Red's Fly Shop | Power Hour Fishing Report - Yakima River Fly Fishing Report

Red's Power Hour Fishing Report
April - June 2005

The Power Hour Fishing Report is brought to you exclusively by Red's. The content of this report is not the generic "fishing has been good in the morning, and afternoons, and later in the evenings, too." Rather, when we go fishing, we will analyze one session and report the day, time, location, fly, number of fish caught, species, and size (if we caught any). We'll also write up the method we used. Keep in mind that the fishing report is based on a prior day's fishing and weather conditions.

Flies: sz. 6 Tan Nightmare, sz. 8 Winged Thing, sz. 6 Para-Chernobyl, sz. 6 Peach Nightmare, sz. 8 Dave's Hopper, sz. 8 Feth Hopper, sz. 8 Button Hopper, sz. 8-10 Assorted Stone Nymphs, sz. 14 Flashback PT, sz. 14 Silver Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Pearl Lightening Bug

Nymphing on the go, focusing on the oxygenated riffles and around structure, proved to be the most effective method on this float. However, we were also able to entice a few nice rainbows to eat big dries with a couple of them eating a hopper pattern. If you are fishing a dry, make sure you get it into those nice little shady spots. You may be pleasantly surprised at how your effort pays off. Mid-day temperatures were in the low 90's and hot. We are suppose to see more of the same over the next few days. The river flow has raised a bit and is currently around 2900 cfs.

6/28/05

Flies: sz. 6 J&J Special, sz. 8 Yellow and Black (Streamers), sz. 6 Tan Nightmare, sz. 8 Winged Thing, sz. 10 Phat Fly (Black)

Yesterday was a different kind of day with regards to the weather, and the fish didn't respond very favorably to the switch. We had cooler temperatures and clouds for most of the day with even some sporadic showers mixed in. Normally, this would mean some great fishing conditions, but yesterday we didn't get much action with streamers or big dries over this short float. It is warming back up today, with temperatures forecast for the high 80's on through the weekend. Persistence is one key with summer dry fly fishing. You may go a mile without seeing any fish, and then turn 3 or 4 in a row on one particular section. .

6/26/05

Flies: sz. 6 Tan Nightmare, sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 8-10 Double Beaded Kaufmann's Stones (Black & Brown), sz. 14 Silver Lightening Bug, sz. 16 Copper John, sz. 6 J.J. Special (Streamer)

This late afternoon and evening trip provided some of the best big dry fly activity we have seen so far this month. The best big dry fishing was after 7:30 pm. Prior to the fish turning on to the dries, we fished both a streamer and a standard deep nymphing rig. As has been the norm over the last few weeks, the nymphing provided some good action. However, we saw only a couple of fish on the streamer. The river flow is staying at around 2800 cfs and is in great shape. Weather-wise, we are seeing sunshine with temperatures hanging around the 80 mark and winds between 5 to 15 mph. The big dry fishing is only going to get better and don't be afraid to try a hopper pattern from time to time. .

6/24/05

Flies: sz. 8 Brown Nightmare, sz. 6 Winged Thing, sz. 8 Royal Stimi, sz. 8 Brown Kaufmann's Stone, sz. 12 Dbl. Beaded Prince, sz. 14 Silver Lightening Bug

We alternated between dry fly and nymph fishing throughout the drift and had action with each at different times. Right when we put on, we picked up some fish on nymphs, using the same medium sized Stonefly patterns that have been productive over the past week. We didn't see much activity on big dries (with decent fish, anyways) until later in the day when the shadows started to creep out from the banks. The weather forecast looks good, with highs near 80 degrees and relatively calm conditions through the weekend.

6/21/05

Flies: sz. 6 Tan Nightmare, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 8 Royal Stimi, sz. 10 20"er Stone Nymph, sz. 8 Dbl. Bead Natural Stone, sz. 12, 14 Lightening Bug, sz. 14 PT

With high temperatures reaching 94 degrees yesterday, we left the waders at home and enjoyed the shorts and sandals weather. The fishing has not changed much over the past couple of weeks, with the dry fly opportunities few and far between, and the nymph fishing providing the most consistent success. We did pick up the majority of our fish nymphing yesterday on medium sized (8, 10) Stones rather than the smaller dropper, which could mean there's a migration of the Summer Stones getting ready to push through. Once this occurs, we will see the kick off of the Summer dry fly season that we have all been looking forward to for the last couple of weeks!

