 | |||||||||
Welcome to the WBFC Fly Fishing Report. Here you can find the most accurate, honest and up-to-date information on fly fishing in Central Washington. WBFC operates it's brick and mortar fly fishing pro-shop in the small city of Ellensburg, Washington, the heart of Central Washington and the headwater's of the Yakima River. Feel free to contact the pro-shop with any remaining questions or concerns you have before heading out on your next fly fishing adventure. Stop by the shop and our friendly, helpful and professional staff can assist you with any recommendations you may need. | |||||||||
| |||||||||
FEBRUARY 2nd-2021
The usual flies are still getting it done. Those flies are girdle
big size 8, San Juan worm in various colors, pheasant tail sz16, hares� ear in
size 16 and midges. If you�re interested in a trip please call the WBFC
pro-shop, or want to DIY swing by the shop and we will get you all set up for
a great day on the water. Tight lines and we will see you on the water.
|
|||||||||
JANUARY 29th-2021 Fishing on the river is producing good fish, some days are certainly more abundant then others but you can�t catch them from your couch. If you work water and fish smart the rewards can be worth it for sure. Look for fish in the slower water. The standard fair has been getting it done. San Juan worms, stones and various mafflys have all been working. It�s a holding and depth game right now so fish slow, fish thoroughly and change depths on the indicator. This is a great time of the year to get out and learn the winter river fishery. If you have any questions or would like to fish with the prostaff please call the WBFC proshop. Tight lines and I will see you on the water! ~Aron~
|
|||||||||
JANUARY 23rd-2021 Good morning. Jason Harwood, guide at WBFC gives a detailed Yakima River Report for the 3rd week of January.
|
|||||||||
JANUARY 21st-2021 Good morning. The Kittitas Valley is getting one of it's first snow storms for 2021 today. With snow accumulations already at record levels in the Cascade Mountain Range, water reserves for this year look excellent. If you missed the recent "Guide Chronicles" live broadcast on Monday night, you can listen and share down below.
|
|||||||||
JANUARY 13th-2021 As predicted from yesterday's video, the Yakima River in Central Washington has blown up with water. Watch the latest video for current river conditions below.
|
|||||||||
JANUARY 12th-2021 After a day and night of heavy rain fall, the Yakima River in Central Washington is getting a new shot of water. Below is a current video record of the predicted prejections for the next couple of days.
|
|||||||||
JANUARY 5th-2021 Happy New Year. We hope everyone had a great holiday season and were able to relax and spend time with family and friends. Perhaps, the most important broadcast of the WBFC "Guide Chronicles" on Ellensburg Community Radio occurred last night. If you missed the broadcast, this is an important one to listen to and take action. The Kittitas Valley and Yakima River are being targeted by big city developers and their mission is to build yet "another" large scale housing development. This time their directed objective is the Upper Yakima River Canyon in Bristol Flats. The development is named "the Wallace Ranch Development" Listen to Steve & Matt as they discuss this important issue facing the residents of Kittitas County as well as the fish, wildlife, economy and the natural impacts and the consequences of yet another large scale housing development built in the flood plain of the Yakima River.
|
|||||||||
NOVEMBER 21st-2020 Fishing report for the Yakima river November 21st, we had a beautiful sunny day over here in Central Washington today, temps in the high 40�s. I went out with one of my regulars for a post season special and we had a great day with approximately 20 fish to the net. Most people think fishing ends in October but, boy are you missing out! Is it cold? Yes it certainly can be, but if you dress appropriately and look for the nice weather windows with temps in the high 30�s or low 40�s it�s not to bad out there on the water! There are some great opportunities to catch some great trout! If you would like to get out and learn the river in post season conditions give the WBFC a call and get your post season trip on the calendar. I look forward to seeing you all in the post season. Tight lines and I will bring the hot Coffee and cocoa! Below is a video from today�s trip of a nice Yakima river bow, enjoy! Aron...
For more information on Fall fishing in Central Washington's Yakima River, feel free to contact WBFC. Stop by the WBFC Pro-Shop in Ellensburg and our staff will be happy to assist you with anything you may recommendations or advice you may need. |
|||||||||
NOVEMBER 17th-2020 Here is a current report on the state of the Yakima River here in Central Washington. Feel free to call the proshop in Ellensburg for more information or to reserve your day on the river with our Professional Guide staff. For more information on Fall fishing in Central Washington's Yakima River, feel free to contact WBFC. Stop by the WBFC Pro-Shop in Ellensburg and our staff will be happy to assist you with anything you may recommendations or advice you may need. |
|||||||||
OCTOBER 14th-2020 Here is a current report on the state of the Yakima River here in Central Washington. Feel free to call the proshop in Ellensburg for more information or to reserve your day on the river with our Professional Guide staff. For more information on Fall fishing in Central Washington's Yakima River, feel free to contact WBFC. Stop by the WBFC Pro-Shop in Ellensburg and our staff will be happy to assist you with anything you may recommendations or advice you may need. |
|||||||||
SEPTEMBER 23rd-2020 Well we can all breath a little easier now. As of today, the Yakima River Valley has been extinguished of smoke and fly fishing on Central Washington's, Yakima River has resumed. A combination of fires in the Lower Yakima River Canyon, as well as plums of smoke and ash traveling the air stream from Oregon, layered the Kittitas Valley with thick smoke for several days. It definitely dispersed the crowds of fishermen during that time, however since then, rain fall and some wind storms aided in driving the smoke out and clearing the air so do speak. At this time, we are receiving a large amount of rainfall in Ellensburg. Its much needed and will help soak the ground as well as provide some excellent fishing opportunities over the next several days....mayflies love rain! It is the peak time of the year for Autumn fishing in Central Washington. The flip-flop on the Yakima River of course has taken place and river flows are low now. Wading the river can be accomplished this time of year, however on a big western river like the Yakima a drift boat, raft or safe style pontoon boat is the way to fish the river productively. With low water flows, the trout aren't everywhere anymore and having the ability to move quickly from spot to spot is ideal. Be extra careful when floating. We had giant water flows in the river this summer and their are some blockages, rootwads and sweepers you need to keep an eye out for.  