Recommendations Rivers Washington St.

I have the Memorial Day Weekend off (May 26-29) and my friend and I would
like to fly-fish one of the rivers in the state of Washington. I've heard
there are rivers that aren't too crowded with good size bows...any
recommendations?
-tom

"Tom Nakashima" wrote in message
...
I have the Memorial Day Weekend off (May 26-29) and my friend and I would
like to fly-fish one of the rivers in the state of Washington. I've heard
there are rivers that aren't too crowded with good size bows...any
recommendations?
-tom

Washington's a pretty big state (10 hrs to drive from one side to the
other) so where in the state did you have in mind?
A good bet in the middle of the state would be the Yakima.
Actually though, except for steelhead,Washington doesn't have nearly as many
streams with good fishing for large rainbows as either of the states it
borders.

Bob Weinberger - La Grande,OR.

"Tom Nakashima" wrote in message
...
I have the Memorial Day Weekend off (May 26-29) and my friend and I would
like to fly-fish one of the rivers in the state of Washington. I've heard
there are rivers that aren't too crowded with good size bows...any
recommendations?
-tom


You didn't say what kind of fishing you prefer, or what part of the state
you will be in , or for that matter what your travel limit is, but:

The Yakima comes to mind, except it can be crowded to really damn crowded
(by Montana standards) at times.

Unless of course, you fish it above Ellensburg, where you should have entire
stretches to your self.

I wouldn't fish it any where above the Cle Elum River unless you like small
brookies.

If you do elect to try the Yakima, and especially if you want to fish the C
& R section, you owe it to your self to rent a boat or hire a guide.

Since the primary purpose of the Yakima is to function as an irrigation
delivery conduit for the agricultural interests lower down the valley, bank
fishing can be just plain frustrating, and wading difficult if possible at
all.

Other than the above, fishing can be very good, fish are generally found
very close to the bank, so casting accuracy is a key to success.

Rocky Ford Creek can be enjoyable, the fish are large, and surprisingly easy
to catch, considering you are fishing a gin clear spring creek.
It's not my favorite, although I will be hitting it next month, with a
fishing buddy that hasn't tried it yet.

Just what did you have in mind?

Hi Tom,

I learned to fly fish on the Spokane River, which runs right through
Spokane, on the far east side of the state. It's not normally thought
of as much of a fishing river, partially because it's polluted with
mercury (or something) from old mines upriver - which ironically is one
of it's advantages: other than a few spots where everyone bunches up,
there's hardly anyone there. That said, the only hatches I ever
encountered (in my one year there) were the Caddis evening hatches. I
wouldn't even mention it, except to say -- in the five years of
consistent fishing since then, I still think the top 5 or so strongest,
fastest trout I have ever caught were during my first year on that
river. I don't know what it was. They're all rainbows, to start. And
I did catch some sizable ones. They also don't get lazy sipping
mayflies -- if they want to eat a bug, they've got to go chasing the
zippy emerging caddis. And the river can be pretty big and strong, so
when hooked they can run far and use the current to their advantage.
But still - I sometimes wonder if maybe it was the mercury that did it.
Toughened 'em up.

Or maybe it's just my fond memory of my original home water... anyway,
I certainly had fun there...

Tim

Tom Nakashima wrote:
I have the Memorial Day Weekend off (May 26-29) and my friend and I would
like to fly-fish one of the rivers in the state of Washington. I've heard
there are rivers that aren't too crowded with good size bows...any
recommendations?
-tom

Hi Tom,
I learned to fly fish on the Spokane River, which runs right through
Spokane, on the far east side of the state. It's not normally thought
of as much of a fishing river, partially because it's polluted with
mercury (or something) from old mines upriver - which ironically is one

of it's advantages: other than a few spots where everyone bunches up,
there's hardly anyone there. That said, the only hatches I ever
encountered (in my one year there) were the Caddis evening hatches. I
wouldn't even mention it, except to say -- in the five years of
consistent fishing since then, I still think the top 5 or so strongest,

fastest trout I have ever caught were during my first year on that
river. I don't know what it was. They're all rainbows, to start. And

I did catch some sizable ones. They also don't get lazy sipping
mayflies -- if they want to eat a bug, they've got to go chasing the
zippy emerging caddis. And the river can be pretty big and strong, so
when hooked they can run far and use the current to their advantage.
But still - I sometimes wonder if maybe it was the mercury that did it.

