Any good fishing spots in WA state?

Hi there --

I'm pretty new to fly fishing (2-3 years) and have only fished in western
Washington rivers like the Snohomish, Skykomish, etc.

I'm interested in trying some rivers and/or lakes (though I don't have a
boat, so I prefer wading a river) on the other side of the Cascade
Mountains. I can go as far east as Moses Lake, but that's about it for
short 3-4 day car trips.

Can anyone recommend some good trout fishing locales? I will really
appreciate it if you can help out, as I am not familiar with that area at
all.

Thanks much in advance --

FA

Also, I forgot to mention that I will be fishing in the Spring, probably
not right now. :-)

Thanks --

FA


FenderAxe wrote in
:

Hi there --

I'm pretty new to fly fishing (2-3 years) and have only fished in
western Washington rivers like the Snohomish, Skykomish, etc.

I'm interested in trying some rivers and/or lakes (though I don't have
a boat, so I prefer wading a river) on the other side of the Cascade
Mountains. I can go as far east as Moses Lake, but that's about it for
short 3-4 day car trips.

Can anyone recommend some good trout fishing locales? I will really
appreciate it if you can help out, as I am not familiar with that area
at all.

Thanks much in advance --

FA

On Feb 8, 6:05*pm, FenderAxe wrote:
Hi there --

I'm pretty new to fly fishing (2-3 years) and have only fished in western
Washington rivers like the Snohomish, Skykomish, etc.

I'm interested in trying some rivers and/or lakes (though I don't have a
boat, so I prefer wading a river) on the other side of the Cascade
Mountains. I can go as far east as Moses Lake, but that's about it for
short 3-4 day car trips.

Can anyone recommend some good trout fishing locales? I will really
appreciate it if you can help out, as I am not familiar with that area at
all.

Thanks much in advance --

FA

Simplest is best. Just head over the SnoQ pass on I-90 and pick up the
Yakima River at about North Bend. Get a decent map or Delorme. From
pass, the basic form is a series of larger and larger valleys down to
the City (of Yakima). Canyon stretch could take a year to fish
thoroughly. Find it (and Ringer state access) by offing the interstate
into Canyon road, at big truck stop to the right outside Ellensburg.
(Mini Flyshop next to cafe parking for info and hatch. BUY something
for the gipper). Effete Easterners and assorted dudes might appreciate
the facilities mid canyon at "Red's," ;-)).

Another easy but slightly further into Central Washington is
Rockyford, between Moses Lake, and Ephrata. Out on I-90 to Moses, head
South . . . work it out on the map. Not the most picture perfect
spring-creek, but full of big, very picky fish that will find you
fishing almost smaller than you can see. Its supposed to be very
beautiful in deep frost or snow, IF the wind doesn't carry one off.
Gentle-people's casting platform luxury. Women friendly place. Check
out the Russian grocery in town of Soap Lake.

Also, serious bass fishery in the seep lakes and sloughs.south of
Moses Lake. And further South you can access the last free flowing,
fly fishable bar at Ringold, on the Columbia, with a reasonable chance
of a steelhead bump.

Thats a Dryside starter Pak.

Dave

On Feb 8, 8:05*pm, FenderAxe wrote:
Hi there --

I'm pretty new to fly fishing (2-3 years) and have only fished in western
Washington rivers like the Snohomish, Skykomish, etc.

I'm interested in trying some rivers and/or lakes (though I don't have a
boat, so I prefer wading a river) on the other side of the Cascade
Mountains. I can go as far east as Moses Lake, but that's about it for
short 3-4 day car trips.

Can anyone recommend some good trout fishing locales? I will really
appreciate it if you can help out, as I am not familiar with that area at
all.

Thanks much in advance --

FA
this book is work the money.
http://www.amazon.com/Washington-Blu.../dp/1571881344

A boat is worth the money, lots of smaller lakes in eastern
Washington.
If your going to Rockyford stop at the Desert Fly Angler in Ephrata.
The owner will tell you what the hogs in the creek are hitting.
North of Soap lake ins Lake Lenore. If you get there at the right
time ( righttime meaning before it gets to weedy and you can wade -
otherwwise it's a boat or no fish.) you can catch a Lahottan
Cutthroat. there big and not to many folks have them on their catch
list.

On Feb 9, 12:10*pm, wrote:
On Feb 8, 8:05*pm, FenderAxe wrote:

Hi there --

I'm pretty new to fly fishing (2-3 years) and have only fished in western
Washington rivers like the Snohomish, Skykomish, etc.

I'm interested in trying some rivers and/or lakes (though I don't have a
boat, so I prefer wading a river) on the other side of the Cascade
Mountains. I can go as far east as Moses Lake, but that's about it for
short 3-4 day car trips.

Can anyone recommend some good trout fishing locales? I will really
appreciate it if you can help out, as I am not familiar with that area at
all.

Thanks much in advance --

FA

this book is work the money.http://www.amazon.com/Washington-Blu...ide-Guides/dp/...

