3/31/04

Anglers: Walt, Larry, and Steve

Location: Red's to Roza

Flies: sz. 12 Bitteroot Skwala, sz. 10 Dirty yellow Stimulator, sz. 18 Sparkle Dun BWO, sz. 16 Split Wing BWO, sz. 18 CDC Baetis Emerger, sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 10 Bugmeister

Time: 10:00 am until 5:00 pm

Results: 10-12 Rainbows landed (12"- 19")

At 9:30 am yesterday, it was about 55 degrees, sunny calm, and not a cloud in the sky. I even contemplated leaving my rain coat behind thinking I wouldn't be needing it - boy, am I glad I didn't!. By 1:00 pm, the temperature had dropped to 44 degrees, it was raining, and a strong wind was driving the cold and the rain! The weather did kick off a good BWO hatch from 1:00 until 3:00, and we found several nice pods of fish feeding on the surface during this time. The wind died down and the rain stopped in the afternoon, and we had our most productive part of the day fishing Skwala patterns to the banks on the move. This dandy Larry caught is one of the nicer fish we have seen this Spring. Flows did bounce up about 100 cfs while we were on yesterday, but have stabilized at 2421 cfs, and the river looks great. A couple of reminders: Fishing licenses expire tomorrow - don't forget to get your new one before the weekend! The Yakima Canyon Marathon is this Saturday. You will need a pass to get through the check station, which can be obtained on the North end at the Flying J truck stop, The Evening Hatch Fly Shop, or Worley Bugger Fly Company; or the South end at the Shell station or Gary's Fly Shop. Also, the County is going to be tearing up the upper 3 miles of the Canyon Road (to the Thrall Road cut across) starting April 5th. This construction project is scheduled to last through July 16. The alternative route they have planned is to detour traffic on I-90 E to I-82 then take the first exit (Thrall Road) which cuts across to the Canyon Road just below Ringer. This route does add approximately 6 miles to the driving distance, but shouldn't allow for any further delays. There will also be some guard rail repairs taking place throughout the canyon during this time, which will be done on a daily schedule.

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3/30/04

Anglers: Brian and Tyler

Location: Big Horn to Red's

Flies: sz. 12 Bitteroot Skwala, sz. 12 March Brown Extended Body, sz. 18 Sparkle Dunn

Time: 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm

Results: 2 Rainbows landed (12", 15")

Brian got a chance to put his new - used boat on the water yesterday, so off he went. The fishing was actually better than the results might indicate. He saw March Browns and BWO's throughout the float and had fish up pretty consistently on all of the imitations they fished. The late afternoon Skwala fishing has remained the most productive opportunity to catch fish on dry flies, with cloudy days providing good Mayfly action. Yesterday was by far the most March Browns we've seen this Spring, so plan on them working into the gameplan more over the next couple of weeks. Even with the 70 degree weather we had yesterday, the river is in beautiful shape this morning. A couple of other related items: Fishing licenses expire tomorrow - don't forget to get your new one before the weekend! The Yakima Canyon Marathon is this Saturday. You will need a pass to get through the check station, which can be obtained at the Flying J truck stop, The Evening Hatch Fly Shop, or Worley Bugger Fly Company. Also, the County is going to be tearing up the upper 3 miles of the Canyon Road (to the Thrall Road cut across) starting April 5th. This construction project is scheduled to last through July 16. The alternative route they have planned is to detour traffic on I-90 E to I-82 then take the first exit (Thrall Road) which cuts across to the Canyon Road just below Ringer. This route does add approximately 6 miles to the driving distance, but shouldn't allow for any further delays. There will also be some guard rail repairs taking place throughout the canyon during this time, which will be done on a daily schedule.

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3/28/04

Anglers: Paul, Mike, and Steve

Location: Umtanum to Mahre's

Flies: sz. 10 Nightmare Skwala, sz. 8 Skwalameister, sz. 10 Dirty Yellow Stimulator, sz. 12 Bitteroot Skwala, sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 14 Parachute Adams

Time: 3:00 pm until 4:45 pm

Results: 8 or 9 Rainbows landed (12"-17")

We fished dries all day long, and until 1:00, it was pretty much a boat ride. Between the wind and bright sun for most of the day, we didn't get much action on anything except the Skwala patterns (not much activity for BWO sippers). We had our best luck on some smaller Skwala flies, with the size 12 Bitteroot being our most productive. However, the Bugmeister proved itself worthy once again, bringing up the biggest fish of the day - a deeply colored 17" male. The river has been on the drop for the past 3 days, and is currently in as good of shape as we have seen all Spring. After a dry spell in the morning, Mike landed a nice fish, and Paul stated "it's just fun to watch people catch fish." That generous attitude lasted for about 2 or 3 more fish by Mike, before Mr. Generous asked for "the same Bitteroot fly as Mike." I could only keep a straight face for about a minute when I told him "Yeah, I wish I had another one of those."

