12-6-99/This time of year expect to seeing very little insect activity on the Yakima.  Sporadic Midge hatches at the warmest part of the day will be about it.  Most fishing now will be done sub-surface with streamers and nymphs.  Working the deeper, slow moving pools can be productive with these flies.  Expect to see an increase in insect activity on the river in February, when the BWO's and Skawla Stone-Flies return.

11-17-99/The fall hatches continue on the Yakima river.  Small and large Mayflies (Mahogany Dun Spinner pictured left) continue to hatch through-out the day, but have been somewhat sporadic at times, especially with the influx of water that was dumped into the system the past couple of days, due to the heavy rains over the weekend.  If fish aren't feeding on the May-flies, then the October Caddis is enough to entice them to the surface, they continue to show up on a fairly regular basis.  Fish are also feasting on nymphs and other aquatic life.   Streamers are a good bet this time of year on the Yak. Black, brown or olive sculpin or wolly-buggers will work well in the slow deeper pools of the river.  Big Sedge Caddis are also hatching and a good Caddis emerger is a productive pattern fished throughout the day.  The Little Black Winter Stones are also hatching and can be found littered on the water about mid-day in the lower sections of the river.

11-9-99/The fall hatches roll on with a variety of insect emergence happening now.  The BWO's are primarily the main meal from day to day, but the Yakima trout are turning their attentions to other food sources as well.  Tiny winter Stone-flies are beginning to pop up on some sections of the Yakima.  The Midge activity has also increased over the past week and fish are slurping these 22-26 May-flies about mid-afternoon.  The October Caddis still have the Yakima trout stirred up as well and using an imitation throughout the day will prove productive.  

11-01-99/The warm weather over the past weekend brought the bugs out in full force.  Explosive hatches of October Caddis had many of the Yakima's rivers bigger fish taking notice. Around mid-day, depending on which area of the river you may have been fishing, the BWO's emerged and the trout began slurping these tiny dark olive Mayflies from the surface.  The Mahogany Dun Mayflies were also hatching and fish were taking them as well.  Emerger patterns work well during the hatch, especially when a #18-20 imitation becomes to tiny to see in the surface film.  Our hatches of Mayflies and October Caddis should last well through the month of November.   With our warm fall temperatures we are having expect the productive, fun fishing to last well through the month.

10-26-99/The small Mayflies of fall have the Yakima trout's full attention as they continue to gorge on these size #16 through #24 Baetis and BWO's.  Small nymphs and emerger patterns continue to take some of the Yakima River's finer fish.   The Mahogany Duns are still hatching in some area's of the river, but are now starting to thin out.  The October Caddis continue to hatch and using the big imitation will be productive for you at times.

10-19-99/It's the time of year for tiny bugs, long leaders,delicate presentations accompanied by a drag free drift.  The Yakima trout have turned their attentions to the small Baetis and BWO's that are hatching now in large numbers on the river.  Mid-mornings you will find the fish slowly sucking these size 18-22 Mayflies from the surface.  Small compar-duns or emergers will work well fished up stream of the feeders.  During the BWO hatch, which has been starting around 2:00 p.m. on the lower Yakima, you can get away with a #16, but the smaller #18 will be more productive.  The much bigger Mahogany Dun Mayfly is also hatching, especially in the lower Yakima Canyon, and fish will key in on them taking the bigger of the two throughout the hatch.  Casting a size #14 is ideal, but you can fish a #12 and get away with it at times.  The big October Caddis are still hatching in large numbers and at certain periods of the day the bigger bugs will draw the trout's attentions.  Fishing a smaller nymph dropper below the Fall Caddis will work well this time of year.  The standard Prince, Pheasant Tail, or Hare's Ear will be productive.

10-12-99/The fall hatches are under way here on the Yakima and the October Caddis, Baetis, and Blue Wing Olives are emerging on the river now.   The October Caddis are the main meal being served up, but at times of the day the smaller Mayflies will be hatching and the Yakima trout will be slowly sucking them off the surface.  Be prepared to see sizes 16 thru 22.   Smaller nymphs and emergers are also working well fished just below the surface film.

