Yakima River Canyon (and above)

[Chanes8CWU]

Anyone have any advice on how to fish some trout out of a drift boat (not flyfishing) other than throwing spinners? Bobber and bait? plugging? Figured id get out and just start throwing stuff at em but thought id ask first

[birdshooter1189]

Roostertails, castmasters, and panther martins would be my lures of choice.

I like using a torpedo float bobber, with a 2-3' leader, and trail a fly hook behind that. Usually size 12 adams fly or royal coachman, or a size 4 or 6 mouse pattern fly to get big trout to make acrobatic bites.  It's like fly fishing with an angling rod. Fly fishing purists might cringe at this, but it works great for me.

[lewy]

jigs

[Sakko300wsm]

Ive been fishing out of my drift boat quite a bit the last few weeks on the Kettle R - been whacking them good on #3 Vibraxes and Rapalas

[zwickeyman]

When I wasn't fly fishing I would use a panther martin spinner that had a yellow body and orange spots. The smallest one they make. Slayed some big trout with those things

[mcrawfordaf]

+1 on the Blue Fox Vibrax. Any of the fire tiger, orange, red, yellows and pinks work for me.

Could also try some smaller crankbaits, have picked up several bows on rapalas

[Bushcraft]

Pretty sure selective gear rules apply in the canyon.

[jackelope]

Single barbless no bait above Rosa dam. Not sure if it’s catch and release but it’s worth making sure one way or the other.

[jackelope]

Also be aware if you’re not familiar that the upper section is sketch right now. Log jams and sweepers abound.  The state boat launch at Cle Elum is affected. Canyon is normal. Flows are bumped up to irrigation flow level. 

[OutHouse]

Biggest trout I ever caught out of that river was on a very small dark red rooster tail. It was a salmon of a trout. Also, black rooster tail. Also, cast master (small one) with blue stripe on it. In my young and foolish days before I became an adult, I fished that stretch with worms all the time. Have caught perhaps twenty in the 3-8 pound range. I personally haven't done well with panther martins in there but it could be my technique, who knows.

Stop in your boat at Pac Man cliff (used to be called Smiley Cliff) and park on the rock barb just down from the cliff jumping spot. Cast up stream into the eddy where it allows your lure to not really come back to you very fast. Bring it in slowly and watch the trout snatch it in about 1-2 feet of water.

Also about 50 yards or so toward Yakima on that rock barb the river gets a bit wider and its not too deep, perhaps several feet at most. Cast as far as you can up stream at an angle and just before it hits bottom start your retrieve. Lots of 15-20 inchers hang out in there but it may take many casts before you get a tug. Just keep casting and good things will happen.

[Buck Rub Jr]

Brads lil wigglers have treated me well on the yak. Usually throw spinners. Watch Bill Herzogs videos of twitchin jigs for them. Next time I go I want to try some small 1/16 and 1/32 oz wooly bugger jigs under a float

[Chanes8CWU]

This is all excellent info and confirms what I had thought! Thank you everyone!

Next question, does anyone know of a turnaround service? Probably either from the Ellensburg KOA to Ringer, or Ringer to Umptanum?

[Chanes8CWU]

Had a great float sunday. Caught 6 rainbows and boated 4. Had one in the boat around 10". Really fun, minus all the floaters once you pass Umtanum. I dont have an issue with them normally. Just cant stand the groups of 10 tubes tied together. Had one group run right up my anchor line.

[jackelope]

Had a great float sunday. Caught 6 rainbows and boated 4. Had one in the boat around 10". Really fun, minus all the floaters once you pass Umtanum. I dont have an issue with them normally. Just cant stand the groups of 10 tubes tied together. Had one group run right up my anchor line.

The bikini hatch is a summer fact of life in the canyon.