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3/26/04

Anglers: --

Location: Reds

Flies: --

Time: 7:30 am

Results: River Update

We had a pretty heavy rain from 2:00 yesterday afternoon through about 4:00 this morning, which has caused a slight bump in flows to 2811 cfs. Visibility decreased since yesterday, but is still decent at 18". We have cooler weather in the forecast tonite and tomorrow, which will help to stabilize and improve conditions quickly. Yesterday was one of the best BWO hatches we've seen this Spring. From noon until 3:00, there were fish podded up and feeding along many of the eddies and seam lines. There's only a 10% chance of rain today and tomorrow, with scattered clouds in the forecast. Our current strategy is still fishing the Skwala dries on the move until the BWO hatch begins and you locate some feeding fish, and then going back to the Big Dries on the move after the hatch lets up. A little early morning nymphing and late evening streamer fishing may also come into the mix.

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3/24/04

Anglers: Brian and Rod

Location: Umtanum to Reds

Flies: sz. 10 Nightmare Skwala, sz. 8 Skwalameister, sz. 10 Dirty Yellow Stimulator

Time: 4:30 pm until 5:30 pm

Results: 1 fish landed (15") and several LDR's

The river continued to rise most of the day, and the flow this morning is at 2723 cfs with the graph for the gauging station at Umtanum still coming up. Even with this rise, the clarity is still decent with about 3 feet of visibility. Weather could have an impact on this, however, as the current forecast is calling for a 30 to 40% chance of rain in the valley today and rain in the higher elevations. The weatherman is also forecasting winds this afternoon of 20 to 30 mph. The current weather here at the shop is 40 degrees, cloudy and calm.

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3/23/04

Anglers: Leif, Brian, and Rod

Location: Lmuma to Slab

Flies: sz. 8 Yellow Montana Bar Fly, sz. 8 Long-tailed Skwala, sz. 10 Dirty Yellow Stimulator, sz. 16 X Caddis, sz. 20 Stillborn Midge, sz. 18 Split Wing Adams, sz. 18 CDC Baetis Emerger

Time: 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm

Results: 5 or 6 fish landed (13"-15")

We got a chance to slip out of the shop late in the afternoon so we floated from Lmuma to the Slab. We hooked two fish right out of the gate on the Montana Bar Fly. This fly and the Dirty Yellow Stimulator were the most productive patterns throughout the float. There were also a few caddis out and about, so we tried an X Caddis on a 12" inch dropper with no success. We found an actively feeding pod of fish late in the float and had fair success at getting them to look at the sz. 20 Stillborn Midge. The weather has been warm the last few days with temperatures in the mid 70's yesterday, and a temperature of 61 degrees predicted for today. The river is still in good shape. However, the warmer weather is having some impact on the flow. We just don't know how much yet. The graph is showing that the river has started to rise this morning with the flow at 2390 cfs.

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3/20/04

Anglers: Greg, John, and Steve

Location: Lmuma to Slab (our first half of the day)

Flies: sz. 8 Matt's Stone, sz. 10 Dirt Snake, sz. 12 March Brown Nymph, sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 10 Double Wing Skwala, sz. 10 Nightmare Skwala, sz. 10 Dirty yellow Stimulator, sz. 10 (8) Legged Skwala

Time: 10:00 am until 2:00 pm

Results: 8 fish landed (12"-16")

We fished nymphs for about the first hour and a half, and then switched to dries for the remainder of the day. We picked up some nice fish nymphing on the Matt's Stone (tan/cream body color), and then started bringing a few fish up on dries right when we switched over about noon. There were a fair number of BWO's on the water, and a few scattered pods eating them from noon until 2:00 pm. Once again, our late afternoon (3:00 until 5:00) was the most productive window for Skwala dry fly fishing. Things slowed down during the last hour of daylight. The river definitely came down some while we were on yesterday (gauge is still broke!), and it is in great shape right now.

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3/19/04

Anglers: --

Location: Red's

Flies: --

Time: 7:00am

Results: River Update

Although we don't have an exact reading on river flows because the gauging stations are down, it appears to have come down some overnight and visibility remains at 2'. The wind has blown itself out and we are looking at a cool sunny morning in the canyon.

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3/18/04

Anglers: Rod, Tony, and Steve

Location: Big Horn to Umtanum

Flies: sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 10 Double Wing Skwala, sz. 10 Nightmare Skwala, sz. 10 Dirty yellow Stimulator, sz. 10 Grey and Gold Stimulator

Time: 4:30 pm until 6:00 pm

Results: A good Skwala Session!

