Eastern Washington Fishing Report 07.25.19
Things have turned around since last week with the area lakes. Hot weather has brought an upturn in lake temperatures. Only one lake is still reporting cooler waters than the rest. So, I would say for now it's time to hit the rivers and break out the hoppers.
Current Conditions
Bonaparte Lake - Water temperatures are still holding below 65 degrees for now. With projected night time temperatures in the mid to the low 50s and daytime temperatures in the mid-80s, we should be okay here for a while. If smallmouth bass is your game, you'll want to hit the water at first light and fish for the first five hours of the morning for the topwater action. Fish in and around the shallow vegetation close to the shoreline. You may need to go through a few different poppers in color and design to find the one that will give you the most action. Once you do, you can expect smallies in the two and maybe even three-pound range. The tiger trout and rainbows you will find in 10 to 20 feet of water most of the time. Early morning may find a few in a little shallower water. For the most part, you're going to have to go down for them. Leeches, standard as well as balanced, blobs and small streamers are what I would recommend.
Okanogan River (WA) - The river is now down to 1,300 cfs with a little up and down, more down then up. With the way the weather is, with the bright sunny days, it’s a morning game in most parts of the river and maybe an hour and a half before dark. For the first couple of hours in the morning, poppers have been working. After that streamers, buggers, and leeches would be your best choices. The smallies are holding in some of the deeper waters near bridges and overhanging brush along the shoreline. One thing I have noticed is that if you are catching nothing but smaller fish, you might want to move and look for pocket water that might only hold a fish or two. From what I have found, the larger fish seem to be by themselves of with similar size fish.
Methow River (WA) - It looks like it is going to be one of those years. The river is at 420 cfs currently and that is almost 1,000 cfs lower than last year. The good thing is that right now the fishing is good. Summer is here and it's all about the hopper along with some other foam flies the dry fly fishing is what’s going on. The size of the rainbows and cutthroats are well worth each cast. It doesn’t seem to matter what area of the river you are fishing; you should have no problem finding fish. If you are like me and cannot leave the water until I have run a streamer through it, don’t be afraid to do it. You may not catch a lot of trout but, the ones you do will be worth the effort.
Match the Hatch
Stimulators – Olive or orange
Foam Flies – Chubby chernobyl pink, purple, and tan
Hoppers – More or less hopper green, tan or yellow
Leeches/ Buggers – Yellow Crystal Bugger, Brown Crystal Bugger, Black Crystal Bugger, Black Balanced Squirrel leech.
Poppers – Popper splatter Fl. green chart or orange, Frog
Streamers – Sculpzilla, Coffey’s sparkle minnow sculpin, Clouser chart/white, gray/white
Need to fill the box before you go? Order flies online here.
Tips & Techniques
An easy way to change from floating line to a sink tip is to carry a couple of poly leaders in different sink rates with you. These tips will get you down to the depth you need when the bass or trout have gone a little deeper. This will help you reach further than with just a floating line and weighted streamer.
See past reports from the Omak region, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.