Fly Fishing Reports Seattle, WA

Welcome to the Emerald Water Anglers Seattle fly fishing reports page for all your local, western Washington and PNW region fly fishing information. We cover more water as an outfitter and guide service than anyone in Washington and as a retail store we want to be your portal into the sport with honest and current fishing reports so your upcoming time on the water with or without us can be planned as well as possible for maximum enjoyment.

Thank you for visiting and if we can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. To receive special reports and news on upcoming events, new destinations and products please sign up for our newsletter here or call the store with questions, even while on the water — 206-708-7250.

Puget Sound Food Forms
Puget Sound Wind Speed/Direction
Tides: Seattle Hood Canal Whidbey Island
WA River Flows
OR River Flows

- High Water and Chrome Fish - February 2020
  A month plagued with heavy rain and flooded rivers, January 2020 was a month to behold. The month was riddled with short opportunities to fish and even less opportunity to stand dry on our swollen rivers.
  Winter steelhead season has fully kicked off and we are seeing decent pushes of fish during the small windows of opportunity that we have had. With the recent closure of the Skagit/Sauk system, we have turned our attention to the OP, particularly the North Coast. With all this high water, the fish have been pushed way close to the bank and we have adjusted our strategies to this. Fish light and close in tight situations. We like a 10ft FLO-tip in T-7 or T-10 for these tight situations. In faster travel lanes, we will use longer tips, 12-15ft to get down into the zone in the heavy water. Be sure to up your fly sizes in murky water; the fish need to see it. The Sputnik from Aqua Flies have been a shop favorite recently, particularly in orange or black/blue. Other good flies have been the Ultra Squid, Dirty Hoh, or Greg’s Kriller.
  Sea Run Cutthroat fishing has been great too! While most of our rivers have been too high to fish, we have been spending some time on the one place that doesn’t really “blow out”. We have been finding cutthroat on a variety of flies but particularly on shrimp patterns. My favorite fly for this have been Rio’s Participation Trophy or Rio’s Banana Stand. Shrimp move a bit slower than your standard baitfish so we have been moving these at a medium to slower pace.
  For the swing anglers who are itching for a tightline grab, the Yakima is an excellent place to take your trout spey. We have been building a better trout spey selection, specifically for targeting fish on a swung fly. In warmer conditions, the fish can be found in your typical trout holding water but if the water gets cold, look for the deep, slow moving pools. Our favorite flies for the Yakima this time of year have been Rio’s Make it Rainbow or Rio’s Pocket Rocket. Both flies are perfect for swinging on our waters out east.
- January 23, 2020 A Very Busy Week
  
  Ok, here is the quick and dirty of it. There is so much going on this next 9 days it is a little crazy even for us so buckle up!
  
  January 23rd (aka today) - Tie One On at the store with Jeremiah Houle from Bend, Oregon. Former steelhead guide, fantastic fly tyer and now Orvis sale rep will be doing his beautiful winter steelhead flies. Join by clicking here…
  
  January 25th - EWA Spey Day on the Snoqualmie River in Fall City. Find us huddled under the bridge with all the brands we carry to try the latest and greatest spey rods worth casting. T&T, Winston, Hardy, Scott, GLoomis, Orvis, Echo, Sage, Redington, Scientific Anglers, Airflo, and Bridge Fly Lines. Trout and Anadromous spey are all available to try. Free instruction, bring water bottle and coffee cup, hot lunch provided.
  
  January 29th & 30th - The Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Admiral in West Seattle on the 29th and SIFF on the 30th. Come see some of our very good friends on film around the world doing what they do best, capturing some incredible moments chasing our favorite species.
  
  January 31st - Last day to fish our beloved Skagit and Sauk for the season. Mother Nature may have some say in this but at the moment it is closing day so put on your waders and grab your new two hander and go enjoy…
  
  February 1st - March 31st - O.P. steelhead season in full swing. Looks like it will be a wet one this year so plan carefully but more importantly be prepared to call in sick when the time is right.
  