The Yakima River at this time is experiencing a major stonefly hatch. The "Summer Stone" or "Shortwing Stone" which they are both referred to as are hatching in large numbers at this time. Dry fly fishing with larger, style stonefly patterns has been fun and productive. It is also a time of the year when Mayfly nymphs, like Blue Wing Olives, Mahogany Duns and Light Cahill's all begin moving within the sub straight. Integrating a small nymph dropper off your point fly is a good idea during the afternoon. The fish prefer to feed in the upper portions of the water column this time of year, so they are looking for food sources within those perimeters. Remember river flows, water temperatures and (DOC) dissolved oxygen content are important factors during the month of September on the Yakima River. We are also at the beginning stages of our annual October Caddis hatches as well. Some portions of the Upper Yakima are already seeing this giant, orange bellied caddisflies. As we progress towards the month of October this hatch will ignite and become more progressive throughout the entire river. Be prepared with your favorite "Halloween Caddis" patterns in both nymph and adult form. Trout will be looking for both during the day. As air temperatures drop from summer, more diverse fisheries in Central Washington will once again become available and begin fishing well. Stillwater or lake fishing in the Desert Unit will improve as water temperatures drop from the summer heat and continue to fish well thru the month of November. Lake Lenice, Dusty, Burke, Nunnally, Lenore as well as many of the seep lakes will all begin fishing well for trout. Expect hatches of Midges and Mayflies in sizes 16 to 22. The reports coming into the fly shop on Rocky Ford Creek have not been good. Low water flows in the creek have created huge weed mats at this time. The creek could experience high water flows in October, however that is no guarantee. For more information on Fall fishing in Central Washington's Yakima River, feel free to contact WBFC. Stop by the WBFC Pro-Shop in Ellensburg and our staff will be happy to assist you with anything you may recommendations or advice you may need. |
|||||||||
AUGUST 29th-2020 It is that time of year once again, when we begin to see the "Upper Yakima River" begin its yearly metamorphosis and the reduction of summer flows begins to occur. Each day, the river flows are being drawn back as the gates at the reservoirs are slowing closing. This instiuties the Autumn "Flip-Flop" of the Yakima River Basin's water resources. The river will continue to recede over the next two weeks, until it comes to it's staged flow for the month of September. This annual event kicks off several aquatic insect hatches in the Upper Yakima River watershed and so begins the prime and peak season for fly fishing in Central Washington. Shortwing-Summer Stoneflies, Craneflies, Caddis, Grasshoppers, Flying Ants, and Blue Wing Olive Mayflies will all be a major food source throughout the river system. Be prepared to match the hatch will any and all of these insects that you may encounter during your fishing day. You will need to observe both insect forms and fish them appropriately in the ideal water types for September. Yakima River trout aren't hard to catch, if you monitor your presentation and the drift of your flies correctly. Sloppy, incoherent line control and dragging flies won't get it done, especially if your plans include fishing in the "Farmlands" or Upper Yakima. Here, crystal clear water will exist and fish will detect the slightest, micro drag on your fly. Fish clean and reap the rewards of Fall.  This is the WBFC Professional Guiding Services busiest time of the year. If you would like to get out and experience a day on the river with our service, I would plan for that now! We have been extremely busy this summer and our September, October and November dates have already began filling. See you on the river! For more information on Fall fishing in Central Washington's Yakima River, you can contact the WBFC Pro-Shop in Ellensburg and our staff will be happy to assist you. |
|||||||||
JULY 27th-2020 The Yakima River fished well this past week, however beware that the flows are "EXTREMELY" high throughout the major of the river. If your fishing plan includes wading the river, I would suggest contacting the WBFC Pro-shop before hand for some alternative fisheries. Bank and wade fishing is very limited at this time and can be dangerous. Our staff, can suggest some other safe and productive streams to wade for the day that will be much less forgiving then the Yakima at this time. Those with safe reliable drift boats or frame style rafts are much safer, however if your skills on the oars are minimal and you consider yourself a novice boatmen, do your research ahead of time. Their are several sections that "you" will want to avoid. The "First Responders" have been busy all week performing river rescues in dangerous sections of the Yakima River. Their has been several drowning's and with the weather getting even warmer this week, people will be flocking to the water to cool off. Use your head, ask questions and don't float in "ANY" section that is marked dangerous! For more information on Summer fishing in Central Washington's Yakima River, you can click the link to our current WBFC Newsletter here. |
|||||||||
JULY 21st-2020 Summer is here in Central Washington and with that now said, two items parallel each other during this time frame, high water on the Yakima River and warm days. "The Yak", as we so blatantly address this fine body of water, is today flowing with cold, clear water that is being released mainly from the bottom portion of the Cle Elum Reservoir. This is conducted for several weeks and is normal operations for this time of year. The massive, cold water aids the local farmers with their irrigation needs. Central Washington and it's fertile valley is famous for many things. It's beautiful healthy trout in the Yakima and it's massive Timothy Hay operations, as well as corn, apples, hops and other vital food elements. Just about everything grows easily here under the warm sunshine. For the next five (5) weeks, the Yakima River courses through the Kittitas Valley at a high volume and speed. Those looking to bank fish the river are going to find it very difficult and wading the river this time of year is not easy. Also, casting a fly from the bank becomes difficult in many places, because of the thick undergrowth and vegetation that grows dense along the "Yak's" banks. The most productive way of traversing the Yakima is by river taxi (drift boat) or a safe, river rated raft or pontoon boat. Their are several fishing options that you can consider if you would like to fly fishing the Yakima River during the summer irrigation season. If you have your own boat, but have not floated the Yakima River this time of year, we recommend doing your home work. Though the "Yak" is not rated as a swift, white water river, it's high volumes and speeds take many boaters, rafters and inter-tubers by surprise. Some sections of the river demand an experienced oarsman at the helm. Large trees, root wads, logs and other obstacles can block river channels and create many hazards that must be avoided or disaster could strike. Don't take the river likely, especially this time of year. It will eat you up and spit you out!. Our first responders stay very busy and river rescues at times become a daily routine for them. If your plan is to float the river for the first time, call of visit the WBFC Proshop in Ellensburg. We are open for business, 7 days a week and have a friendly, knowledable staff that can assist you with any and all questions you may have, as well as outfit you and your party for a day of success. You can check the current flow stages of the river here. THE WBFC PRO-SHOP IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS-7 DAYS A WEEK-AS WELL AS OUR PROFESSIONAL FLY FISHING GUIDING OPERATION.
