Yakima River and Tributary Fishing Report // July 9th, 2020
July 9, 2020
River flows will now make wade fishing fairly challenging on the Yakima from the top down. Whether you are in Cle Elum, or the Lower Canyon it's going to be tough on foot without a boat to access good bars and slots along the side. Big flows make big fish so all in all its a good thing! The gauging station is suggesting we are at below normal flows, but it just seems to me we are pushing 4,000 cfs. Just my gut.
Weekly Podcast
The highlight has bee doing our Tributary Fishalong courses. Check out our entire University of Fly Fishing to learn more. This is how we can make you a better angler.
I took my wife and youngest son out yesterday for some R&D!
Nice Brook Trout for my youngest son!
Rainy's Everything Dry
The main game is the Summer Stonefly Hatch that is beginning to take off. Over the next couple of weeks there will be some days when the trout are out of their minds! Legend has it the trout get so aggressive they beach themselves trying to catch these bugs. Fish big dry flies and you can't go wrong with Chubby Chernobyls in a variety of sizes and colors. Some nights they like orange, sometimes purple best. The insect itself is black and tan, so do your best to match it up. These stoneflies are notcurnal, so you won't see many out during the day as the birds ravage them, but they do exist! Fish early and late if you can. The trout expect to see them during low light hours only.
During the mid-day hours, casters must be very good and work their flies under and beside the heavy cover. You can also work nymphs mid day using a large Powerhouse Stone, Jimmy Legs, or a Pat's in various sizes and colors. These bugs range in size from #6 - #10.
McKnight's Fat Boy
Summer Stonefly Video (aka Nocturnal Stonefly)
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:
- Roza's Red and Violet Tag Nymphs (GREAT droppers off a Chubby)
- Rainy's Flexi Stone
- Gypsy King Stonefly
- Rainbow Warrior Nymph
- Tungsten DART Soft Hackle
- Caddis Super Pupae
- King Prince
- Pat's Stones (Tan/Brown and Orange) - Golden Stoneflies are on the move!
- Biot Sparkle Stone (great Yellow Sally nymph)
- Gold Lightning Bugs (great PMD nymphs)
- Rainy's Black Jack
- Caddis Pupae Jigged
- Double Bead Stonefly Nymph
Dry Flies:
- 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
- E/C Caddis (evenings)
- PMD Dry Flies Upper Yakima River getting sparse in the Lower Canyon
- Yellow Sally Dry Flies
Streamers:
HOT Streamer!
- 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
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My wife and I are interested in a guided trip on the Yakima in July. I suspect you're very busy at that time so wanted your opinion on that. Thanks - John
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Red's has ruined the "Yack" (appropriate here) for good.