Yak2006reports

Reports are posted as frequently as time and changing conditions dictate. We concentrate on the river from Gladmar to Roza, which generally has the largest and most consistent hatches and most consistent fishing. So our reports are heavily weighted towards this stretch.

11/21/06 Nymphing was fairly good in the Canyon yesterday. The Yak is a little high for the time of year, but is in good shape.

11/6/06 The Yakima is on the rise due to heavy rain the past few days. Mayfly hatches have been waning this week and will most likely be done for the year by the time the Yak is in good shape again.

10/26/06 Sunny weather has made dry fly more challenging this fall. Trout tend to feed on nymphs rather than dries on bright days, so nymphing has been good. Current hatches: BWO, fair to good. Cahills, fair to good. Mahogany Duns, poor to light.

10/03/06 Flows at Umtanum are aprox. 1050 cfs. Nymphing has been very good the last few days. Cloudy and cool today, with a good BWO hatch and a few Cahills.

8/21/06 Flows at Umtanum are currently 3600 cfs and dropping. Current bugs: Caddis, PEDs, BWOs, Craneflies, Hoppers and other terrestrials, Yellow Sallys and Summer Stones, all mostly light. Fair to good nymphing, with some dry fly action, mostly morning and evening. The annual flip-flop is just around the corner. Handle fish with extra care as the river drops and air temps remain high.

7/18/06 The Yakima is running at summer levels and is in great shape. Flows at Umtanum are aprox. 3800 cfs. Summer Stones have been inconsistent, but should pick up. Current bugs: Caddis, PMDs, PEDs, BWOs, Yellow Mays, Craneflies, Hoppers and other terrestrials, Yellow Sallys and Summer Stones, all mostly light. Fair to good nymphing, with some dry fly action, mostly morning and evening.

6/22/06 Fishing is currently good, the Yak has been dropping and clearing for the last week and is in good shape. Mostly nymphing, but some Caddis, Mays and small terrestrial dries during the day and decent Caddis in the evening.

6/13/06 The river is on the rise and off color due to rain and releases from Keechelus and Cle Elum reservoirs.

6/1/06 The Yakima is in good shape. PMDs, Caddis, BWOs, Yellow Mays, Mahoganys and Yellow Sallys.

5/17/06 Great Caddis hatches last week, but the Yak is currently blown due to hot weather the past few days.

4/11/06 1 to 1 1/2 feet of visibility. Saw a pretty good BWO hatch and fish rising in a few spots. Rain and sleet and no wind. Yakima Canyon, 1:45 to 7. 17 fish 12 to 18 inches.

4/5/06 Still off color in the Canyon today and not much of a BWO hatch. 1:30 to 6:30 8 trout 8 to 17inches. Cloudy all day. Wind in the afternoon. The river is rising again, could be awhile before clarity is good.

4/4/06 The river was still off color in the Canyon today, but the BWO hatch was good and fish were eating. 1 to 3:30. 15 trout 8 to 16 inches.

4/3/06 The Yak rose aprox. 600 cfs saturday, but began dropping Sunday. Should be in good shape in a day or two.

3/30/06 Yakima Canyon today with Jeff. 12 to 6. Another mixed bag, Small BWO hatch and some Skwala. 19 trout, 8 to 16 inches. Mostly sunny.

3/28/06 Ellensburg. Not a lot happening today, a mix of BWO, Midges, Skwala and nymphing. 12:30 to 6. 18 trout, 10 to 18 inches. Mostly sunny.

3/17/06 Canyon with Gary. 12:30 to 5. Sparse BWO hatch. 11 trout on BWO and 7 to Skwala. Mix of sun and clouds today. Not great fishing, but a good day.

3/15/06 Canyon with Jeff. 12:30 to dark. Good BWO action today in spots and decent Skwala. 19 trout to BWOs and 11 to Skwala. 8 to 16 inches.

3/14/06 Canyon 2 to 6. Mixed clouds and sun today. A good day for dry Skwalas. Sparse BWO (started late again) 23 fish 8 to 16 inches. Mix up your fly selection, bright or dark attractors and light or dark naturals. Stimulators, PMXs, Tarantulas, etc. Found fish in slow deeper water and medium and fast shallow water.

3/9/06 Floated the Lower Canyon with Jeff from 1:30 to 7. Couldn't get on the water for the entire BWO hatch again today, but we did have 30 minutes or so of early season rising fish. Threw Skwala dries till dark with less success than the 7th. Water temps were 3 degrees colder today. 14 trout 10 to 17 inches. Cloudy early, then mostly sunny.

3/7/06 Floated the lower Canyon today and threw dry Skwala and BWOs on the move. 19 trout 10 to 17 inches. Did well in spots with a lot of non-productive water in between. 1:30 to 6. Missed most of the BWO hatch, but a few fish were still looking for BWO until 2:30 or so. Water temps reached 44 at Umtanum. 42 or 43 degrees seems to be the key for Skwala. Mixed Clouds and sun today.

3/2/06 Still mostly winter nymphing. Just about any nymph will catch fish, but Skwala Stone, Grannom and BWO nymphs and Midge nymphs and pupa are generally the most active. A few adult Skwala on the water, but we are still one or two weeks from good dry fly.