We couldn't let St. Patrick's Day pass us by without getting on the water for quick float! We fished what has probably been the most productive dry fly window (early evening) and once again had a lot of activity on the Skwala patterns. Rod had the hot hand from the back of the boat starting out, which quickly earned him a seat in the middle holding the oars! The past 2 or 3 days, we've seen more adult Skwalas in the bushes and grass than we've seen all Spring. We also saw a few Caddis on the water, and Mayflies of various shades and sizes, although we saw only a handful of sporadic feeders and didn't fish any small stuff. We have seen some beautiful days this past week with temperatures nearing 70 degrees; however, today doesn't appear to be one of them with wind gusts currently at 40-50 mph and a high wind warning in the forecast through the afternoon. Although the gauging station has been down for the last day and a half, it appeared to come up yesterday morning, and drop again by evening. Visibility was only affected minimally, and remains at 2'+. UPDATE: (8:15 am): The gauging station is working again and the flows are on the rise this morning. Visibility is still good at 2', and we'll keep you posted as conditions change.

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3/16/04

Anglers: Steve and Paul

Location: Red's to Slab

Flies: sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 10 Double Wing Skwala, sz. 10 Nightmare Skwala, sz. 10 Dirty yellow Stimulator

Time: 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm

Results: 6 fish landed (13"-17")

Even with a slight jump in flows yesterday, and a fairly stiff breeze, the Skwala dry fly fishing was pretty good overall. We raised 4 or 5 fish right at the start of this float; then things slowed down for an hour or so, and we went about a mile between rises. The fish turned back on in the evening though, and we finished with a flurry of activity! We are still looking at about 2' of visibility at the shop, and flows bouncing around the 2600 cfs mark. Air temperatures are forecast to jump up a bit over the next few days. Hopefully we got enough of the low elevation runoff last week that the river stays in shape.

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3/15/04

Anglers: Steve and Joe

Location: MM19 to Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 10 Double Wing Skwala, sz. 10 Nightmare Skwala

Time: 5:00 pm until 6:30 pm

Results: 8-10 fish landed (12"-15")

I snuck out of the shop a little early to catch one of the better evening dry fly sessions of the Spring. The wind, which had blown hard all day, died down right when we got on, and the fish were certainly looking up. Fishing Skwalas is much like fishing Hoppers - don't feel like you need to see fish feeding in order to have success. The fact of the matter is that these bugs emerge at night, and you will see very few adults on the water. Cast your flies to the likely spots, targeting tight to the banks where there is enough water for fish to hold tight, and out along the seams and foam lines in between. Don't be afraid to cover some water, too. There may only be 2 or 3 "players" on a grassy bank section that's 500 yards long. Most of the time, if a fish is looking for a Skwala, they will show themselves on the first pass over. So whether you're wading or floating, don't spend all day beating up the same piece of water - fish it up once, and then maybe back down if you had a refusal or two, and then move to another run. The river remains in good shape with flows around 2500 cfs. The weather pattern looks good for this week, but pay attention to the flow chart. If it gets too warm or starts to rain up top, we will get a bump in volume. It looks like the wind may blow in some clouds over the next couple of days, which could be good for the BWO's...

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3/13/04

Angler: Hank, Mel, and Dan

Location: Umtanum to Slab

Flies: sz. 10 Skwala Nymph, sz. 12 Skwalameister, and sz. 8 Bugmeister

Time: 11:00 pm until 5:00 pm

Results: 6 fish landed, and numerous fish to the fly

The river is looking good again. It was one of the first productive days of dry fly fishing since the river blew out. We started the day nymphing, and after an hour of seeing no fish to the boat, we quickly switched to dries. After only a few minutes into our dry fly fishing, Dan landed his first fish ever on a fly rod. From that moment on dry fly fishing stayed productive until we reached the end of our float. The simple Bugmeister proved itself again, bringing up most of our fish. Fishing that bug close to the bank with a drag free drift was the most productive technique. Yesterday we still saw some color in the river, but with consistent weather this river is only going to get better. If the flows remain around 2500 cfs, look for some really good skwala fishing.

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3/12/04

Angler: Rod

Location: Lower Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Bugmeister

Time: 4:30 pm until 5:00 pm

Results: Hooked and lost 1 nice fish, rose 2 others

Flows have dropped and stabilized at 2551 cfs, with visibility currently at 12"-18". Even with the murky water conditions, we found a few fish looking up in the afternoon yesterday. Tonite is supposed to be cooler with lows reaching 27 degrees, which should further improve conditions for the weekend. As of right now the river is fishable, and we anticipate the drop putting the fish back on the feed!

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3/11/04

Anglers: ---

Location: ---

Flies: ---

Time: 8:30 am

Results: River Update

The river leveled off and started dropping late yesterday afternoon. The visibility is about 8" to 12". If the weather holds and we see overnight temperatures at or just below freezing as forecasted, we expect the river to be in good shape for fishing by Saturday.