  As ALWAYS, call, email, stop in, IG message or even facetime us if you need to. Our sole mission is to help you find the success you are after on the water.
- December 24, 2019 Early Season
  Steelhead
  We are on the cusp of what nearly every serious angler in Washington looks forward to throughout the year…Winter Steelhead season. This is the pinnacle of fly fishing in the Pacific Northwest, the highest form of angling here, and we are starting to see a few early fishing nosing into our local rivers.
  Hatchery season has been in full gear for the last few weeks and there are decent catching reports coming from the Skykomish, Wynoochee, Humptulips, Bogachiel, Cowlitz, etc. All of these rivers have a heavier hatchery influence than some of the more renown rivers for big, wild fish. We approach hatchery fish the same way with a swung fly. In low water, we have been fishing heavy, longer tips, and small marabou style tubes while in our recent high water, we fish short and light with large intruder-style flies.
  Wild fish are starting to show in our local favorites like the Skagit/Sauk but we’re hearing good reports from the rivers on the Olympic Peninsula like the Hoh, Sol Duc, Calawah, etc.
  Puget Sound
  Puget Sound is fishing well for Sea Run Cutthroat right now with many of the larger fish of the year being caught in December and January. We are looking to fish on the big tides and the quick drops that follow. The South Sound is where you want to be right now. The local favorites (Lincoln Park, Seahurst, Purdy) have all been good with most fish caught on that outgoing tide.
  Our favorite flies have been Rio’s Just Keep Swimming, Sound Searchers, and Puget Prawns. We have been finding fish on a slower retrieve recently, especially with shrimp flies. Don’t be afraid to try polychaete worms this time of year too!
  Trout
  The Yakima has been a bit cold for the season but it is still producing a few fish for those that really dig for them. You’re shooting for a fish a day, maybe two, unless the water warms up a bit. If we get a warmer spell, try some streamers and shoot for the big boys. Sculpzillas, Dolly Llamas, Zonkers, etc. The standard approach is nymphing with a heavier fly, a Pat’s Rubber Legs, and a small dropper underneath such as a Rainbow Warrior or a Brassie. As much as we hate to say it, a fluorescent pink San Juan Worm is a killer on the Yak this time of year.
  Rocky Ford AKA “The Ditch” has been fishing consistently well throughout this Winter. The water stays relatively steady in temperature throughout the year so the trout have plenty of time to get big and fat. A 30″ rainbow is not uncommon and we saw a few tickling that range a few weeks ago. Nymphing with a small midge pattern or a scud has been productive while the odd BWO hatch has kept things interesting up top. Streamers are always a good bet this time of year and we like to throw larger flies, tempting the more aggressive fish in the creek. Sparkle Minnows, Circus Peanuts, Zoo Cougars, have all been good bets.
- December 16, 2019 Enter the Steelhead
  
  Like it or not, it is steelhead season in the PNW in more locations that we can shake a stick at but for us, we are primarily focused on the Olympic Peninsula and the Skagit/Sauk system while it remains open.
  
  Rain has been minimal here over the past few weeks so all rivers are in really good shape at the moment but that can change at any time. Our reports page also has a link to water levels on most of our rivers with what we feel is good levels to be there and live links to current flows.
  
  Some large hatchery fish have been glad handing a few anglers on the Bogachiel and Sol Duc the past few weeks and a wild fish here and there on the Skykomish River.
  
  This is absolutely the time to learn how to spey cast so you are ready for the meet of the season as well. Nothing like a holiday gift of a private spey class with one of our great instructors.
  
  Puget Sound is also fishing well right now and the wind has mostly been pretty calm as of late and with the recent cloud cover, days have been perfect out there for the winter fly angler.
  
  Happy Holidays everyone, look forward to seeing or talking with you soon.
- November 10, 2019 Shorter Days
  
  Well, there it went, our daylight is gone for another season here in the PNW. Shorter days mean being focused and planning your fly fishing experiences well. Fortunately these days the choices are a bit more limited.
  
  For us, we are focused on 3 species/regions of the PNW for the coming 5 months, some more than others. Our entire staff is very spey-centric so naturally steelhead season is atop list of species to pursue.
  
  Cowlitz, Skykomish, Skagit, Sauk, Klickitat, Hoh, Queets, Sol Duc and Bogachiel are some of our favs and are spread far and wide from each other here in western WA so knowing your flows and knowing where you are headed are going to maximize time on the water with rod in hand.
  
  For the next few months we are guiding most of these rivers until they close or others become a better option in our opinion. During that time we are also doing full day spey schools and spey casting lessons. Call the store to book one and get your skills finely tuned for the season.
  
  Puget Sound is also up there as this is really our favorite season to fish/guide the Sound. Fish are active, sun is low, kelp is gone and fewer people are on the water. All good/great reasons to be turning your attention here.
  
  Lastly, the Yakima River is always a mid winter option if you are willing to endure the cold and can safely get over the pass. With water levels being mostly low for the coming few months, we encourage anglers to explore this river on foot as there is ample water to cover over there and no need to cover vast swaths of it in order to find a few fish.
  
  On any of these topics, please come in, call or email with questions, we just want you to have fun out there so we will do what we can to help that happen.
  
  We have a few events coming up to be aware of:
  