6/19/05

Flies: sz. 6,8 Nightmares, sz. 8 Plan B, sz. 16 Caddis, sz. 16 Grey CDC Emerger, sz. 6 Peacock, Black Dbl. Bead Stones, sz. 16 Prince, sz. 12, 14 Lightening Bug, sz. 14 PT

We saw a few fish at the start on big dries, but much of our dry fly activity came in the way of refusals - not eats. It's hard to describe other than saying they bumped the fly without eating it. Once the dry fly activity slowed around noon, we went to nymphs and had success targeting the more oxygenated riffles. We caught very few fish in the slower, deeper sections. One method we try when we get lots of refusals is to add a dropper nymph to the big dry. Once the fish come up to check out the dry fly, they will often eat the small beadhead. We have 90+ degrees in the forecast for the next 2 days, so don't forget the sunblock. Happy Father's Day!

6/17/05

Flies: sz. 6 Nightmare, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 8 Winged Thing, sz. 12 Bugmeister, sz. 6 Peacock Dbl. Bead Stone, sz. 8 Black Bead Stone, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 12, 14 Lightening Bug, sz. 14 PT

We experienced a little weather change yesterday as some sporadic cloud cover and slightly cooler temperatures moved in, and the fish responded favorably. We only fished dry flies for a short while and didn't find any takers through a couple of nice sections. Nymphing was productive throughout the drift, with fish taking both the larger Stonefly and the smaller trailer. We have been running the strike indicator at about 5'- 6' above the top fly. We had some light rain last night, and there is a chance of showers in the forecast for this afternoon. The weather for the weekend looks good with highs around 75 degrees and partly cloudy skies. Don't forget that Father's Day is coming up this Sunday - you better get that card in the mail this afternoon!

6/16/05

Flies: sz. 6 Nightmare, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 8 Winged Thing, sz. 12 Bugmeister, sz. 6 Kaufmann's Stonefly Nymph, sz. 10 Yak Stone, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 12, 14 Lightening Bug, sz. 14 PT

Dry fly fishing was once again productive until noon, and then slowed down through the middle part of the day. We switched techniques often throughout the day, going from big dries to nymphs depending on the type of water we were in. The deeper grassy undercut banks are ideal locations to fish big dries tight to the edge. The more traditional middle of the river riffles are where we've had our best success runnning nymphs. We look for the big dry fly fishing to continue to improve as the weather warms up.

6/13/05

Flies: sz. 8 Orange Bar Fly, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 8 Royal Stimi, sz. 8 Winged Thing, sz. 6-10 Stonefly Nymphs, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 14 Lightening Bug, sz. 12 Pearl Lightening Bug, sz. 16 Copper John

The fishing yesterday started and finished strong, with a long slow period sandwiched in the middle! We had several nice fish up on big dries right off the bat, and we caught a couple of big fish on nymphs along some ledges before things slowed down. Through the afternoon we switched back and forth fishing nymphs and dries on the go with not much activity on anything. Once the sun went down, we started seeing sporadic feeding activity on Caddis, and the fishing picked up again. Flows have continued to slowly drop and are currently at 2517 cfs. We look for the big dry fly activity to pick up as the weather warms this week.

6/11/05

Flies: sz. 6 Royal Bar Fly, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 8 Royal Stimi, sz. 8 Winged Thing, sz. 8 Peach Nightmare, sz. 8 Pink Nightmare, sz. 6-10 Stonefly Nymphs, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 14 Lightening Bug, sz. 12 Pearl Lightening Bug, sz. 16 PT

Once we get a mind-set about big dries, it's hard to avoid trying them. We started the day with them but switched to nymphs after a mile or so with no takers. During the late afternoon and evening hours we went back to big dries and managed to turn several fish. In fact, the best fish of the day was in a nice little trough about 50 feet upstream of the take out. He came out from under the grass after a Peach Nightmare, but Don didn't quite get the hook set. However, it was a great way to end the day. Flows have dropped over the last two days. They are currently at just over 2600 cfs. Wind has also been prominent over the last few days with gusts in the 40 mph range, and the forecast is calling for more of the same over the next day or so.

6/8/05

Flies: sz. 14 X Caddis, sz. 16 Caddis Emerger, sz. 6 Royal Bar Fly, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 6-10 Stonefly Nymphs, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 14 Lightening Bug, sz. 16 PT

We fished big dry flies at the beginning, nymphed during the middle part of the day, and went to Caddis between wind gusts in the evening. Two of our nicer fish came on big dry flies fished tight to the bank. It was apparent that the river flows were on the rise throughout the day, as we saw a fair amount of logs and debris drifting downriver. The water release from the reservoirs did pick up yesterday, and flows rose from 2300 cfs to 3200 cfs overnight. Clarity is not bad (about 18"); however, a dramatic increase like this may put the bite off until flows stabilize and the fish adjust. We expect the fishing to be back on track for the weekend.