A boat is worth the money, lots of smaller lakes in eastern
Washington.
If your going to Rockyford stop at the Desert Fly Angler in Ephrata.
The owner will tell you what the hogs in the creek are hitting.
North of Soap lake ins Lake Lenore. If you *get there at the right
time ( righttime meaning before it gets to weedy and you can wade -
otherwwise it's a boat or no fish.) you can catch a Lahottan
Cutthroat. *there big and not to many folks have them on their catch
list.

On top of White Pass, across the road from the ski lift, is Leech Lake
(though I have heard it has been politically changed to White Pass
Lake) which contains the largest brookies outside of Canada. Weighted
flashy streamers in #12 or so usually brings them up. Nearer the
surface on cloudy days. As you go down the east side, the river
(which name escapes me at the moment) contains some fish, but not a
lot. The small impoundments along it are more for bait fishermen.
Just before it comes out at Yakima, there is some sneaky trout water.
Takes a bit of walking, but it is beautiful. Canyon on the way down
is the best chukar hunting in Washington, if you are interested.

My favorites in WA (I don't live there anymore, so can reveal it) a
1. The Touchet, south of Dayton. There is a state wildlife area
there where the river is diverted into dozens of "artificial beaver
ponds" that are an absolute joy to walk and fish. Take binoculars, as
you will see at least five breeds of hummingbird there. While a grad
student at WAZZU, I also got deer and elk there with a bow.
2. The Grand Ronde, flowing out of Oregon into the Snake waaaaaay
down in the corner. Worth the drive. Rainbows that look like fat,
green footballs and jump like kangaroos. You will also get the ****
scared out of you once in a while with a spring steelhead.

If you aren't an elitist and just want to CATCH FISH ON DRY FLIES,
stand in the hotel parking lot in downtown Spokane and cast almost any
#12 that floats into the river above the falls and catch squawfish on
almost every cast. Great fun and a way to get kids to flyfish.

cheers

oz, who thinks Western Washington is a waste of time for trout
flyfishermen (unless you can get onto Ft. Lewis's ponds or Simpson
Timber's land on the peninsula after a 50 mile hike)

On Feb 9, 2:27*pm, MajorOz wrote:

Slight corrections:
1. It's the Tuncannon River, (not the Touchet) that has all the little
ponds. Head out of Dayton, headed for Starbuck. 3/4ths way is road
back up Tuncannon River. Another approach is to cut cross country up
onto wheat farm roads to a place labled on the map as Marengo. Its
basically a ranch HQ. Park at bridge. Go downstream just a bit and
fish holes behind the corrals. If you catch the hog let us know. Up
stream is also great. Ponds not to my taste.

2. Thinking that W. Wash is a waste of time is just what one would
expect of a Wazzu-ian. :-)

3. There are no fish in the Touchet South of Dayton. None, Nadie,
ninguno. Not any. Not a one.

Dave

On Feb 11, 5:18*pm, DaveS wrote:
On Feb 9, 2:27*pm, MajorOz wrote:

Slight corrections:
1. It's the Tuncannon River, (not the Touchet) that has all the little
ponds.

You are, of course, correct. I was running on memory and Rand-McNally
-- both old and outdated.

Head out of Dayton, headed for Starbuck. 3/4ths way is road
back up Tuncannon River.

Blowing the dust off my old DeLorme topo book................

That is north. Only did that once. Fishing sucked, but jump-shooting
ducks from a canoe was great. It eventually dumps into the Snake. I
was hoping for the rare tourist (steelhead) but never happened.

I go south from Dayton. Actually, from Pomeroy and then cut across to
the Wooten Wildlife Area, which is what I alluded to stream,
ponds, and deer /elk.

From there, if you:
a) are brave / foolhardy
b) have a FWD
c) don't run into washouts,
You can zig-zag your way to both the Asotin and Grande Ronde, and go
home (whatever) days later up the Snake to Lewiston/Clarkston.

2. Thinking that W. Wash is a waste of time is just what one would
expect of a Wazzu-ian. :-)

hee, hee....

Lived 12 years on the wet side (near Puyallup). Never took much to
steelhead and salmon as primary targets and searun cutts presented too
much effort for too little return. As a native Wyoming'an, I was so
sad that the most beautiful water I had ever seen had no trout in it.
With very few exceptions, the only trout I found were stockers.

Aside: #1 son is a UW alum. #2 son, all their adult lives, has given
him (joking) **** for attending a public college while he (#2) went to
an elite, private east coast school. Today #2 is a prof at Huskyville
and they both sneer at their folks who got doctorates at the cow
college on the Idaho border.


3. There are no fish in the Touchet South of Dayton. None, Nadie,
ninguno. Not any. Not a one.

Agreed.

For the OP, if you have some time, a great place for a unique
experience is to go to Frenchglen on the slopes of Steens Mountain in
SE Oregon and catch some big, fat, Red Band Lahotin Cutthroat from the
Donner and Blitzen river.
There is a BLM campground on the river bank and trails up and down the
river.

cheers

oz, getting nostalgic