Yakima River Weekly Fishing Report // July 2nd, 2020
July 2, 2020
The river has bumped up in flow to make it a tad more difficult to find good wading water. Be selective about where you fish on foot, and plan to "dry wade" up from the shoreline with drifts at your feet. This is a great strategy in high water and YOU CAN OUTFISH THE BOATS. Probably not the guided boats, but most boats yes. If you are in the right spot you can work a bank line in great detail, while boats passing by take only a quick glancing shot. Don't undersell your ability to wade, especially if using a personal watercraft to transport you from spot to spot. If fishing from the roadside, be picky about where you fish. Learn spots to walk 'n wade, and don't settle for anything expect good water.
The mayfly hatches mid day have slowed down to a near halt in the Canyon, but are still prevalent in the upper reaches. Make sure to have a few Rainy's Everything Dry flies for misc. hatch work.
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