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After a series of
erratic winter storms, which produced an inordinate
amount of rain showers, the waters of Central
Washington's Yakima River have settled and steadily
dropped back into winter flows. Small
tributaries that feed the Yakima as it channels its
way through the Kittitas Valley caused an increase
in water this past week. |
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However, unlike the
anadromous fish producing rivers west of the
Cascades that swell at the banks due to heavy
rains this time of year, the Yakima rivers water
clarity is rarely compromised during the winter
months. The river is gin clear, cold and
inhabited by only a few die hard fly fishermen.
As Big Horn Sheep, Whitetail Deer and Rocky
Mountain Elk roam the hillsides of the Yakima
Canyon, Bald Eagles, America's symbol of
strength, honor and perseverance stand guard
atop the branches of cottonwoods that line the
banks of the river. |
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The fishing this
time of year is what you make of it. The
warmer days where air and water temperature mix
to the right degree have produced willing
feeding participants. Some days the
river's wild rainbows aggressively slash at
nymphs and streamer patterns. An
occasional midge slurping rainbow can be found
among the foam lines and boulders of the river
as well. The colder winter days you work a
bit harder and feeding becomes less frequent or
not as easily detected. Whitefish
congregate in pods this time of year with the
Yakima's rainbows and at times can be a more
aggressive feeder than it's spotted brethren.
It's a peaceful, quiet time of the year to stand
in it's water's. |
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As the nation sits
under a blanket of uncertainty this holiday
season, the staff, management and professional
guide staff of Worley Bugger Fly Co. wish
everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas season.
We thank everyone for their continued support of
our efforts and look forward to the upcoming new
season. |
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As the month of
December settles in, winter like weather
attempts to grasp the Yakima River Valley.
The first low lying snow fall arrived late last
week, but by now signs of the event have quickly disappeared. Only the surrounding
hillsides remain blanketed with the evidence of a
December storm. |
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If current weather
predictions hold, the Kittitas Valley should see more
pre-Christmas snow by the
middle of the week.
Low lying fog
hovers in the the hills and along the river most of the day, blocking
the warm sun from the Central Washington basin.
This leaves a 5
to 6 hour window of opportunity to experience
some quality winter river fishing. Their
is no necessity to be on the river at first
light. |
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Give the sun a
chance to bring the temperature up and you can
avoid breaking ice from your guides most of the
day.
This time of year as
the colder weather sets in, concentrate your
best efforts during the warmest parts of the
day.
It is during
these times fish are most active. A couple
of degrees difference in water and air
temperature can make the difference between
inactivity and fish willing to feed. |
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Nymph fishing will
consume the majority of your day, however fishermen
have experience some dry fly action sporadically
during the emergence of a midge hatch this past
week. For those looking for more consistent
surface action you may want to try Rocky Ford Creek
this time of year. This spring creek located
in the Eastern Washington basin can provide you with
a reliable surface feeding fish. |
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The chilling days that
arrived the first weeks of November have now been
replaced with mild,
warm fishing days. The past week, improved
weather conditions throughout Central Washington,
produced sunny Falls days. This weekend fly
fishermen were out, converged in boats and walking
the banks, fishing the Yakima River. Insect
hatches were sparse with surface feeders
concentrating mainly on Midges. Some areas of
the river, fly fishermen were treated to light Baetis
activity during the day. |
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Double nymph
combinations, rigged with a small shot to sink it
quickly will constitute the majority of your fishing
day. Streamer and bugger fishing has been good
throughout sections of the Yakima when fished
accordingly. The fast strip technique is out
of the question this time of year. With water
temperatures hovering in the mid-40 degree range,
it's highly unlikely that rainbows will actively
chase this time of the year. Light sporadic
movements throughout the run, quartered with the
hang down effect can be very productive. |
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We are happy to report
that the first charter Federation of Fly Fishers
club has been established in Ellensburg. On
November 18th, a meeting was held locally and
executive officers were appointed to cabinet
positions. We would like to personally thank
all those involved in forming the club and those
officers that stepped up to these positions.
The tireless efforts of everyone involved is much
appreciated. The club is now taking membership
application and further questions can be addressed
to the "Yakima River Fly Fishers". |
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I am also very happy to
report that on November 16th at 11:32 p.m. my wife
Robin gave birth to our first little fly fisher.
We have been blessed with a beautiful, happy,
healthy baby daughter named
Jacqueline Christina Worley. Suddenly life has taken on a
whole new meaning for us. Robin and I would
like to thank everyone for the kind words and
generosity we have received since this new bundle of
joy enter of lives. We would also like to
thank the tireless efforts of the Worley Bugger
guide and shop staff for taking up the slack over
the past weeks. Cheers! |
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As the month of November
progresses, changes in weather patterns have
occurred throughout the Yakima River valley.
The light dusting of snow that covered the hillsides
has melted under the warm Central Washington
sunshine. The past several days, nightly rain
showers have also pounded the valley, soaking the
ground. The cool mornings of last week where
ice formed around the rod guides has been replaced
with, cloudy warm days. |
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As west side rivers
swell from the daily rain fall, the Yakima continues
to flow gin clear. Heavy rains this time of
year will seldom become a problem for the river,
unlike the streams west of the Cascades. The
Yakima continues to flow at Fall levels as fly
fishermen enjoy afternoon hatches of aquatic
insects. Nymph fishing the first part of the
day is standard practice as we wait for the day time
temperatures to rise. As the warmer part of
the day begins, hatches of Baetis begin forming and
the rainbows begin their daily surface feeding.
Not all area's of the river are producing a
consistent hatch at this time. Sporadic
hatches throughout the Eburg and Thrope section have
occurred throughout the week, however a more
reliable emergence is still happening in the lower
Yakima River Canyon. |
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For those not
particular about the fly fishing method, nymph
and streamer combinations have been productive.
These method will continue to produce more
consistent fishing on a day to day basis
throughout the month of November. Sporadic
hatches of Mahogany Duns have still been popping
up around sections of the river during the
afternoon. If this occurs, the tiny Baetis
and Midge imitations that you are fishing can be
replaced with a larger, more visible pattern.
During the day if surface feeding is not
apparent, try a larger Sculpin or baitfish
imitation. The Yakima is home to several
types of baitfish including Dace, Minnows, and
Sculpins. Just because the days have
gotten cooler, doesn't mean the fish stop
eating! |
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On Tuesday, November
12th a second meeting was held at the Ellensburg
Inn to discuss further plans for a Ellensburg
based fly fishing club. A gathering of 16
people discussed the issues pertaining to the
formation of a Federation of Fly Fishers charter
club. Interest has evolved and another
meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 18th.
A core group of individuals will attend the
meeting to discuss the future development of the
first Washington state charter federation club.
An agenda has been set for the meeting. |
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Despite the rapid
drop in the temperature over the past week, a
entourage of over 80 fly fisher, (20) drift
boats, pontoons and rafts descended on the
Ringer Road boat launch on Saturday to
participated in the fifth annual
Yakima River Clean Up Day. Morning
highs hovered below the double digits, however
everyone showed up enthusiastic about the days
events. The volunteer
efforts resulted in nearly a ton of garbage and
waste removed from the banks and river bed of
the Yakima! |
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This was the largest
turn out the Clean Up Day has seen to date. We
would like to gratefully thank everyone that
participated.
Your help in making
the Clean Up Day a success was greatly
appreciated. |
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Following the Clean
Up Day, a barbeque was
held at the Ellensburg Inn. Preceding the
barbeque, a meeting was conducted by the
Washington Council of Federation of Fly
Fishers. Mr. Bob Shirley and Mr. Larry Gibbs
gave a brief explanation of the Federation of
Fly Fishers organization.
