Best month to fish the Yakima River

Month-by-month fishing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds on the Yakima River: flow and season. You need the river in its fishable-flow band — so a freestone in spring runoff is out no matter how good the hatch would be, while a dam-fed tailwater holds shape year-round. On top of that, the hatches and water temperatures line up best in September and October and January and February and December, which is why those months edge out the rest. The Yakima River's season runs washington's only blue ribbon trout stream, flowing through the yakima river canyon; the "flip-flop" irrigation cycle keeps summer flows high (drift-boat water) and drops the canyon to comfortable wade levels september through may.

The Yakima River Canyon is Washington's only Blue Ribbon trout stream — 75,000 wild rainbows and cutthroat per mile in places, running through a dramatic basalt canyon between Ellensburg and Yakima. Irrigation-season "flip-flop" keeps summer flows high (great hopper-dropper water from a drift boat) and low, clear, and wadeable the rest of the year, with a legendary fall Blue-Winged Olive hatch once the canyon drops.

Where to fish the Yakima River

BLM access points along the canyon — Umtanum, Big Pines, Roza, and Lmuna Creek — give walk-in wade access once flows drop below ~2,000 cfs, typically September through May. Through the June-August irrigation season the canyon is best fished from a drift boat working the banks with terrestrials; check the Umtanum gage before a trip either way.

Guided trips & lodges to book