The July day's have been very warm and windy here this year, especially as of late, which is beginning to craft a perfect scenario for excellent "Hopper" fishing. As the mercury rises, the grasshoppers move closer and closer to the river bank grasses and the water. As those daily breezes begin to blow, many of these insects can be hurled easily on to the water, which creates a fun filled day of dry fly surface fishing. The warm days ahead in August should produce some fine fish on our favorite "hopper" patterns. Over the next several weeks, we expect to see great summer fishing on the Yakima River. The flows are stable and consistent from day to day and the trout are feeding on a variety of aquatic and non aquatic food sources. Give us a call if you would like to experience the Yakima River, during the high flows of summer.
|
|||||||||
JUNE 6th-2020 It
has been a crazy start to the new year to say the least. Here is a report on what is happening in the fly-fishing world to date. The Washington State Government finally deemed it safe, with restrictions to resume our guiding operations. The WBFC Pro
Shop has also reopened and business operations are slowing getting back to a normalized state now. I know everyone has been cooped up over the past several months and your thoughts about the great days ahead, fly fishing your favorite rivers, streams and
lakes, I promise you lie in the days to come.
We are getting ready to prepared for our favorite time of the year, the Central Washington summer warmth and the official start of the dry fly-fishing season. The Upper Yakima River at this time is producing some excellent match the hatch aquatic insect emergences. The Golden Stonefly as well as many insects from the mayfly family are hatching in the early afternoon. March Browns, Pale Morning Duns and Green Drakes will all be in your window during the day. This is a fantastic opportunity to get out and chase trout. The water temperatures are now at optimum levels for the fish and they have begun to kick there feeding patterns well into over drive. I can assure you there will be no lack of action with many great fishing days already on the books for the WBFC Guide Team. Trout may have been your primary focus in the past and perhaps you are looking for something new, exciting and challenging?. This is where my next recommendation comes into focus, Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass! This is a great time of the year to chase one of our other favorite warm water species. The Bass fishing is exceptional during the month of June and we have already been conducting guided fly-fishing bass trips on the Lower Yakima River, this year. I can say the bass are primed and ready for action. Fly Fishing for bass can be an exhilarating, action packed day with lots of fish to the fly.
If you are new to bass fishing, I would highly recommend the Lower Yakima for your first bass experience to get an idea of how fun and hard these warm water predators will tug. There is nothing better than a solid hard smash and grab on a streamer by a bass. �The Tug Is The Drug� they say and these fish will test your skills with a fly rod. The explosive top water takes are addicting as Smallmouth go ariel and crush skittering and popping fly patterns throughout the day. We would like to thank you
for your support of the WBFC and hope to see you all soon for a fun filled day of Trout or Bass fishing! The Bass program is short, lasting only through the month of June, so if you are thinking about giving it a try, please contact the WBFC Proshop ASAP.
WBFC is your Central Washington warm water specialist with over two decades of fly fishing in the Lower Yakima
|
|||||||||
MAY 10th-2020-HAPPY MOTHER DAY! On Tuesday, May 5th, statewide fishing opened up once again, after being forced into closure for over a months time, by the Washington State's Governor's office and Washington State Fish & Wildlife Commission, due to the Covid-19. Fishing is now open once again statewide, however you will need to check the current regulation as well as the current "emergency" regulation pertaining to any body of water you intend to fish, to insure that it is open to fishing under the "normal" fishing season. The "Upper" Yakima River from it's headwaters above the town of Easton to Roza Dam is open to "selective gear fishing" once again. For over three decades, I have fished the Yakima River and have never seen it closed to fishing. I believe this is the first historical time that fishing has been shut down by a government agency, since the state introduced the year-round fishing regulations, catch & release and "no bait" fishing regulation on the river in the late 80's. The Yakima River is in great shape, especially for this time of the year. Typically by Mother's Day, we are in complete spring run-off and the river is flowing hard with high, dirty water. At this time, that is not the case. The river is low, wadable and fishing is very good. Drift boats, rafts and other safe "river" floating pontoon style boats will not have a problem traversing the river at this time. However, you should be aware that some section of the river are hazardous and contain sweepers, log jams and other dangerous obstacles at this time, so precede with caution. If you are unsure about specific sections of the Yakima River, contact the WBFC Pro-Shop for further information. At this time the annual "Mothers Day Caddis Hatch" is in full bloom throughout the entire stretch of the Yakima River. Be prepared to encounter "massive" hatches of caddisflies in two different colors. Olive and Tan Caddis will be hatching throughout the day, so make sure you are stocked with patterns to match the naturals in both nymphs, emergers and adult Caddisflies. At some point throughout the day, you will need them.