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3/10/04

Anglers: Jeff and Steve

Location: Big Horn to Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Double Wing Skwala, sz. 12 Bullet Head Female Skwala, sz. 12 Skwalameister, sz. 12 March Brown Nymph, sz. 10 Skwala Nymph

Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Results: 3 trout landed (13"-16")

Well, we got one more day of fishing in before this river went out. We had 12"-18" of visibility yesterday, which was enough to raise a half dozen or so trout on the Skwala patterns. We also nymphed a couple of runs and hit 2 nice fish doing that. The river had come up another 400 cfs while we were on yesterday, and this morning flows are up to 2653 cfs with less than 6" of visibility. It is, for all practical purposes UNfishable. If the weather cools down in the evenings, it may shape up over the next couple of days. The majority of this runoff is coming from the Teanaway; however the river is rising throughout the entire system. Even Umtanum Creek is a raging torrent this morning! Keep an eye on the flows and we'll keep you posted as conditions change.

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3/9/04

Anglers: Update!

Location: Red's

Flies: --

Time: --

Results: --

The river has come up 500 cfs over the last 2 days due to the warm temepratures we've experienced and is still on the rise. Visibility is currently at 12"-18" at our shop. With the cooler evening temperatures that are forecast these next few nights, we expect things to stabilize soon.

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3/7/04

Angler: Mike, Pat, and Steve

Location: Red's to Roza

Flies: sz. 10 Skwalameister, sz. 8 Bugmeister, sz. 12 Nightmare Skwala, sz. 10 Grey and Gold Stimulator

Time: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

Results: 5 or 6 Rainbow's landed (13" - 15")

We stuck with dries all day long, and had fish up through most of the afternoon. The action was somewhat sporadic, in that we'd see 2 or 3 fish come up in a 50 to 100 yard stretch and then go for a half hour or more without seeing another. The long grassy bank sections seemed to be the most productive. Bug activity is picking up with the warmer water temperatures. We have seen adult Skwalas, BWO's, and even a couple of March Browns these past two days. It's still early for the March Browns, but the BWO's are pretty heavy from noon until 3:00, with cloudy days offering the best opportunities. Fish the Skwala dries on the move, targeting the likely banks and seam lines.

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3/6/04

Angler: Mike, Dan, and Rod

Location: Red's to Slab

Flies: sz. 8 Army Man Skwala, sz. 8 Red's Para Skwala, sz. 8 Matt's Stone Nymph, sz. 12 San Juan Worm

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Results: 3 Rainbow's landed (13" - 15")

We had a combination of weather conditions that included sunshine, wind, cloudy skies, and rain on this trip. The fish were fairly active, and the dry flies produced better results than the nymphing. The Army Man Skwala brought three fish up in a 200 yard stretch of river just below Lmuma. Of the three, we got one to the boat. The other 2 waived goodbye to Dan after a short tussle. Overall the fishing is good, and the river conditions are remaining stable. The river flow again this morning is at 1451 cfs.

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3/5/04

Angler: Rod

Location: Umtanum

Flies: sz. 8 Olive Bugger

Time: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Results: 1 Rainbow landed (15") and 3 LDR's

We had some pretty strong winds (average 16 to 20 mph), but regardless, the fish were active if you could get your fly on or in the water. The river flow increased about 100 cfs. overnight. The flow this morning is 1451 cfs. The weatherman continues to predict temperatures in the 40's with some wind in the 20 mph range over the next day or so. We are seeing more adult Skwalas both in the air and on the water. Prime time for fishing dries has been 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

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3/2/04

Anglers: Brian and Rod

Location: Umtanum to Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Skwalameister, sz. 8 Army Man Skwala, sz. 8 Super Skwala

Time: 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Results: 8 Rainbows landed (12" - 17")

Things are starting to pick up with the Skwala dry fly fishing. The water temperature during this float was 44 degrees, and the fish were definitely looking up. The Skwalameister was our best bug. All but one of the fish was taken on it. The weather forecast is calling for temperatures in the high 40's and the river is in good shape. The flow this morning is 1379 cfs. We were really encouraged with the results on this float and look for the fishing to get better.

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3/1/04

Anglers: Brian, Leif, and Steve

Location: Slab to Roza

Flies: sz. 8 - 8 Legged Skwala, sz. 8 Skwalameister, sz. 6 White Fruit Fly (Streamer), sz. 8 Johnny B's Yellow/Brown Bugger, sz. 8 Double Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 12 Black Beaded Skwala Nymph

Time: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Results: NOTHING

We tried Skwala dries on the move, pulled streamers, and tossed nymphs in a couple of slots with no success. Maybe we were a little late in the day, but the fish were not very active. The river is in good shape. The water temperature was 42 degrees - look for fishing to improve. The flow this morning is 1391 cfs.

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2/29/04

Anglers: ---

Location: ---

Flies: ---

Time: 7:00 am

Results: River Update

Flows have dropped 150 cfs overnight, and visibility has improved to 2'- 3'. We will have a fishing report tomorrow AM.

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2/27/04

Anglers: Paul, Don, and Steve

Location: Red's to MP #10

Flies: sz. 8 Double Wing Skwala, sz. 12 Bullethead Female Skwala, sz. 8 Royal Bar Fly, sz. 12 Adams Wulff, sz. 10 Black Bead Skwala nymph, sz. 16 Red Copper John, sz. 8 Black Attack Bugger, sz. 8 J & J Special

Time: 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Results: 2 Rainbows landed (14", 15")

We awoke to find the river up a couple hundred CFS and visibility around 2'. Given the water conditions, we fished a variety of different patterns and techniques. We tried a big dry and dry/ dropper on the move for most of the day, deep-nymphed a couple of slots, and pulled streamers later in the day. Paul raised 2 fish along the banks, but the dry fly action was pretty slow overall. Other than a few scattered feeders, we didn't see any fish working Midge or BWO's. At one point, late in the afternoon, we had the sun beating down on our backs, a herd of Big Horn sheep on one side of the river, some deer on the other, and a Bald Eagle flying overhead. Paul had just hooked and lost a nice fish on the Wulff and was mumbling something about "river therapy", Don was finding his "strip, strip, strip, cast" streamer rhythm, and I was trying to distinguish if it was a ram or a ewe on the hillside. Maybe there is something to that river therapy thing... The river is up another 200 cfs this morning and visibility is about 12". The rise is due to rain and snow melt up on the pass. If the rain quits and temperatures stay down at night, it will shape up quickly. It's not UNfishable right now, but the fishing is going to be tough. We'll keep you posted as conditons change.

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2/24/04

Anglers: Steve and Rod

Location: Slab to Roza

Flies: sz. 8 Double Wing Skwala, sz. 10 Black Bead Skwala nymph, sz. 16 Lightning Bug, sz. 10 Olive Bugger, sz. 8 Olive/ Brown Swinger

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Results: 2 fish landed (13", 15") 5 or 6 other hook-ups

With the intent of locating some fish looking up for Skwala dries, we targeted the lower section of the canyon. As with any fishing day, you learn as much by your failures as by your succcesses! We learned that the Yakima is still a little early for Skwala dry fly fishing. Nymph and steamer fishing; however, is pretty good right now. Fish the streamers on a slow swing down and across or use a slow retrieve - targeting the bellies and tailouts of the riffles. We hooked several fish on streamers yesterday, including one scrapper that broke me off on 8 lb. Maxima! For nymphs, we've been using the standard double nymph rig with a Skwala pattern on top (Black beaded has been the most effective lately) and a smaller bug (Red Copper John, Lightning Bug,...) trailing by 14"-18". The best opportunity to catch fish on dries right now is with Midge and BWO's in the afternoons. Cloudy days will be the most consistent for this, and it is very location specific. Those of you fishing from boats on the move can utilize the dry/ dropper set up - and don't be surprised when a few fish eat the dry! Water temperature was at 42 degrees when we put on, and flows are stable. We are getting a sprinkle this morning at the shop, which could be good for the Midge and Baetis...

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2/23/04

Anglers: Brian and Rod

Location: Umtanum to Red's

Flies: sz. 10 Ugyn Bug, sz. 8 Skwalameister, sz. 10 Red's Para Skwala, sz. 8 Army Man Skwala

Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Results: NOTHING

We set out with one goal in mind: to see if we could catch fish on Skwala dries. It was tough to stick to the plan, because in the foam line across from the launch there were fish sipping midges. We resisted tying on a midge imitation and got a fish to come up and look at the sz. 8 Skwalameister. Through the length of the float we had three fish take a serious look at the imitations we tried. It was really a welcome change to see that dry floating on the surface, and the feeling of anticipation at seeing a large rainbow breaking the surface after it was even better. We have heard a few reports of fisherman turning fish on Skwala dries. The weather is great here today with sunshine and forecasted temperatures of 42 degrees. The river has dropped and is back down to around 1067 cfs this morning. The Skwala dry fishing is only going to get better.

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2/20/04

Angler: Rod

Location: Umtanum

Flies: sz. 8 Olive Bugger

Time: 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Results: 1 Rainbow (16") landed, 3 LDR's and several other tugs

It was so nice here in the canyon today, that I just had to sneak off from the shop and fish for awhile this afternoon. The streamers have been productive for me lately; so, I couldn't resist swinging one again today. The results were good. When swinging a streamer, it can be difficult to get a good hook set. The least amount of slack and you can say goodbye to Mr. Fish. Sure is fun practicing on getting better, though! The weather forecast for today is partly cloudy with a temperature of 41 degrees. The weatherman is predicting temperatures in the 40's throughout the rest of the week. The river has rose about 100 cfs over the last couple of days. It has some color but is still in good shape. The flow this morning is at 1120 cfs and still rising. Right now we do not expect it to go out, but you can keep an eye on the flow through the river information provided on this page of our web site. The Fly Fishing Show at Bellevue starts this morning, and Steve is on his way there as I write this. Stop by the booth and say hello to him, Tony, and Rick if you get a chance.

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2/18/04

Anglers: Dusty, Greg, Steve, and Rod

Location: Umtanum to Lmuma

Flies: sz. 8 Yellow/Black Conehead Bugger, sz. 10 Skwala Nymph, sz. 18 Silver Lightning Bug, sz. 18 Red Copper John, sz. 20 Black & Red Para Midge, sz.18 Gray CDC Baetis Emerger

Time: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm

Results: 8 or 9 Rainbows (12" -15")

Well, we had to tough it out through some adverse weather conditions on this trip. We experienced snow and/or rain all day long, and today we have gear from gear bags spread throughout the shop drying. We did confirm, however, that midge fishing can be good in bad weather. The best tactics for catching fish throughout the day were casting the midge and emerger combination at subtle sippers and swinging streamers. The weather today is sure alot nicer. The sunshine is even peeking through with a forecasted temperature of 41 degrees. The weatherman is predicting temperatures in the 40's throughout the rest of the week. The rain hasn't had an effect on the river conditions. The river is still in great shape. The flow this morning is at 1036 cfs. We are looking forward to seeing fish start taking Skwala dries soon.

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2/17/04

Angler: Rod

Location: Umtanum

Flies: sz. 8 Olive & Yellow Bugger

Time: 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Results: (2) 14" Rainbows landed, a couple of other tugs

Another afternoon session of swinging the streamer produced a couple of nice fish. We have been utilizing a 15' 150 grain sink tip with this technique. The key is to keep enough tension on the line as it's coming down and across that you can feel it when a fish grabs. Most of your action will be in the zone between the last third of your drift and the "hangdown" point. Yesterday was an interesting day in the canyon weather-wise, with a wet snow falling for most of the day. Despite the precipitation, the river is in great shape and should remain that way, as the extended weather forecast calls for consistent conditions with evening temperatures below freezing. We will be hosting a Destination Theatre presentation at the upcoming Fly Fishing Show in Bellevue. The title of this presentation is "A Tale of Two Canyons: Montana's Smith River and Washington's Yakima River". We will be presenting Saturday at 12:30 pm, and Sunday at 3:30 pm. Steve's friend, Brandon Boedecker from Paul Roos Outfitters (Helena, MT) will be joining us for the show and presentations. For those of you not familiar, The Smith River is a 60 mile wilderness float trip through an incredible limestone canyon. Access is exclusively via boat, and launch permits are issued through a lottery system. While the Smith is a world class Brown Trout fishery, the fishing always seems to pale in comparison to the sheer beauty and surreal scenery of the canyon.

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2/16/04

Angler: Clint

Location: Big Horn

Flies: sz. 10 Double Beaded Skwala nymph, sz. 16 Prince Nymph, sz. 16 Lightning Bug

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Results: 4 Rainbows (12"-16")

The weather on Sunday was a bit cooler than Saturday, due mostly in part to some cloud cover. Fishing Nymphs under an indicator and swinging streamers remain the most productive tactics; however, we had several adult Skwalas in the campground yesterday morning and there were more BWO's active this weekend than we had previously seen. We are right on the verge of the Spring dry fly season. We will be hosting a booth in the Fly Fishing Show in Bellevue this coming weekend and the Evergreen Sportsman's Show in Monroe the following weekend. Stop in and see us at the shows if you're in the city, or the shop if you're on the water!

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2/12/04

Angler: Rod

Location: Umtanum and Mahre's

Flies: sz. 10 Double Beaded Skwala nymph, sz. 18 Red Copper John, sz. 16 Beaded Olive Hare's Ear, sz. 8 Olive Bugger

Time: 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Results: 4 trout (14"-16") and (1) Whitefish

For the second day in a row the streamer fishing treated me well. Both yesterday afternoon and the day before, I got a chance to spend a little time wade fishing. The Bugger on a slow swing using a sink tip line was by far the best tactic for me. It produced fish both days. Fish those slow - deep runs, and be sure to cover all of the water working from the inside out. As a side note, the folks from Clackacraft showed up on Saturday with our four new ' 04 boats. The old ones are gone. The new ones are here, and we are getting them ready to go on the water. The river flow this morning is at 1067 cfs. The weather forecast is calling for day time temperatures in the high 30's to mid 40's over the next week. The fishing should only get better.

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2/10/04

Anglers: Steve and Rod

Location: Mahre's

Flies: sz. 10 Double Beaded Skwala nymph, sz. 12 Red Rock Worm, sz. 18 Red Copper John, sz. 16 Silver Lightning Bug

Time: 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Results: 7 trout (13"-16") and (1) Whitefish

It seems as though the fishing has picked back up. We caught one fish about 13" and another about 16", with everything else in the 14"-15" range. The Rainbows are solid, strong, and beautifully colored right now. As for the weather forecast, it appears as though it's going to stay nice through the weekend with highs near 50 degrees and sunshine. This may be just what we need to get some Skwala dry fly activity started. At the very least, the nymph and streamer fishing should remain productive.

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2/9/04

Anglers: Steve and Rick

Location: Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Double Beaded Skwala nymph, sz. 12 Olive kaufmann's, sz. 18 Wd-40, sz. 18 Brassie

Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Results: 2 trout (12") and a Whitefish

Nymph fishing for us was slower than it had been the previous week. We did pick up a few small fish, but we ran our flies through some runs that usually produce with no results. Don't be afraid to change flies and fish back through when that happens - we're going to be working on that today! The weather yesterday afternoon was one of the nicest days we've seen this year. Calm, 50 degrees, and clear blue skies - it's almost time to get out the sun block again.

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2/2/04

Angler: Steve

Location: Lower Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Black Cone 20"er, sz. 16 Silver Lightning Bug

Time: 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Results: 2 Rainbows (12", 14")

I figured I'd better get out and do something a little bit physical so I wouldn't have to feel guilty about all of the junk I was going to eat during the Super Bowl - so I went wade fishing for an hour! Yeah, I know - that sounds like pretty physical work! Anyways, the river is back in shape. Water temperature was 38 degrees, and visibility is 2'-3'. We had a skiff of snow last night, which won't adversely affect water conditions at all - so long as air temperatures remain below freezing at night as predicted. Flows are down to 1769 cfs this morning and will most likely continue to drop. Both fish I caught were on the larger Stonefly nymph.

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1/30/04

Anglers: Rod and Hutch (the Australian Shepherd)

Location: Umtanum to Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Double Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 6 Yellow/Black Johnny B's, sz.8 Olive Bugger, sz. 18 Brassie

Time: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Results: 1 Rainbow (15") landed and several other hookups

This float started off great. The second cast into a nice slot and the indicator went down. It was the 15" fish, and he liked the Skwala imitation. There was nothing lethargic about this fish, he went into the air 3 times before I got him to the boat. I fished the nymph rig for awhile longer with no more results. I decided to move downstream and try a streamer in a nice slow run. I hooked a couple of really nice fish on the Olive Bugger fishing it on the swing with a sink tip. I didn't get either to the net. For the rest of the trip, I alternated the streamer and the nymphs. I had at least three more hookups on the nymph rig with zero on the streamer. So much for the good news, now for the bad news. The river is on the rise. In the last 24 hours, the flow has doubled. As I write this, it is just over 1700 cfs and still coming up. The visibility is about 2 feet. The current forecast is for 45 degrees today with NW winds at 19 mph. This most likely means that runoff conditions will persist, and the river will continue to rise. We will keep you posted as conditions change.

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1/28/04

Angler: Randy

Location: Mahre's

Flies: sz. 10 Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 10 Non-Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 16 Red Copper John, sz. 18 Glass Head Brassie

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Results: 3 Rainbows (13"-16") and 1 Whitefish landed

It was a good day to be on the river. We had sunshine with temperatures in the high 30's, and there was decent fish activity on nymphs. Wade fishing access in the lower canyon is continuing to improve. There is still shelf ice in places, so, the access is selective and watch out for pieces of floating ice. The most productive method was with a standard nymph rig using the sz. 18 Glass Head Brassie on the dropper. Some days the fish like the big bug and some days the small one. Be prepared to change bugs if one pattern isn't producing results. The flow again today is at 887 cfs. It is suppose to reach 42 degrees here today and 44 tomorrow. The weather forecast for the rest of the week is for daytime temperatures in the mid to high 30's. We expect the fishing to get better, and we may even see some increased top water activity.

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1/26/04

Anglers: Clint and Rod

Location: Red's to Lmuma

Flies: sz. 8 Double Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 18 Red Copper John, sz. 8 Conehead 20 incher, sz. 6 Yellow/Black Johnny B's

Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Results: Hooked and lost 1 nice rainbow

The sun was shining when we left the shop and our expectations were high. However, the majority of the river in this section of the canyon was in the shade and the fish were not very active. We fished mostly streamers on the go. We did stop and nymph two or three select runs with no success. The fish we lost was on the streamer. The flow today is at 887 cfs. The current weather forecast has changed for the better, with temperatures during the day in the mid to high 30's and snow in the higher elevations. With the improved weather, we expect the fishing to get better.

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1/22/04

Anglers: Steve, Fidget (the Chocolate Lab), and Rod

Location: Ringer to Big Horn

Flies: sz. 8 Double Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 18 Red Copper John, sz. 6 Large Beaded Prince Nymph, sz. 6 Yellow/Black Johnny B's, sz. 8 Olive Bugger

Time: 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Results: 7 Rainbows (12"-15") landed with several other hookups

Swinging streamers in the slower runs was the most productive tactic on this trip. We saw a few fish midging in the flat water just below Ringer; however, they were not consistent enough to warrant changing from the streamer and nymph rigs we were using. The largest fish of the day was taken on the sz. 6 Yellow/Black Johnny B's bugger from a foam line near the railroad tressle bridge. The river conditions remain good. The flow today is at 887 cfs. The weatherman is predicting some colder weather starting this weekend and into next week. Temperatures of around "0" degrees are expected by mid week with a possibility of more snow.