Discussion turned to the formation of a local
Ellensburg chapter with a question and answer
period following. The meeting was met with
great response. A second meeting is schedule
for Tuesday, November 12th, 2002 at the
Ellensburg Inn at 6:00 p.m. Those interested in
forming a club in Ellensburg are encouraged to
attend. |
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For now, the cooler
days and nights of last week have been replaced
with warmer day time temperatures as we see the
mercury climb to the mid 50's now each day.
With the warmer night time highs, water temp's
come up a bit quicker and we find the fish much
more active earlier in the day. Blue wing
hatches have been erratic, showing on some days
and then inconsistent on
others. However, the
fish have turned their attentions to an even
smaller meal...the
midge. This hatch has been
consistent each day
and will provide anglers with a window of
opportunity for match the hatch fishing.
Select areas of the river
that receive early morning sunlight with bright
rays lasting well into the late afternoon. |
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October 30th, 2002 |
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A light dusting of snow
now covers the surrounding hillsides of the Kittitas
Valley as the first snow fall of Autumn arrived late
last evening. The high
ridges now provide additional color blending the
mixtures of Fall. The cool Yakima river
mornings require an additional layer of fleece, but
as the morning sun warms the valley, the layers are quickly retired.
The insect hatches have been consistent from day to
day, each beginning as the warmer period of the afternoon
arrives. |
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A mixture of Mahogany
Duns, Fall Baetis and Midges are emerging throughout
your day. The size of these three insects will
vary from 14 to 22. October Caddis hatches have been
sporadic the past week. Some sections of the
river are producing a more consistent emergence
than others. Wading the river is always productive
this time of year,
however those casting from the boat have a distinct
advantage. Covering water during the day, a fly fishermen
will experience a variety of circumstances one may
not encounter on foot. |
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The
Yakima River Clean Up will be held this
Saturday, November 2nd. Their have been some
changes made with the event over the past week.
We have put together a complete
itinerary
for the day, so those planning to attend can stay
informed. If you do plan to attend the clean up this
Saturday and have yet to register, we ask that you
take a second and do so. Typically we have a
large turn out for the event and like to keep it as
well organized as well can. You can also call the
fly shop to register if you experience any problems
online. (888-950-FISH) |
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As the last remaining
days of the calendar summer tick away, the end of
day light savings time will occur this weekend.
Cool mornings give way to warm afternoons as the
blue wings populate the surface of the Yakima. By mid-day,
nymph rigs come off and tiny dry fly imitations are
tied to 5x flouro tippet. Trout feed
vigorously and in a methodically cycle, feasting on
these small Mayflies. Continuous feeding will
occur until the warm afternoon
sunshine leaves the water and descends over the Manastash
Ridge. |
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Combined within the
emergence of these small Fall Baetis, Mahogany Dun
Mayflies will appear as well as Fall Caddisflies.
Some of the more particular rainbows prefer the
appeal of this tiny dark bodied Mayfly, while other
less meticulous, concentrate on the
larger variety. A close, patient eye can
distinguish between the two. The Cahill's also
blend in to this mishmash of Mayfly combinations,
however they seam more concentrated in certain
sections of the river as each Fall day passes.
The October Caddis continue to play their role in
the Fall fishing, yet significant emergences each
day seem impossible to predict. Some days
produce heavy, more concentrated hatches of these
giant Fall Caddisflies. |
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The fifth annual "Yakima
River Clean Up Day" will be held this
year on Saturday, November 2nd. The staff and
management of WBFC have greatly appreciated the help
and support from everyone that contributed to the
event over the past two years.
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A
barbeque will be held for those participating in the
event following the clean up at the fly shop in
Ellensburg. The Washington Council of
Federation of Fly Fishers will also host a meeting
at the Ellensburg Inn following the barbeque.
The meeting will address the potential formation of
a "Yakima River fly fishing club" Those
interested in creating a chapter are encouraged to
attend. The forum is open to the public.
