishing well at this time, so if cabin fever sets in, heading over their for a day of fishing will take of it.

11-26-99/Heavy rain falls have bombarded the Cascades the past 2 days and the Yakima is running high and muddy.  If you are planning a trip over to fish in the lower river you better make different plans. The upper Yakima may be fishable above the confluence of the Teanaway.  The Teanaway went from 95cfs to over 2000cfs in a day and a half and is pouring all the snow melt into the upper Yak.  Watch the graphs for the current flows.  A link is available for the current streams flow above.  If you need a fishing fix, Rocky Ford Creek is fishing very well.  Expect to see a decent BWO, & Midge hatch happening at this time.

11-17-99/The fall fishing rolls along here in the Yakima River Valley.  Heavy rains bombarded us this past weekend as flows increased dramatically on Saturday and Sunday.  Fishing was somewhat tougher on anglers and we all had to work a little harder.  Flows now have begun to decrease and the fishing has resumed.  Yesterday fishing was spectacular with dries and nymphs. The insect hatch was sparse, but it hadn't deterred the fish from hitting the imitations.  Water clarity is excellent and the weather has greatly improved.  Hopefully the weather will hold out and the excellent season on the Yakima will continue into December.

Over the past week we have been inundated with emails from anglers worried about a  state agencies plan to close the Methow River along with a host of other river's and trib's in that area of the state.  I have contacted professional fly fishers in that area and talked with them about the situation.  We all need to get involved in this one, even if you don't fish these rivers.  If these organizations are able to accomplish this goal what is to stop them from closing our river.  Click here for the info and how to get involved!

11-9-99/The fly fishing for the first week of November continues to be just what we had expected....excellent.  If tiny bug fishing and matching the hatch is your kind of fishing, then the Yakima should be your destination.   The October Caddis continue to entice the trout to the surface as well before and after the hatch.  Using small flashy droppers like the Lightning Bug or Pheasant Tail will also be highly productive for you.  The bead-head Brassie will also be a great choice to try to match the Midge hatch that is happening now on the lower sections of the Yakima.  The weather has been terrific the past couple of days and the fall fishing rolls on.

11-01-99/The fall fishing continues on the Yakima River and the spectacular fishing continues as well.  This has to be the year of the "Yakima trout".  Increased fish sizes on the Yakima, along with abundant hatches of Stones, Mayflies, and Caddis have given anglers plenty of excitement.  The cold nights accompanied by the warm fall days is an anglers delight.  The colorful array of foliage that now adorns the banks of the river gives this fly fisher  plenty of enjoyment, not to mention the fishing.  Just when we thought the big bug fishing was over, thick hatches of October Caddis erupt on the river and the big fish of the Yakima turn their attention back to them.  Once mid-day arrives the trout quickly turn their attentions to the little Mayflies that seem to pop out from nowhere, but are littered upon the surface of the water.  The Yakima trout slowly slurp these #18-20 olive duns from the river film.  At times splashy, violent attacks can be seen and it is at this time and emerger imitation will work wonders for you.  Fishing them at times can be a science, but once you have mastered the technique trout will come readily to your artificial.  Expect the productive fishing to remain well through the month of November.

10-26-99/The brilliant colors of fall now adorn the banks of the Yakima and fly fishing on the river is spectacular.  Cooler temperatures the past couple of days have sparked multiple hatches of Baetis and BWO's and fish are feeding heavily on them.  The big bug fishing that has lasted so long this year has pretty much come to and end, however your October Caddis pattern may be productive for you at times.  The tiny bug fishing is here and some of the best fishing of the year is yet to come.  With the mild fall that we are experiencing here in the Yakima River valley, expect fishing on the Yakima to continue and be productive well into late November, possibly even December.  We will have to wait and see how fast winter returns, but for right now the river is in terrific shape and fishing couldn't get any better.  With the colder days of fall, the big horn sheep have returned to winter in the lower Yakima River canyon.  The elk are also hanging along the river bottoms now as well and many of the bigger bulls are rutting, so hearing the distinct bugle of a huge bull can also be heard throughout the day.  The crowds have begun to thin out with bird and big game season here, so having certain area's of the river to yourself hasn't been a problem.

