Yakima River Late Winter and Spring Fly Fishing

Hot Off-Season Fishing for Wild Rainbow Trout in Central Washington

Jan 30, 2009

Yakima River anglers find wild trout rising to blue wing olive and March Brown mayflies, Skwala stoneflies and midges during afternoons in late winter and early spring.

The Yakima River is Washington state's best - and most popular - trout stream, but much of the best fishing of the year starts in mid-February, when the wading is easy, trout rise freely - and few anglers are onstream.

Fish often rise for hours in the Yakima River Canyon, which is just downstream from the town of Ellensburg.

The rainbows average about 12 inches long, but fish can reach up to 22 inches long.

Yakima River Canyon

The best fishing - and the easiest roadside access to a long stretch of river - is in the Lower Canyon. Canyon Road - also known as state Highway 821 - runs right next to the river from Ellensburg through the Lower Canyon.

The Yakima usually runs low during winter and early spring, and the wading is easy. Some anglers use drift boats or rafts to float the river, but a car is a refuge from harsh weather.

Smart anglers check river conditions before a trip, as sudden snowmelt can blow out the fishing.

This deep, desert canyon is beautiful, and anglers often see mule deer and bighorn sheep.

Fishing Blue Wing Olives

Blue wing olive mayfles are a major hatch on the river, and these small bugs continue to hatch into the summer.

Blue wing olive mayflies hatch best on cloudy or drizzly afternoons. The adults look like small sailboats as they float out of shallow, riffle areas and into slower water.

Anglers look for areas where the current funnels floating insects toward rising fish.

In the mornings, anglers fish Pheasant Tail, Copper John and Brassie nymphs in areas where shallow water drops off into deep water. Trout gather in these spots to gobble nymphs as they drift downstream before hatching into winged adults.

Winter and spring blue wing olives run from size 16 to 22. It is important to match the size of the fly to the insects on the water.

Fishing Midges

Midges hatch in the same spots - and often at the same time - as blue wing olives. The trout sometimes focus on the midges and ignore the blue wing olives!

Flies that imitate midge pupa mired at the surface before hatching into winged adults often hook trout. Suspender pupa in sizes 18 to 22 work well. Adult midge patterns, such as Zelon Midges and Griffith's Gnats in the same sizes hook fish rising to winged adults.

Skwala Stoneflies

The Skwala stonefly - often about 1.25 inches long - is a big chunk of meat for hungry trout.

Trout start looking for the nymphs of this bug in February, and tying on a size 10 or 8 Brooks Stone or Rubberlegs under a strike indicator and casting into current seams and dropoffs often seduces big fish.

The bugs hatch in adults as early as mid-February, and continue through April. Casting an olive Stimulator dry fly in likely areas along the banks sparks rises from big fish.

March Brown Madness

The last big hatch of early spring - before the spring snowmelt blows out the river in April or May - is the March Brown mayfly. This big, brown mayfly is a size 12 or 14.

March Browns hatch in the afternoons, and a Sparkle Dun, Comparadun or parachute pattern matches the adult very well.

Before the hatch starts - and sometimes during the hatch - trout will hammer a soft-hackle Hare's Ear or Pheasant Tail wet fly that is allowed to swing downstream among the rising fish.

The copyright of the article Yakima River Late Winter and Spring Fly Fishing in Fly Fishing is owned by Chester Allen. Permission to republish Yakima River Late Winter and Spring Fly Fishing in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.