Seems as though we have been waiting forever to green light this and it may still be a bit premature on some but we now have nearly all fisheries around Seattle within our grasp.  The wait is over!

This is likely the longest stretch of time moving into summer where we have been confident on Puget Sound for sea run cutthroat.  Kelp has not yet been too bad due to such a cool and cloudy spring and early summer, bait is everywhere and they have been willing to play with us.  Bottom line, get out there now, learn your beaches and be ready for coho here later this summer.

Yakima is finally at a stable and floatable flow for the remainder of the summer we hope.  This is caddis season on long floats.  Hopper season won't be too far off and streamers against the bank while floating along will also produce fish.  We are guiding over there all summer long so let us know if you want to get out and figure out this fishery.

The Cedar River, our local fishery for those here in the Seattle area is ready for you!  A mini west side version of the Yakima, have all the same flies as you would for over there.  If you pull up Google Earth and see all the green surrounding the river, that is almost all accessible for the walk and wade angler.  Each part of the Cedar has a slightly different look to it as far as layout so if you have questions or want help on figuring out how to get in the water, give us a shout.  Our favorite way to find the bigger trout right now is drifting a streamer under log jams and then scooting it back out from underneath along the lip of the scour hole it has likely made.  They will come firing up and out of that deep hole for it so have some larger tippet.

Our small waters or blue lines as we like to refer to them are ready for the adventurous angler...we never do nymping on these small waters it just isn't worth is so fishing later in the morning when water is a bit warmer and then high sticking big dry flies in the bubbles behind big rocks will draw those hungry trout out for sure.  Be careful on the hook size as many of these trout are not huge so having smaller sized ones will prevent killing the smaller ones because they don't realize they aren't huge. 

Warmwater is on all over the place...north, south, east and west just pick a lake or lower Yakima or other slough like watershed, put on a popper and have fun.  Bass are such a great species to chase on the fly and if you have been around some of the smaller lakes in the area, they have carp going crazy in the shallows.  Carp on a fly rod will make you think you have been chasing the wrong species your whole life.  Definitely a finicky species and your approach at times needs to be stealthy with longer leaders and such but well worth the effort.

Finally, if you have an old 12wt sitting around gathering dust because you haven't traveled lately, well head to Ilwaco, Westport or the Oregon Coast and get after some Pacific Albacore.  Sea legs will be necessary as will 500-700 grain sinking heads unless you get lucky and find them crashing bait on the surface and if that is the case...have a rod ready with a floating line and either a crease fly, gurgler or just a baitfish pattern and have fun!

At the end of the day, do not forget to have fun!  This is supposed to be fun...

Questions?  Call, email, facetime, text...we are here for you!

EWA Staff