10-19-99/The fall fishing on the Yakima River is well underway and the cooler temperatures have given way to the long days of summer.   Accompanied with the cooler weather, the tiny insect fishing of fall has arrived.   Small Baetis and BWO Mayflies are now hatching in large numbers and the Yakima trout are feeding heavily upon them, slowly sucking them from the surface film.  This time of year the Yakima will put your skills and equipment to the test.  Reading water is vital.  At certain times of the day, the Yakima trout will not give up their holding lies.  Being able to pick out the seams and feeding lanes will be one of the key's to your success.  Once that is accomplished, lying a #18-22 Baetis or #16-18 BWO upon the surface followed by a drag free drift is crucial.  Controlling the line, fly and slack will be your mission.  If you can achieve these 3 elements during the hatch, the Yakima trout will come readily to your fly.  If not, you have some work to do. After the long days of Summer, casting huge Stone-fly and Hopper imitations along the banks, a Yakima angler can really forget what the sport is all about.  To me, this is it.  Matching the hatch fishing is by far the most exhilarating.  This fishing takes patience and will humble even the pro's!  Be prepared to change patterns finding just the right one.  Are they feeding on adult's or emergers?  This time of year watching the water and the trout's behavior will key you in on their feeding practices.   The day's have been warm and sunny, but the evenings give way to a chill that lets you know winter is just around the corner.  This is truly a great time to be a fly fisher!

10-12-99/With the temperatures now reaching into the lower 30's and the foliage along the banks of the river adorned in brilliant colors, fall is officially here.  With fall fishing comes lower water, cooler temperatures and plenty of insects.  This happens to be the case now!  Fly fishing on the Yakima the past week has ignited and the October Caddis, Baetis, & BWO along with the Mahogany Duns are hatching and the Yakima trout are bulking up.  The water flows have dropped off considerably the past couple of days, so wading the river isn't much of a problem, but the most productive way to fish is by boat.  The trout will pool up this time of year and reading the water of the Yakima will be the key to your success.  With lower water flows most fish will not be found on the banks!  Casting around structure like logs, boulders or other debris as well as seam and foam lines will bring you rewards. Fall fishing on the Yakima is excellent and will last well into the month of November, possibly December depending on how fast winter blows into the valley here.

10-5-99/The cooler temperatures have entered the valley here and fall fishing is under way.  Anglers can expect the best of both worlds for the month of October and November.  Big bugs and little bugs are catching some of the Yakima Rivers finest fish.  The Stones and October Caddis are hatching in large numbers and fall fishing is excellent now on the river.  Expect to see BWO and Baetis in sizes 16 through 22 in the early hours of the afternoon and be prepared for the hatch because the bigger fish in the system are slurping them from the surface.  The Light Cahill Mayflies are also hatching in area's of the river in size 14, but an angler can get away with a 12.  The hatch has been sporadic from day to day, but don't get stuck out on the river without the imitation.  The irrigation season will end here in the valley on October 15th, so watch as the flows from Wilson Creek subside and clear.

9-28-99/The seasons have quickly changed here and fall has been ushered in.  Along with the cooler temperatures, insects of all sizes and colors are emerging on the Yakima throughout the day.  The Summer Stones continue their intense invasion as the females make their way back to the water to surrender the next generation of Summer Stones to the river.  The Brown Willow Stone has also began emerging along the banks of the river and fish are feeding on the nymphal stages of these smaller Stoneflies.  The October Caddis are now a food staple for the Yakima trout and can be seen hatching throughout the day, but are thickest as the sun begins to set.  Fishing big patterns whether on top or bottom will produce for you.  The October Caddis Pupa has been a great pattern for us the past week, especially during the hatch of these huge bright orange Caddisflies.  The big bugs have been getting the attentions of the Yakima trout, but with these cooler temperatures that we are experiencing here in the valley, thick hatches of BWO (Blue Wing Olives) have appeared on most sections of the river.  The emergence of these size 16-22 Mayflies begins about mid-afternoon.  Along with the small Mayflies, hatches of Light Cahills and Mahogany Duns are also appearing on the river in sizes 12-14.  Small Sedge Caddis continue to appear throughout the day and hatch well into the evening hours.  Fall fishing is some of my favorite on the Yakima.   Fishing can be technical at times and will test the skills of the angler.  If you are looking for some fun and challenging fly fishing, the "Yak" is the place to be!

9-24-99/The summer fishing is coming to an end here in the Yakima River Valley and fall is quickly approaching.  Trees, brush, and other foliage along the banks of the "Yak" are slowly metamorphisising to their brilliant fall colors.  Fishing over the past week has been somewhat mixed depending on insect occurrences and temperature, but the fishing remains consistently good!.  The female Summer Stones are taking flight over the water and are depositing the next generations of stones into the river.   Also the Brown Willow Stone is starting to appear as well.  October Caddis continue to emerge in the evening hours and can also be seen throughout the day.  Large sediment loads from Wilson Creek have been draining into the lower Yakima Canyon had the water off color for some time, but it is now starting to settle out and the fishing has improved in this area.  Fall is a great time to be on the Yakima, low water conditions, and plenty of insect activity.