A raffle will also be held following the meeting for
those participating in the clean up. The
leading fly fishing manufactures have once again
generously donated prizes to be awarded. |
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There's a change swiping
across the Yakima River Valley as the Big Horn Sheep
return to their winter range in the Lower Yakima River
Canyon. Lush foliage that grew thick and dense
during heat of summer, slowly gives way to the
brilliant colors of fall. This transformation
is always a welcome site. As an early Artic
storm front pushed over the Northwest late last
week, a quick drop in temperatures arrived with it.
The cooling temperatures are a welcomed change from
the long, warm days of summer. As these
changes occur, unique and distinguishing characteristics
are beginning to unfold on the Yakima.
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The
anadromous fish that returned during the spring,
full fill there ritualistic duties to Mother Nature
and the trout take up holding lies and begin to pod
in the runs of the Yakima. Spring Chinook salmon
have been actively forming beds, spawning throughout
the city and upper sections of the river. The
cooling temperatures have quickly slowed the big
bugs of summer as the Hopper and Shortwing Stonefly
hatch begin to dissipate. The stones hit a peak
late last week and their activity has quickly
dropped off. However, this variation in temperature
has proliferated the October Caddis emergence and
intense hatches of these giant Caddisflies is
occurring during the early morning and late
evenings. One can expect to see this large Caddis
continue well into the month of November. You can
also experience sporadic hatches of "Fall Caddis"
during the day as well. |
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The
little bug fishing has also returned to the river
and is a welcome treat to those fishing this fall.
The Yakima is largely a searching river. Knowing
where to fish your fly during the different seasons
of the year, systematically combing the lies of the
trout is usually the norm. The Yakima rainbows
rarely give up their holding positions, except
during the Caddis and Mayfly hatches of spring and
fall. Fall Baetis as well as Mahogany Duns and
Light Cahill's are now occurring during the day on
the Yakima. Cloudy, overcast days are best, but are
rare treat in Central Washington. Searching out the
shady, well concealed areas of the river will allure
trout to feed on these aquatic insects and match the
hatch fishing will take place. |
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After a steady three
week period of heavy stonefly activity, the peak of
the Yakima's Summer Stonefly hatch has yet to occur.
A stream of Shortwing Stonefly nymphs continue to
infiltrate the banks of the Yakima, especially
throughout the lower portions of the river.
Giant female Stoneflies take flight mid-afternoon
and the fish wait in anticipation of their arrival
to the water. Big, gaudy, rubber-leg imitation
that present plenty of movement and provide a
stonefly silhouette on the water will draw
attentions. In just the past week, the feeding
actions of the trout have progressed from slow and
methodical to an all out onslaught of our
imitations. Keep up the slack and you'll hook
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We believe it is
contributed to the egg laying female stones
return to the water as well as the emergence of
October Caddis. Fall Caddis are now hatching in
large numbers during the early morning and late evenings throughout
the main stem of the Yakima.
Substantial
numbers of these giant Caddis are being
consumed by the Yakima Rainbows.
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This large Caddisfly
has become a hearty source of dietary substance
for the resident rainbows. An October
Caddis pupa pattern fished effectively during
the warmer parts of the day has been productive.
This is just the beginning stages of the Fall
Caddis emergence. Expect to see this big
aquatic insect emerge well into the month of
November throughout most sections of the Yakima. |
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"Yakima River October Caddis Pupa" |
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Besides the big bug
fishing we have also been treated to good hatches
of Fall Baetis in the afternoons. A close eye
as well as a keen sense of reading water will
provide you with some great match the hatch fishing.
On the warm, sunny days, hatches are appearing in
some of the lower sections of the river
(below Cle Elum).