10-5-99/The fall hatches are under way and the Yakima produces some very fine fish this time of year.  The Stones continue to hatch and the banks of the river are alive with the males and females this past weekend.  The big female Stones could be seen all day returning to the river.  The fish are still keyed in on them and using the imitations in huge sizes brought violent attacks to the surface.  The October Caddis are also emerging and can be seen hatching during the day as well.  Using big Caddis patterns in bright orange will be productive for you.  Trailing small BWO patterns behind in the early hours of the day will also be successful for you.  The Light Cahill Mayflies are also hatching, but have been sporadic in some area's of the river.   Be prepared in sizes 12 or 14 if you encounter a hatch of these bright colored Mayflies.  Small Baetis and BWO's are also hatching about mid-afternoon and the Yakima trout are slurping them off the surface.  Long leaders and delicate presentations are a must in fooling them to the surface.  Fall fishing will test your skills as a fly fishermen and can be some of the funniest of the season!

9-28-99/The cold nights are bringing about the hatches on the Yakima.  Thick hatches of Summer Stones continue as the females are returning to the water and have the fish stirred up.  Also the Brown Willow Stone is starting to emerge and fish are feeding on the nymph stage of this insect now.  Big Stonefly nymphs are working well along with the adult stage of these huge insects.  Small bug time has also arrived with the BWO's starting to show on most sections of the river.  Sizes vary depending on section to section.  We are finding mayflies in size 16 to 22.  Their are also some thick hatches of Light Cahills about mid-day as well.  These are a fairly large Mayfly and we are seeing them emerge in size 14.  The past couple of days we have also had Mahogany Dun Mayflies hatching and we have even had a few in the fly shop in the early part of the day.   The October Caddis are also emerging throughout the day, but they are thickest just before dusk    Fall fishing is some of the best the Yakima has to offer.   It can be technical at times and will put your skills and gear to the test.

9-24-99/The fall hatches on the Yakima River are beginning.  The female Summer Stones were taking flight this weekend over the water and fishing big Stone-Fly patterns continues to be productive.  The Willow Stone is also starting to emerge as well, so the Yakima trout have plenty of big bugs to feed on.   October Caddis or Fall Caddis can be seen throughout the day, but are thickest in the evening hours.  Small Sedge Caddis continue to provide plenty of activity in the evening hours for Yakima River anglers.  We are also beginning to see the first emergence of the the BWO's back to the river.  This is a good sign that fall is arriving in the Yakima River Valley.  Light Cahill Mayflies are also hatching throughout the day as well, but I have yet to see a thick hatch of them.  It may depend on the area of river you happen to be on.  Reports coming in from the upper sections of the Yakima say that the hatches their have been slightly larger.

9-16-99/The fall Caddis has arrived on the Yakima River in full force.  Thick hordes of October Caddis are now hatching at dusk and fishing in the evening hours just got interesting.   The smaller species of Caddis in size 14 through 18 are still going strong as well and fish will be feeding heavily upon them this weekend, but when the chance comes, the Yakima trout will sink their teeth into one of these bright orange Caddisflies.   Female Summer Stones can now be seen returning to the water to lay the next generations of stones.  The fish have been gorging on these enormous insects all summer long and are now very use to seeing them.  Using your stone-fly pattern throughout the day should work well for you.  If you can't entice them to the surface with a dry fly, use a Stonefly nymph bounced along the bottom will be productive.   Pale Evening Dun Mayflies are also hatching at times during the Caddis blooms and trout at times will turn their attentions to them.  When the river levels drop, insect activity comes alive on the Yakima.  An angler must be prepared for every situation imaginable.  Having the right flies in your box can mean the difference between success and frustration.  Stop in to our fly shop and see the hottest patterns productively catching fish on the river now.