9-16-99/The big bugs continue to distract the Yakima trout and fishing on the river the past couple of days has once again ignited with the emergence of the fall October Caddis.  These huge bright orange Caddis-Flies begin emerging around 7:00 p.m. and continue well into the dark of night.  The smaller species of Caddis also continue to bloom in thick hordes in the evening hours as well.   Big female Summer Stones were scattered on the river the past couple of evenings as well, which will keep the fish interested throughout the day.  Immense hatches of Summer Stones continue to blanket the banks of the river now, so fishing stonefly nymphs throughout the day will be productive if your dry flies aren't enticing them to the surface.  90% of fish being caught by our clients have been on the surface with dries.  Stop in to our fly shop for the hottest patterns working on the river.   Most are going fast so get yours while they last!

9-14-99/The warmer water temperatures and low water conditions have ignited the fly fishing on the Yakima River the past couple of days.  Thick hatches of aquatic insects are emerging along most sections of the Yakima.  With the river now at fall flows wading has become much easier for those that were stuck to the banks during the high flows of summer.  The Summer Stone-Fly emergence has exploded once again, especially in the lower canyon, but huge sediment loads pouring in from Wilson Creek at the mouth of the canyon has the water clarity off color even for this time of year.  Caddis, small mayflies, and even small terrestrials have the fish feeding throughout the day.  We have seen some October Caddis activity during the evening hours, but have yet to see a immense hatch of them yet.

Another boat was sunk over the weekend in the Rinehart Park to Ringer section of the Yakima.  This is the second boat in 2 weeks that has went down in this area.  If you are not familiar with this section of the river you should stay well away from it.  The tree farm contains snags, huge root wuds and braided channels.   If you are unprepared and don't now which channel to float through a great day can end tragically.  The Yakima contains miles of floatable water that isn't dangerous.   Stay in those sections if you aren't familiar with floating.

9-7-99/The Yakima River flows have dropped off considerably and the Labor Day Weekend fly-fishing was spectacular.  The flows began to decrease early last week and the river is now wade-able in most all stretches.  With flows down, water temperatures are heating up and the insect activity has increased dramatically.  We have experienced some windy days here in the valley, which will limit the emergence of some species, but our Summer Stones continue their escape from the nymphal shucks and are clamoring along the banks in their adult stages.  Hoppers fishing continues as well and at this time, hideous size locust's adorn the banks of the Yakima, especially in the lower canyon.   Winder, warmer days these huge insects are active and will be blown on to the water's surface.  An easy and tasty meal for the resident wild trout of the Yakima.   The Caddis-Flies continue their evacuation from their shucks as well and emergent Caddis patterns proved worthy in the evening hours.  The large October Caddis (right) are about to begin their yearly ascent on the river and a few were actually spotted metamorphosing in the late hours of the evening by our guide service this past weekend.  As the summer fishing fades and fall approaches these enormous Caddis will become a important food source for our Yakima trout.   Be well prepared for this explosive hatch if you plan to fish the Yakima!

As I reported in the last paragraph dated 8-30-99, poaching on the Yakima is running rampant.  The number for the State Highway Patrol (509-925-5303) is posted below for all our us to use if you happen to come across this assault on our wild trout species.  If you don't happen to remember the number or carry a cell phone with you, feel free to contact us toll free at 888-950-FISH and we will call the patrol immediately!

8-30-99/The summer fishing is still going strong and fall fishing is just around the corner.  Hopper and Stone-flies over the past week enticed many of the bigger Yakima fish to the surface.  Cooler temperatures on Sunday along with gusts in the 20 mph range made some area's of the river tough.  The evening fish has been better with the Yakima Caddis stealing the show.  The hatch begins just before sundown and continues into the late evening.  The river still contains large amounts of water in the lower sections.  The productive fishing in the lower valley this time of year is really done by boat.  If you are looking to wade the river stay above the confluence of the Cle Elum River.  Most of the water in the Yakima is being dumped by that system, which is around 45 degree's.  Water temperatures have been colder than usual for this time of year, but we have seen an increase the past couple of days.   Water flows in the upper river above the Cle Elum are just above 400cfs.   Evening Caddis hatches in these sections has been very good as well.  It has been reported that the river will begin to drop and they will switch over the systems on September 15th.  This will make it much easier on the wading angler.

Poaching wild trout on the Yakima River is running rampant!  For guys carrying cell phones with them while fishing the river call the local Highway Patrol office and report any poachers you encounter on the river.  Officers will be called dispatch to the scene.  Below is the number for you to call. Write it down and put them it your vest.  Also get the license plate number of the vehicle they may be driving and report that as well.  Game agents will be contacted and they will investigate the crime.  The Game Wardens are extremely busy and Kittitas County has only two agents to patrol the entire district.  With deer and elk hunting just around the corner, most of their time will be spent dealing with hunters.