Concentrate your attentions on the shady, well
covered area's of the river. Here, you will
find wild rainbows slowly sipping small mayflies
from the surface film and foam lines. Hi-Vis
patterns can come in handy after casting huge
Stonefly and Fall Caddis imitations during the first
parts of your day. Emergers and cripples have
also worked well over the past week. |
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The fall season on "Blackstone
Lake" was officially opened last Friday and
dates are now being reserved for late September,
October and November fishing. The Hopper
action along the banks is now providing fly
fishermen with dry fly fishing.
Great hatches of Calliabaetis Mayflies, Damsels and
Chironomids
are also a constant distraction to the
Blackstone rainbows. |
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The Fall flows have once
again returned to the river as the drop in water
continues. A whole new river has formed, as a
variety of circumstances are evolving. The
cooler weather that we experienced last week has
been replaced with warm, sunny skies. The
Yakima Rainbows are now feasting on a variety of
aquatic insects. Short-wing Stones in both male
and female species are littered along the banks of
the river. The giant size females have been
returning to the waters sporadically throughout the
day. Larger concentrations are appearing in
the lower sections of the river at this time. |
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The warmer days are also
supply us with plenty of Hopper fishing. The heat of
the day encourages the movements of these large size
locusts and activity along the grassy, rocky banks
of the Yakima is providing fly fishermen with
afternoon dry fly action. The Fall Baetis are
also beginning to appear periodically throughout the
river as well during the day. This Mayfly
nymph is an essential part of the rainbows
consumption. As the month of September
progresses, the tiny Fall duns will become more
evident. |
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The Fall Caddis are also
showing up in good numbers just before dusk in
area's of the river. Better concentrations at
this time are developing in sections above the lower
Yakima Canyon. As the month progresses,
greater numbers of October Caddis will begin
appearing in the early mornings and late evenings
throughout the entire main stem of the Yakima. |
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The river is in
beautiful shape and fly fishermen have plenty of
opportunity to wade the majority of the river.
The Yakima is providing an endless amount of runs,
riffles, ledges and seams to fish. Everywhere
you look another section of fishable water develops. |
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As anticipated, the
annual irrigation flip flop was initiated during the
Labor Day weekend and the river flows continue to
decrease on a daily basis. Fly fishermen
confined to the banks and smaller area's of the
river since spring run-off can now branch out and
fish water that has been unavailable for some time.
With the drop in water conditions, the river has
come alive with Short-wing Stones. They are
now amassed along the banks of the Yakima in droves.
Exoskeletons litter the rocks at the high water mark as
hordes of male and female stonefly nymphs exodus the
water. |
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The Yakima rainbows have
been gorging on Stonefly nymphs, bloating from the
massive wave that is now present. However they are
not so preoccupied with the nymphs that they are
overlooking the adult species. Your favorite
stonefly pattern fished appropriately will work
well. Those looking to experience good dry fly
fishing on the Yakima, now is the time! If
that isn't enough, Hoppers litter the banks and
brush of the river as well. The feasting of late
summer insects has begun. |
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Unusual cooler nights is
bringing the water temperature down, which in turn
is starting to produce some October Caddis activity
just before dark. Pupation of this giant
orange Caddis has been under way since the last days
of August. As the month of September
progresses, this aquatic insect presence will become
quite apparent. |
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The Yakima is in great
condition throughout the entire main stem of the
river. Bank feeders can still be found in
sections of the river that hold more water along the
shore, however fish are moving to new holding areas.
Lower volumes of water mean more fish holding
together through each run. Working each piece
of water from top to bottom can provide you with
plenty of entertainment. |
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Those fly fishermen
interested in drifting the river will have little
problem. River etiquette is always important,
however it becomes a bit more significant now that
the river has dropped. Practice responsible
river and boat launch manners. |
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The time of year has
arrived once again as flows on the Yakima are now
beginning to recede, dropping off gradually each day.
By September 1st the annual
flip flop will beginning
and the river will take on a whole new look and
dimension. With the summer of 2002 quickly
fading, the fall season is welcomed in.