9-14-99/The low water flows and higher water temperatures have sparked multiple hatches of aquatic insects on the Yakima River.  With the water temperature reaching into the middle 60's during the heat of the day, the Summer Stone-Flies have erupted in large numbers once again along the banks of the river,especially in the lower sections. We were seeing mostly male Stones the past couple of weeks, but now the females are emerging in large numbers, which make it essential for the dry fly fisher.  Small flying ants are also emerging along the banks of the river the past couple of days and the fish have been feeding steadily upon them.  Caddis in the evening hours have the fish boiling upon the surface.  Small elk hair caddis or X-Caddis are working well in conjunction with the caddis sparkle emerger.  Their are also Pale Evening Duns (PED) hatching along with the small brown Ginger Quills.  We have seen most of these smaller Mayflies in the lower sections of the Yakima.  Their are some October Caddis emerging from their shucks from pupation, but we have yet to see a large hatch of them.  As the month of September rolls along expect to see thicker hatches of these huge Caddisflies.

9-7-99/With the river levels dropping, hatches on the Yakima River are exploding.  The Summer Stone-Flies (left) continue their massive invasion upon the banks of the river and using big imitations over the Labor Day Weekend produced fish of dynamic proportions.  The Hoppers in most area's of the river are now of mammoth size and the Para-Hoppers or something similar are still fooling many of our resident wild rainbows.  The smaller Olive & Tan Caddis are erupting in the evening hours and the trout are feeding heavily on them.  With river levels decreasing and water temperatures coming up, Caddis have also been hatching at times through-out the day time hours.  Also their enormous counterparts, the October Caddis (right) are pupating now and we are starting to see a few emerging from their casings as well.  As the month of September rolls on, expect to see the emergence of these Caddis take form on the river.   The Yakima trout will be bulking up for the long winter months ahead these bright orange Caddis-flies.  We are also seeing hatches of Light Cahills in the early evening hours as well in some area's of the river.  Most are being seen in the lower river around E'burg, so if you are fishing these stretches you will want to be prepared for them.  A size 14-16 Parachute, Sparkle Dun or Compara-Dun will work magic.   Summer fishing is slowly giving way to fall and we expect to see some of the best fishing yet.  We have some boats available for September & parts of October, so if you are planning a guided trip this coming fall, contact us ASAP to set up a favorable booking.

8-30-99/It's Hopper time here in the Yakima River valley with the big bugs stealing the show during the hot days of summer.  Imitations like the Chernobyl Ant, Para-Hopper, Dave's or Joe's Hoppers are enticing the trout to the surface.  The Summer Stones continue their nightly emergence as well.  The Para-Stimulators, Para-Madam X or Turks Tarantula are working well to imitate the stone.   Using Stone-fly nymphs during the day has also been productive, fished bounced along the bottom.  Come night-fall the Caddis are the main meal being served on the Yakima River.  Most are ranging in sizes 14 through 18.  Productive colors are tan, brown, olive and peacock.  As the water begins to drop in the next several weeks watch for the emergence of the October Caddis.

8-23-99/The summer hatches continue with large amounts of Summer Stones emerging throughout the Yakima system.  Hoppers and other terrestrials like ants, beetles, etc are also available at times throughout the day for the Yakima trout.  Some breezy conditions over the weekend aloud for many of these insects to be blown on to the water for a food source.  The evening caddis however are stealing the show.  By 7:00 p.m. we begin to see the start of their emergence and as the sun sets, the trout begin to feed heavily on them.  Our guides have been fishing by moon-light and using a Elk Hair Caddis with a bleached wing creating a nice silhouette on the water that becomes highly visible for the fly fisher.  Working big Stone-fly nymphs during the day bounced along the bottom will be highly productive as well.  The Yellow Sally Stones and PED (Pale Evening Duns) can also be seen in the evening hours.  The small Para-Madam X works very well to imitate this small stone.

