Yakima River Report and SUPER Versatile Nymph // July 30th, 2020

The river swelled up to our high, but typical, summertime flows this past week. For several days the fishing was fairly tough on both dry flies and nymphs with big particulate, sticks, and vegetation floating in the water column.  Things are now beginning to settle out and we're back on track with water getting cleaner by the hour.

We'll be seeing the daytime dry fly fishing improve a bit over the "dawn and dusk" routine we've had over the past month.  In August the trout will begin to scrounge along the banks for any scraps they can pickup as the stonefly and caddis hatches dwindle. This can make for some challenging but very rewarding fishing!  Placing a big hopper pattern along the grass blades will result in some unforgettable strikes!

GumDropper - Super Versatile Nymph Pattern

Trout Guide's Gear Dump

Flows and Weather Links:

• Current River Flows at Umtanum
• Flow Forecast at Umtanum (this is one step above fortune telling, often not accurate!)
• Weather in Selah, WA

Suggested Flies for This Week:

Nymphs:

• RIO's GumDropper Tungsten Soft Hackle 
• Rainy's Bent Stone
• Duracell Jighead Tungsten Soft Hackle
• Roza's Red and Violet Tag Nymphs (GREAT droppers off a Chubby)
• Rainy's Flexi Stone
• Pat's Stonefly Nymph (various sizes and colors)
• Rainbow Warrior Nymph
• Tungsten DART Soft Hackle
• Double Bead Stonefly Nymph

Dry Flies:

• Dry Humper
• Missing Link Caddis (great in the evenings on the Yakima, or all day on the small streams)
• CFO Chernobyl Ant
• Crowd Surfer Stone (Golden)
• McKnight's Fat Boy
• Chubby Chernobyls (various sizes and colors work off an on)
• Rainy's Everything Dry

Streamers:

• Sculp 'n Crossbones
• Sculpzilla #4 (had good success on white yesterday in the morning)
• Skiddish Smolt (there are a fair amount of Salmon Smolt migrating right now!)
• Make it Rainbow Articulated Streamer

Hoppers: