Cedar River
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06/30/08
The Cedar is just starting to come into shape for fishing. It is still high and fast (even at 700-800cfs), but the water is clear. You will need to pick your spots and don't expect to be able to wade up and down the river at your leisure, it's still a few hundred cfs away from that.
Fish streamers and large nymphs through available pocket water and on these hot sunny days look for rising fish along slower margins of where they are available. Once the river drops below 700cfs, look for the Cedar to fish like we are used to it, with easier wading and more fishable water.
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Skagit River
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No reports as of 6/2/2008
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Skykomish River
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06/29/08
The fishing on the Sky this June has been very good for bright summer run steelhead. The flows have been high, but as long as they drop below about 9,000cfs then you will find a river that is very fishable. If you are waiting until the flows drop more, don't, because with the clarity (3 feet) and height, the fish are at their grabbiest. Once the river clears and sunny conditions prevail, fishing will become more of an early morning and evening affair.
With the flows as they are, fish winter techniques with sink tips and bigger flies. As the water begins to clear, drop down a bit in fly size.
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Snoqualmie River
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06/01/08
Mainstem: Water is high and winter conditions apply.
Above the falls: The forks will fish better when the river drops a bit. Look for the middle fork to fish best below 1000cfs, until then it might be difficult. Keep an eye on the flows, as the weather warms it will probably come up a bit.
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Stillaguamish River
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6/30/2008
The Stilly has good flows and the river above Deer Creek is fishable. A few fish have been reported and they are mostly bright summer hatchery fish. Fish winter type techniques until the river gets really low.
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Sauk River
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No reports as of 6/2/2008
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Yakima River
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06/01/08
The river has had relatively stable flows over the past week and the river is fishing decent. PMD's have been coming off, along with a few caddis on warm evenings. Fishing the Yak armed with PMD emergers, stonefly nymphs (pat's stones in brown/black and orange/black), lightning bugs and pheasant tails will produce a few fish. The canyon is on the edge of good wading so the adventurous angler will be able to find a few spots to cast a fly or if you are so inclined give Ryan and our guide service, Emerald Water Anglers, a shot for some productivie fishing from the comfort of a drift boat.
05/26/08
Seeking out water clarity lead to the a stretch of water I had never fished upstream of Cle Elum. Flows were low and clear, and there were lots of bugs hatching. Throughout the day I sighted March Browns, PMD's, Baetis, a small yellow stone, a few Skwalas, and a few caddis. Despite the profuse insect activity, I only saw one rise all day, and I had to search out deep, protected water to find fish with a streamer and a sink tip.
The upper Yak held chocolate clarity, with a similar bug soup. I did manage to rise a fish to a size 14 Parachute Adams, but by the speed of the strike, it was a smaller fish. If I hadn't quit early to get back to Seattle, I'd presume fishing the banks with a dry would have produced more fish.
I didn't see another angler all day.
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South Puget Sound
06/29/08
The South Sound continues to fish ok for a mix of smaller cutthroat, a few resident silvers and the occassional larger cutthroat. The bright conditions make morning and evening a good time to fish and sand lance, fry (I saw a few still on the beach on 6/29) and sculpin imitations are all good patterns to try.
Weeds can be issue and it helps in the bright conditions to have a bit of a breeze, so try and fish when it is windy (not usually a problem on the Sound).
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Seattle Area Beaches
06/30/08
The Seattle Area Beaches have been fair for a mixture of cutts and the occassional resident silver. There have been a good number of silvers off the local beaches, but they are frequently out of casting range.
Meadowdale Fisher Beware!!! The last time I was at Meadowdale, where you walk along the tracks, the Burlington Northern Enforcement Officer was there, letting us know that he was going to be policing the crossing to the beach more diligently. Apparently, the city has also posted No Parking signs where you usually park. Beware, if you use this access going forward.
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Kitsap Peninsula/Whidbey Island
No report as of 6/2/2008.
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Basin Lakes
06/02/08
Overall the fishing has held up through this cooler than normal spring. Most of the chironomid activity will be early or late just the same and in general the chironomids that are hatching will be smaller (16, 18, 20). When the weather warms up again, damsel action should be good, so go prepared with damsel nymphs and adults.
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Okanagon Lakes
06/02/08
We have had no reports from Chopaka or other Okanagon lakes as of 6/2/2008.
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Dry Falls/Rocky Ford
06/02/08
Reports from Dry Falls indicate that the fish are generally healthy and strong, but have an inclination to stay deep in the water column. Expect to fish in 10 to 20 feet of water with chironomids or leeches.
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Lone/Pass Lakes
06/24/08 - Pass Lake
Avid anglers hoping to land lots of feisty fish at Pass Lake may want to find their fishing fun elsewhere, as only the bald eagles seemed to have good fishing luck this week. That's the latest information about the popular fly-fishing only lake on Fauntleroy Island, just sound of Anacortes, Wash.
In fact, most anglers who hit Pass Lake recently report similar conditions: great water clarity, unpredictable June-uary weather, and very few fish willing to take a fly. Fishing on Tuesday proved all those observations true.
The sky was sunny with wispy clouds, and the wind was stout from the southwest, which made boating difficult during strong gusts. We nearly had the lake to ourselves when fishing started at 12 p.m., but about 10 boats were on the water by late afternoon. Of all those anglers, only a handful reported fish caught, and each of those only caught one or two fish. Far from the stellar double-digit days Pass Lake offers in fall, winter and spring.
That could be a result of the water temperature, which seemed oddly warm to the touch considering the cool weather. Nearly nine hours of fishing later, and all we caught between us were three fish to hand. Several others were hooked and quickly escaped, but the bites were rather soft and half-hearted. All fish caught were rainbow trout, the largest 18 inches and the smallest 15 inches. None of the fish caught were brown trout, although other anglers reported catching a few small ones.
The insect hatch was minimal, with a few tiny size 24 brownish-colored midges seen in late afternoon. Only one swallow skimmed the lake's water searching for food, and nearly no chironomid molts floated on the surface, two sure signs that the trout are likely eating other foods – or not eating at all.
Fish were caught on two different flies. One, a tan Kiwi Muddler in size 4. The other a wrapped rabbit-strip streamer crafted from olive- and black-dyed rabbit in size 4, as well. Other flies tried included a Carey Special size 10 and an all white rabbit strip streamer with bead head in size 4. Only the black-and-olive streamer consistently produced strikes, and was fished with a RIO Aqualux intermediate line and Airflo 5-foot intermediate polyleader with a 20-inch 4x fluorocarbon tippet.
Perhaps anglers hoping to hook up on a fat lowland trout should heed the wise words of one Avid Angler customer, who suggested, "Skip Pass. Fish Lone Lake." See you on Whidbey Island!
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