February 2026 Fishing Report
Fishing Report:
Yakima River: Reports out of Cle Elum/Ellensburg have been great over the past month, with good size and numbers of trout present! The warmer weather has allowed fish to become more active and feed before spawn. Look for flows below 2000 cfs at Umtanum to be able to actively start wading the river, and ~ 4-500 cfs at Easton. We have seen a few fish start to hold in faster water lies, entailing faster seamlines, structured runs, and even a few fish targeting stoneflies in drop-offs. Keep an eye on temperatures and flows over the coming weeks, as we may see some variance with the incoming moisture (though snow levels will be low, meaning that the rivers shouldn't rise too much due to snowfall), as this will change some of the fishes behavior due to cooler water. Otherwise, target walking-paced speed water with ample depth of 3-6'. We have continued to see fish feed in the late morning and afternoon hours. Though you may still find trout during the morning hours as well, it will be wise to focus your time in the warmer hours of the day. Techniques to employ will pretty strictly remain nymph and streamer fishing, though we have had some preliminary. The only concern in the river is below the State (East Cle Elum; Hwy 10) boat launch, where the main channel has an impassable logjam.
For flies when you're nymphing, Coffee/Black Pats' Stone and TJ Hookers #6-10 and San Juan Worms have been the most productive flies as of late; otherwise Pheasant Tail's, Lightning Bugs, and Perdigon's all in #16-20 hook, #16-20 Zebra Midges in black, red or olive and Whitefish eggs (small, yellow/cream colored roe). Streamers should entail Sculpin imitations such as the Near Nuff Sculpin (a great sparse pattern!) and the Sculpzilla, as well as baitfish patterns, though smaller tends to be more effective during the spring time. We have a newly updated selection of streamers that are sure to entice some Yakima trout! If you see flows change on this river it should be noted that San Juan Worm's will be quite effective!
Snoqualmie Forks: The Forks have come down in flows over the last couple days, allowing some decent winter fishing on the forks. We will see cooler temperatures and lower snow levels which will most likely slow fishing down, so keep an eye out for the warmer daytime temps over the upcoming weeks. The main techniques to employ should remain strictly sub-surface. Nymphing Stonefly nymphs, San Juan Worms, small midges, and Perdigon style jig nymphs will be good to fish under an indicator. Smaller streamers resembling sculpin and baitfish should be considered if you enjoy swinging streamers! When the snow consistently falls in the mountains, this fishery tends to slow down, so find a good day to get out when the flows are low enough and the weather warms.
Steelhead: Coastal rivers are still open for fishing, with many Southwest rivers closing February 15th and many other Olympic Coastal rivers closing March 31st. The mainstem Snoqualmie river from Plum Access to Tokul creek, including the creek itself up to the boundary marker will remain open to hatchery steelhead retention until March 1st, allowing for another month of local steelhead fishing! You can find the emergency regulations here: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/
Saltwater: The Puget Sound is a great alternative to target trout versus their fluvial counterparts this time of year when the river flows can be marginal and the water temperatures cold. In the Sound the water temperatures stay pretty regulated, allowing trout to remain active through the Winter months. Keep an eye on tides, particularly avoiding slack tides at the apex or trough of the tidal swing. As well it is imperative to fish the best habitat, which will include rocky structure, oyster beds, and points that can create currents and rips that tend to trap baitfish, ensure to look for seams and current lines on the surface! All that is necessary is a 5-6wt rod, floating or intermediate fly line, waders, and ideally a stripping basket though not necessary. Soon enough, generally around April, we will see Chum Fry and other salmonid species out-migrate to the salt water, providing a favorite food source for our Sea-Run Cutthroat trout during Spring.
Flies to consider in the saltwater arena are Clouser Minnows, Sand Eel's, small shrimp and squid patterns, and Flatwing style baitfish patterns. when we see the small salmon make their way to the saltwater, baitfish to mimic the Chum Fry will be imperative to have! Get out to the Puget Sound and target some feeding cutthroat!
Stillwater: We are slowly turning the corner from Winter towards Spring, meaning that our lowland lake opportunities will expand significant in the coming month. While we currently have a good number of lakes open to fishing, there will be fish planted in numerous lakes across Washington. While April 1st marks the general lake opener, local options are available including Beaver and Pine Lakes, Rattlesnake, and even Lake Sammamish (with a boat) has been producing trout! Trolling buggers and leeches, chironomids under and indicator, or cast and retrieving baitfish to target larger trout are techniques that should all be considered! Stop by the shop to see our updated streamer selection, and toget some input on our local still-water fisheries.