6/6/05

Flies: sz. 14 X Caddis, sz. 14, 16 PMD Sparkle Dun, sz. 14 PMD Emerger, sz. 16 Rusty Spinner, sz. 8 Winged Thing, sz. 6 Lollipop, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 6-10 Stonefly Nymphs, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 14 Lightening Bug

It was a much different day weather-wise than what we had been seeing over the past few weeks. We had cool conditions with cloud cover and some rain through most of the day. We found a fair number of fish once again keying on PMD and Mahogany Dun patterns. We did fish big dry flies at the start of the drift and had good action on the big dries in a couple of deeper slots along the bank. We also fished nymphs - both on the go and out of the boat wading - and caught several nice fish doing that, too. Overall, the river has continued to come up slowly, and we've found the fish responding to a number of different techniques. The dry fly opportunities will be more plentiful and easier if you happen to catch a cloudy day.

6/5/05

Flies: sz. 6 Kaufmann's Stone, sz. 6 Double Beaded Peacock Stone, sz. 8 Double Beaded Golden Stone, sz. 12 - 16 Lightening Bugs (Assorted) sz. 16 Prince, several Caddis dry patterns

We actually encountered a pod of nice fish eating Caddis early in the float and were fortunate enough to fool several with an adult Caddis and Caddis emerger combination. Overall, the most effective technique throughout the day was fishing nymphs on the go. We focused on the faster riffle water with about 3 feet of leader between the flies and the indicator. The weather here today is overcast with rain showers, and the temperature is in the mid 50's with more of the same forecast for the next couple of days. The river flow is continuing to come up gradually with a flow of 2134 cfs. this morning.

6/4/05

Flies: sz. 10 Golden Sparkle Stone nymph, sz. 8 Kaufmann's Stone, sz. 16 Red Copper John, sz. 16 Prince

We've experienced some heavy winds in the canyon over the past 3-4 days, which makes fishing from the boat on the go difficult. However, conditions are forecast to calm down and warm back up starting this morning. The river has continued to increase in volume and remains in great shape at just over 2000 cfs. Nymphing with a traditional Stonefly and a smaller trailing nymph under an indicator has produced the best results; but we have also been getting more looks on big dry flies even during the middle of the day. At this level, the river is moving between 2 and 2.5 mph, which makes an 8-12 mile float a good full day option.

6/1/05

Flies: sz. 8 Tan Nightmare, sz. 6 Winged Thing, sz. 8 Double Bead Golden Stone nymph, sz. 6 Peacock Stone, sz. 16 Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Beaded Prince, several Caddis dry patterns

Memorial weekend has come and gone, and things are back to normal in the canyon! As forecasted, the weather did cool down a bit, but remains very pleasant. We fished big dries on the go a fair amount during this short float and had a number of nice fish up to the fly. Nymphing, especially in the more oxygenated areas, has remained steady. We did have some cloud cover yesterday, and there were quite a few Mayflies (PMD's and Mahogany Duns) beginning to fly as we took off. Flows have continued to climb and are just under 2000 cfs and the river remains in good shape.

5/29/05

Flies: sz. 8 Double Bead Golden Stone nymph, sz. 6 Peacock Stone, sz. 14 Olive Prince, sz. 14, 16 Silver Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Beaded Prince, sz. 16 Beaded PT, Caddis dry patterns

We spent the majority of the day fishing nymphs under an indicator, and had steady action throughout the drift. The smaller nymph patterns (sz. 14-16) were once again our best producers. We did try some Caddis and bigger dry fly patterns off and on, but didn't have any success with dries until after the sun dropped below the horizon. Temperatures are forecast to cool down from the 92 degrees we had yesterday into the 70's by mid week. Flows have been ramping up at a fairly consistent rate 200 cfs per day. Water conditions remain favorable and the fish have responded well to the increased volume.

5/27/05

Flies: sz. 16 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 16 Tan/Gray & Olive CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 6-10 Gold, Brown Stonefly nymphs, sz. 14 Olive Prince, sz. 14, 16 Silver Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Beaded Prince, sz. 16 Beaded PT

Nymphing the oxygenated riffles, both from anchor and on the go, has been the most productive option for the majority of the previous few days. We had 85 degrees and not a cloud in the sky yesterday, with more of the same predicted through the weekend. Caddis are still a factor in the evenings, and we did hook a few nice fish on Caddis dries yesterday. We are still a little early and about 1000 cfs too shallow for the big dry fly game. Once the flows bounce up and some of those bank lies get enough water to hold fish again, the big dry flies will become more of a factor. In the meantime, enjoy the nice weather and sunshine. Flows did go up about 300 cfs last night, which is due to irrigation demands during the heat wave. We expect flows to continue to go up, but clarity to remain favorable, as this water comes straight from the reservoirs and is settled and clean.

