Yakima River drift boat float
I spent a very enjoyable day fishing with Aaron from the Worley Bugger Fly Co. fly shop on the Yakima River in the Ellensburg area of eastern Washington state. I used to fish the Yak year round but 16 degrees (coldest I had fish) got too much for me. However, I outdid that yesterday. An unexpected cold front had moved in and the temperature at the river was a balmy 12 degrees above zero. Now that was cold. Add to that a slight 5 to 6 mph wind at times and it was darn cold. Nice and sunny however.
Naturally, lots of ice in the guides, had to keep popping out the ice. The fly line was stiff as a board. If you allowed you fly line to hand against the fly rod, the two would freeze together.
That said, it was a very enjoyable drift. I caught some really nice rainbow and cutthroat and cutbow trout. 15 to 17 inches, fat and sassy, plus a number of smaller trout.
With only a very weak BWO hatch coming off (and one very lonely October Caddis) the fish never looked up. So it was a nymphing day for sure.
I go out again next week and the temperatures are going to be closer to normal, like right at freezing in the morning then up into the 40's.
Larry ---sagefisher---
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