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1/19/04

Anglers: Rick, Clint, Elizabeth, and Rod

Location: Ringer to Big Horn

Flies: sz. 8 Double Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 18 Red Copper John, sz. 8 Olive Kauffman's Stone, sz. 20 WD-40, sz. 6 Yellow/Black Johnny B's

Time: 11:00 am - 3:30 pm

Results: 4 Rainbows (12"-14") and 1 15" Whitefish landed with several other hookups

We awoke to a fresh skiff of snow and experienced snow showers off and on throughout this float. We even had moments of sunshine. All in all it was a beautiful day on the river. The most productive method was the standard nymph rig using a sz.8 Olive Kauffman's Stone and sz. 18 Red Copper John. We also had some success on the sz. 6 Yellow/Black Johnny B's. We saw a fair number of midge on the water, but saw only a couple of fish rise and with no consistency. The river conditions are great with the flow at 936 cfs this morning. There is no forecasted change in the weather with daytime temperatures in the 30's. Snow showers are forecast for today.

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1/16/04

Angler: Steve

Location: Lower Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Double Beaded Skwala Nymph, sz. 18 Red Copper John

Time: 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Results: 1 bright 16"er landed, several other hookups

The river is in great shape with the water temperature up to 37 degrees. Nymph fishing near our lower boat launch was fairly productive, with the fish taking the bigger Skwala nymph. As long as the current weather pattern of warmer daytime temperatures dropping to below freezing at night holds true, river conditions and fishing should remain favorable.

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1/14/04

Angler: Rod

Location: Frustration Flats

Flies: sz. 20 Black SB (stillborn) Midge, sz. 20 Red SB Midge

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Results: Nothing!

Steve saw several nice fish feeding at Frustration Flats at about noon as he returned to the shop from town. Around 2:30 pm, I grabbed a rod rigged with a sz. 20 Black SB Midge and Red SB Midge about a foot apart and headed for Frustration Flats. No fish were active when I got there, so I spent a good share of the hour watching for likely targets. I did see two fish feed while I was there. Both were big fish. They sipped just one time. Need I say more. The river is in good shape down to about MM 10. There is still ice with just a narrow channel flowing through it from MM 10 downstream to just below Mahre's. The river flow this morning was at 770 cfs. However, we are having rain showers here today. This rain could result in increased flows from runoff. Pay special attention to the flows over the next couple of days. The temperatures during the day have been in the low to mid 30's with nightime temperatures in the 20's. More of the same is forecast for the next several days.

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1/11/04

Angler: --

Location: --

Flies: --

Time: 11:00 am

Results: Update!

Although the past week has not been very productive on the fishing end of things, it certainly was an eventful one for us! Natalie and I are celebrating the birth of our first child, Elaine Josephine Joyce. She was born at 5:59 am on the 8th, weighing a healthy 8 lbs. 10 oz and sporting a head of red hair. Everything is going well for her and her parents! The river is starting to thaw a bit, and flows are currently stable around 830 cfs. The ice flows have passed, and although the river is still frozen on the lower end around the Slab, it is once again fishable. We have a lot of snow on the ground, so be careful where you park or bring a shovel- the snowplows have piled it up pretty deep at some of the pull outs!

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1/5/04

Angler: --

Location: --

Flies: --

Time: 11:00 am

Results: Deep Freeze Update!

The cold spell is on in the canyon! We had temperatures of -10 degrees earlier this morning and -4 degrees at present. Another 4"-12" of snow is forecast over the next 24 hours. The ice flows have resumed in the river, and in some places the ice shelf extends all the way across the river. We'll let you know when the weather breaks. The above picture is of the ice shelf at Pac Man - it would take some work to get a driftboat through that run right now!

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1/3/04

Angler: Rod

Location: Umtanum, Lmuma, and Lower Red's

Flies: sz. 8 Prince Nymph, sz. 16 Red Copper John, sz. 8 Root Beer Bugger

Time: 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Results: Nothing!

We had our coldest water temperature reading of the year yesterday at 33 degrees. Needless to say, the fishing was not very productive. The ice flows have stopped; however, there is a fair amount of shelf ice along the edges and more nasty weather is on the way. The forecast for the next 2-3 days calls for some of the coldest weather since February of '96, with lows tonite at 0 degrees and -6 tomorrow. We have about 6" of snow on the ground and more possible today and tomorrow. It looks like things will start to warm up again around Thursday of next week. This was Fidget's reaction when I told her about the weather forecast!

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