Photo & Flies by Mitch Randall @pugetsoundsrcflies

We feel as though we talk about this for about 10 months of the year; the arrival of the beloved Chum Fry.  Well, we now have a 2 month reprieve before we can begin the process again.

So in the meantime, get out and fish PUGET SOUND!  These Chum fry will be very small for the time being so smaller flies with parr markings are going to be the closet imitation you can get.  2 inches in length or less and narrow in profile with a sizeable eye.  See example above.

Yakima River - Flows continue to be very low and friendly for the walk and wade angler.  BWO's and Skwala's will be your top water varietals while their subsurface forms will also be good most of the day and streamers and will definitely move fish now as well.  Get out there while the flows are down because the warm weather in the future is going to change that here very soon.

Steelhead - While a few are being landed around the OP, there haven't been a ton.  Not a surprise really considering low water conditions for much of the season and of course the myriad of other factors.  The Hoh, while low has been off color due to a slide up river and there have been a significant number of people out there too so have plan A, B, C and beyond for your day.  Low and clear means not as heavy of sink tips and smaller flies, which is what we fish most of the time anyway so fish what you have confidence in, that is likely more important than anything really.

We are going to enable those post work day jaunts here beginning this weekend so get the rods dusted off and let's help get you out there fishing.  Happy spring everyone, we promise it will feel like it here soon.

EWA Staff