Washington Fly Fishing

[JoshMann44]

I want to start to fly fish...

Were are good places to fish in Washington?

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Josh,

Welcome to the forum. You live in a great fly fishing area. Looking forward to your post.

This is such a broad question it is hard to answer. We need to know what area you live in, at least the county. Do you have a boat, waders, float tube and can you hike?

If you live on the West coast then most of the coastal rivers will have trout and maybe Steelhead. If you live close to the Oregon boarder then any of the rivers that empty into the Columbia will hold fish. If you can hike then pick a spot on the river that is away from the road. I highly recommend you get a guide book for Washington and Oregon if you are located where you can fish Oregon. When I lived in Washington I fished Oregon more than Washington. I also highly recommend you go to your local fly shop and get real friendly with the owner. The best way to do that is to buy some flies and other gear. Your local fly shop will be a great source about where to fish and what flies to use. The forum can help you with your equipment.

Your first job is not where to fish but what gear you need and how to cast. Fly casting is not hard but it takes some practice. So I would talk to my local fly shop and figure out what you will be fishing for and what equipment you need.

Frank

 

[racine]

Your in flyfishing heaven out there so your opportunities are endless. If your just starting I'd avoid steelheading and go right for trout first. As an example when I lived by Olympia we made an annual warm up trek to a semi private lake called Double Rainbow( Rocky Ford, Lake Lenice, etc...). You paid a very modest fee but the trout fought hard and long. Growing up in Colorado I never knew trout could take my 6 wt into the backing, but they did, several times. That will give you fishing fever and a good primer for the sport. That said I'd join a local club, meet some fellow fishers and find the newer and hotter hotspots( Puget Sound Flyfishers, South Sound Flyfishers, etc...). Good luck, I wish I could share more but my Washington files are in the attic somewhere unknown and it's been 8 yrs since. I'll repost when I remember more...

 

[Guy M]

I've had a blast fishing in many places around the state. Some that come to mind are; Sol Duc river on the Olympic Peninsula, the famous Rocky Ford creek near Ephrata, the Yakima River, Starvation Lake north of Spokane, Lenice, Lenore, Dry Falls, Chopaka... And more... There's good fly fishing avail for steelhead, several species of trout, smallmouth bass and even carp... Hard to think of a corner of the state that doesn't have some decent fishing someplace.

Regards, Guy

 

[fin??whatfin??]

hey there are few i know of, on the west side the clearwater, wynoochye, some little creeks in mountains, spider lake(hard to access) the quinalt in my opinion just about any river or lake is good though. on the east side naches and yakima are good ones that i have been to.
the skookumchuck is good to lots of salmon and the humptulips if there not to many drunk parties.

 

[dogger]

The disease is taking me to Washington 2nd week of March, any suggests in and around Seattle area, think that is roughly where I'll be staying, but want to get out for steelhead and anything else that might be fun while I am out there.

Any local shops, groups or websites for that area?

Dog

 

[MBWCC]

The disease is taking me to Washington 2nd week of March, any suggests in and around Seattle area, think that is roughly where I'll be staying, but want to get out for steelhead and anything else that might be fun while I am out there.

Any local shops, groups or websites for that area?

Dog

I found myself in Seattle last August at a convention. One day at lunch I discovered that I had free time between 1 PM and 7 PM. I found Patrick's Fly Shop ( Patrick's Fly Shop - Fly Casting 201 ) in the phonebook and discovered that the shop was only a few blocks from the convention center. The gentleman at the shop was kind enough to help me purchase a Washington State non-resident license on-line using the shop's PC and also allowed me to use the shop's printer to print the license (the shop is not a fishing license dealer). He then gave me advice regarding a very nice fly fishing river I could reach in ~30 minutes driving time from the convention center, which flies would work on that river, and even gave me detailed instructions regarding where I should fish the river and where in the river I would find fish. I followed his instructions and my first & second casts took hits I was too shocked to hook, but my third cast hooked an 18" wild rainbow; the rest of the day was pretty much within the same theme.

If you can, visit Patrick's Fly Shop when you are in Seattle--I'll let the shop give you the river's name and location.

 

[dogger]

Thanks for the info, I will look them up!

Any ideas of what fish might be in the rivers, etc. Did you rent gear or did you have your own equipment?

Thanks,

Dog

 

[MBWCC]

Thanks for the info, I will look them up!