8-16-99/It's big bug time on the Yakima with the Summer Stones continuing their emergence as well as the Hoppers.  Parachute patterns for both the Stone-flies and the Hoppers has been productive to imitate the naturals. Big Chernobyl Ants in Yellow & Brown are also working very well throughout the day.   The Caddis hatches towards sundown have been excellent and fishing the Peacock Elk Hair Caddis in size 14-16 match the species that are emerging now on the Yakima.  The PMD Mayflies are still hatching throughout the day, but are starting to diminish.   Rain storms this past weekend sparked some nice hatches of them though, so be prepared if you are planning a trip to the river.  Small Mayflies have also been hatching during the Caddis blooms and at times fish may turn their attentions to them rather than the Caddis.  Olive Para-Adams in size 16-18 has worked well to fool the Yakima trout.

8-1-99/The Summer Stones are still emerging in large numbers along the banks of the Yakima and fishing throughout the day with imitations are taking some of the Yakima's larger fish.  Dries and nymphs are productive for the both stages of the insect. The Male Summer Stone is highly active, especially when they are on the water.  They scurry quickly across the water's surface, so twitching your imitations will cause the trout to take notice.   In the past week we have had trout violently taking patterns on the surface with this technique.  The water levels remain to run low for this time of year, so the combination of low water and big bugs makes for some very fun fishing.  PMD's are still hatching about mid-day and the spinners are seen in the evening.  The Caddis hatches are thick, starting later in the evening and lasting well into the dark of night.   Hopper fishing is also under way along the banks of the river. Yellow Chernobyl Ants are working well to imitate both the Hoppers and the Stones.  There are also some big Baetis beds that are showing up in the lower sections of the river.  Small Pheasant Tail nymphs are working well fished throughout the day to simulate these small Mayflies.

7-27-99/It's big bug time on the Yakima River.   Summer Stones continue to hatch in very large numbers and can be seen throughout the day.  The Hoppers that have been holding around the banks of the river for the past couple of weeks are starting to hit the water and fish are actively taking big imitations.  PMD's and Yellow Sally Stone-Flies also hatch throughout the day.   Evening Caddis hatches have been productive to fish the past week as well.   They have been spotty in some sections of the river, but are very thick in the lower Yakima River Canyon.  Their are also a sparse amount of Green Drakes still hatching as well on some sections.  Most are seen in the upper river, but we have witnessed a few in the lower sections. 

For more info and current conditions, stop in our new fly fishing facility in Ellensburg at 306 S. Main, across from KFC!

7-20-99/The summer hatches are now under way and fishing on the Yakima is very good.  Warm water temp's have sparked the Summer Stones to hatch in very large numbers on most sections of the Yakima.  They are especially thick here in the lower valley.  The trout are keyed in on them and fishing dries and big nymphs during this time of the year will take some of the biggest fish the river has to offer.  The Caddis blooms have also been very good, especially in the lower canyon.  PMD Mayflies and Yellow Sally's are also hatching in large numbers throughout the day and matching the hatch fishing can be done.  We did experience some colder weather over the past weekend that sparked a nice BWO hatch and the fish always like to see them.  Water flows are down below normal for this time of year and insect activity is very thick.  Hoppers are also starting to show up along the banks of the river and are growing to good sizes.

7-14-99/If you like big bug fishing now is the time to hit the Yakima!  The Summer Stone-Flies have arrived early this season and are now hatching in very large numbers.  You can easily find these large Stones hiding amoung the rocks and other debrie along the banks of the river. The resident rainbows key in on these big Stones very quickly and this can be some of the best dry fly action of the summer. Water flows are up, but so are water temperatures and that means the trout metabolism is increasing.  Along with the Summer Stones, big Hoppers have also been showing up along the banks and guys are doing fairly well with imatations, especially in the lower Yakima.  Yellow Sally Stones and PMD Mayflies as well as several species of Caddis-Flies are also hatching throughout the day.  This is quite a menu for the trout and most aren't to picky this time of year!

