A day spent on the water should be fun, relaxing and rewarding, one which you look forward to repeating. No one can guarantee amazing fishing every day, but we can guarantee that our guides are dedicated to providing you with an outstanding day on the water.
The crew at Yakima River Angler has a combined 50+ years of guiding experience on the Yakima River, Rocky Ford Creek and a variety of other Washington fly fishing waters.
Reservations and date availability: Phone: 509 697 6327 / email / or use the contact form on our CONTACT PAGE
To ensure that you’ll be fishing on the days you prefer, we recommend that you book your trip several weeks or more in advance. We will confirm your reservation upon receipt of a $100 deposit, payable online or over the phone. The deposit is fully refundable up to 7 days prior to your trip. With less than 7 days notice, we will refund your deposit if we can fill that date. The remaining balance is due on the day of your trip; we accept cash, personal checks or credit cards. Or you may pay the balance online before your trip with PayPal or a credit card. If your guide decides that the trip should be canceled due to poor conditions, all fees will be refunded or applied to another date of your choosing. Special situations and emergencies can and will be taken into consideration.
Essentials: fishing license, brimmed hat, rain jacket, polarized sunglasses and sunscreen. Purchase License Online.
Clothing and gear: You can call 509 697 6327 or email us before your trip for advice on what clothing to bring or check Ellensburg weather. During the summertime we wade wet and suggest lightweight pants or shorts and wading boots or sandals. You may need a light jacket and long sleeves in the morning and then shed layers as the day warms up. In the spring and fall you may need a few more layers such as fleece pants, heavier jacket, and gloves. Always bring more than you think that you will need, being comfortable is essential for an enjoyable day. Waders are useful in cooler weather (we wade wet in the summer) and will expand the areas in which we can fish but are not essential, we can generally get you in and out of the boat without getting your feet wet. Waders will however help keep you dry on rainy days. Many of our clients bring their own rods, but we provide them at no cost if needed.
Do we provide lunch? All of our full day fly fishing trips include a quality deli style lunch. We also provide snacks, water and an assortment of non-alcoholic beverages. If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know when booking so we can accommodate your needs. Half day trips include snacks and beverages, but no lunch.
How do we fish? Most fishing on the Yakima River is done from a drift boat, either on the move or anchored. We generally float 5 to 15 miles during the day, depending on water conditions, time of year and techniques used. Rocky Ford is fished from the shore, no wading or floating devices.
What rod should I bring? We supply rods and reels as part of the trip package. If you prefer to bring your own rod, we suggest a 5 or 6 weight 9 foot rod for nymphing, streamers and big dry flies. For small dry flies, an 8 ½ or 9 foot 3, 4 or 5 weight.
What flies should I bring? We supply flies for your trip at no cost. If you like to tie your own flies, we would be happy to suggest some patterns suited for the time of year that you will be fishing with us. Just call or email us.
Where and when do we meet? Yakima River Angler is a guide service, no shop. Our only focus is guiding. We can arrange a meeting place anywhere from Yakima to Cle Elum, depending on where we’ll be fishing and where you will be driving from. Meeting time is based on the time of year and fishing conditions. If you’re not familiar with the area we’ll email you easy to follow directions.