5/23/05

Flies: sz. 16 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 16 Tan/Gray & Olive CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 8 & 10 Stonefly nymph assortment, sz. 12 Pearl Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Silver Lightening Bug, sz. 16 Beaded Prince, sz. 14 Beaded PT

We had the opportunity to share the Yakima River Experience with a visitor from New Zealand yesterday, and we had a great time. Leigh got to take her first drift boat ride and experience a little different kind of river fishing than she is used to in her native New Zealand. We spent the majority of the trip deep nymphing both anchored and on the go. In the evening hours, we tied on a Caddis and Caddis Emerger combination and casted to a few average sized feeders. The weather was cooler and the wind blew throughout the trip. Bug activity was minimal, and we didn't see any of the bigger sippers that we have been seeing over the last few days. The weatherman says that it is going to warm a bit through the week with temperatures in the high 70's by the end of the week. The river flow is staying at about 1400 cfs.

5/21/05

Flies: sz. 16 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 16 Tan/Gray & Olive CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 14 PMD Cripple, sz. 14 Para PMD, sz. 14 PMD Sparkle Dun, sz. 14 Rusty Sparkle Dun, sz. 16 Baetis Emerger, sz. 8 & 10 Stonefly nymph assortment, sz. 12 Pearl Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Silver Lightening Bug, sz. 16 Black Bead Prince, sz. 14 Black Bead PT

Again today, we had a little bit of every kind of condition the Yakima can offer. Sunshine, rain, wind and a variety of bugs. We saw fish on just about every pattern we fished, but overall the most consistent technique was deep nymphing on the go. The best patterns were a sz. 8 or 10 dark Stonefly on top and a sz. 12 Pearl Lightening Bug on the bottom with about 3 feet between the indicator and the top fly. Along with the Rainbows, we landed several large Whitefish and Northern Pike Minnows. The weather forecast for today is calling for temperatures in the high 60's and a light wind. The river has dropped a couple of hundred cfs over the last few days and is currently at 1417 cfs.

5/19/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 14, 16 X Caddis, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 14 PMD Cripple, sz. 14 Para PMD, sz. 16 Para Adams, sz. 16 Baetis Emerger, and a variety of the satndard nymphs

We encountered a variety of conditions, both bug-wise and weather-wise, and we seemed to make the most of all of them. We started out fishing Caddis dries to a nice pod of risers under sunny skies, and switched to Mayflies as the clouds and rain moved in. Mahogany Dun and PMD patterns are what we found to be the most effective. When the wind picked up, we went to nymphing and found some success on the standard Stonefly nymph with a smaller dropper. The extended weather forecast looks favorable for more good opportunities through the weekend. The Canyon bike race is this Sunday. Fishermen will be allowed access by the deputies positioned at the entrances to the canyon, and are required to follow a 25 mph speed limit.

5/18/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 14, 16 Para Caddis, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 14 PMD Cripple, sz. 14 Para PMD, sz. 16 Para Adams, sz. 16-20 Baetis Emergers

Good numbers of Caddis, PMD's, and Mahogany Duns were all hatching simultaneously, which seemed to capture the attention of some of the larger fish. When combined with the beautiful afternoon weather, this turned out to be one of the better dry fly fishing days that we've seen in a few weeks. The Caddis and PMD's have been, and should remain consistent on a daily basis. The cool cloudy days will produce more PMD's, with the Caddis hatches being stronger on the calm sunny days. Mahogany Duns, which at first glance resemble BWO's, have become a key factor in the canyon, as well. A parachute adult in sz. 14-16, with a dark grey or brown body and a similarly colored emerger has sufficed for this imitation. Flows have continued to drop and are currently at 1600 cfs. Water clarity has not changed much over the past 3 days. We are seeing a light sprinkle this morning, which should mean more good Mayfly activity. Happy birthday, Mark!

5/16/05

Flies: sz. 6 Nightmare, sz. 8 Dirty Yellow Stimiulator, sz. 8 Golden Stone Nymph, sz. 16 Silver Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Olive Hare's Ear, sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 14, 16 Para Caddis, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 14 PMD Cripple, sz. 14 Sparkle Dun PMD

The past 2 days have brought consistent rain showers and cooler temperatures. However, the sun was shining for us at the beginning of this float, which was conducive to a fair amount of Caddis activity yesterday. After fishing Caddis dries and nymphing a few runs, the clouds blew in and the Mayflies began hatching. We spent the next hour casting PMD's and Mahogany Duns at one pod of nice fish. River flows bumped up slightly yesterday and are back on the drop this morning. Visibility has been stable at 2'-2.5', and the rest of this week should produce some good hatch opportunities.