  December 5th - Customer Appreciation/Gift Registry 5pm - 9pm
  December 8th - Women’s Gear Up Night 7pm - 9pm
  January 25th - EWA Spey Day 10am - 3pm
- October 27^th, 2019
  Steelhead
  We saw significant blowouts this past week, but rivers are on the drop and shaping up beautifully. Keep your eye on the flow as some rivers are dropping into shape more quickly than others. We are getting into fish both sub surface and on the surface, so if you have ever been curious about skating dry flies, now is the time!
  We have been fishing traditional flies like the Purple Peril and Brett’s Obie Skater from Aqua Flies and more modern flies like the Hobo Spey in a variety of colors. For those fishing more modern flies, the Ultra Rig from Aqua flies has been the number one consistency from our guides. We can’t get enough flies tied fast enough with the Ultra Rig! Come on by and ask us why the ultra rig is quickly becoming our go to rigging system for both summer and winter steelhead.
  Yakima
  After a bump in flows, the river is returning back to normalcy, just above 1000cfs. With sunny weather for the remainder of the week, we are expecting lows in the low to mid 20’s for the beginning of the week, rising to low to mid 30’s by the end of the week. Expect the fish to be lethargic in the morning, so fish area’s where the water has had a chance to warm (the tail outs) and try to slow down your fly and put it in the zone. As temperatures rise in the middle of the day, fish will become more active. Some flies for the morning should be Pats rubber legs size 8’s in Coffee or Orange. Some flies of interest: WD-40 Midges in 18, and October Caddis in the afternoon. Don’t be afraid to skate or twitch October Caddis on the surface after your dead drift.
  Puget Sound
  We have seen our typically increase in productivity on the Sound over the last few weeks with the onset of more all day cloud cover. Even though this week is much sunnier than the last few, the sun’s trajectory in the sky is not as steep, meaning that fish feel more secure even in broad daylight than during the summer months. Therefore find the moving tides and get your fly in the water! Tomorrow has a fantastic 12.15 to -.51 from first light until mid day. This should be a great time to be on the water.
- October 25, 2019 YES!
  
  We just completed our first of many EWA Women’s 2 day/1 night steelhead trips on the Klickitat River and it was a resounding success. Not because a ton of fish were caught but because new friends were made, new river fished, new skills learned and new stories created.
  
  The Klick is fishing well at the moment. As most of you know we are only swinging flies and mostly utilizing two handed rods. We are one of the very few who ONLY swing flies for these majestic fish and do so for many reasons but mostly because it is what we are crazy sick with passion for and believe it can be infectious.
  
  Yakima River had a decent bump from the rain last week but is coming back down quickly as are most of the other rivers in the area. Still some BWO’s coming off during the afternoon mostly and of course other methods are working well too.
  
  Cowlitz River is in great shape at the moment too and while there are a few steelhead around and can surprise you if chasing the sea run cutthroat. With flows as low as they are, there is some wonderful water to pursue these days down there.
  
  Puget Sound is testing anglers to know their beaches as wind has been coming from all directions lately so knowing which beaches are in the lee of the wind is crucial to a fishable day on the water. Baitfish, shrimp patterns and surface skating flies are all working well for SRC’s at this time.
  
  Lastly, most of our small streams are open for just another week or so so if you want to get out there better do it though at this point we would simply suggest pointing your attention to the Yakima or Cle Elum Rivers as both are fishing well and low enough to approach from all over.
  
  If we can be of any assistance out there, please let us know so we can get you out there and ready?
- October 11, 2019 Swingin’ Baby!
  
  Spent the past couple days swinging flies for trout on the Yakima River and it was nothing short of amazing in many ways. First, covering water nearly everyone else ignores as they float by with indicators leaves much of the water to only those wielding the shorter long rod. Secondly, because you cover water as you would while steelheading, you spend more time with you fly in the water fishing and doing so while becoming a better line manager. As a guide, you watch clients have 100% control over the experience of every fish, teach new casts and watch lines tighten as a trout turns on a soft hackle rising in the water column. All in, this is as good as this river gets, call or stop in and join us over the next month or so for one of our seasonal favorite guided experiences.
- September 16, 2019 All Things Spey
  
  As we enter fall, nearly our entire staff…actually the whole staff begins to get a little stir crazy because some of our favorite watersheds in the area are in perfect shape for swinging flies for either trout or steelhead.
  
  The Yakima and Cle Elum are down and ready for swinging flies for cutthroat and rainbow trout and if you haven’t handled a trout sized spey rod yet, we really need to help you make that happen. We currently have staff throwing Winston, Echo, Gloomis, Sage, Thomas and Thomas and Redington trout spey and they are all fabulous!
  
  If would like the thrill of chasing a steelhead but would like a tug or two as well, the Cowlitz is a great place to put yourself in the game because there are steelhead in right now and the sea run cutthroat will also take smaller flies so it is sort of the best of both worlds here for the next month or two.
  
  Call us and let’s get you in the water with one of these great little sticks, or a big one…or both!
  
  Happy fall everyone, see you soon,
  
  EWA Staff 206-708-7250
- September 13, 2019 Spey Time
  
  These days we are able to employ spey casting in nearly all facets of our fly fishing endeavors but when fall arrives in the PNW, particularly here in the Seattle area, we feel its relevance even more.
  
  With flows at low fall levels, swinging flies on the Yakima and Cowlitz for rainbow and cutthroat trout are terrific options and for those seeking slightly larger interactions, steelhead on many of the rivers around here is beginning to uptick. Skykomish, Klickitat, Cowlitz, Hoh and Queets would all be great options to consider.
  
  Low and clear water will demand longer leaders, possibly smaller flies and while your winter Skagit heads will work just fine with a floating tip, why not pick up and enjoy casting a Rage or Scandi head with a longer front taper. These heads will turn over flies with delicate precision and elegance, showing off those casting skills so well.
  
  Questions on anything spey, call 206-708-7250, we are here for you!