Where to go Fly Fishing in Washington - Updated January 2, 2025
The New Year is here and we've had some pretty encouraging fishing reports lately. We've had reasonably mild weather lately and the rivers have been in much better shape that one might expect. Jordan has been on the Skykomish twice in the last week and has hooked fish each time. We've had a few good Pass Lake reports and some for the Yakima River as well. Take advantage of warmer weather patterns and hit the water on those weeks when the temperatures are in the 40's.
Steelhead & Salmon
Skykomish River -- Steelhead fishing is underway on the Skykomish River and there are certainly some fish around. Our very own Jordan Rae has been going out and finding a mixture of dolly's, steelhead, and even a big rainbow out of the Skykomish. The Sky is open until the end of January and is likely to be closed until June 1 after that. The Skykomish is running a bit low and clear right now but should get some more water and color on the next round of rain.
Skagit/Sauk Rivers -- The traditional time to hit the Skagit/Sauk has been around February but it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and beat the crowds a bit in January. The Skagit is likely to produce another healthy run of winter steelhead this year and the season should remain open through the Catch and Release season of Feb through April. Keep an eye open just to be safe, but it is expected to be open during that timeframe from what we're hearing, The Skagit is probably crystal clear right now. The Sauk is at 3500 cfs right now and that is a great level but probably a bit on the clear side too.
Olympic Peninsula Rivers -- January is a prime month on the Olympic Peninsula rivers as a large percentage of the hatchery fish will return by the end of the month. The rivers of the southern portion of the OP have open seasons right now and would certainly be something to look at in January. The traditional Forks area rivers like the Sol Duc and Bogachiel should be fishing good now and will likely continue to be interesting throughout the spring season. River levels are great right now.
Trout
Rivers – There are a few trout river opportunities in January worthy of mentioning. January on the Yakima can be pretty dang cold if you hit it wrong. But, the weather forecast for the first portion of January looks pretty good. Temperatures with highs nearing 40-degrees could make for a great day on the water.
Some good flies to take on a February Yakima trip would include Dave's Neo Twenty Incher, the Tungsten Zebra Midge, the Micro-Stone - Dark, the Tungsten Rainbow Warrior, and maybe the Griffith's Gnat in case you encounter some midge sippers. Also, don’t forget to take a few Gummy Worms, especially if you're there during a shot of rain. Streamers on a trout Spey would be a great day as well. Steamers like Coffey's Conehead Sparkle Minnow, the Dolly Llama, or JR's Streamer swinging through a deep, slow water run could find something to make the day warmer.
Rocky Ford is a good idea for a January trip as well. Watch those weather forecasts for the warmer periods and make a road trip. This unique trout fishery regularly produces giant trout in the 18 to 24 inch range. Fish over 20-inches won't even turn heads on Rocky Ford. Some days the fishing can be really easy. Other days it can be seriously tough. Since Rocky Ford is a spring creek, the water temperatures are fairly stable and the fish will feed all year long. This time of year, plan to fish either streamers or small nymphs and scuds. A good fly box this time of year might include flies like the Coffee's Sparkle Minnow in Pearl, Swede's Rabbit Leech - Black, Jon's Hot Spot Czech Scud - Pink, the Jujubee Midge - Zebra, and the Tungsten Zebra Midge - Red.
Lakes – Our popular westside trout lakes like Pass Lake and Lone Lake are open all year long. Vogler Lake near Concrete, WA is another fly fishing only lake that is open all year long. On a low-wind day, fishing in January can be comfortable and quite productive.
A good gameplan for fishing these lakes this time of year would be to use full-sinking lines with leech patterns like the Hale Bopp Leech – Brown or the Ruby Eyed Leech in Canadian Olive. Fish the fly in deeper water and keep it close to the bottom with small strips. The strike can be very subtle this time of year so set the hook with a strip-set on any indication of weight on the end of the line.
Puget Sound Saltwater
Sea-run cutthroat trout fly fishing in Puget Sound can be good all year long. We haven't had many reports for our portion of the Sound, but one of our customers did comment on some friends doing quite well in the more southern portions of Puget Sound. This is common for the winter months, for the southern part of the sound to be more productive.
Try to hit more than one beach during the day, paying attention to tides and trying to stay on moving water. Fish intermediate sinking lines, fluorocarbon leaders and flies like the Baitfish Minnow, Deception, or Flashy Lady. Remember to pinch your barbs down to stay legal and to aid in releasing the fish unharmed.
Summary
Give us a call if we can help with further advice or equipment, flies, etc. Hope you get out and take advantage of Washington's year-round fly fishing season and remember to check back for an update to our February report.
-- Michael
Pacific Fly Fishers
Ph: 425-742-2402
Email: Info@PacificFlyFishers.com