Any ideas of what fish might be in the rivers, etc. Did you rent gear or did you have your own equipment?

Thanks,

Dog

That afternoon and the following day were my only Seattle fishing experience to date so I can't tell you anything about fish to expect other than that the river I fished both days contained wild rainbows.

I had my own equipment. I pack a 4-piece, 8'6" 5wt fly rod & reel plus waders & boots on pretty much all business trips (I have a wheeled duffle bag that is my constant 2nd bag on the airlines).

 

[dogger]

I found myself in Seattle last August at a convention. One day at lunch I discovered that I had free time between 1 PM and 7 PM. I found Patrick's Fly Shop ( Patrick's Fly Shop - Fly Casting 201 ) in the phonebook and discovered that the shop was only a few blocks from the convention center. The gentleman at the shop was kind enough to help me purchase a Washington State non-resident license on-line using the shop's PC and also allowed me to use the shop's printer to print the license (the shop is not a fishing license dealer). He then gave me advice regarding a very nice fly fishing river I could reach in ~30 minutes driving time from the convention center, which flies would work on that river, and even gave me detailed instructions regarding where I should fish the river and where in the river I would find fish. I followed his instructions and my first & second casts took hits I was too shocked to hook, but my third cast hooked an 18" wild rainbow; the rest of the day was pretty much within the same theme.

If you can, visit Patrick's Fly Shop when you are in Seattle--I'll let the shop give you the river's name and location.

could I ask, what direction did you go, north or south of Seattle?

I just called Patrick's shop, got a couple suggestions, thanks for the pointers!

 

[MBWCC]

could I ask, what direction did you go, north or south of Seattle?

I just called Patrick's shop, got a couple suggestions, thanks for the pointers!

Southeast.

 

[dogger]

Patrick's was great, got me out for some good fishing.

Nothing to write home about for number of catches, but at least I was out!

Dog

 

[seattleman1969]

There are really too many good places to list within a 30-60 minute drive of downtown Seattle in almost every direction, including West as some of the small streams on the Kitsap peninsula are also amazing! My largest trout ever, a 24" 5 1/2 pound Sea Run Cutt, was caught and released just an hour north of Seattle downstream of Arlington on the Main Fork of the Stillaguamish.

 

[dorian.ducker]

There is a great fly shop in Mill Creek, just north of Lynwood (north of Seattle). I think it is called Pacific Fly Fishers. I could be wrong. They have always been liberal with information and very willing to let me cast any rod they have in their casting pond out back. Just thought I would throw them a bone. They have been good to me.

 

[seattleman1969]

Yes Dorian, it is Pacific Fly Fishers and they are a fairly good shop with great information. Some other suggestions: Ted's Sporting goods on Highway 99 in Lynnwood, great service, great all around fishing shop with an outstanding fly section and amazing information on current conditions/bites. also, if you want to learn about flyfishing in Washington, check out Dennis Dickson's Guide service and his website has TONS of ooutstanding information and articles on fishing certain rivers in the North Sound. Fly Fishing Steelhead and Salmon Guide for Washington - Skagit, Stilly, Sky, OP and Grande Ronde River - Stilly,Sky, Skagit Rivers

Good luck and Tight Lines!

 

[neather18t]

how bout lakes around the snohomish to smokey point area??? any suggestions. trout, just standing on the beach. although i do have a little boat if necessary. trying not to thread jack but i would say it is on the same topic

 

[seattleman1969]

Blackman's Lake just on the north side of the town of Snohomish was always a favorite of mine. especially march-May. There are a lot of holdover triploids, two boat launch areas and a park that has two pretty decent fishing piers. It's a motor free lake as well so you won't have the "zoomies" messing up your fishing although the kayaks and prows can sometimes become thick enough to interfere with casting and soaking your power bait.

Out of Snohomish there are a few others as well, on the other side of HWY 2 but south of Granite Falls, Lake Roesiger and Lake Bosworth and Lake Chaplain. In the same area are Flowing Lake, Panther lake and Storm Lake but I've never fished them.

 

[neather18t]

hmm maybe ill give blackmans a shot my uncle lives on the lake:icon_smil

 

[neather18t]

what flies do you use at blackmans. is there one that is like the best all around for around these lakes. a guy at my work said something about a casper special or something like that i don't recall the name