March fishing report
Yakima River:
We have begun to see the start of the Skwala Stonefly hatch! We will see the hatch continue to progress over the coming week, especially as fish begin to key in on Skwalas struggling on the surface. With warmer daytime temperatures forecasted over the next couple days, we should see more adult bugs consistently, and fish eating them! With the onset of the emergence of these adult insects, the trout will begin to inhabit varied habitat from their winter time lies as well. Stoneflies generally inhabit faster water, around shelves and stark drop-offs. Due to this fish will move to shallower water often times right on the shelf or just downstream of it, the most shallow being 2' roughly! Don't overlook this habitat in the coming month! We will start to see BWO's becoming more prevalent as well, so keep an eye out for small sailboats (mayflies wing structure makes them look like small sailboats) floating downstream. Soon enough we will see March Brown mayflies begin to emerge as well, and while the hatch can be quite short lived on any given day if you catch it right, many trout will be rising to these adults! One thing to keep in mind moving forward is river flows, as we have seen bumps in flows over the last couple weeks. When more consistent rains return we should see the Yakima begin to fluctuate more so, depending on snow levels. Make sure its not flooded and that you have your stonefly nymphs and San-Juan worms, and go chase some hungry trout!
For nymphing, Stoneflies #6-10, San-Juan Worms, BWO nymphs #16-18 and Pheasant Tail's #12-14 should be your considerations. For when adults bugs start to show, Bullethead Skwalas, CFO Hummer Skwala, Rainbow Brite, and Rio's Skwala will all suffice for surface Skwala's. If BWO's are about, Purple Haze and Parachute Adam's #16-18, Sparkle Flag BWO #16-18, and Parachute Quill body BWO #16-18 should entice some surface feeders. for when March Browns are hatching, flies to consider are March Brown Adams #12-14, March Brown Cripple's #12-14, and Parachute Adam's #12-14 (and variations) If streamers are on the menu, Sculpin patterns are always a good food source for trout, but baitfish flies can also entice some larger trout for a bigger meal!
Steelhead:
From the Coastal rivers to the Skagit and Sauk systems, steelhead returns are better compared to what many of us have experienced in the last 10 years. With that fact, we have been seeing and hearing numerous reports of fish being caught! A few of our guys have been fishing consistently on the Skagit/Sauk, having encountered fish swinging flies as well. In addition, a good number of the fish encountered and reported are large multiple salt fish that have easily exceeded 15-20lbs! Truly the fish of a lifetime! Whether venturing out west to the coast or north the the Skagit, we are in the perfect time to target these beautiful wild fish.
Make sure to check regulations on the coastal streams, as some are closed and/or close at differing dates. Otherwise the Skagit and Sauk Rivers will close April 15th, so you still have over a month to chase after steelhead in the North Cascades!
To view regulations for the Coast and Skagit/Sauk, links are below
Coastal Rivers regulations: https://wdfw.wa.gov/newsroom/news-release/wdfw-announces-2024-25-coastal-steelhead-regulations
Skagit/Sauk Regulations: https://wdfw.wa.gov/newsroom/news-release/steelhead-fishery-open-feb-1-skagit-and-sauk-rivers
Puget Sound:
Lately, the cool and calm weather has allowed for great conditions for fishing the Puget Sound waters for cutthroat! So long as we maintain the benign weather the opportunity to find cutthroat roaming the beaches will persist. Wind and rain can lead to challenging fishing conditions, so keep an eye on the weather and go after our cutthroat companions! In the Puget Sound, fly selection isn't the most pertinent variable to consider as the fish have a number of food sources, though for the next 1-2 months Chum Salmon fry will outmigrate to the saltwater, providing a great food source for the Cutthroat. The key to finding the fish will entail ensuring you are fishing on a moving tide in general, fishing rips and currents, and identifying structure the trout will inhabit! Some fly patterns to consider will be Clouser minnows, Seth's Sand Eel's, shrimp flies, and flat-wing style baitfish. Soon enough we will see the outmigration of Chum Fry to the Puget Sound, lending to a feeding frenzy of Cutthroat eating these tasty baby salmon! Keep prepared for late February into early March for their voyage from their natal streams.
Eastside Lakes:
We saw a number of Eastern Washington lakes open on March 1st, including Lenice and Nunnally, the Quincy Lakes, Lake Lenore and Dry Falls Lake to name a few in Grant County. While reports have been relatively sparse, with the warmer weather of late we should see a majority of these lakes free of ice in the coming days if they aren't already. Eastern Washington lakes are a great way to target trout this time of year!
Fishing from a float tube or pontoon is the best way to tackle these lakes, as bank access can vary and be inconsistent on many lakes. Tactics should entail trolling streamers like Wooley Buggers and Leeches, as well as baitfish patterns to entice any Browns and Tigers present. Otherwise, chironomid's and balanced leeches under an indicator or slowly retrieved with a midge-tip line can be quite effective for fish keying in on the chironomids.