Washington State Patrol:    509-925-5303

8-23-99/The summer fishing rolls on here in the Yakima River valley.  Cool water temperatures have kept some insect activity thinner, but fishing remained consistent.  In influx of water into the system from the Cle Elum Reservoir has dropped our water temperatures along with the cool evenings.. The Summer Stone-Flies continue to hatch in large numbers throughout the system.  Hopper fishing is well under way and the Chernobyl Ants, Para-Hoppers and Para-Madam X continue to work well on the surface.  Hot temperatures are expect in the valley this week, so the evening Caddis will be out in full force.  Water flows are running high and wading anglers will be stuck to the banks in most area's of the lower river. For productive wading, fly fishers will find the upper stretches of the Yakima much easier, and warm water temperatures.

8-10-99/The Yakima River continues to produce big fish through the Summer Stone-Fly emergence.  The water flows have leveled off and continue to run below normal for this time of year.  Wading anglers may find some area's of the river difficult and should probably stick to the upper sections around Cle Elum or above for easier access and wading opportunities.   Casting big Hopper or Stone-Fly imitations is now taking some very large fish, especially in the evening hours as the water temperatures drop a few degrees from the intense summer heat.  Day time temperatures have been warm and fishing throughout the day has been good fishing from the boat.  Evening Caddis hatches have been a excellent the past week, especially in the lower Yakima River Canyon.   The PMD's continue to hatch throughout the day, but are now starting to diminish.   Short weekend rain storms produced thick hatches of this size 14-16 Mayflies.

We were contacted by a Seattle angler that has found some fly fishing equipment on the upper Yakima and would like to see it returned to the rightful owner.   If you lost some equipment on the Yakima you can contact us for info on how to get a hold of him.

Steve,
Went fishing on the Ensign Ranch run and when I pulled out at Three Bridges last night (July 30) at around 9 PM I found a fly rod and reel leaning again the large concrete blocks.  I put up a couple of signs with my phone number in case the angler returned looking for it.  I was wondering if you could post a message or let me post a message so the angler can describe the rod and reel he lost and get it back.  You can post my e-mail address so he can reply.

8-1-99/The summer fishing on the Yakima River is in full swing and fishing now is excellent!  Summer flows on the river continue to run below normal, but the past couple of days their has been an increase in water through the system.  Flow increases have not effected the fishing   Stoneflies continue to emerge in large numbers along the banks of the river and the Yakima trout have been gorging themselves on both the adult and the nymph stage of these insects.  The Caddis hatching at sundown are impressive and the fish are feeding actively on them.  The PMD Mayflies are hatching about mid-day, so be prepared to see the trout feeding on them.  Big Baetis beds are also springing up on area's of the river, so small nymphs are very productive fished throughout the day.  Warm weather has finally hit the valley here, so be prepared for that as well.  Evening fishing has been extremely pleasant.

7-27-99/The Yakima River continues to run below normal for this time of year and fishing is very good.  Most area's wading anglers won't find to many problems.   Gravel bars and small islands throughout the river system are exposed and can be accessed.  Some banks in the Yakima Canyon have grown thick with vegetation and it may be difficult to fish.  Their are plenty of big bugs around and the trout are focused on them.  The Summer Stone-Flies continue to hatch in large numbers.   The trout have also started to key in on the Hoppers in most sections of the Yakima.  Dave's Hopper, Joe's Hopper, Para-Hopper or the Chernobyl Ant work great to entice them to the surface.  Peacock Stimulators are also working well throughout the day.  The Peacock Elk Hair Caddis is productive for the evening Caddis hatches that are taking place on the river.  Its hard to say how much longer the river will remain to run at these flows, but while it does take advantage of the great fishing.

Feel free to contact us if you are interested in a Professional Guided Fly Fishing trip on Eastern Washington's Yakima River! 888-950-FISH

7-20-99/The water flows have dropped off considerably in the past 5 days and the warm weather here in the valley has sparked the Summer Stones to hatch in very large numbers.  The Yakima trout are keyed in on them and fishing now is very good!  Water clarity is excellent in all sections of the river.   If you like fishing big bugs now is the time to hit the Yakima.  Fishing big bugs on the top is bringing some of the Yakima's biggest feeders to the surface.   Fishing big Stone nymphs as well in the deeper pools in also highly effective.   Make sure to get it down deep and bounce it off the bottom.  The Caddis hatches have also been very good in the evening hours, especially in the lower Yakima Canyon.  PMD Mayflies and Yellow Sally's are keeping the fly fishermen busy throughout the day.  The summer days have been very pleasant here in the Yakima River Valley with temperatures in the high 80's.

7-14-99/Water flows are up on the Yakima River, but the water clarity is very good and their are some exciting things taking place.  The Summer Stones have arrived early this year and are now hatching in large numbers.   This is the best Stonefly hatch of the summer and the trout key in on them very quickly.  In the past couple of days we have had a tremendous hatch of them, especially on the lower sections of the Yakima.  Using big dries will attract many of the bigger resident rainbows in the Yakima to the surface this time of year.  Casting big Stone-Fly nymphs into deeper pools and backwaters will also be highly productive.

