Amazing over the past decade or so how different our entry into summer has been in the area. Read more deeply into it or not but when summer hits it has been landing with water temps reaching higher levels, what seems to be sooner than before.
Many of our smaller streams have seen flows drop quickly with high water temps so the importance of fishing early, landing fish fast and using appropriate gear to do so has never been more vital to the livelihood of the fish we love to chase so much.
Cedar River, Snoqualmie Forks and the rest of the Cascade small streams are low and clear. Fish are opportunistic and will likely chase anything that looks like calories for them so identify their holding water and put your Stimulator, Wulff, Humpy, Adams, Caddis or Trude's in there and have fun.
Puget Sound is beginning to welcome migratory coho and certainly the residents have been out in numbers so not really a better time to get on the water. Light is still early, around 5am or so so get up and get out for a couple hours before the mad rush to work from homers hit the road...so to speak. Baitfish are bigger so go with larger profile flies and absolutely do not be afraid to fish on top...coho and cutts are more than ready to investigate surface flies, always!
Summer steelhead of the hatchery variety are in the Cowlitz in good numbers currently as well and if you are a swinger, this is a great river to hit with the spey rod. TONS of good swing water and the opportunity to fish smaller intruder patterns, true summer hair-wing flies or go traditional.
They Yakima is high for another few weeks and it is hot over there too, not surprisingly so fish caddis and hoppers through the day, fish early if possible and if fishing the evening, caddis should be your game right up to dark.
Because it is hot, warm water species are as hot as it can get. Sunny days and little wind will help with spotting carp and your choice of small to large surface flies will bring smallies to hand as will subsurface streamers.
All in all, fishing is good all over right now so enjoy it because fall will be here soon and then the fishing will be really good!
Have fun and as always, ask us questions, we are here to help you find your success, grow your skills and deepen your passion...we are here.