Their is also a hatch of giant stoneflies happening at this time as well. Salmonflies, the granddaddy of all stoneflies, are hatching in big numbers this year throughout the river and fish are eating the adults whenever they are presented with one or a natural is dislodging her egg sac on the surface. If you know the tendencies of this incredible, orange bellied insect, work the water that is best suited for them and you can find some of the heartiest, Yakima Rainbows feasting on this oversized aquatic insect. At this time, due to the Government restrictions placed on "non essential" businesses, both our Pro-Shop and Outfitting business, remained closed to the public. Like many Americans, we have not worked in over "5" weeks and we are anxious to get back to doing what we love....working on the river. As soon as we have clearance from our local officials, WBFC will open its doors and will resume our fly fishing guiding operations. Until then, orders can be placed with WBFC through the website, email or by calling the proshop during the hours of operation. If you get the message machine, leave a contact number and we will be sure to return your call promptly. See you on the river! |
|||||||||
APRIL 2nd-2020 Well it's been just over a week now that the "stay in place" order has everyone confined to their homes across much of the Pacific Northwest. The WBFC Pro-Shop has been closed to foot traffic, however we have been at the shop daily taking phone orders and filling and shipping internet orders. Thank you to all that are supporting us through this strange and hard time. We appreicate it it greatly. With everyone spending most of there time at home now, the WBFC staff has been creating some new and exciting fly tying video's to keep you sane and to keep you in the fly fishing look. We are calling them our "Quarantine Series". We are loading a new video each day to our YouTube Channel as well as the WBFC website. You can view them and find all of the pattern details per page and fly, watch the video and order the specific fly materials here. Their is a state wide fishing closure on all rivers, lake and streams now. Game agents are patrolling the entire, Yakima River corridor and word has it that have handed out several tickets for fishing in closed waters in the past couple of days. The tickets are steep and will hit your pocket book hard if you are caught, so do everyone a favor and don't! It will just prolong the closure. Trust me, everyone wants to fish, but most of us are abiding by the law. Please do so as well. The WBFC online website business will continue to operate @ www.worleybuggerflyco.com, while our brick & mortar proshop in Ellensburg is closed. We will be filling online orders as complete as we can with our existing inventory and can make the necessary adjustments to the orders with a simple phone call or email, while our stock remains high. As you may know, the fly shop does carry a large inventory of fly-fishing goods at all times, especially a huge inventory of tying materials. We will continue to ship product as long as delivery companies remain operational and we can get the product to our customers, quickly and safely. |
|||||||||
MARCH 27th-2020 In light of the recent decree from the Washington Governor and local government, WBFC will be closing and cease our �non-essential� business operations in our brick & mortar Proshop in Ellensburg as well as our guiding and outfitting business from March 25th, to April 3rd. Being in the outfitting business now for over two decades, I don't know of any small business in the state of Washington that isn't "essential". The WBFC online website business will continue to operate @ www.worleybuggerflyco.com, while our brick & mortar proshop in Ellensburg is closed. We will be filling online orders as complete as we can with our existing inventory and can make the necessary adjustments to the orders with a simple phone call or email, while our stock remains high. As you may know, the fly shop does carry a large inventory of fly-fishing goods at all times, especially a huge inventory of tying materials. We will continue to ship product as long as delivery companies remain operational and we can get the product to our customers, quickly and safely. We will continue to monitor and assess the situation on a daily basis and resume our normal operations, the first week of April. Until then, we want to thank everyone that supports our efforts and we appreciate your friendship and your business. We would advise you to check the Washington Department of Fish and Games website before heading out to your favorite public fishery. As of March 25th-2020 the WDFW closed all fishing in state waters effective midnight. Again, a big government that is continuing to violate our rights as American citizens and assume to much control of our daily lives! In November, they need to be reminded just who they work for. If you would like to stay informed on spring fishing you can read the WBFC Spring 2020 Newsletter here. We would like to encourage you to support all of the "Brick & Mortar" fly fishing outfitters in our state as much as you can threw these times. We are the life blood of the sport! |
|||||||||
MARCH 8th-2020 The first week of March is proving to be consistent and some of the "best" early season fishing is going on now on the Yakima River, here in Central Washington. The fabled Skwalla Stonefly hatch, that occurs this time each year, has begun and the trout are staging in remote area's of the river, feasting on this first, post winter, aquatic insect hatch. If you having been waiting to experience this stonefly hatch on the Yakima, wait no longer. When it's here and the river is producing stoneflies, you must act quickly. We are in the beginning stages of the hatch at this time, however, remember river conditions, water temperature and air temperature will dictate the flow of the stonefly activity each and every day. When water conditions remain consistent in the river, you will find excellent fishing, like we have now. When the river is being inundated by snow pack run-off, the stonefly fishing will be mediocre at best. Pick the best time and go! If you wait you miss it. During the middle of February, the river experienced a major flood event, as a rain and weather storm pushed across our region of the state. Whenever this occurs during the winter months, the river will rapidly rise from rain and melting snow and conditions go from bad to worse. In most cases, rather quickly. When this happens, the Yakima River's gauging stations that read the height and speed of the current can and will get knock out of calibration. |
|||||||||