7-13-99/Heavy releases from both the Cle Elum and Kachess reservoir have sent the flows sky rocketing.   Flows are running heavy in most areas of the river and without some type of boat or water craft, wading anglers are going to be confined to the banks of the Yakima.  With heavy summer flows fish are now pushed up against the banks or other structure trying to find refugee.  You will also find fish in different hydraulics structures throughout the system.  Water clarity is tea colored in most areas, especially the lower river, but not bad against the banks where you will be fishing anyway.  Expect to see these flows the rest of the summer. 

7-2-99/The Yakima is now in beautiful shape and fishing well.  Plenty of big bug activity is stirring the fish up and with flows in the lower stretches running above 3000cfs it isn't hard to tell where the fish are holding.  If you are wade fishing you will be better off to stay to the upper stretches above Cle Elum.   Access here is good and the river is much smaller and easier to wade.  If you travel farther south you will be stuck to the banks in most areas.  Releases are being held to a minimum for the time being in the reservoir's, but that could change with the warm weather that is expected in the next few days.  The Kittitas winds have been kicking up, but fishing has remain consistent.  Water clarity is excellent in all stretches, but expect a tea color in the lower Yakima Canyon due to irrigation run-off out of Wilson Creek.  The river is also running about a 1000cfs faster in this area.

The Eastern Washington basin is fishing well for us.  Escaping the wind the past couple of weeks has been easy in this area of the state.

7-1-99/The Cle Elum Reservoir flows have been cut back and the river has dropped from 7000cfs to 3000cfs in the past two days.  Water clarity is returning to the river in most areas.  The upper Yakima is clear and fishing has resumed in these sections.  The river around E'burg is starting to look very good and should be fishable by Thursday.  We aren't sure how long the river will stay like this.  Kachess Reservoir is now over 100% full and Keechulus isn't far behind.  Water releases from these two storage reservoirs has been minimal and water will probably be released in the next couple of days.  In the mean time the Yakima is back for the time being and seeing several different hatches of insects.  Check out the hatch page for further details.  The Kittitas winds have been picking up, so expect a breeze on the river.

We have been fishing in the Eastern Washington basin the past couple of weeks and fishing is excellent.  Large dries are taking fish on the surface in all sizes.  Wade trips to these areas are now available. Cast here for more info!

6-17-99/We all new it would eventually happen and the warm weather has done the Yakima in.  The river is running in excess flows now between 3000cfs at Cle Elum to well over 7000cfs in the lower Yakima River Canyon.   We can't complain it was a wonderful spring, probably the best we have ever seen in our 10+ years of fishing the Yakima.  Once fishing resumes on the river, flows will be high, but fishing will be excellent.  Expect to see big bugs like the Little Olive Stones (right) that are hatching now, along with the Golden Stones, Hoppers, PMD's and Caddis...A fly fishers smorgasbord.  While the Yakima is blown out, there are is still plenty of stream fishing available.  Check out our guide service pages our contact us for the info!

If you are interested in information on the oil pipeline that is trying to be constructed along the Yakima and some of are other fine trout streams here in Eastern Washington, cast here! Your input is needed.

A boat was lost in the upper river a couple of days ago around the Hansen Ponds area.  Two fly fishers escaped the heavy flows and brush in that area, but lost most of their gear.  If you happen to come across it and would like to return it to the rightful owner, please call us at 888-950-FISH and we will see that it gets back to them.

6-15-99/Hot weather here in the valley is pushing the flows up considerably and the lower river below the Teanaway is now running high and fast with about 6 to 8 inches of visibility.  Reading the graphs it looks like the upper river above the Teanaway is still running okay, but reservoirs are filling up quickly and it won't be to long and water will start to flow from them.  If you are planning a trip over to the Yakima, stay in the upper sections above this tributary for productive fly fishing.

6-14-99/The fishing was excellent over the weekend and the water clarity is still pretty good in most sections, however the warm temperatures here in the valley are pushing up the flows.  If the trend continues the Yakima will probably be blown out in the next day or two. Keep checking the flows for the current status of the river.

6-12-99/The Yakima is fishing excellent now with tremendous hatches of Stoneflies, Mayflies and Caddisflies.  The trout are hungry after the heavy flows over the past couple of weeks and are eager to take your dry flies from the surface.  Summer weather has hit the valley here, with expected highs in the 90's, so expect the flows of the Yakima to increase in the next few days.