5/14/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 14, 16 Para Caddis, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emerger

River flows have come down to 1716 cfs this morning, with visibility at 2'+. Dry fly fishing has picked back up, with trout relocating to their more traditional brushy banks to look for Caddis. Nymph fishing has once again been productive with the increased flows and decreased clarity. A large Stonefly nymph with a Caddis Pupae under an indicator has been our best sub-surface rig. We have also seen a fair number of adult Golden Stoneflies the past 3 days, and evidence on the rocks of many more. Fishing a large dry fly with a dropper on the go is going to become more effective over the next couple of weeks.

5/12/05

After peaking at nearly 2900 cfs on Tuesday, flows are down to 2072 cfs and still on the drop. Visibility at the shop has improved to about 2', and there are several boats fishing the canyon today. The Caddis flights resumed yesterday with the warmer air temperatures; and it looks like things will be back on track for the weekend. The water above Wilson Creek remains in great shape, as is typically the case this time of year. The difference is that we normally have higher flows in the main stem of the Yakima which help dilute the dirty water coming in at Wilson Creek.

5/11/05

Flies: sz. 6 Double Beaded Stone, sz. 14 Bird's Nest, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 14 Olive Hare's Ear

Given the unfishable conditions in the Lower Canyon, we opted to float the Irene section. While the river was not in great shape, it was fishable and we hooked some fish on nymphs. Flows continued to rise through the day yesterday, and spiked at 2900 cfs. The river is currently on the drop with visibility at 1.5' at the shop. Tomorrow is questionable on the dry fly opportunities in the canyon, but things should be back in shape for Friday.

5/10/05

It began raining around noon yesterday and didn't let up until early this morning. River flows have bounced up to 2400 cfs this morning, and visibility is down to 6" at the shop. For all practical purposes, the river is unfishable in the Lower Canyon. Visibility above Wilson Creek remains decent at 2'-3'. We'll keep you posted as conditions change.

5/8/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis Peacock, Brown, sz. 14 Sparkle Dun PMD, sz. 16 PMD Emerger, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emergers, sz. 14 X-Caddis

Weather conditions improved yesterday, and the Caddis fishing followed suit. We experienced sunny skies and relatively calm conditions throughout the afternoon. There were Caddis in the air from 11:00 on, with sporadic feeders along several brush-lined sections of the river. We didn't see any pods of more than 3 or 4 fish feeding together, but most of our success came on targeting single risers. At one point in the early afternoon, we anchored up on one nice fish that was feeding every 2 or 3 minutes. Garth made several nice drifts over him with a Caddis combination that didn't get any attention. We switched to a PMD pattern and brought him up on the next good drift. We have some cloud cover and even a light sprinkle this morning, which may kick the PMD's up to the next level.

5/7/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis Peacock, Brown, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emergers, sz. 14 X-Caddis

We dealt with heavy gusts of wind throughout the day, but hung in there and managed to find some nice fish feeding on Caddis. Wind like we had yesterday makes casting, rowing, and spotting fish difficult. Sometimes the best strategy in the wind is to find some water where you're able to anchor up or get out of the boat and fish that water well. Getting blown down the river trying to fish on the go is often frustrating and unproductive. When a strong gust picks up, wait to cast until it passes. The fish we did find eating yesterday were big fish; and once we saw them feed, we were able to get a fair number of them to eat the flies. There should be a lot of bugs clinging to the brush that didn't fly yesterday that should be out today...

5/3/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis Peacock, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emergers, sz. 14 X-Caddis

Cooler temperaures and cloudy skies meant not as many bugs on the water as we had seen the previous few days. We saw a few nice fish feed, and were able to get them to eat the Caddis imitations when we did see them; however, the surface activity was fairly slow. The Caddis hatch is coming off in waves, with an early opportunity beginning around 11:00 am and lasting 3 or 4 hours, and then another wave coming off in the evening if conditions remain calm. The heaviest bug activity appears to be on the section between Ringer and the shop. Once you start seeing the heavy flights of Caddis, dry fly fishing has been productive whether you see fish feeding or are casting to likely locations. PMD's have been sporadic, and will increase in number and duration over the next few weeks.