As the drop in water flows continues, expect to the
see the summer stonefly hatch ignite. A slight
increase in water temperature will trigger a
reaction and the Short-wing Stones will
be crawling out of the wood work. Males and
females alike will converge along the banks
partaking in the mating ritual. Both species
will be an abundant food source for the Yakima River
rainbows throughout the month of September.
The Short-wing is showing up at this time
sporadically throughout the system. |
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As water flows drop,
trout that have been displaced throughout the main
stem throughout the summer will begin to move
establishing podding formations. Less volume of
water means fewer places to hide. Fast water
riffles, seam structure and tail outs will all hold
Yakima rainbows |
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The Hopper fishing has
quickly turned on over the past week. A few
breezy days has provided the resident rainbows with
a day time feast of terrestrials in a variety of
colors. The thick dense grass or dry rocky
banks of the river is now host to hundreds of small
to medium size Hoppers at this time. The late
evening Caddis hatch is also providing essential
dietary needs to the rainbows. |
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As the month of August
rolls along, water demands remain high and the
Yakima continues to run at peak summer time flow.
Fishing over the past week has been good, despite
the inactivity of aquatic insects during the day.
Sporadic Caddis hatches can occur during the early
morning hours, before the heat of the day.
Those looking for match the hatch fishing may want
to take advantage of it. During the middle of the
day, attractor patterns in both surface and
subsurface variations will work well. Your
favorite terrestrial pattern fished along the lush
grassy banks will draw some attentions.
The latter part of the day as air temperatures begin
to drop will provide you with additional Caddis
activity. At this point in the season the Yakima begins an
insect transition. Summer time hatches are
cycling as they begin to diminish, while the bugs of
fall are at their beginning stages. |
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The Yakima rainbows have
taken notice of this as they begin to make changes
in their feeding behavior. You as a fly
fishermen must recognize these changes and make
adjustments as well. Water temperatures remain in
the upper 60's despite the cooler summer nights. The
Kittitas Valley winds are providing some cool relief
to fishermen during the day. Those of you
concentrating your efforts in the upper reaches of the
Yakima's main stem may find a change in tactics will
be required. The presence of
Chinook salmon that returned over Roza Dam early
this spring is evident and must not be overlooked. Spawning is starting to occur in
some sections of the river and whether you like it or
not, the Yakima rainbows attentions turn from
aquatic insects to this other highly nutrient meal. |
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With the last holiday of
summer just around the corner, the start of Labor
Day weekend signifies the beginning of the Fall fish
season. This is a busy time of year for us as
the re-opening of
Blackstone Lake occurs, the pursuit of
Klickitat River Steelhead intensifies and Central
Washington's, Yakima River comes alive. Those
of you looking to experience any of these fine
fisheries with the professional guide team of Worley
Bugger this Fall, please call early. |
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After a brief
hiatus to spend time with family and friends as well
as experience some of the finest rivers of
Southwest Montana, I have returned to find the
men of WBFC working hard around Ellensburg's premier
fly shop and guide service. Guided fly fishing
trips were conducted during my absence and reports
from the guide team were enthusiastic. The dry
fly fishing has been mixed throughout the river.
Several of the early summer hatches are beginning to
diminish, while others are waiting in the wings to
begin |
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The next wave of
Stoneflies has started to enter the system and the
Yakima rainbows are feeding heavily on the nymphs at
this stage. Adults stones aren't showing in
large numbers as of yet, so your big dry fly
imitations more than likely won't attract much
attention, except by the smaller fish in the system.
You can experience decent dry fly action along some
of the grassy banks of the Yakima, where the rainbows
have been busy feeding on terrestrial insects
like hoppers, ants, beetles, etc. A good attractor
pattern like the Madam X, Foam Ant or Yak Stone
is always good to keep close by.