6-9-99/The river has been dropping and the water clarity has returned to most sections of the river.   The lower sections below the Teanaway are clearing and fishing is resuming for the time being. The reservoirs are filling and it probably won't be long before the gates are opened and the flows increase, especially with the warm weather that is predicted in the next couple of days.   If you are looking to fish the Yakima, now is the time because we may be off the river for a while with the large amount of snow pack that remains in the Cascades.

The Eastern Washington creeks remain clear and fishing is excellent in them.  We have been fishing the creek the past couple of days and are seeing thick hatches of PMD's that last most of the day.   The fish also feed heavily on the abundant amount of nymphs and scuds that are present in the stream system as well.

6-2-99/The hot temperatures over the past week that brought our fishing to an end for the spring season of "99" has rapidly evaporated and colder weather has now moved into the Yakima River Valley.  With these colder temp's, the river flows have decreased significantly, but the river is still running high and fast below the Teanaway River.  Flows are decreasing in all areas of the river and if the trend continues, fishing could resume on the river later in the week above this main tributary of the Yakima.

Even though the Yakima River is blown out, that doesn't mean the fishing here in Eastern Washington is on hiatus.  We are now offering new and exciting trips to remote destinations.  You can check it out here!

5-28-99/The Yakima is still in tough shape, even though our weather has cooled down a bit.  River flows are still high and water clarity is almost zero.  It looks like lake fishing for the Memorial Day Weekend.  Everyone drive carefully and have a enjoyable weekend!

5-24-99/We knew it was only a matter of time before the warm weather hit the Yakima River Valley, and this weekend temperatures climbed into the upper 80's.  The river has begun to swell, especially in the lower valley.  The main trib's are pushing glacier snow pack in the river system and spring fishing on the Yakima is coming to a close.  We can't complain, this spring has been one of the best we have ever seen in the (10) ten years we have been fishing the river.  The insect hatches, especially the early Stone-Flies and this past months March Browns hatched in vast numbers.  The trout bulked up on the extensive amount of feed.  Once the river comes back into shape expect high summer flows, but excellent fishing.

5-19-99/Spring time fishing on the Yakima has reached it's peak and it looks as though we may be coming to the end.  Warm weather is starting to hit the valley here and the river is on the rise.  Water clarity is still very good, but weather predictions for the next couple of days isn't encouraging.   They are calling for 80+ degree temps here in the valley, so if you are planning a trip to the Yakima, you better do it.

5-15-99/Big bugs are hatching on the Yakima River now!   The Pteronarcys are hatching and the Yakima trout are well aware of their presence.  Salmon Flies can be seen throughout the day struggling upon the surface of the water.  These giant bugs create a lot of movement on the surface and bring the trout to the surface in a hurry.   The river is in great shape and the fishing is hot!  There are several species of insects hatching now and an angler can match the hatch for these at different period's throughout the day.

5-14-99/The Kittitas winds have been kicking up the past couple of days, blowing in access of 25 mph and made fishing pretty tough.  Weather patterns are improving and fishing should be excellent this coming weekend.  Water clarity is very good in most sections now.  Wading anglers may find some area's harder to manage, especially in the Lower Yakima River Canyon, south of Ellensburg.   Water flows are up there, running over 3000cfs.  You will find the upper area's of the river easier to wade, but a little more technical.  Intense hatches of Mayflies, Caddis & Stoneflies are all happening now on the river.

5-10-99/Mother's Day weekend produced some exciting Yakima River fly fishing.  The bug activity is intense with the March Brown Mayflies stealing the show about 2:00 p.m. every day now.  Fishing March Brown nymphs just before or during the hatch will produce some fine Yakima trout.  The hatch last about 2 hours daily, depending on which section of river you may be fishing.  While they are hatching, the river is covered in March Brown Duns.  Trout methodically pluck these large Mayflies from the surface.  The Mother's Day Caddis blooms also arrived to the river this weekend.  PMD Mayflies as well are starting to emerge, usually right behind the March Brown hatch, so be well prepared for them.  Trout quickly turn their attentions to this smaller Mayfly once the hatch of Rhithrogena Mayflies starts to thin.  The yearly ritual of Salmon Flies was also beginning, but that hatch has slowed up some due to the colder night time temperatures.  Trout however are well aware of their presence in the river and fishing the imitations in some sections will be productive.  The Yakima is fishing excellent now.  Water clarity and flows are stable, so if you are looking for some exciting spring fishing, now is the time!