Toughened 'em up.

Or maybe it's just my fond memory of my original home water... anyway,
I certainly had fun there...

Tim

The Yakima can be great in the canyon above the dam. It is also quite
good just downstream from Cle Elum.
Try the Grand Ronde. I got my best rainbows there, but I'm not to sure
about seasons. They get really crazy if they think you are after
steelhead when all you want is rainbows.
There is also a stream that parallels a group of hills called
Rattlesnake Hills. It runs from south of the seep lakes and empties
into the columbia about 15 mi. S of the I-90 bridge. Hard fishing, but
some rabid browns.
If you want to stay close to the coast, get a permit to fish on Fr.
Lewis. There is a wandering creek that connects a number of ponds,
sloughs, and swamps. Everything from HUGE leftover stocked trout to
bass to panfish. Bonus is there are many bald eagles and ospreys to
watch.
Then, of course, there is the shad run in a number of coastal rivers.

cheers

oz, who sometimes misses WA -- but only sometimes

....and don't forget sea-run cutts at the mouth of the Nisqually River.

oz, and that water south of the seep lakes is Crab Creek

Shhhhh, it's called Crab Creek, and the good spot you fished was Lenice
Lake... but it's the Wahluke Slope and not the Rattlesnake Hills, which
is accross the Columbia and about 60 miles south.

wrote:
Shhhhh, it's called Crab Creek, and the good spot you fished was Lenice
Lake... but it's the Wahluke Slope and not the Rattlesnake Hills, which
is accross the Columbia and about 60 miles south.

Right you are R Hills.
Never did know the name of the "wide spot" in the creek.

cheers

oz, who always heard "fish stories" about the Okanogan but never did
well there.
....then there are the West's biggest brookies in Leech Lake on top of
White Pass -- rent a canoe and use bright, weighted streamers.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Tom,

I learned to fly fish on the Spokane River, which runs right through
Spokane, on the far east side of the state. It's not normally thought
of as much of a fishing river, partially because it's polluted with
mercury (or something) from old mines upriver - which ironically is one
of it's advantages: other than a few spots where everyone bunches up,
there's hardly anyone there. That said, the only hatches I ever
encountered (in my one year there) were the Caddis evening hatches. I
wouldn't even mention it, except to say -- in the five years of
consistent fishing since then, I still think the top 5 or so strongest,
fastest trout I have ever caught were during my first year on that
river. I don't know what it was. They're all rainbows, to start. And
I did catch some sizable ones. They also don't get lazy sipping
mayflies -- if they want to eat a bug, they've got to go chasing the
zippy emerging caddis. And the river can be pretty big and strong, so
when hooked they can run far and use the current to their advantage.
But still - I sometimes wonder if maybe it was the mercury that did it.
Toughened 'em up.


Tom,

Since moving 40 miles north, I rarely have an opportunity to fish the
Spokane anymore. I have however, have had some great evenings on the river.

I would agree with Tim, there are some large rainbow and they have allot of
river to work with. They can be pretty tough to catch at times, as
mentioned, there never seems to be a major hatch of anything...

The best dry fly action I have had was with a crane fly pattern of all
things, the rest has been primarily sub-surface.

If you decide on the Spokane, make sure you check the regs., the time you
are going to be fishing (May) the river is closed from the upriver dam to
the Idaho border (which has some of the more productive fishing). Let me
know if you venture over this way, I can turn you onto some good locations.

Washington regs.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/2005/05regs_4.pdf

JT