Fishing Reports & Predictions
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Greetings!
We get reports on a daily basis. For the latest information, please call us. Reports are from our guides, customers and industry professionals. We also offer predictions based on available data (i.e. flows, weather, historical run timing).
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-The Avid Angler
(206) 362 - 4030
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Olympic Peninsula
4/20/2023; Olympic Peninsula Rivers are closed for fishing, check back for future report.
2/20/2023; Fishing has been ok for those willing to put in the time, there have been some really nice quality fish caught in the past couple of weeks. Bring a variety of fly patterns in multiple colors and weights to be able to effectively fish your conditions, and just remember to fish a bright fly for a bright day and a darker fly for darker conditions. Make sure your gear is not under gunned for these fish as fighting them on light gear can lead to a higher mortality rate. An 8 weight spey rod is ideal to be fishing right now and will help with throwing the larger flies and heavier sink tips preferred this time of year. As with all native fish, if you do land one make sure to keep the fish wet and handle it as minimally as possible.
Take a look at the flows Here:NWRFC
The Olympic peninsula offers the finest Steelheading in the State of Washington. The Sol Duc, Hoh, Queets and many more rivers have become the benchmark for Winter Steelheading and these productive fisheries should be on every fly fishers bucket list. Seasons are based on numbers of returning salmon and steelhead so please check local regulations. Call us to if you need assistance, and check out the WDFW website for rule updates and to sign up for email updates.
Yakima River
5/5/2023; The Yakima River is still running high and out of shape for the time being. You’re better off fishing local lakes or the Puget Sound in the meantime while we wait for the water to drop in to shape. Feel free to call us for an up-to-date report.
4/20/2023; The Yakima river has been fishing well the last couple of weeks. Expect the river to fish well for atleast then next week as we are anticipating our spring runoff shortly, raising the water levels and putting the river off color. There are still some Skwala Stones hatching still but that will be coming to a close here in the next couple of weeks or when runoff hits. There have been some sporadic March Brown hatches coming off as well as Baetis and Midge hatches. Earlier in the day fish streamers or fish a double nymph rig under an indicator. Afternoons are going to be your best bet for dry fly fishing, try to find yourself in good dry fly water by about 1:00 pm. Fly Patterns: Bullet Head Skwala, Skwala color Chubby Chernobyl, 20 Incher Stone, Pats Rubber Leg, San Juan Worm, Baetis Nymphs, WD 40, Pheasant Tail Nymph, March Brown Dries, Brindlechute, Parachute Adams, Parachute BWO, BWO Comparadun, Zebra Midge, Grifiths Gnat.
2/20/2023; The Yakima has been fishing decent for the month of February and should continue to improve as the weather warms up. Concentrate your time right now fishing slower and deeper sections of water and you can be rewarded with some nice trout. Expect to be mostly nymphing or throwing streamers until the Skwala Stonefly hatch starts to kick off. Some patterns to note are a #8-12 Pats Rubber Leg Stone in darker colors (i.e. Black, Black & Coffee, Dark Olive), #8-10 Twenty Incher Stone, #8-10 San Juan Worms, #14-18 General Attractor Nymphs, and Sculpin Streamers (Near Nuff Sculpin, Sculpzilla, Sheila's Sculpin, Slumpbuster, Bugger Patterns)
Open year round for trout fishing. Wade fishing is best in the spring and fall as the flows are down. Summer irrigation demands creates an advantage to anglers that float the river. Our guides are safe and know the river, and its fish.About the Yakima River
Dry Falls/Rocky Ford
4/20/2023; Rocky ford is still fishing very consistently and putting out nice fish. We have been hearing of more fish being caught on scuds (Freshwater Shrimp) as of lately, so come prepared with a selection of colors and sizes of scuds to match the hatch. You should also come stocked with a variety of small midge and mayfly patterns to match any potential hatch you should encounter. For those who want to get aggressive eats, a larger streamer pattern or leech and bugger flies stripped aggressively on a floating or intermediate line. Make sure to check the weather forecast before heading out as the wind can make it a challenge this time of year. Fly Patterns: Scud patterns in olive, tan, and orange/pink #10-#18, Zebra Midge #16-#20, Ice Cream Cone #18, Chromie #18, Baetis Nymphs #18-#20, Lightning Bug #16-#18, Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-#20, Griffiths Gnat #18-#20, Parachute Adams #16-#20, Parachute BWO #18-#20, Thin Mint Bugger AKA Twin Lake Special #8-#12, Wooly Buggers in brown, black, and olive #8-#12, Dolly Llama olive, black/white, olive/white, tan/pink #2 or #6, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow white or brown/gold #4-#10, other large streamer patterns.
