The Yakima River While the water levels have been creeping up over the past few days, reports from the river are still "strong" to "very strong" (margin of error +- .0022). The nymph fishing has been consistent throughout the day, with dry fly opportunities arising intermittently. Stonefly nymphs, both the giant Salmonflies, and the Golden Stoneflies, are on the move, making their migration towards shore. Fortunately for us and for the fish, with their extra sets of legs the odds of them tripping and losing their footing are increased by a factor of three. In you step with your black, brown or golden stonefly nymph imitation, and attempt to replicate the tumblings of a tripping stonefly. Not to be confused with a Grateful Dead performance, the tripping stones are easy prey for nymphing trout. As your lovely warm breezy day on the Yakima continues, you may observe fish breaking the water's surface feeding on any or all of the following: Caddisfly adults and emergers, Pale Morning Dun (yellow mayflies) and Mahogany Dun (dark brown mayflies) adults, emergers, and spinners (spent females who have given and given and given until they can give no more, and are, in a word, spent.) The spinner fall generally occurs later in the evening, so look for sipping trout at 8pm. Other flies to consider for your arsenal include Ants. Ants are not strong swimmers, but have either a great longing to swim or poor directional skills. In any event, they frequently end up in the river, and fish eat them. You do the math. Also, craneflies- they hang out around rivers and lakes and stuff, and can be fun to fish. You could also add some nymphs to the lineup: prince nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs, copper johns, flies with beads on the head sink better and refract light to attract the attention of daydreaming fish. Even better, drop the nymph off a length of tippet material tied to the bend of a sizeable (#10-ish or better) dry fly, like a stimulator or salmonfly imitation. If you don't go fishing, you won't. Go ahead. The water is fine.

Western Washington Lakes Reports from Rattlesnake lake right here in our backyard have been outstanding. State plants have yielded some fish of size, as well as the regular, super-fun average 14-inchers. Lake Alice, Lake Langlois, Beaver Lake and Pine have likewise been fishing quite well, with the promise of improvement over the next several weeks. Having a full-sinking flyline is key, as the fish feed a great deal on the critters swimming and crawling around- much moreso than the insects on the surface. Damsel and Dragonflies are popping, so the respective nymph patterns will be effective. Woolly buggers in red, black, olive, flashy...whatever...are always a good solid choice to rope a few fish. Chironomids live in every lake and puddle for miles around, and if the fish know anything, it's that 10,000 chironomids a day keeps the doctor away. OK- you're the doctor, which may not seem to make sense, but if you just pretend to be the doctor for argument's sake, for a little while, and don't stay away, well you just might catch some fish. Chironomid tactics are as varied as the genepool at the kickboxing studio nextdoor- (great variety). Popular & effective techniques include a long leader of 12-18' with a strike indicator at the butt end, and a chironomid at the other. Cast, sit and wait. Maybe a little twitch once in a while (the fly, not you...). Slightly more interesting is fishing them on a full sinking line and either casting and retrieving very very slowly, or just super-slow wind-trolling. You can't retrieve a chironomid too slowly. They swim up from the depths to hatch, and as they approach the surface the gasses trapped in their shuck begin to give the bug a silvery appearance- hence the popularity of patterns tied with silver tinsel or wire. We have them. You fish them. Fish eat them. Arithmatec simplicity.

