Yak2001reports

11/30/01 A great BWO season. Mid November generally marks the end of strong BWO hatches and this year was no exception. Nymphing remains productive. Stone nymphs, caddis larva, midge pupa and a few mayfly nymphs are the main items on the late fall/early winter menu. Midging has been decent and will hopefully get better during December. Streamers can be very productive during the cold months as well.

10/2/01 Nymphing has been good since the last report and dry fly fishing has picked up considerably in the last week. Size 18 and 22 BWOs, size 18 grey Caddis and a mostly sparse hatch of October Caddis. Cahills have been very scarce again this year. Cold nights have kept the water temps at acceptable levels, despite extremely low water levels and warm sunny days. The Yak is running at aprox. 400cfs from Cle Elum to Ellensburg and aprox. 525cfs as it enters the desert canyon below Ellensburg. All sections are difficult to navigate in drift boats and fishing rafts. State boat launch to River Raft Rentals cannot be floated in one day. KOA to Irene Rinehart is impassable. The popular stretch from Ellensburg to Roza requires walking boats through some sections (Bighorn to Umptanum is nearly impassable). The good news is that the Yak is very accessible to waders (and there are many).

9/4/01 The river is currently dropping during the annual 'flip flop', but should be stable by the 10th. Fish are relocating as the water drops, but fishing has remained good. Various Attractors (Tarantulas, Chernoble Ants etc.) and nymphs. The evening Caddis hatch has been short, but fairly consistent. Summer Stones are still emerging and October Caddis are just around the corner.

7/31/01 Lots of 5 to 7 inch smolts. Mid day dry fly fishing has gotten better. Use Hopper and Stone patterns and various terrestrials. Other (mostly sparse) morning and afternoon hatches: Yellow Sallys, Caddis, BWOs, Yellow Mays and Craneflies. Evening: Caddis, Summer Stones, PEDS, Yellow Mays, BWOs and Yellow Sallys.

7/13/01 Still lots of smolts in the system. Mostly nymphing during morning and afternoon. The best dry fly action is in the evening. Insects active during the day include Yellow Sallys (emerging), a few Caddis (tan, rust, bright green, and pale green in sizes 16 and 18), a few BWOs and terrestrials (not much hopper activity yet). Evening activity includes Caddis (primarily tan Hydropsyche), Summer Stones, some BWO's, Pale Evening Duns and Yellow Sallys (egg laying).

6/22/01 Expect to catch many 4 to 6 inch Chinook salmon smolts, especially when using small dry flies. Most of the smolts will have a clipped adipose fin and a color coded mark near one eye. 90% of the smolts are hatchery fish. The most consistent hatches currently are PMDs, Yellow Sallys and various Caddis. Green Drakes can still be found and a few larger stone flies are still emerging. Terrestrials are an important part of a trout's diet during warm weather. Mostly beetles and ants currently. Evening Caddis activity has been fairly consistent, primarily tan Hydropsyche.

6/4/01 Various Caddis, PMD's, Yellow Sallys, a few larger stones and a mix of terrestrials. Lots of salmon smolts throughout the system. Dry fly fishing has been inconsistent, nymphing has been more productive.

5/19/01 Lots of caddis, ranging in size from 18 to 14. Tan, olive, dark olive, grey, black and pale green. Mostly black size 16 during the day, with tan size 14 and 16 more prevalent late afternoon to evening. Also many microcaddis sizes 20 to 22 and a few large size 12 olive brown caddis. Bring emergers, adults and egg layers. Good PMD hatches in the lower river. Fair BWO hatches on cool, cloudy days. A few Stones spread throughout the system, and the last of the March Browns in the upper river.

5/3/01 The Yakima is in great shape. Cool water from the melt turned off the Grannom hatch, but rising water temps in the last few days have brought them out again. High water temp for yesterday was 53.

4/29/01 Warm temps last week produced huge Grannom hatches on the 23 and 24. Unfortunately, the Yak also began to rise and cool on the 24 due to snow melt. The river has been dropping and clearing since the 27 and should be in good shape in the next few days.

4/22/01 BWOs and March Browns have slowed, particularly in the lower stretches, although cloudy days will still produce decent hatches. Skwala stones are through for the year. This was a great year for Skwala and they will be missed. The good news in the lower river is Caddis. Small hatches of #18 dark grey Caddis, which have been of minimal importance continue, but strong hatches of American Grannom in the last few days have brought trout to the surface again. Warm weather and low flows have produce higher than normal water temps. Daytime temps in the lower river have reached 53 degrees. 54 degrees is generally considered the optimal temperature at which Spring Grannom begin emerging in numbers. Warm weather is forecast for this week, which should produce even stronger Grannom emergences. This is one of the best hatches of the year. We have seen a surprising number of Pteronarcys stones this week. # 6 black stone nymphs have worked well, but fish don't seem to be looking for dry Pteronarcys yet.

4/4/01 Good hatches of BWOs, March Browns, Midges and Skwala have produced great fishing over the past few days. Last nights heavy rains haven't raised the Yak, but check river levels before planning a trip.

3/31/01 Fishing has improved as the Yak has dropped over the past few days, after slowing due to increased flows on the 24, 25 and 26. Look for Skwalas, BWOs, Caddis, midges and March Browns. Most hatch activity has been sporadic, but March Browns have been showing in greater numbers.

3/23/01 Great weather and great fishing. The Yak remains in good shape- good for anglers but bad for irrigators. As is normally the case during drought years, the midging was good this winter, and has been good so far this spring. During the winter, trout generally take individual pupas, emergers or adults. However, during the spring, trout key more on clusters of mating midges. Use griffiths gnats, buzz balls or other cluster midge patterns in sizes 16 to 12 (put a down wing on them to make them more visible). The Skwala hatch is going strong and females are returning to the river to lay eggs. Don't be concerned if you don't see very many Skwalas, in 12 years of fishing the Yak from Roza to Easton, I have never seen large numbers of them. BWOs have not been much of a factor yet this spring. March Browns are on the way, and Caddis are beginning to show. On sunny days small terrestrials (bugs, beetles and ants) can also be important.

3/10/01 Nymphing has been only fair for the last week. However, dry fly fishing has definitely picked up. No big hatches yet, but the fish have been taking adult Skwala Stones, midges, a few BWOs as well as an occasional terrestrial. Early season fishing should be good, the river is in great shape and should remain so due to a very low snow pack.

2/5/01 Look for the best fishing when water temps rise to 36 and above. Midge fishing, after a terrific winter season, has slowed. A few rising fish are still to be found, but nymphs and streamers have been much more productive. Skwala stone nymphs (golden stone #10), salmon fly nymphs (black #6) have been working well. Attach a dropper using your favorite small nymph.

1/8/01 Winter fishing on the Yak has been great. Midges, nymphs and streamers have all produced well. The numbers of fish rising to emerging and adult midges has been amazing, particularly when compared to the last 3 or 4 years. This should continue as long as the river stays in shape. Look for Skwala stones to begin emerging in the last week or two of Feb. This years snow pack is below average, which should translate into more fishing days during spring runoff.