5-8-99/The water conditions have returned to the Yakima and once again spring fishing is excellent.  Plenty of big bugs now and some tremendous hatch's of Mayflies.  The B.W.O.'s are still hatching and are primarily the main meal throughout the day.  About 1:00 p.m. the March Browns begin to hatch and all attentions are directed towards this bigger Mayfly.  The hatch is varying from different sections.  It is thick and intense on the upper sections of the river (around Cle Elum & above), but short lived, lasting only about an hour.  The lower sections the hatch is spread out and it now lasting well into the late afternoon.  During the hatch trout are also turning their attentions to the PMD's that are beginning to hatch as well.  Be prepared to change patterns quickly, because they have been getting selective in their feeding.  The Salmon Fly is also beginning to hatch on the lower sections of the Yakima, and if you happen to be at the right place at the right time you could be in for some very exciting fishing.  Watch for them through-out the day.  They could pop out on any section of the river.  They were especially thick in the upper sections last year.  The trout are well aware of these huge insects at this time and casting your Salmon Fly imitations in the Yakima will produce some very fine fish.

5-5-99/The colder night time temperatures in the Cascades has brought less water to the river system.  Snow showers in the high mountains has slowed the melting process and the Yakima has dropped considerably.  The lower river once again is beginning to clear and if one can catch it right, fishing will be very good.   The March Brown hatch is at its height now, lasting almost 3 hours a day.

5-3-99/Mother Nature continues to have her way with the river, as rain and show showers blanket the Kittitas Valley pushing the river flows upward.  This weekend the river produced some of the biggest and longest Mayfly hatches we have seen all season.  The lower rivers clarity is almost non-existent.   The upper stretches look much better above the Teanaway.  This is where you will find the productive fishing.  The Yakima River Valley will see rain and even some snow showers possibly in the upper county the next day or so.

4-30-99/The river continued it downward trend over-night and is looking very good, especially the upper river above the Teanaway & Tanuam Creek.  The lower river below these creeks is starting to clear, but still has a tint of tea color to it.  We fished the upper section yesterday and did quite well.   There wasn't much bug activity, but fish were hitting the flies.  Cooler weather is expected here in the valley over the weekend, so the river should shape up quite well.

4-29-99/The river is on it's way back down and the water clarity is starting to return to most sections of the river.  The lower Yakima River, below the Teanaway is still chalky, but now has about 6 to 8 inches of clarity.  If the river continues it downward spiral, more water clarity will return to area's of the river and fishing will resume.  We will be on the upper river today and will have a more accurate account for the up-coming weekend.

4-26-99/The river is back on the rise once again, due to the warm temperatures here in the valley over the weekend.  The Teanaway and Tanaum Creek are running high and dumping large amounts of snow pack into the Yakima.  The upper river above these tributaries was clear over the weekend, but also started to rise and cloud up some over the past two days.  Windy conditions the past couple of days as well have made fly fishing tough.

4-23-99/The upper sections of the Yakima, above the Teanaway River are now clear and fishable.  Water temperature is cold and hatches have been short-lived, but persistence will pay off.  Warm temperatures are expected here in the valley over the weekend.  The lower river continues to run milky with run-off from some of it's main tributaries.  Most sections are on the rise as well with the warm days we have been having here in the Yakima River valley.

4-21-99/The Teanaway River continues to push heavy amounts of spring run-off into the upper Yakima.   The result... very little clarity to the river below.  The upper stretches above the Teanaway are starting to clear, but are still somewhat cloudy as well.  The colder nights here are decreasing the flows, but not enough yet to see a big difference in the water clarity.

4-19-99/There is no good news to report.  The last good day of fishing was Friday, before the melt was on.  The river is now up and running dark once again.  Reports I am getting are even saying the upper river above the Teanaway are also milky, just not as bad yet.  We knew it was going to eventually happen and the warm spring time days have had there effects.  It is hard to say how long the river will be out of shape with the heavy snow pack that is still residing in the Cascades.

4-16-99/The night time temperatures are still dipping down into the 20's at night here in the Kittitas Valley and it is keeping most sections of the river in good shape.  The Yakima River Canyon had started to cloud up on Tuesday, but there is still plenty of clarity for fishing.  Fishing with nymphs in the morning hours is successful and by 1:00 p.m. the March Browns are hatching and the trout are feeding on the surface.  Fishing with the Pheasant Tail or Hare's Ear just before the hatch will also be productive for you in size 12-14.  The hatch of March Browns is short lived lasting only about an hour at the present time, but while it is on so are the fish.  After the hatch of March Browns the trout begin there daily feed on the BWO's and using the size 16-18 parachute pattern will be highly productive.

Many anglers have contacted us worried about the run-off.  The river is still in great shape, so if you are planning on a trip, now is the time to go.  We are having nice warm days here in the valley with the temperatures reaching into the high 60's.  The cold night time temperatures are keeping that snow pack from melting off quickly.