Eastern Washington Lakes: Plagued by some windy days, the fishing has been good when the weather cooperates. Recent decent reports from Lenice and Dry Falls have been intertwined with tales of windburn and disproportionately sore leg muscles from kicking a float tube against a 25 knot gale. There is no doubt that strong winds can seem to turn the fishing off, and barometric pressure changes can also adversely effect a trout's appetite. But don't give up- there is hope. Just because it is windy, doesn't mean you can't milk some decent fishing out of the deal. Wind-trolling, for example, with a fast sinking flyline and a big leech or bugger, is a good tactic when the wind makes casting futile. This time of year, we begin to see the Callibaetis mayflies launching, and just because the adults are immediately wisked away by the gale doesn't mean the fish aren't keyed in on the nymphs. They still have to swim to the surface, and the fish still have to eat, and you still have to get away from the screaming whining droves of small people once in a while. Plus, chances are, the wind will die in the evening, and the water dimpling fish rising frenzy can be yours if you remembered to put on your anti-wind lotion. The Caenis mayfly, is tiny, and happens this time of day over there as well....if you've ever experienced the microscopic mystery hatch that often occurs in eastern Washington this time of year, there is a good chance it was the Caenis. A size #20 or smaller pheasant tail nymph on a greased leader may be the ticket...and if not, it's a good fly size to have when the repressed masochist in you tries to tie a #22 on 6X tippet at 8pm with a sheet or two in the wind. (I don't know what that means, either). And That is your Wally tip for the day.

Puget Sound: Negative tides have made timing maybe slightly more important if, say, you need Water to fish. Otherwise, general reports have been good. Narrows...Purdy cutthroat Olalla...math time. Baitfish imitations. Moving tide. Be the Ball.

Green Lake: Your stocking report from Green Lake in lovely Seattle is worth noting. 4,000 Triploids (large, hard fighting rainbows) were recently released there. They are hungry, and very very angry. You owe it to yourself and to the fish to give them a target for their aggression- remember, You are the Doctor. Woolly Buggers, leeches, baitfish patterns, damsels and dragonflies, spinners...whatever. If you can come up with 6 reasons not to go, then you should buy a flyshop. (just kidding...). Seriously- Green Lake is silly with fish right now.

Cedar River: Will reopen this coming Wednesday, June 1st, and Creekside will be there. We are all over it. More importantly, You are all over it. If history is any indicator of future results, stealth, patience, calm and some stonefly nymphs will be your ticket to adrenalineville. From the Landsburg bridge to the mouth will open to single-barbless catch & release fishing. Last year, those who succeeded treated the river with the care of an Baghdad Airport convoy. That means that you knead to be confident, stealthy and patient. The best times to fish are generally when the sun is off the water (sorry- it's closed to 'night fishing'). Late evening time last year was really when the river came alive, but that was more later in the season when it was warmer, so back up- the nymph fishing in the deep trenches that distinguish the Cedar. Fish a strike indicator with a brown or black stonefly nymph #8-10, or a dark hare's ear nymph. Experiment with different depths. Work the pools systematically, and for goodness sake remember that the water is extremely clear and these fish finished high school (unlike the fish in the forks of the Snoqualmie, who dropped out halfway through senior year). Some, the larger ones in particular, had some advanced placement courses, as well. This means that you should approach your fishing on the Cedar like you would on Rocky Ford spring creek- stealthily. For more information on being stealthy, stop by your local Creekside location and use the keyword 'Stealth'.

That's all we have for you right now, but keep your inbox volume on high so as not to miss our periodic supplimental updates as reports come rolling in and the season matures.

We here at Creekside wish to bid a very fond Farewell to a great friend and patron for 10 years, Herb Angle, who passed away Tuesday night. Herb was a pleasure to engage, a true fly fisherman and craftsman. We will be fortunate to ever encounter another as kind and with as much love for life as Herb. We will miss him greatly.

Sincere Regards,

Hugh Pastoriza & Company
www.creeksideangling.com
Issaquah & Seattle, Washington Shop online at www.fishcreekside.com

© 2005 Creekside Angling Company All Rights Reserved

© 2005 Creekside Angling Company All Rights Reserved

For additional or more current information on some of the fishing opportunities here in the Northwest, Please call or e-mail us:

Please visit us in one of our 2 Great Locations:

Issaquah:
1180 N.W. Gilman Boulevard
Issaquah, Wa 98027
425.392.3800
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Seattle:
1308 4th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98112
206.405.3474
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