7-7-99/The hatches are plentiful now on the Yakima even though flows are up in most areas.  Brightly colored Hoppers are starting to show up in large numbers and range in size of 8 to14.  PMD Mayflies are also hatching in large numbers as well.  The hatch has been taking place about 11:00-11:30 and lasting until about 4 in the afternoon.  The thickest part of the hatch is from noon to 2:00 p.m.   The Yellow Sally Stoneflies are also hatching and the trout are keyed in on them.   Be prepared for this hatch that begins about the same time as the PMD's.  At times it may be difficult to decipher just which bug they may be feeding on.  Caddis are also hatching in large numbers in the evening and fish are feeding heavily on them around sundown.

7-1-99/Their are plenty of insects hatching now on the Yakima throughout the day.  Some sections are seeing hatches of Golden Stones, especially in the upper sections of the Yakima.  Little Yellow Sally Stoneflies are apparent on most sections of the Yakima now as well.  The PMD Mayflies are emerging around 11:00 a.m. and lasting well into the afternoon hours.  Fishing are keying in on them and feeding on these smaller yellow-olive Mayflies in the pools and backwaters of the river.  There are also Hoppers starting to show up along the banks of the Yakima and in large numbers.  There should be a ton of them this year due to our mild winter this past season.

6-17-99/Spring fishing is over and the high flows of summer have arrived on the Yakima.  The river is blown out at this time and it is hard to say how long it will be gone.  They have just started some releases today from the Cle Elum Reservoir system.  Keep checking the website for the most up to date info on Eastern Washington fly fishing.

Once we return to the Yakima river, fishing will be excellent.  Their will be plenty of big bug activity as the Little Olive Stones (left), Golden Stones,& Hoppers will all be emerging along the banks of the Yakima.  Also watch for abundant hatches of PMD Mayflies and several different species of Caddis.

There are still plenty of opportunities for excellent stream fishing.   We are doing Professional Guided Fly Fishing trips to these remote destinations.   Cast here or contact us to book a trip today!

6-12-99/Hatches of Caddis and PMD's in the upper river have been plentiful and it shouldn't be long and the emergence of our next big Stonefly, the Golden Stone should start to appear.

5-24-99/The hatches continued over the weekend, with large spinner falls in the upper river along with several species of Caddis.  Salmon flies were also apparent on the upper river as well.  The March Brown Mayflies are slowing starting to peter out as well.  Once the river comes back into shape, expect to see hatches of Pale Morning Dun Mayflies (PMD), Yellow Sally Stone-Flies, Golden Stones, and vast numbers of Caddis.

5-19-99/The spring time hatches continue to hatch in vast numbers.  Caddis are now hatching in large numbers and the Yakima trout are feeding heavily on them throughout the day.  The March Brown hatch continues, and some of the best dry fly fishing on the Yakima is happening then.  The Salmon Flies are also hatching, and with the warming trend moving in, expect to see more of them in the next day or so.  I have started to see a few Golden Stone nymphs around as well, but no adults as of yet.  It looks like our days are numbered on the Yakima for spring, so if you are looking to fish you better do it now!

5-15-99/The Yakima is now producing intense hatches of Caddis, Mayflies, & Stoneflies.  The water is littered with bugs and fish are feeding heavily, bulking up for the heavy flows of summer that are just around the corner.   We have been experiencing some fairly strong winds here in the Yakima River valley, but if you manage to escape it in some sections you will find the Yakima trout taking March Brown Mayflies, BWO Mayflies, PMD Mayflies, or Grannom Caddis on the surface.  The Salmon Flies (left: Big Hole Salmon Fly) are also peaking their interest during the afternoons, when these gigantic bugs are taking flight, or being blown into the water.  Weather patterns are improving and fishing should be excellent this weekend on the Yakima.

5-10-99/The Mother's Day hatch of Caddis arrived on time this year to the Yakima River.  Large Blooms of Grannom Caddis were covering the banks and brush of the river over the weekend.  The river continued to produce intense hatches of March Brown Mayflies as well and the Yakima trout are slurping them off the surface.  The past couple of days the hatch has been later, starting about 2:00 p.m., due to the colder night time temperatures.  The PMD's were also apparent most days, but not in vast numbers as of yet.  The BWO's continue to make there appearance as well through-out the day.  The colder nights that we are experiencing has slowed the Salmon Fly hatch, but as we start to see warmer nights here in the valley, expect to see the Pteronarcys in larger numbers.  The Golden Stones won't be to far behind them.  The Yakima is producing some of it's best fishing now!