4-12-99/The fishing this weekend was good, with Sunday being the best.  Warm temperatures here in the valley are sparking hatches of big insects and this coming week should be one of the best of the year.  Water temperatures are now reaching into the high 40's and the March Brown Mayflies are beginning to emerge.  The Yakima trout are starting to key in on them as they begin to hatch around 1:30-2:00.  The hatch hasn't been really thick yet, but this week's weather will prompt thicker hatches of them.  There were also thick hatches of Olives this weekend and fish were actively slurping these smaller Mayflies.  Area's of the river are also producing small Black Stone-Fly hatches as well.  We did see a few Golden Stones this weekend, but the cold night time temperatures have kept many of them from appearing.  With the warm weather predictions for this week, I would assume to see an explosion of these big Stones.  If you are planning a spring time trip to the Yakima, this is the time.  With the air temp's reaching into the high 60's the heavy snow pack in the Cascades isn't going to stay there much longer.

4-6-99/The fishing has been somewhat mixed the past couple of days.  The weekend produced strong winds here in the valley, which makes the dry fly fishing pretty tough.  There was some action on top, but most was with Stone-Fly nymphs bounced on the bottom.  Monday was a nice day here in the Yakima valley and fishing was better on the surface, but still some fish were hesitant and fishing Stone-Fly droppers produced good numbers of larger fish.  Tuesday started out as a beautiful morning, but the winds blew in later in the day and put the fish back down.   Insect activity has been pretty good, but not consistent.  Cold nights here in the valley are keeping the water temperature in the low 40's. 

4-1-99/The lower river is back in and fishing is very good.  Fishing with dries is taking fish on the surface.  New species of Stoneflies are present, but I have yet to see the big boy's yet.   Water clarity is very good and the water temp's are on the rise daily.  We may begin to see the March Brown Mayflies this weekend.  If not we should start seeing them early next week.

3-29-99/The river is slowly coming back into shape here in the lower valley.  The water clarity is starting to return as the flows have begun to drop due to the colder weather the past couple of days.  The fishing should resume early this week here on the lower sections, which will be nice.  The upper river seen tremendous pressure the past week from boats and anglers looking to get out to do some spring fishing.

3-23-99/ The lower river from the Teanaway to the Columbia River is now blown out and running wild!  The only section that is still fishable is above this area. The river has come up in this area as well, but remains clear for now.   The Kittitas Valley is experiencing temperatures in the high 60's now and most tributaries that feed the river are dumping spring run-off into the lower sections.  Cooler night time temperatures on Snoqualmie Pass are keeping the snow melt on the pass to a minimum at this time.

3-15-99/The weekend fishing was excellent, especially Saturday.  Sunday we did battle the famous Kittitas winds, but fishing was still very good.  Skawla Stoneflies were present on the surface as well as BWO Mayflies.   The hatch of Mayflies was short lived, lasting only about 30 minutes on the sections we fished.  If you are waiting for the Yakima to get good, wait no longer.   With the heavy snow pack in the Cascades it won't be long and spring fishing on the Yakima in "99" will be only a memory.

3-12-99/The exceptional dry fly-fishing continues on the Yakima river, and if you are climbing the walls with cabin fever now is the time to get out and cast big bugs to big fish.  Several big insects species are hatching now on the Yakima, combined with aggressive rainbows makes for fun and productive days on the river.  The water temperature is also on the rise, reaching 41 degree's today.   Several other big hatches are only days away now.

3-9-99/The fishing remained excellent over the weekend for us.  Using big dries on the surface brought quite a few fish to the surface.   Most of the bigger trout tried to slowly suck the patterns off of the surface.  We did have some activity on nymphs, but most of our action came using big stonefly patterns.   Saturday produced hatches of BWO's and Midges, but it didn't last long at all.   Water clarity remains excellent, while the water temperature is staying right around 40 degrees at mid-day.

3-5-99/The fishing on the Yakima river right now is exceptional.   Spring fishing doesn't get any better than this.  The Yakima trout are in spawn and are highly aggressive taking big stonefly patterns on the surface.  Most of the trout are in adoring beautiful spring/spawn colors.  Some trout eagerly take the patterns, while others merely suck them off the surface.  Warm temperatures here have made spring fishing ideal.  Water temperatures on most sections of the river are about 40 degrees.  The water has excellent clarity.

2-25-99/The warm weather we are having here the past couple of days has brought thick sludge pouring in from some of the lower tributaries in the lower Yakima Canyon.  It made the water clarity a milky brown, but over night the river came back into shape and the water clarity now looks good.   One can never predict what Mother Nature is going to do.  When I check the river yesterday it looked terrible.  Today things are different and the river is definitely fishable.  We will be floating a section around E'burg tomorrow and will have an updated report for that section of river.

 With water temperatures in the high 40's, afternoon hatches are producing BWO and Skawla Stoneflies. The trout are feeding heavily on the surface from noon to about 2 p.m.   Using size 18 Para-BWO and Para-Adam's patterns works very well to imitate the natural.  The Olive Stimulator does a excellent job of imitating this smaller Stone-Fly.