Hello, my name is Hugh. I am a fishohaulic. I have more than 10 rods. 20+ fly boxes. I have spent entire weeks in the tropics without getting my head wet. I have impaled myself with hooks, fallen in 45 degree water, waved long, highly conductive materials over my head during electrical storms. I spend more time in a flyshop than at home. On my honeymoon I went fishing before consummating my marriage. I want to name my first child Double Haul. I really feel that I can stop anytime I want to.

Yakima River flows have finally caught up to the 50-year average, according to the US Geological Survey, but the very gradual increases have been kind to us, so most hopes of complaining are dashed. There's always the possibility of wildfires to look forward to, not to mention ultra low fall water levels. But why focus on the future...on things we can't control. Carpe Diem and like-that. The fishing is very good right now, so before you start writing thank-you letters to FEMA, get some fishing in. Hot is the climate in eastern Wa, which always brings out the heavy hatches of tubes and kegs which float without the benefit of navigational provisions. Since conflicts between anglers and these flotillas rarely result in any benefit of any kind for either side, our recommendation would be to avoid fishing during this hatch. Other hatches have waned a bit; some caddis are still appearing in the evening time, some little yellow stoneflies are making appearances in the upper river...Upper river water temps are around 56 degrees, while the canyon water is more like 66 degrees. This big disparity will cause the two areas to fish differently. The good insect activity will be curtailed by the very warm water, as will the trout's level of enthusiasm, to a degree (no pun intended). One day the hopper fishing will be excellent in the canyon, and the next no one will raise a fish to a dry fly, so bring your full quiver and keep an open mind. -Also, we should be seeing the summer stones pretty soon, which broaden the usefulness of some of the popular Chernobyl patterns. Tan bodies on the stones, so tan or dull yellow stimulators, we have a pattern here called the 'sharin stone' which fits the bill well. Other suggested flies include the yellow stoneflies, caddis, of course, the 'usual' array of nymphs; small stones, pheasant tails, prince nymphs, hare's ears, king prince nymphs, larry's lightning bug, Smoot's bloody mary- choose them in sizes 12-16. For those of you who snarl at the notion of dredging the depths nymphing all day, fish the nymphs off one of the larger dry flies as a dropper. Sharpen your multi-tasking skills up for the cubicle by fishing two flies at once 12-24" of tippet in-between your dry fly and your nymph will make you feel as though you're fishing dries, but hopefully elevate your success rate or your chances at a hookup. (you can definitely go longer, but long untapered lengths of tippet become difficult to cast and tangle more...)
Dry flies suitable for suspending a dropper include hopper patterns; dave's, Chernobyl's, Stalcup's, Rainy's, Terranasties, madam X, parachutes hoppers....there are so many innovative, hopper patterns around that it shouldn't be to tough to find one that (the fish) you like. Just remember that the grasshoppers and crickets of the world are as diverse as the sexual preferences of bill Clinton, so don't be shy about trying a broad size range of patterns- i.e. #12-#6. Often just a rubber legged stimulator or similar animal will cut the mustard.
As far as the water levels go, wading may actually be easier in some spots down below Ellensburg than up around Cle Elum. In spite of the higher water flows in the canyon, there are more nice edges to fish through; bank fishing is better, I guess. The Canyon area is a little bit off color, but visibility is good enough for fish to see your little hopper pattern slowly lose its grip on streamside vegetation and tumble helplessly into the water.

Westside Lakes are reportedly hanging in there, but will probably get warm enough to leave the fish alone soon. Reports from Lone, Pass, Cady, Pine have been upbeat. So if the withdrawal symptoms are too much to handle, you have some nice stillwater options nearby. Chironomids are always a factor, callibaetis nymphs, emergers, adults, leeches, damsels and dragons. Best times will be early morning when the water is still cool from overnight, and late evening when the sun has left the water. The middle and upper elevation lakes will be coming into their prime here, though, so break out the doggy pack and load up old Rover with at least the fins- maybe some booties or an extra spool if there's room. You want it. You need it.