5/2/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis Peacock, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emergers (Tan, Olive, Grey), sz. 14 X-Caddis, sz. 12 Parachute PMD, sz. 14 CDC PMD Emerger

The Caddis were heavy in spots and light in others. We also saw a fair number of PMD's, but all of the bigger fish were on the Caddis patterns. We fished dries all day long casting to both feeding fish and likely looking spots on the go. We are still seeing alot of smolt and juvenile rainbows, and it was hard to keep them off the hook. Just dangling a fly over the side of the boat resulted in aerial assaults. The forecasted conditions for the remainder of the week look good for the Caddis and PMD action. The river flow is still moving around a bit and is currently around 1300 cfs.

4/30/05

Flies: sz. 14, 16 Tan Caddis, sz. 12, 14 Elk Hair Caddis Peacock, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emergers (Tan, Olive, Grey)

The Caddis activity has remained strong the past 2 days, with sporadic flights taking place throughout the day. We have had success casting to feeding fish when opportunities present, and fishing to likely spots between risers. There have been a few PMD's in the air, but Caddis are definitely the preferred selection. The smolt and juvenile trout are still in the system and relentless at times in their pursuit of your flies. Flows have come down steadily over the past 2 days and the river remains in great Spring condition.

4/27/05

Flies: sz. 14, 16 Tan X Caddis, sz. 14, 16 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 14, 16 CDC Caddis Emergers (Tan, Olive, Grey), sz. 12 Lightening Bug, sz. 14 Soft Hackle PT, sz. 14-18 Bird's Nest, sz. 16 Prince Nymph

Each season there is one day that becomes "the first day" the fish focus on eating Caddis. For 2005, that day has arrived. There were Caddis in the air when we launched the boat, and by 11:00, we were sight casting to feeding fish - and these were quality trout - not smolt! Dry fly fishing was good until about 3:00 when the bigger trout seemed to turn off, and all we were bringing up was the juveniles and smolt that the river is still full of. So, we took a break and went to nymphing until the sun dropped behind the hill and some larger trout started feeding again. The warm, calm, sunny day and continual flights of Caddis put this day in contention for the nicest day of the year. We also saw a lot of PMD's in the air, which are likely to come into play later this week when air temps drop back down into the 50's with cloudy skies. It appears as though the early Spring transition has been completed and the best of the Spring fishing is upon us!

4/25/05

Flies: sz. 14 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 16 CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 18 Green Copper Bob, sz. 12 Double Beaded PT, sz. 18 Bird's Nest, sz. 6 Salmon Fly

The fish are definitely starting to look for Caddis floating through their feeding lane. The biggest fish of the day was LDR'd, but he was tricked with the Caddis Emerger fished through a likely looking seam without out seeing him eat a natural first. There were alot of Caddis flying through the late afternoon and evening, but not as many landing on the water. We did manage to hook a few fish that were rising to the Caddis that did land. The CDC Emerger was the most effective pattern. Most of the fish we saw on nymphs were small, and several of them were Rainbows not Salmon smolt. This is a good thing because it means that we have a fair number of juvenile trout in the river right now. Please don't become complacent about the release of the smaller fish and be careful when handling them. The river flow is continuing to come up and is currently at 1677 cfs, has some color, but is definitely fishable.

4/23/05

Flies: sz. 14,16 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 16 CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 22 CDC Baetis Emerger, sz. 14 Flashback PT, sz. 16 Lightening Bug

We had temperatures in the high 70's yesterday, and the river flows have bumped up to 1332 cfs with a little more color. The Caddis activity kicked up a gear yesterday afternoon, and the numbers of Caddis hovering above the brush line has definitely improved. Leif managed to hook several nice fish with the Elk Hair Caddis and Emerger combination. He just had a tough time getting them to the net. We expect the Caddis dry fly fishing to do nothing but get better. Who knows, with the overcast skies and forecast for thunder showers today, we may even see a PMD or two.

4/21/05

Flies: sz. 6 Orange Double Wing, sz. 14,16 Elk Hair Caddis, sz. 16 CDC Caddis Emerger, sz. 8 Grey Ghost (streamer), sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 22 CDC Baetis Emerger, sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimulator

The Spring dry fly season is currently in the transition mode. BWO and Skwala activity has slowed considerably, and although we are seeing more Caddis and bringing a few fish up each day, it's still a little early for the Caddis hatch. The weather with highs near 75 these next two days should help with this transition. We have seen a few Salmon flies on the water recently. Fishing big dries tends to attract the attention of the large smolt population that is currently in the system. We did fish streamers for a bit yesterday and swam one nice fish. Nymphing may once again be the most productive option, utilizing large dark Stones and a variety of Caddis pupae imitations (tans, greens, Hare's Ear's, PT's, Prince's...). Flows remain around 1100 cfs with excellent water conditions.