2/20/2023; Rocky Ford is still fishing well and should continue to in the coming months. Those looking to get into some aggressive fish and feel the grab can expect to hook some fish casting and stripping large streamer patterns. Dolly Llamas, buggers, and zonker style flies in variations of white, olive, and black are going to fish well. Those who don’t want to cast streamers can find slow down and fish a variety of scuds, midge, small baetis nymphs, as well as smaller emergers and dries. Think small on a lot of these flies, anything from a 16 to a size 24. Some patterns I wouldn’t leave home without are a parachute Adams #18-20, Grifiths Gnat #18, WD-40 #18, Zebra Midge #16-24, and a good selection of scud patterns. It helps to have some small strike indicators when fishing these flies around the wary trout, we prefer the Palsa Indicators for the gentle landing and natural presentation.
Check back in spring for Dry Falls report.
Call the shop for a more refined report.
South Puget Sound
5/5/2023; The South Puget Sound has been consistently putting out fish. The Chum fry are still roaming around near shorelines and estuaries as well as the mouths of any small finger creeks. Tides are looking great for the coming weeks and should have some great days of fishing. Bring a small variety of chum fry patterns and some small sparse sand lance patterns. Chum Babys, Chumpy Fry, McFry, Fry Me a River, Small Olive and White Clouser Minnow, Glass minnow, Surf Candy Patterns.
4/20/2023; South Puget Sound beaches have been fishing decently in the last couple of weeks. We have been seeing some chum fry roaming around near the beaches which has led to decent fishing. There have been some reports of resident coho still roaming around off the beaches as well which make for fun bycatch! Expect to find fish feeding on fry fairly close to the bank so make sure to not wade deep to avoid spooking these fish. Fly Patterns: Chum Baby, Foul Free Herring, Small Clouser Minnows
2/23/2023; Resident Coho are starting to show up! The fishing will get better in the coming months but there are enough fish around to have some good days. The south sound beaches have been slow for cutthroat, but will continue to improve in the coming months as more fish return from their spawning grounds. For both the Resident Coho and occasional Resident Cutthroat expect to have to slow your retrieves down and fish krill and euphasid patterns. Pay close attention on a calm day and you may notice fish rising to eat krill right under the surface! It's a good idea to have a floating krill pattern (White Gartside Gurgler) easily accessible to make a quick change and target those finicky fish. My Puget Sound fly box this time of year has a selection of Crazy Charlies in size 6-8 in white, pink, and orange, size 6 Gartside Gurglers, and other euphasid patterns. It is worth bringing a few baitfish patterns like a Foul Free Herring or a Mini Deceiver incase you see fish working on bait.
Primary fly caught species - resident Coho salmon, sea-run cutthroat. The south sound fishes best in the spring and summer as fish are leaving or staging near their natal streams. About Fly Fishing the Puget Sound
Seattle Area Beaches
5/5/2023; Seattle area beaches are starting to heat up. We have a good number of Chum fry hatching and swimming around near mouths of creeks and tight to the shoreline. We have heard from a few customers who have been out finding some really nice fish. There are some very nice tides coming up in the next couple of weeks, expect the morning outgoing tides to fish well. Bring a small variety of chum fry patterns and some small sparse sand lance patterns. Chum Babys, Chumpy Fry, McFry, Fry Me a River, Small Olive and White Clouser Minnow, Glass minnow, Surf Candy Patterns.