5-8-99/Their is plenty of bug activity being produced on the Yakima river now.  Big bugs are just about everywhere.  The March Brown Mayflies are peaking and the hatch is lasting about 2 to 3 hours, depending which sections you may be fishing.  The upper sections are producing thick and intense hatches that are short lived, lasting only about an hour.  The lower river the hatch are much longer and spread out.  Before the hatch, trout are feeding on the BWO (Blue Wing Olive) Mayfly in sizes 16-18.  Just after the hatch of March Browns, the PMD (Pale Morning Dun) Mayflies are beginning, so be ready to change patterns very quickly.  The Waterwisp PMD in size #14 has been a killer pattern the past couple of days.  I have yet to see one better.  The warmer night time temperatures that we were having earlier in the week has caused the gigantic Pteronarcys Californica, (Salmon Fly) to begin crawling on to the banks in the lower Yakima.  The trout are well aware of them as well, and many are taking to flight during the day, so be prepared for the hatch!

5-3-99/The Yakima  River produced explosives hatch's over the weekend of March Brown Mayflies and BWO's.  The hatch began around 1:00 p.m. and lasted well past 4:00 p.m.  This was the longest March Brown hatch I have personally witnessed this season.  There were also hatches of P.M.D.'s (Pale Morning Duns) as well, but the numbers were relatively low.  This is somewhat early for them to be hatching.

5-1-99/The BWO's in sizes 16 & 18 and the March Brown Mayflies in size 12 & 14 continue to be the main meal source for the Yakima river rainbows.  Hatches begin around 11:00 a.m. with the BWO emerging, followed by the March Browns around 1:00 p.m.  The hatches are somewhat thinner on the upper sections of the Yakima above 3 Bridges.  The trout are keyed in on Stonefly nymphs at this time in these sections. Big Prince or Biot Stone Nymphs have been working well in sizes 8-10.  Below this the Mayfly hatches are much thicker and fishing dry flies will be more productive.  Water temperature is on the rise, reaching 50-51, by mid-day.   Watch for a hatch of Golden Stones and Salmon Flies in the near future.  We are also starting to see a scarce hatch of Caddis, but the river will start producing thicker blooms of these as well.

4-26-99/The cold night time temperatures are keeping the insects from hatching until mid-day, but when the emergence begins the fish key in on them and the water erupts.  The March Browns hatch has been starting about 1-1:30 p.m. everyday.  Once it begins fish begin plucking the big duns off the surface.  The Parachute Adams & the Waterwisp March Brown in size 12 have been working well to imitate the adult Rhithrogena.  The Pheasant Tail or Hare's Ear are also productive to imitate the nymph and emerger stages of these Mayflies.  After the hatch fish begin feeding on the BWO's in sizes 16-18 and the big fish are slurping them off the surface.  I haven't seen any big Goldens the past couple of days.  The cold night time temperatures that are dipping into the low 20's are keeping them from crawling out onto the banks at night to begin there yearly cycle.  We will probably see them after the spring run-off when the river comes back in and the water temperature crawl back up into the 50's.  With the warm day time temperatures we are also seeing an emergence of  small Caddis, but there are to few to get the fish keyed in on them at this time.

4-12-99/With the increase in temperatures, the bugs on the Yakima are starting to get thick and fishing is about to get very exciting.   Water temperatures are now reaching 48 degrees, and the March Brown Mayflies are beginning to hatch.  The trout have started to key in on them.  There are also thick BWO hatches and fish were feeding heavily on the surface this weekend on the size 16-18 Olive Mayfly.  Area's of the river are also seeing tiny Black Stone-Fly hatches as well.  The cold night time temperatures last week were keeping the Stone-Fly from hatching, but the air temp's are staying warmer now at night.  We are also still seeing some Skawla's around as well.  An exciting time on the river!