4/18/05

Flies: sz. 18 Grey Sparkle Dun, sz. 18 Split Wing BWO (Purple, Olive), sz. 16 Para Adams, sz. 16-22 Baetis Emergers (Grey, Olive, Purple), sz. 8 Electric Blue Stimulator, sz. 18 Miracle Nymph

The weekend provided more good BWO conditions with overcast skies and not much wind during the hatch time (Saturday morning started out with gusts to 40 mph, but calmed down some around 1:00). While conditions were favorable, the BWO fishing has gotten tough. The fish have earned their degrees this season in BWO identification. Rod claims he heard one fish laughing at him on Saturday saying "Does he really think we're gonna fall for that Sparkle Dun again? I'll bet he tries the purple emerger next!" The fish are ready for a bug change, which will come in the way of Caddis and PMD's. Daytime temperatures are forecast to hit the high 60's by Thursday. The 2005 Yakima River Caddis hatch is not far off... We'd like to thank everyone who made it out for the Canyon Clean Up yesterday. Every section of the river was covered, and a noticable improvement was made.

4/16/05

Flies: sz. 18 Split Wing BWO (Purple, Olive), sz. 16 Para Adams, sz. 16-22 Baetis Emergers (Grey, Olive, Purple)

Yesterday brought more cloud cover and calm conditions, which triggered another great afternoon BWO session. From 1:30 until 4:00, there were fish feeding throughout the canyon section. The pods of bigger fish have gotten more pattern and presentation sensitive. They tend to feed in locations that leave little window for error. When you encounter highly selective fish, try smaller flies and longer leaders. If that doesn't seem to work, don't be afraid to pick up and move on to another pod. Once these fish know someone is casting at them, the feeding patterns seem to slow or even stop. We are still fishing nymphs and streamers in the mornings and going to Skwala dries in the afternoons, but the midday BWO activity remains the most productive time to be on the water. We will be hosting a Canyon Clean Up event tomorrow. Registration is from 8:00 - 11:00 am over coffee and donuts at the shop. Those with boats will be assigned a section of river to float; wade anglers will be assigned a section of highway to walk. With the way the fishing has been, you should be able to fill a few bags of garbage in time to catch the afternoon hatch. We look forward to a great turnout for this event. In conjunction with the river Clean Up, we will be offering shuttles for a reduced rate of 10.00 each. Shuttle proceeds from this event will go directly to a Red's Fly Shop Employee scholarship program.

4/13/05

Flies: sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 16 Para Adams, sz. 16-22 Baetis Emergers (Grey, Olive, Purple)

We put on the river just in time to catch the BWO hatch. There were a fair number of bugs flying and fish working until the wind kicked up around 3:30 pm. Once this happened, the surface activity slowed considerably. River flows have bumped up slightly to around 1250 cfs, and there is some slight color in the water. It didn't seem to bother the hatch activity today, and may have even helped, as we were able to move in closer to a few pods without spooking them. We will be hosting a Canyon Clean Up event this Sunday. Registration is from 8:00 - 11:00 am over coffee and donuts at the shop. Those with boats will be assigned a section of river to float; wade anglers will be assigned a section of highway. With the way the fishing has been, you should be able to fill a few bags of garbage in time to catch the afternoon hatch. We look forward to a great turnout for this event.

4/11/05

Flies: sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 16-22 Baetis Emergers, sz. 8 Dirty Yellow Stimi, sz. 10 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 10 Nightmare, sz. 12 Bugmeister

After helping finish shuttles yesterday afternoon, we got a chance to slip out of the shop and fish for a few hours. We spent the afternoon head hunting bigger fish, and we saw several. The best way to do this type of fishing is move slow, stop often, and watch for subtle rises. Big fish don't make alot of commotion. You will probably only see a nose or maybe a dorsal fin with very little disturbance to the water. After spotting the fish, get into the best casting position that you can, drag free drift is imperative, and get with it. Even if you only see the fish feed once or twice, give him a try. You may be pleasantly surprised at how successful you can be. This action can be good well past the main part of the hatch. Oh by the way, once you get them hooked, it is not easy to keep them on a sz. 22 Emerger. We definitely had that problem yesterday, especially with the majority of them going aerial. They are feisty to say the least. The weatherman is forecasting more cloudy weather and wind through the first part of this week. Right now it is calm and overcast, and we had a nice rain shower last night.

