Yakima River

YAKIMA

We are heading into the FLIP FLOP. Starting somewhere around the 25th of August the river will start to drop in flows and by the 10th of Sept the Yakima river will be at a low level for the remainder of the season. The lower Yakima river from the city of Yakima to the Tri cities will then get its water from The Naches system. Hence the flip flop. The Upper Yakima dropping and the Naches system increasing.

We are still doing a self imposed Hoot Owl program on the Yakima. Water temps are ranging from 62-69 depending on time and zone.

Nymphing has been pretty good with the quintessential Pats stone and a second fly in the #14-18 size range.

Second Fly Choices Duracel, YBs, Hares Ear, PMD Trigger nymphs, Walts Worm

Another combo for nymphing would include a streamer and second fly behind. Streamer choices #4-10 Sparkle minnows, Sheila sculpin, Thin Mint, Sculpzilla

Hoppertunity is in full swing, along with Summer Stones and some Caddis and PEDs. The best of the Caddis and PEDs are in the evening and we are forgoing that time zone because of water temps. The trout are healthy and we want to keep it that way.

Hopper patterns #6-12 Daves hopper, Morish hopper, CFO ant, Old fashioned Rubber legged Stimulator

Summer Stone patterns #6-10 Chubbies

Other flies #12-16 Purple Haze, Yellow Humpy, Royal Wulff

Current Salmon counts into the river number about 1500; which is a low count . I mention this because the end of Sept can be very good fishing, kind of Alaska style, behind the spawning Salmonspecifically in the Upper River. Teanaway confluence upstream.