Eastside Lakes too, are getting hot, but continue to fish well. Dry Falls, Lenice, Nunnally- we've had folks pass through here with favorable reports- same bug/fly activity as the west side, for the most part. The fish generally begin to get sluggish this time of year as water temps exceed the low 60s- they have a particularly tough time getting their sea-legs back after you've strung them along for a while in the warm, lowly-oxygenated water....so work the cooler times of day, cooler days, cooler lakes, etc. Cool is good.

Kamloops Region weather has turned very hot making it tough fishing on most lower elevation lakes. Best bets now are mid to high elevation waters where traveling sedges and smaller cinnamon sedges are still emerging. Look for evening emergences on many lakes. Also some damselfly and mayfly activity occurring on bigger lakes like Lac Des Roche, Sheridan and Bridge. Always a few chironomids coming off but big hatches on most lakes are now complete. We are entering the time of year when night fishing gets good, i.e.. from 10 PM to 2or 3 AM in shallow water with leeches can be productive. (Many thanks to Brian Chan)

Forks of the Snoqualmie have been the source of some fish slayings of late. All three, the north, middle, and south are giving the evening after-work crowd a good fix. There are caddisflies and little yellow stoneflies, but the fish aren't so selective that a good parachute adams or humpy wouldn't stop the jitters. The water is in great shape and easy to wade for the most part, particularly in the upper reaches. No one needs to know what you're doing. Just say you're playing golf to dissuade suspicion.

Steelhead reports have leveled off, coming largely from the year 'rounders. There are fish in the snohomish river system; Snoqulamie, Skykomish....the Stilly is extremely low. Super low. Scary low. Most of the steelhead-heads are fishing the Sky where there's some water and a few fish here and there. Numbers will grow, so don't go off working the craving on lesser challenges- you might as well not inhale. The junkies who have been out on the water a good deal have been catching fish. Floating line works...fish down and across, try to present the fly to the fish broadside, on as long and slow a drift as a decent current will allow (pass on the slack water areas). Mellower, sparsely tied patterns are generally more effective when the water is low and clear and warm. You don't need to be on the bottom.

Puget Sound: Cutthroat fishing is good out there in the estuaries, and the salmon are beginning to show. Reports of decent sized returning coho are trickling in from the usual areas of congregation; such as Point No Point and the Tacoma Narrows. Humpies are in at Hoodsport and aren't too far off for our Puget Sound tributaries. However, having not had a salmon show any interest in my slender minnow pattern in quite some time, I am at liberty to offer information only on the quality of the cutthroat angling.
Step one to being a successful estuary angler is to not forget your stripping basket. Coiling line in your hand is not a practical way to tend line that you have retrieved during presentation. Organizing the line you intend to cast with in coils is a very effective way of missing strikes, gathering drifting rockweed and destroying the very line between barnacles and your boots. Homemade stripping baskets can be inexpensive and still very effective, but the manufactured mesh-bottomed dealies sure make things easy. Costing less than your average fly line, and being very lightweight this is an uncumbersome bit of gear that will increase your salt water fun factor.
Step two for catching more cutts than you are entitled to would be to keep your rod tip low to the water as you jerk the fly into action with your line hand. Any slack will result in missed strikes. Hooking every cutthroat solidly is an unrealistic expectation, because they, more than most fish, take so aggressively and with such speed that our reaction time is always a bit behind the grab.
My last hint is to get out there, fish hard and to stop crying. Cutthroat only like to be caught by big manly men and women who don't cry and fish really hard. This means that the best tide is the one that coincides with the time you have to fish and stripping basket or not, low rod position or not, the cutthroat want to play - just not with crybabies. Fish Knudsen spiders, epoxy minnows, candlefish imitations, clouser minnows for fly patterns.
Thanks to Seth Taylor.

Have a nice day.

Sincerely,

Hugh Pastoriza
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