4/8/05

Flies: sz. 14, 18 Bird's Nest, sz. 20 WD 40, sz. 10 Dirt Snake, sz. 12 Lightening Bug, sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 18 Purple Para, sz. 16-22 Baetis Emergers, sz. 8 Dirty Yellow Stimi, sz. 10 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 10 Nightmare, sz. 12 Bugmeister

More cool weather and cloud cover yesterday got the BWO's started earlier and kept them going longer than we had seen the previous couple of days. Between 11:30 and 3:00, we had active fish to cast at. Prior to the hatch, we tried streamers and nymphs under an indicator with very little success. The morning has been the toughest fishing period of the day. We went to Skwala dries after the hatch tapered off and had a couple of decent fish up. Flows have bumped up slightly to 1240 cfs this morning, but clarity remains favorable.

4/5/05

Flies: sz. 14, 18 Bird's Nest, sz. 20 WD 40, sz. 10 Green Rock Worm, sz. 10 Squirrel Disco Stone, sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 18 Purple CDC Emerger, sz. 22 Baetis Emerger, sz. 8 Dirty Yellow Stimi, sz. 10 Electric Blue Stimi, sz. 10 Nightmare Skwala, sz. 10 Bullet Head Skwala

The wind blew again yesterday, and it picked up just in time for the BWO hatch. We saw a good BWO hatch around 2:30, the bugs and the fish are not on Daylight Savings Time, with some nice fish feeding in select areas; however, between the wind and the bright sunshine at the time they were tough. We hooked fish using a Skwala dry and dropper set-up, adult BWO and Emerger, and deep nymphing. The only thing we didn't do were streamers. Skwala fishing wasn't as good in the late afternoon as I had hoped, but we did turn a fair number of fish on the Stimi's earlier in the day. The flows have picked up a bit, just over 1200 cfs, and the water has a little more color to it. We are suppose to see more of the same kind of weather with rain predicted into the weekend but less wind. The fishing with BWO's, Skwala's, and March Browns should remain good.

4/3/05

Flies: sz. 14, 18 Bird's Nest, sz. 12 Sparkle Caddis Pupae, sz. 20 WD 40, sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 16, 18 Para Adams, sz. 16-20 BWO Sparkle Duns, sz. 8 Dirty Yellow Stimi, sz. 10 Electric Blue Stimi

More clouds, less wind, and another good BWO hatch. Between 1:00 and 3:00, we had fish actively working the surface. Outside of that window, we experienced mixed success. We started the day running nymphs under strike indicators, but only hooked a couple of Whitefish during the first 2 hours despite being in good riffles and changing bugs frequently. After the BWO activity tapered off, we went to big dries on the go and saw some of the nicer fish of the day. We discussed the "hookset" a fair amount yesterday, which varies in different situations. With a deep nymph rig, I like to set the hook hard enough that if the fish isn't there, you go into a recast. Anything less and you may not free your flies from the bottom, or worse yet, you pull the flies just far enough out of the water to wrap them around your rod tip. Small dries to podded fish I describe as "quick but soft." Just tighten the line with a light leader and let the fish do the rest. Big dries and streamers are more "forgiving", as we are generally on 2X and 3X tippets. Charlie experimented with his own method yesterday afternoon when a fish came up and ate his Stimi. He was standing in the front of the boat and pulled the trigger on a hookset that took him out of the front knee locks and over the seat backwards. Luckily Fidget and I were there to catch him! When the dust cleared, the fish was still attached and made it to the net.

4/1/05

Flies: sz. 14, 18 Bird's Nest, sz. 12 Lightening Bug, sz. 20 Brassie, sz. 20 WD 40, sz. 18 Split Wing BWO, sz. 16 Split Wing Adams, sz. 16-20 CDC Baetis Emergers (Grey and Purple), sz. 8 Dirty Yellow Stimi, sz. 10 Electric Blue Stimi

Yesterday turned out to be one of the best days of the week weatherwise, which was a key factor in a Blue Wing rise that lasted 2-3 hours. The strong winds that we had seen the previous 2 days held off, and we had cloud cover throughout the day. We began the morning fishing nymphs, and really didn't start catching any fish until about 11:30. Rod was in the Ringer to Big Horn section and saw some good March Brown activity. With the slight increase we had in flows, some of the bank water that had been too skinny to hold fish the past 2-3 weeks is filled up just enough...don't write off the Skwala dries yet! A couple of reminders: The Canyon marathon is tomorrow, April 2. Recreation traffic is permitted access; however, it's not a bad idea to get down here before the race begins at 8:00 am to prevent delays. To access the canyon simply drive to the North or South end and tell the officials at the road block that you're "goin fishin"! We also want to remind you that your 2004 fishing license is expired. Pick your new one up before you come over, or get one in Eburg at Fred Meyer or Bi Mart.