I'm looking for information on fishing the yakima river for the spring chinook fishery. What to use for catching these fish, where to fish, where to launch and take out a drift boat for this fishery. Thanks for any help.

I will pm you with a contact I have over there. I have never fished it but he lives in Selah and is a great guy. Bill

PM sent

Hey ProG, you been out yet?

I was on the lower section this weekend. Had 3 fish on, one to the boat. Reeeeaaaallllllyyyyyyy slow. But, with that said, yesterday was the first day of a 1000+ fish over McNary. So, if history holds true this year, in the next couple of days, we will start seeing 100+ fish over Prosser. So, by the middle of Next week we should start picking up fish around Yakima.

I will be back down in the lower section on Wednesday, and maybe this weekend.

Right on. I am waiting til they get up here. Don't know the lower river very well. Was there a lot of pressure?

Not much pressure at all. The river is so low, that most jet boats can't get up very far. We were in the db so we got to fish a lot of the water with no pressure.

Won't be low for long with this warmer weather. The Yakima and Naches have come up a quite a bit along with color in the last day or so.

I know. That has been the trump card all year. Well, see how much water they start dropping out of Roza in the up coming week.

With all the snow pack, a couple days in the upper 70's low 80;s, it'll be toast...unfishable.

Just hope for more cooler weather.

As for what to use, in the past seasons, Yakima Springers have been great egg biters, whether under a float, behind a bait diver or back bounced.

3 fish on is considered slow for you on the Yak at this time? Wow! I'd like to see you on a good day!!

What Mike said.

Three fish in two days. I am just comparing it to years past when the Yak was open. From my experiences when I was able to find a couple of fish, there were usually several there as well. That was not the case for me this past weekend. Each time I had a fish, it was the only one to be had in that spot. When I fish HARD for two days from Benton City to the bridge in Richland I would consider it to be slow. But, that is just me. With the numbers shooting up like they did yesterday at McNary, the lower river should be good in the next few days to come. Lets home mother nature helps us out a little.

Looking worse today, the Naches has muddied up pretty good, and is putting lots of color into the Yakina...not lookin to good for now.

I hope for some cooler weather, as I supose to starting the Yak around May 20th...

Yeah it's lookin pretty rough today...high and pretty dirty! I don't mind the color so much as the water level. I had a buddy "attempt" to fish it on Monday and was off the river in about a hour and a half...he floated about a 6-mile section and it was just too heavy for him to plug or fish effectively.

Enjoying the few days off Bob?

I spent a good part of the day yesterday "looking" at the river, wondering if it will fish again this season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but it's not lookin very good.

Have you guys seen this site.

http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nws/hh/basins/yakima.html

I just found it the other day, and thought you guys would like it.

If we get any shot it will be a very small window. Look at the 10 day forecast, in the 80's by next Wednesday and 86 next Saturday. Bad Bad Bad!!

I know I know I know. I am thinking maybe the first of next week Maybe.

Can you post a pix of the Yakima springers. I just wondered how they look when they get up there. I see fall chinok there when I trout fish, that are in surprisingly good shape early in the fall.

The Yaki fish that I have seen come out of there are in great shape. Most of the fish are destined for tribs further up the water-shed (American River, Little Naches, Rattlesnake), so when caught in the lower yak, the fish still have a ways to go.

I have no pics, but the ones I have caught in the past have been bright and in very good shape.

I worked on (construction) of the Cle elum Salmon Hatchery back in 96. Back then it was considered state of the art. If memory serves me right only spring Chinook are reared their.

The springer's are in excellent shape (my only picture is of a 10pd. fish caught below Parker back in 85). even when they get to Rosa. As for tasting, I'm guessing they still have good flavor even into Aug.

Smoked in Aug. And Bonk em in Sept.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/552732120QgKZqZ?start=12

Mf

Springers stay in good shape well into summer on the rivers I fish, so I don't see why they wouldn't be in good condition when they get to the yak this time of year. I've always thought that would be an interesting fishery. I fish the lower Columbia tribs for springers, and as you know those fish are strange. Weird biters to say the least, when they get to the yakima are they still as picky? More so?...Later


Jake

I have never fished Yakima R. springers, but when the Wenatchee R. was open for springers they were by far the best biting springers I have ever fished for. In some of the more popular holes you would sometimes see 5 to 10 fish on at a time. It was mostly a bank drift fisherie with eggs, shrimp and herring the most used. From what I have experienced the upper Columbia R. trib. springers are much better biters than lower Columbia R. trib. springers. I sure miss the Wenatchee R. springers.

I'll second wenatchee springers biting well. We would float our 12' lake boat down icicle creek before work and limit out every morning for a week or two. Blue label herring with a #2 spin glow drift fished. I know it sounds stupid but the would eat it and you really had to let them eat it or you would miss them every time. We also would back bounce in the main Wenatchee when it was open. From 85-87 were awsome and they were awsome eating bronze color but red meat 550 miles from the salt.

Saw several boats and a few guys fishing the zipper lip stretch, on my way home from work yesterday. The river's coming up faster than Kingda ka, and pretty milky.

Here they come.
http://www.cbr.washington.edu/dart/adult.html

Mf

I would be very suprised if the Yakima is fishable for the rest of this season. With Record high temperatures, tons of snow still around, and winds, I think everything is pretty much going to be toast for a while. With the Yakima already at about 10,000 with the hottest days yet to come, I think we are going to see one heck of a flood soon.

Flooding for sure...but check out the extended forecast.

The lower fishery's probably done for, but the upper river...don't think so.

Mf

every springer i've seen in a indian dip net was beautyfull. very brite with no signs of coloring. this is at the wapato/parker diversion dams.

just thought on the bad water conditions. there are many glacial fed rivers up in alaska. water almost white. they take kings in that near zero vis. a guy should still ba able to catch fish in the yak. the klickatat flows very silty and king are caught in it too. i would adapt my klick tactics to the yak. big saucy clusters fish closed to shore. just my thoughts