4-6-99/Their are lots of bugs starting to show up on the Yakima.  The Little Black Stones have been hatching the past couple of nights and about mid-day their are hordes of them flying around.  There are still a few Skawla's around as well, but they are starting to thin out.  I have started to see a few March Browns, but the water temperature is still not getting warm enough at mid-day to produce thick hatches of them yet.  Water temp's are only reaching about 44-45 degree's by late afternoon and by this time it is to late to seeing thick bug activity.  There has been some thick hatches of BWO's over the past week, but not much surface activity from the trout with them.

3-28-99/There is still no sign of the March Brown Mayflies as of yet.  Water temperatures are still to cold, but as the flows continue to drop, the water temperatures should increase and we may begin to see them later in the week.  There are a ton of March Brown nymphs in the river now ready to hatch, but we usually don't see them until water temp's reach 45-46 degrees.  We recorded temperatures of 42-43 degrees over the weekend, but watched as the water temperature plummeted to 36 degrees during a snow storm on Friday on the upper river.  I did have reports of heavy stonefly activity in the lower canyon earlier in the week, but the river was so high and muddy, fishing would have been useless for them.  I believe the anglers were still seeing the Skawla's and not the Golden Stones.  Water temperatures are still to chilly for them as well.

3-23-99/The hatches over the past week on the river have remained the same.  There are still plenty of Skawla stones around, but are bigger and more profuse in certain area's of the river.  The BWO's are plentiful on most sections of the river and fish are feeding on the surface for them.  There are an abundant amount of March Brown nymphs again this season just waiting to hatch, but we haven't seen the water temperature get quite warm enough for that to happen yet.

3-15-99/Spring fishing is here and it is about to get even better.  Water temperatures are on the rise and the March Brown nymphs are big and ready to hatch.  The weekend the river was littered with Skawla Stoneflies on the surface and the Yakima trout are well aware of their presence.  Even the Robin's and Swallows have keyed in on this smaller Stoneflies and we had several try to take our imitations before the trout could get to them.  If you are waiting for fishing to get good, wait no longer.  Dress warm and prepare for some of the best fishing of the season.

3-5-99/The fishing on the Yakima river is excellent.  The Stoneflies hatch have begun and the fish are starting to key in on them.  The emergence hasn't gotten thick as of yet, but with the water temperature just around 40 degrees it won't be much longer and we will begin to see more of them.  The BWO Mayflies are coming off as well around noon on the lower river.   The hatch gets thick into the afternoon lasting about 3 hours.  Trout are feeding methodically on the surface during the hatch.  Little Black Caddis are also starting to hatch as well now.

2-26-99/The Skawla Stonefly hatch on the Yakima river has began along with afternoon hatches of BWO's.   Midges are also apparent throughout the day as well.  Expect to see the March Brown Mayflies emerging very soon.  Once this hatch begins, dry fly fishing on the Yakima river will ignite and the Yakima river anglers will be in for some excellent spring time dry fly fishing.  Small Para-BWO patterns in size 18 or Para-Adam's do good job of imitating the naturals.   Try the Olive Stimulator for the Stone-Flies in size 8 or 10.  The Para-Adam's in size 10-12 will also work well for the March Brown hatch. The Big Stoney below is a great Stonefly nymph for imitating the Golden Stone or Skawla nymph.  Water temperatures need to reach the low 40's before we begin to see them.   As the water temp's warm the hatch will become thicker and more Stoneflies will emerge.

2-23-99/Warm mid-day temperatures, anglers are finding thick midge hatches with fish feeding on the surface.  The smaller feeder streams are also producing hatches of Midges, BWO's and Caddis.  Several different species of Stoneflies should be making their appearance very shortly.

2-5-99/With the river flows fluctuating and cold water temperature I wouldn't expect to see much insect activity.  You may find an occasional midge hatch on our warmer sunnier days.