FEBRUARY 28th-2020 Spring is coming to Central Washington and the telltale signs that warmer weather is on the way is evident each and every day. Migrating birds that head south every winter are beginning to appear and the shorter, dark days of winter are becoming longer. Sunday, March 8th, marks the official spring ahead event for daylight savings on our calendar and clock. With that extra hour of sunlight a day, a mix of conditions will properly align. If Mother Nature allows, water flow, water temperature and air temperatures will all come together and create the ideal scenario for the Yakima Rivers first major insect hatch of the season. The past couple of days, the water temperatures have been steadily climbing into the lower 40+ degree range, ample temperature for adult Skwala�s to begin their cycle. The extended forecast is calling for a mix of weather over the next 7 to 10 days, so watch that carefully for the most ideal fishing conditions. The WBFC Professional Guide Service is currently in what we consider, "post season" rates. Take advantage of the great fishing opportunity, until the end of March, when our full rates will begin. | |||||||||
FEBRUARY 4th-2020 The current state of fly fishing conditions on Central Washington's Yakima River at the present state. | |||||||||
DECEMBER 28th-2019 We hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas Holiday and that you are able to find time to spend with family and friends through these last few days of 2019. It was a fantastic year of fishing here in Central Washington and we look forward to the coming new year and the beginning of another season. Their is not a whole lot to report as far as fly fishing goes, however the die-hards are fishing the river on a regular basis and it has been consistent during that warm period during the day. The Yakima is a great winter fishery, especially during mild winter events like we are experiencing now. The majority of your fishing will be with nymphs or streamers now. The river is low and very easy to navigate on foot, however fishing from a boat is ideal in colder water temperature. We are in the stages of another mild winter here in Central Washington. We are experiencing some colder temperatures, but with very little precipitation. Their is some snow pack around the hillside, but only little patches here in the town of Ellensburg. We are hoping as we progress into the month of January that more snow will fall in the Cascade Mountains that will aid in our water reserves for 2020. We wish everyone a happy and safe new year and we look foward to serving you in 2020. Happy New Year from the crew at WBFC. | |||||||||
NOVEMBER 9th-2019 It is hard for me to believe that we are already well into the first week of November. It's been a crazy, busy year for the staff of WBFC and the Fall fishing has yet to subside in Central Washington. The Yakima River of course, is our primary focus this time of year, however fly fishers are venturing to several different venue's within the region to enjoy some fly fishing, before the snow begins to build in the mountain passes, making it much more difficult to get to the fishing destination. The Yakima is still producing amazing hatches of mayflies each and every afternoon. Blue Wing Olives in varying sizes are dimpling the rivers surface around 1:00 pm along with mixtures of Mahogany Duns and Lite Cahill's as well. Be prepared to encounter these mayflies in size ranges from 16 to 22. A much larger size, Blue Wing Olive Mayfly is happening above the Lower Yakima Canyon, especially through the Farmlands section of the Yakima at this time. Each day, we are encountering some unusually large size Blue Wing Olives, particularly for this late in the month of November. Typically, Baetis tend to be larger sized in the spring, however we attribute this natural phenomenon as another bi-product of upper river bio-mass, that is being injected into the system by up river, migrating pacific salmon back to the Yakima watershed. Their is a good assortment of mayflies and the trout haven't been overly picky about sizes and colors in the Upper River. However, they are particular picky about your presentation and drift, anywhere and any section you decide to fish for the day. The Yakima is low and "gin clear", so a dragging fly is useless energy here. Dead drifts are crucial, so make every cast and drift count, as you present your fly or multiple fly rigs. If you plan on fishing in the Lower Canyon sections of the Yakima below Ellensburg, make sure your fly box is equipped with small mayfly patterns in 18 to 22 and an assortment of emergers. The slow, clear water in this section of the river, allows trout plenty of time to decide what is actual food and what is not. There are still some October Caddis around as well throughout the entire river system and as we progress through the weekend, most likely this large orange bellied insect will begin to disappear for the season. The trout are still aware of their presence and fishing one isn't a bad ideal, especially if you see them hatching or water bouncing on the rivers surface, laying eggs. You can still get fish to eat em', however fishing the little bugs most likely will be a much better game plan and produce a finer set of results. Many of the stillwater lakes in the Columbia Desert Unit are still open as well. Those that prefer a slower pace then the rivers of Central Washington, are heading in that direction to take advantage of the lake fishing while they still can. We are getting great reports in the proshop from most of the lake fishermen now, especially Lake Lenice, Nunnally and Dusty. Most of these fisheries are open until the end of November. Rocky Ford Creek, will also be producing excellent mayfly hatches as well, if you prefer a smaller, river experience. WBFC will continue to offer the finest in Yakima River guiding experinces, throughout the remainder of the year, however with the limited day light hours and cooling weather coniditons, we will switch to our "off season" rates on November 15th. The weather is expected to remain consistent with high temps in the fifty degree range, so if you would like to take advantage of some great river fishing give us a call. We will have dates open, after the 15th of the month. The WBFC Proshop is having a sale and close out on some 2019 items, so if your looking for an early xmas present for yourself or for that special fly fisher in your life, you can visit the proshop and the staff can help you with a purchase. You can also view the sale items on the WBFC sale page and purchase it online. Our staff will package it up carefully and get it shipped quickly to you. Have a great weekend. Follow our daily reports on Facebook and Instagram or as always contact the WBFC Proshop for the latest in Central Washington Fly Fishing.