Sculpin
patterns as well as
other bait-fish imitation are also working well
throughout much of the main stem. With the big
water that is now being flushed through the
system, sculpins, baitfish and
crayfish can be an
easy meal for a big trout this time of year. (left) |
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Yakima River Rainbow |
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Concentrate
your nymphs through the riffles and
seams of the river. Slower tail
out can be fished towards dusk as the
big rainbows move into the cooling water
to feed on summer Caddis. |
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The
Professional Guide Staff and Pro Shop
employees of Worley Bugger Fly Co. are
in the beginning stages of establishing
the first Federation of Fly Fishers Club
in Ellensburg. With the help of Bob
Shirley and
John Calhoun of the Seattle Area FFF
Chapter, a new
Yakima River Fly Fishing FFF
chapter will
be established. We are looking for
active individuals to participate in all
areas of the organization. The club
goals will be conservation, preservation
and education of the Yakima River and
its surrounding resources. Special club
events will also be held throughout the
year. If you would like to
participate in and (or) are interested
in becoming an active member of the
club, please refer to the link provided
to the right. |
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With minimal daily
releases of water from the storage reservoirs, an
increase in flows over the past week has brought the
river up to summer capacity. The Yakima is now
running at expected summer flows for this time of
the year. As the month of August approaches
expect the river to operate at or around these flows
until the latter part of the month. |
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With the
volume of water now running through the
main stem of the Yakima, trout holding
lies are easy to detect. Those
working the water from drift boats or
rafts concentrate your imitations tight
along the grassy banks of the river.
The vegetation has grown thick under the
warm, sunny skies of the Kittitas Valley
and a variety of aquatic and non aquatic
insects are finding refuge in its
grasses. Along some of the banks
an 1" away is to far. |
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Along these
banks Hopper, Caddis, Short-wing Stones
and a variety of terrestrial insects are
clinging to the dense underbrush and
foliage. A warm afternoon breeze
blowing through the grasses can provide
the Yakima rainbows with an easy meal.
Entice the Yakima rainbows with an
imitation that imitates the natural. |
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Fly fishermen wading the
river can find accessible areas this time of year.
Look for braids, channels and islands that form along
the river. These areas break up the high flows and
allow wading access to sections of the river.
These places can be found in both the upper and lower
Yakima canyons. Stop by Ellensburg's Pro-Shop with
any questions. The helpful, friendly staff will be
happy to assist you. |
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After a warm air mass
moved across the state, temperatures have now cooled
and comfortable 80° degree days are being recorded.
Water discharge from storage reservoirs was kept to
a minimal each day during the heat as minor
increases in cfs began. With an increase in
flows, water temps have dropped a few degrees over
the past couple of days. This has helped the
fishing during the hottest parts of the day, keeping
the fishing active throughout the afternoon during
periods of insect inactivity. |
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Terrestrial
and stonefly activity has increased over
the past week as
the first wave of summer stones have invaded the banks of the Yakima.
The Short-wing Stones are showing up in
good numbers throughout the lower parts
of the river. Last week we weren't
seeing as many in the Ellensburg area as
the lower Yakima Canyon was
experiencing. However, the
migration is moving quickly up river and
the upper portions of the Yakima are now
experiencing good numbers of these
stones. The Short-wings will be a
constant distraction for the Yakima
rainbows, especially into the evening
hours when mating rituals are taking
place. Egg laying females will be
returning to the waters during these
times.
The Male
of the species, scurries a top the water
very quickly. Presenting your
imitation in the same manner can provide
you will plenty of top water action. |
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The Caddis continue to be a
major food source with the majority of activity during
the late afternoon and evening hours. You may
experience a flood of activity during the early morning
in some of the canyon stretches of the river.
PMD's, Yellow Sallies and Hoppers are also providing
match the hatch fishing at this time. |
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As we begin the first
weeks of July, the water conditions have remained
stable and the Yakima continues to run below normal
capacity for this time of year. A mass of warm
air is predicted to enter Central Washington today,
pushing temperatures upwards into the high 90's,
possibly hitting the triple digits for the first
time this summer. |
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According to
the water operations manager at the
Bureau of Reclamation, water releases
will more than likely occur over the
next few days to facilitate the needs of
farmers in the lower Yakima valley.