4/20/2023; North sound beaches should be putting out some fish in the coming weeks. The first week of may has some very good early morning outgoing tides that are begging to be fished! Our north sound cutthroat should mostly be out of the rivers by now and looking to feed up and put on some weight. This is a great time to fish a baitfish pattern quickly stripped under the surface. Look for bait and expect there to be a few cutthroat swimming nearby. Fly Patterns; Chum Baby, Small Clouser Minow, Foul Free Herring
2/23/2023; Fish are still mostly up in the rivers. We have heard of a few fish "Sightings" though i haven't heard of any fish hooked or landed yet. Its still very early in the season, though you can still get out and wet a line and work on some casting. For those wanting to fish a beach, we would highly recommend heading to the south sound for the best chance of hooking fish.
12/16/2022; Most fish are going to be up in our river systems so fishing these beaches right now will be very slow. We should see more fish moving around on our local beaches come mid to late spring. It's always nice to spend some time on the beach. You never know what you'll see, maybe a submarine!
Local beaches offer good access to salmon and sea-run cutthroat. These local beaches offer a wonderful year round fly fishing opportunity for both the local and visiting angler. These fisheries are our specialty and we take great pride in our knowledge and experience with regard to this fishery. About Fly Fishing the Puget Sound
Basin Lakes
05/02/2023; The fishing at Lenice Lake is red hot. Hang a black and red chironomid below an indicator or strip a Twin Lakes Special bugger on an intermediate line. Hold on tight! The fish are spunky this time of year and have been know to jump above your head when fishing in a float tube! Always check the wind conditions before heading over to fish these lakes, as they are very exposed. It's "go time!" Please check the current fishing regulations with regard to your lake of choice.
The "cream" of Washington State trout fly fishing. These central Washington lakes offer exciting fishing for large Rainbow and Brown trout with some Cutthroats thrown in. A few of these lakes open in March with the rest opening in April and can offer some excellent fishing.
Snoqualmie River
OPENS last weekend in May below Snoqualmie Falls. Open year-round above the falls.
08/01/2022; August through October are favorite months to fish the upper forks. The flows are wadeable and the fish are eager to take attractor dries. Drift small Stimulators, Parachute Adams, or bee patterns through the pocket water or take a trip back in time and knot on a Yellow Humpy. Wet wading is a good option in the summer temps but bring your wading boots, those granite rocks are slippery. Now is the time to grab your favorite 3-weight and head for North Bend, Seattle’s beautiful back yard.
Download the WDFW app or visit website to receive email updates on rule changes.
Above Snoqualmie Falls - Rainbow and Cutthroat trout. Check with the shop for details on wadeable river levels, hatches, classes and guided trips on the Snoqualmie River. About Snoqualmie River
Spring 2022 on Lake Ballinger
Skagit River
5/3/2023; The Skagit and Sauk rivers have closed for the season. We look forward to our next visit there.
4/20/2023; The Skagit and Sauk have been fishing consistently and has been putting out some nice steelhead. Folks have been finding fish in both the Skagit as well as the Sauk though the Sauk has been receiving the most angling pressure. Anglers have been doing well swinging a variety of patterns, though the most consistent patterns have been something on the smaller side in red, orange, or black. Think about fishing something like a Hobo Spey. Make sure to take a variety of sink tips with you as the river conditions change day to day. Make sure to bring at the very least a 10’ section of T-11 and T-14 to cover your basis. Make sure to double check regulations as this fisher is only open Saturday through Wednesday through the end of April. Fly Patters: Hobo Spey, Guide Intruder, Fish Taco, Reverse Marabou, other medium size steelhead streamers.
Species: Steelhead, salmon, sea-run cutthroat. Typically open June through January. Seasons may change at any time. Check the WDFW website to receive email updates on rule changes. About the Skagit River
Skykomish River
2/8/2023; The Skykomish is closed for the season. We look forward to revisiting our old friend when it reopens in late May.
Species: Steelhead, salmon, sea-run cutthroat. Typically open June through January. Seasons may change at any time. About the Skykomish River
Stillaguamish River
2/8/2023; The Stillaguamish is closed for the season. Species: Steelhead, salmon, sea-run cutthroat. Typically open June through January. Seasons may change at any time. Check the WDFW website to receive email updates on rule changes. About the Stillaguamish River
Sauk River
2/8/2023; The Sauk is currently closed. Check in later this month to see if it reopens for the catch and release season.