| |||||||||
SEPTEMBER 4nd-2019 Here we are at the beginning days of September and as summer winds down, we find ourselves at the prime time, peak of the season on Central Washington�s, Yakima River. The �Yak� is now in the flip-flop stages and the daily flow structure has slowly been receding as the Bureau Of Reclamation slows down the release of water from the reservoirs. If you are unfamiliar with the term �flip-flop�, refer to our Fall 2018 newsletter, where I explained in great detail how this annual operation works. I believe in all of my years, living and guiding in Kittitas County, which is now 25 years, this is the lowest I have ever seen the Cle Elum Reservoir. As of today, it is only holding about 7% of its total capacity. We have to believe this is due to the work that is being conducted on the Cle Elum dam for the out-migrating Sockeye Salmon project that is on going in this portion of the system. Today, the flows are at a much lower level and they continue to drop. For those that like to fish the river on foot, more opportunity has opened up and wade fishing the river can be accomplished much easier and safer, then what the summer flows allow. Keep in mind most sections of the river become easily wadable at around 1800 cfs. Most of the river is below that mark today and will continue to recede. To what level this fall will be interesting to see. As the river transication to fall flows, several new insect hatches will become evident. A Summer Stonefly hatch will begin as the �Shortwing� Stones will become a major distraction to the trout. Be prepared with both nymphs and dries to compliment this stonefly event. This is perhaps the largest stonefly hatch that we experience on the Yakima and it will be on-going throughout the month of September. Craneflies will also be an important food form to match in both nymph and adult, especially in portions of the farmlands and Upper Yakima. This is a fun and exciting hatch to fish on the river and can be overlooked by many fly fishermen. Keep a close eye on feeding activity and disturbances in the surface. Our trout love eating Craneflies. Like I mentioned in the paragraphs above, this is the prime time fishing season on the Yakima, so don�t miss out. The WBFC Guiding Services operate extremely busy throughout the year, but especially busy this time of year. So if you would like to experience the river with our group of Professional Fly Fishermen, we encourage you to schedule your date as soon as possible. If you�re a do it yourself fishermen, no problem. Stop by the proshop and our friendly, experienced staff will be happy to make your outing to the Yakima or anywhere in Central Washington, a quality experience and a success. We look forward to seeing you on the water. Follow our daily reports on Facebook and Instagram or as always contact the WBFC Proshop for the latest in Central Washington Fly Fishing. | |||||||||
AUGUST 2nd-2019 The Yakima is fishing great, as it always does at this time of year. We have been catching beautiful fish all summer. The trout are in prime time health and full of feed and energy. This is the time of year when we start fishing terrestrials and our big stone patterns. Our staff likes to work big stonefly patterns on the surface this time of year and that has been a consistent proven method each day. As we progress into the month of August, our "Summer Stonefly" will continue as the males bombard the banks waiting for the flip-flip to occur at the end of the month. Once that happens the giant females stones will begin appearing for September fishing. You also can have excellent success with terrestrials patterns that match the food form of beetles, ants, and grass hoppers. With warm temperatures now during the day, the grasshoppers are especially active along the grassy edges of the river. The hopper-dropper rig has been a great method of catching fish as well. Try yellow, red, peach, pink and orange hoppers for successful hook-ups. The river is at peak summer flows now and will remain that way for the next few weeks. Wade fishing is extremely difficult and dangerous, and in most instances you are not going to walk the river this month safely anyway. So remember if you come over and fish respect the river, and live to fish another day. We have already had several drowning's in the river the past couple of weeks, so use good judgment and commonsense when you are around the Yakima River during peak summer flows. Our staff is constantly monitoring water temperatures as the Cle Elum Reservoir continues to drain. If water temperatures get dangerously warm this month for trout fishing during the day, we will cease our fishing operations during that time period. So far, the water temp's are staying consistently in the mid to high fifty degree range in the upper river. DOC levels remain high in the Upper Yakima River, where we concentrate ALL of our fishing efforts as well. Cool summer nights are aiding in keeping water temps and DOC levels at optimum stage for trout fishing the Yakima at this time. Stop on by the pro shop if you have questions about our fishery or need to get the right fly's for a successful day on the water. If you would like to book a trip with one of our guides try and do it in advance as this is a busy time of year and we are coming into our busiest time of the season. Our dates are already filling for September and October this year. See you on the river! Follow our daily reports on Facebook and Instagram or as always contact the WBFC Proshop for the latest in Central Washington Fly Fishing. | |||||||||
JULY-10th-2019 The Yakima River fly-fishing continues to impress, as our summer water conditions stabilize and the trout as well as the bugs settle into their summer holding positions and hatching routines. Nymphing continues to put big fish in the net, however with a varieties of bug chow around now, fish are looking at the surface and feeding in the middle or the top of the water column as well. It is July and trout on the Yakima have been routinely eating adult insects for months now. Work the correct size, shape, form and color throughout the day to see these results. Just because you don't see them working the surface, doesn't mean you can't get them to rise! One of the biggest mistakes made when fishing the Yakima. If you can't find fish holding along the shoreline (their must be adequate depth and flow there) then move and begin fishing the heavier current flows, structure or the riffles in the tops of runs, especially as the day time temperatures warm and the sunshine beats rays of light on the water. The Yakima River trout are addicted to the high oxygen contents, we find in the river this time of year, so working these types of water descriptions will always produce results, when clean drifts and flies are presented properly. With the river flows now exceeding 4000 cubic feet per second and the water temperatures in the