As air temperatures increase, water
demands will also increase for
irrigation purposes. The release of
water from the reservoirs is suppose to
be minimal in amounts of 200 cfs at a
time. If this happens according to
schedule, the river will stay in shape
and the productive fishing we have
witnessed over the past several days
will continue. |
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With stable flows occurring
throughout the main stem of the Yakima, aquatic insect
hatches and terrestrial activity has steadily picked up.
Sporadic Caddis hatches are taking place throughout the
day, with the major portion of Caddis action happening
in the early or later parts of the late afternoon.
Yellow Sallie Stoneflies and PMD's are among the
varieties of insects emerging during the day as well. |
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The dry fly fishing has been
good during the day, especially to the bank feeders who
are getting use to seeing bigger bugs now.
Nymphing will be part of your strategy as well, as you
concentrate on the faster, shallow riffles of the river.
With an increase in water temperature, the Yakima
rainbows metabolism is on the rise and streamer fishing
during the heat of the day has been productive!.
An assortment of patterns combined with a variety of
techniques has Worley Bugger clientele experiencing a
whole new dimension in Yakima River fly fishing. |
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After a week of high water
volumes, a significant drop in flows has occurred
throughout the Yakima system. Water flows
throughout the past several days ranged from 1600cfs in
the upper stem to well over 5500cfs in the lower
sections below E'burg. At this time flows are
down, well below the average for this
time of year
as snow pack run off to the Yakima's
storage reservoirs atop the Cascades has dropped off
considerably. It looks like better management of river
flows may begin to happen and we can see stability to the river and its water throughout the
month of July. Water volumes more than likely will
not stay at this volume for any length of time, so fly
fishermen should take advantage of it way you can.
We won't see flows this low again until the end of
summer. |
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Our phone line at the
pro-shop was busy this week answering calls about the
hatch of "Green Drake Mayflies" that was suppose to be
happening on the Yakima? Evidently a newspaper in
the Seattle area published an article in last weekends
outdoor section about the Green Drake. The Yakima
can at times see a hatch of Green Drakes, however it
occurs randomly in only a short section of the upper
river. In order to hit this elusive hatch of
Drakes, you must be in the right place at the right
time. What is the percentage in that? I
would count on seeing more consistent hatches like
P.M.D.'s and Caddis this time of year. If you happen to
encounter this drake hatch than that's a bonus. |
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The valley has been
experiencing some windy days over the past several days.
This may deter many of you from fishing the Yakima for
the day, however you must factor in a few details before
making this judgment call. Yes fishing in the wind
isn't always easy and at times the breeze will deter our
insect hatches. However, this time of year a
strong breeze during the heat of the day can mean the
difference between a day filled with plenty of action
and a slow day. As the warm days of July persist,
few or no insect hatches can occur. Thick, dense
vegetation has been growing quickly under the warm
summer sunshine. Here, several species of
terrestrial insects are nesting in the thick grasses.
A strong breeze during the day can easily send these
insects helplessly into the water. Here you will
find bank feeding trout lying in wait. Those
fishing from a drift boat or raft can easily take
advantage of this by simple positioning of an
experienced oarsmen. Wading anglers don't have it
quite as easy, but can accomplish this fly fishing
technique during windy days in random areas of the
Yakima. For more info or assistance, call or stop
by the Pro-Shop on Friday. |
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We wish everyone a happy and
safe Independences
Day! The Yakima River
Pro-Shop will
open once again on Friday, July 5th. |
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After several scorching hot
summer days, cooler temperatures have arrived in the
Yakima River valley. Warm, sunny days
dominated the last week of June as day time highs
pushed the mercury into the upper 90's.
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