See the above report on the skagit.
Species: Steelhead, salmon, sea-run cutthroat. Typically open June through January. Seasons may change at any time. Check the WDFW website to receive email updates on rule changes. About the Sauk River
Cedar River
OPENS last weekend in May
Open June through August for trout. This fishery is in the city! Hard fighting rainbow and cutthroat inhabit this urban fishery read about it here: . Ample access along Maple Valley highway above and below Hwy 18. The Cedar is closed to fishing above the Landsburg Bridge. Streamers and very effective, along with nymphing and dryflies. The shop can show you where to access and what bugs are working best.About the Cedar River
Kitsap Peninsula/Whidbey Island
In the spring, sea-run cutthroat, bull trout and millions of salmon smolt spill out of the S Rivers. The north sound fishes best in the mid-summer through the fall, when baitfish bring salmon and cutthroat to the shallows to feed.
Lone/Pass Lakes
5/5/2023; Lone lake has been fishing great and has been putting out some very nice fish. There have been some sparse Chironomid hatches but the chironomid fishing has been good. We have heard reports of folks catching some really sizeable fish hanging a variety of Chironomid Pupa under an indicator. Be on the lookout for big chironomids, we have heard some rumors of some big (Size 12) spring time bombers coming off. Also be on the lookout in these coming few weeks for Callibaetis to start moving around and come prepared with a few patterns incase those fish start looking up for those Stillwater mayflies.
Pass Lake has been fishing ok, we have been receiving a variety of reports varying from dead slow to red hot. Folks fishing chironomid pupa under an indicator has been finding the majority of the fish. Like with Lone Lake, come prepared with some much larger chironomid patterns incase you see some of the large Spring time bombers coming off. Those who don’t want to stare at an indicator can also cast and strip a variety of leech and streamer patterns toward the shore line and weed edges and expect to find a few fish.
4/20/2023; Pass lake has been fair as of lately with anglers catching fish on a variety of tactics. There have been notable Chironomid hatches in the afternoon making for good fishing. Expect to fish Chrionomid pupa under chironomids in the morning and be on the lookout for fish sipping emerging bugs in the afternoon. Those who don’t want to sit and watch an indicator will have no problem finding fish stripping or trolling leech patterns and buggers. If you want to find a brown trout I would recommend fishing afternoons and fish streamer patterns up shallow. Fly Patterns: An assortment of Chironomid Pupa (Chromie, Ice Cream Cone, Zebra Midge, Bloodworm Patterns, Collaborator), Wooly Buggers, Small Streamers, Zonkers, Griffiths gnat.
Lone Lake has also been fishing very well, with good chironomid hatches coming off as well. I would use the same advice posted above under the Pass Lake Report.
02/23/2023; Pass Lake is still fishing good! People fishing a slower sinking line and smaller streamers tight to the banks have been doing good and finding fish. We have also heard solid reports of fish caught on Boobie patterns fished near the bottom in around 10 feet of water. I have not heard a report from any chironomid guys but I’m sure they're finding some fish as there should be some hatches starting. As always make sure to play the fish quickly and keep your rod tip low to avoid the eagles from stealing your trout!
01/20/2023; The Pass Lake launch ramp is open and the fishing has been good. Try stripping streamers or hanging a chironomid below an indicator. Beware of the nesting eagles who will steal your trout if you play it too long.
04/25/2022; Lone Lake has been on the slow side, as anglers put lots of pressure on this shallow lake in the winter and early spring. Try micro leeches stripped very slow in olive and brown. Chironomids under and indicator roughly 6 feet down can be effective as well. Pass Lake has been fishing well (see note below for access issues). Try trolling classic woolly buggers in black, but also in white. Chironomids in tan are always a good option, as that is the dominant species in the lake. And don't forget about the abundant crawfish in the lake; make sure to fish large olive/brown streamers to imitate this large meal.
Pass Lake is still suffering from the lack of a parking lot. Very limited roadside parking, and bring the tube or frame-less boat, as you cannot launch a trailer at this point..
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