mid fifty degree range, the DOC (dissolved oxygen content) levels are off the charts. The fish are loving it and chowing any and all food items presented. Wading fishing the majority of the river is not an option this time of year, so make sure to check flows or contact the WBFC proshop if you don't understand the flow regiment for the summer on the Yakima. As the air temperatures increase this month, terrestrial fishing will begin and the grassy banks along the Yakima will produce hordes of grasshoppers. May was an outstanding month for fishing on the Yakima and a true bonus for us. Typically, the month of May is a run-off month and the river is usually up over its banks and following in the streets. This year however, river flows remained low and the fishing was excellent. Which leads me to my next paragraph. The Summer Stoneflies that typically appear in August took advantage of the lower water conditions and migrated much sooner then usual. Both male and female stones have shown up early this year and this is one of the reasons why our dry fly fishing has been outstanding. Once again, fish the appropriate size and color for results. This is a massive hatch of stoneflies and we will see them over the course of the month, lasting well into August. Also expect Yellow Sallies, Pale Morning Dun Mayflies and Caddisflies in the afternoon and evenings. The Professional Guiding Staff of WBFC has compiled a host of new and exciting fly fishing trips and classes for 2019. One we are particulars excited about is the "Trout Camp". We also have a complete set of classes set up to learn the Euro Nymphing style of fly fishing as well as a complete river rowing class. You can check out all of the new and exciting fly fishing adventures and classes we have set up on the WBFC website here. Give us a call if you have any questions or would like to get out this summer and enjoy trout fishing in Central Washington. Once again, Worley Bugger Fly Co. is hosting a fly fishing adventure this August 2019, to the beautiful state of Alaska. We will be visiting the family owned and operated, Fishing Bear Lodge in the �Jewel Of Alaska�, the Wood Tikchik State Park. The lodge owners, Justin, Lisa, Connor & Kia Johns will welcome us on August 5th thur August 11th, 2019. We recently had (2) spots in the group open up for this year�s adventure. Two members of the party had some unexpected life events occur that unfortunately has as forced them to cancel their spots leaving us with (2) vacant spots to fill. Join us for this incredible adventure to the �Last Frontier� . The Fishing Bear Lodge is in a "very" unique portion of Alaska, which in turn creates a variety of different and incredible fly-fishing opportunities for a variety of different freshwater species with fly rod. We will be dry fly fishing for large Rainbows that fight like Steelhead and will spool your fly reel well into the backing, testing your angling ability to the maximum. We will also fish for Artic Char, Grayling, and the ultimate freshwater Apex Predator, the Northern Pike. Each year, "The Fishing Bear Lodge" books there prime dates more then a year out in advance. If would like to join us on this fishing adventure of a lifetime, please contact either Steve or Aron at the WBFC proshop for all of the details. If you would like to read more about the trip, the costs, and itinerary please see these links and or visit the WBFC YouTube Channel for a look at last year�s adventure! It is one you will not forget or stop talking about for years to come! Follow our daily reports on Facebook and Instagram or as always contact the WBFC Proshop for the latest in Central Washington Fly Fishing.
| |||||||||
JUNE-20th-2019 Summer is here folks and as usual for this time of year on the Yakima River, stream flows have been heightened over the past several days and the river is full of water. The river is now bank full, which is going to make it extremely difficult to fish from the bank in most places. Their are a few nooks and crannies that you can duck into if you know the spots, but they aren't easy to come by and those that know them, keep em' close to their vest. Though the river is now at summer time flows, visibility is excellent and the river is producing some great hatches on most days. Their has been some nuclear type winds the past week, which can reduce bug activity and make casting quite a bit more challenging, even from a moving or fixed position.
On the none nuclear days, hatches of Yellow Sallies, Pale Morning Duns, Green Drakes (upper river) and Golden Stones are all appearing in the afternoons. Dry fly fishing most days is excellent during these times. It is a good idea to have a nymph rod and dry rod both rigged properly for the day, especially if you are floating. This saves times and gives you a shot at surface feeders, when they appear. The WBFC Professional Guiding schedule has booked up nicely this summer and we will be extremely busy after the 4th of July until the month of November. Give us a call ASAP and book your date for Summer trout fishing on the Yakima! "WATCH FOR THE WBFC TROUT CAMP ANNOUNCEMENT COMING EARLY NEXT WEEK!" The Lower Yakima River Smallmouth fishing was excellent again this year. It utterly amazing how many fish the lower river supports. Now, that we are into the 3rd week of June, water flows in this portion of the river has dropped dramatically and the stream bed, weed mats are blowing up. This makes it extremely hard to fish as well as moving a boat thru. Unless it gets a big shot of water, this fishery is done for us this season. Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass fishing will continue in the Columbia Desert Unit as well as the big river itself. Have a questions or want to learn to catch bass on a fly? Give the experts a call at WBFC-! We will be bass fishing all summer and fall......
The Columbia Basin lakes are reporting good to fair fishing still in most regions. This week it cooled down considerably from the past couple of weeks, so water temperatures dropped quite a bit. Once it gets warm in July, trout fishing in the lakes will begin to slow or the fish will go deep, where the cooler water persists during the day. Follow our daily reports on Facebook and Instagram or as always contact the WBFC Proshop for the latest in Central Washington Fly Fishing.
| |||||||||
MAY-28th-2019 It has been an unusual month of May here in Central Washington. Cooler then expected air temperatures have predominantly prevailed over the region and the Yakima River trout fishing has been absolutely epic, the past several weeks. It is always a big bonus for us, whenever we get to fish the Upper Yakima River in the month of May. Most years, during this time frame, the river is flowing with thousands of cubic feet of water and it is up over it's banks, blown out from the melting snow pack from the Cascade Mountain Range. That has not been the case this year.
Their has been a spike in river over the past 24 hours throughout the entire system, as the B.O.R. has released a volume of water from the Cle Elum Reservoir to help initiate the down stream migration of salmon smolt. With lower then average water flows during the month of April and May, Chinook and Coho smolt have congregated in some stretches of the Yakima and their hope is this added water, will aid in their exodus to the Columbia. The river is experiencing very good hatches of mayflies and caddis now. March Brown Mayflies are still a big topic of the feeding in the early afternoons, especially in the Upper Yakima River (above Eburg and Cle Elum). Pale Morning Dun (PMD) our summer mayfly are also hatching in very good numbers, so be prepared for those as well throughout the entire system. The trout will be eating a steady diet of Caddisflies from now until autumn, so caddis nymphs, emerges and dries will also be important flies to have in dark and light colors of varying sizes. The Columbia Basin lakes are still reporting good fishing with buggers, leeches and chironomids in the early portion of the day. Callibaetis mayflies are beginning to hatch on many of the desert unit lakes as well as Damselflies. As we approach the month of June, both of these aquatic critters will become a more recognized food form and produce some exciting still-water dry fly fishing. Expect most of the same at the popular desert fishery, Rocky Ford Creek. Our Smallmouth Bass fishing is beginning to heat up as well. This week, the central region of our state will experience some warmer weather conditions. We are expecting this to push fish into pre-spawn mode, where they will begin to move into shallow water. Here, we can target fish with lightweight streamers, divers and of course top water poppers. We expect the month of June to produce some very good Smallmouth fishing in the Lower Yakima River as well as many of the Desert Unit fisheries as well. Give us a call and get your date down for June fishing ASAP. Have a great week and get out and enjoy the excellent weather conditions! Follow our daily reports on Facebook and Instagram or as always contact the WBFC Proshop for the latest in Central Washington Fly Fishing.
| |||||||||
APRIL-17th-2019 The Yakima River has dropped nicely and is now in very fishable condition. Now, weather it will stay in prime shape is a whole different subject matter. According to the river graphs, the river is suppose to bump up considerably on Thursday. This time of year, conditions can change from day to day, so keeping an eye on the graphs is a smart idea. Finding you have traveled to a river that is blown out and unfishable is a frustrating event that can easily be avoided. You can also contact the WBFC Proshop for current conditions and an updated fishing report. The river is producing excellent hatches of Skwala Stoneflies, March Brown and Blue Wing Olive Mayflies at this time. Be prepared to start your day, nymph fishing with the correct patterns and sizes to match these aquatic bugs. As the afternoon approaches and the water warms a few degrees, adult stoneflies and mayflies will begin showing themselves. Switch to dry fly and modifiy your techniques to imatate the naturals on the water. Remember a drag free drift is crucial here. A dragging fly on the Yakima will be disregarded and ignored completely 99.9 perfect of the time.
The Columbia Basin lakes are reporting good fishing with buggers, leeches and chironomids at this time and that will continue to be good throughout the week. Callibaetis nymphs are reporting some successes in several lakes as well. Bass fishing with a fly in the Desert Unit will begin as well in the next couple of weeks, especially as the weather begins to warm up. We are all looking forward to this and will have an updated report on it's status for you very soon. Have a great day | |||||||||
APRIL-10th-2019 The infamous Kittitas Valley winds have shown up this week as a big storm front pushes over our area. Winds speeds in excess of 50 mph were recorded yesterday, creating some tough fly fishing conditions throughout Central Washington. We have had quite a bit of rain fall with these storms as well, which has dumped most of its moisture during the night time hours. The Yakima River today is running high, but clear dispite the amount of rain we have received. Acccording to the NOAA prediction the river will continue to drop over the next week, which is great news for us. You can bet on Skwalla Stoneflies in the early to mid afternoon as well as March Brown Mayflies and Blue Wing Olives hatching around 2:00 pm. Folks this can be some of our best match the hatch fishing of the year, so plan your fishing days according. It looks like we are going to get a least another week of April fishing on the river before more of the high elevations snow pack comes rolling out of the hills. The fish are in excellent shape and have wintered very well.
Most of the Columbia Basin lakes are reporting good fishing with buggers, leeches and chironomids. Dry Falls, a popular Grant County fishery is reporting fair to poor fishing with cold water conditions. Water temperatures are ranging in the mid to high 40 degree range. A few fish are being caught here, but their are other lake producing better results at this time. Lake Lenice & Nunnally are popular lakes for fishing and both are fishing well at this time. The Quincy Lakes area is also reporting good fishing as well. These specific lakes for trout are Burke, Dusty and Quincy. We fished Evergreen Reservoir last week for Tiger Muskie and Bass. Water is still to cool for good bassn'. We did manage to hook up one big Muskie, but unforunately these razor sharp toothy critters can chew through a heavy piece of mono very quickly. Tough lesson, when you are pursing the fish of 10,000 cast with your bass stick. Call or stop by the WBFC Pro-shop if you need any further informations. Have a great day!
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
The other fly fishing option is to hire an experienced, well trained and Professional Guide from WBFC. With over two decades of
operating our outfitting business in Central Washington, WBFC has a staff of fly fishing experts, that can and will teach you how to fly fish the Yakima River during the high flows of summer. Our experienced crew will get you and your crew safely
form point "A" to point "B" for the day. You can call the proshop directly or stop by and check our schedule and availability. We have been extremely busy this year, due to the travel restrictions, so plan at least 10 to 12 days in advance.
We are operating safely under abnormal conditions, so some policies and procedures have changed at this time. 
The March Brown Mayfly hatch is still roaring full well in the early afternoon, especially in the "Farmlands and Upper" Yakima
River. If you are fishing this portion of the river, you will encounter these size 14 Mayflies as they begin hatching around 2:00 pm. 
