Water is low and clear, perfect for wading but easy to spook fish. For anglers who are stealthy in their approach fishing has been great with fish eating small flies and large stones under the surface. Dry fly anglers have been finding success on midges and BWO's especially later in the day. 

This time of year any technique could put fish in the net. Be ready to fish streamers, dries, and nymphs on any given day. If you want to 'ride or die' one technique to catch the most fish, nymphing is king.

Dry fly anglers should clear the large flies out of their box and get their size 22's and magnifiers ready. Fish can be caught on large flies too but most consistent fishing will be with flies in the 18-22 range. You can throw a chubby or hopper and a fish may eat it still, but expect it to be a low numbers game compared to summer. 

Plenty of anglers are breaking out the spey rods and catching some nice fish. Throwing a sculpin and swinging baitfish patterns can often sort big fish out from the pack. Since the water is low and clear, Best streamer fishing should be low light (early morning, or evenings) but fish can always eat a streamer. 

Techinques -

Dry Flies

If you are a die hard dry angler, look for fish rising to blue wing olives. BWO fishing this time of year can be very productive if you have the appropriate flies. Mayfly patterns in sizes 18-24 work well in Grey, Olive, and Black. Your favorite midge patterns, like a Griffith's Gnat, can work well as well during these hatches. Look for surface activity during midday especially on overcast days. Fish will also eat small caddis emergers or hopper patterns.

No signs of October Caddis yet but we are expecting them to start flying around soon. Make sure you are stocked up for them incase they make an appearance during your fishing. 

Nymphing

Nymph fishing is most productive right now, and most patterns could fool fish. Fish are being caught on the usual Pat's, TJ hooker, Blow Torch, Pheasant tail mix, but caddis patterns are never a bad choice. We are seeing some large stonefly shucks on the banks (about a size 4) and those patterns are catching fish. Stoneflies have a multi year life cycle so don't rule out throw smaller stoneflies as well (all the way down to a size 14). 

Small nymphs are working well as well. Flashy nymphs with CDC or soft hackle do a good job representing caddis emerging from their case. Further midges are always on the water and fish are definitely keying in on this food source in between hatches. 

Streamers

Streamers are certainly worth trying, particularly during low-light periods, although historically we tend to see streamer fishing really come alive after the first hard frost of the season. Try swinging streamers throw promising runs with lots of cover. Or jig your streamer through soft water and behind boulders to convince fish to eat. 

Where to Fish: 

Where there is depth, fish are still on the banks and can take hopper or stonefly on the surface. Keep in mind many banks that held fish through the summer months are now running shallow. 

In sections with low water against the bank, many fish have moved off to the gut of the river and are still sitting in riffles and pockets along the river. Wade anglers have the advantage of time to pick through every pocket available. Boat anglers many want to focus on banks but be prepared to change tactics and adapt to sections with lower water. 

Water temps are still fairly warm so do not expect fish to be pooling in deep slow runs just yet. Especially when the sun is in the sky focus on riffles and structure where fish can hide from predators. 

How to Fish:

Fish seem to be somewhat scattered, meaning you won't often find a pod of 10+ fish in the same lie, but you might find one or two in each prime holding spot. The water is getting low and that means that fish are more visible to predators from above. This means anglers should spend more time picking apart broken water in boulder fields than large flats. 

Work pockets thoroughly and fish mid river cover well. On overcast days expect the fishing to be slightly easier with fish being not as tight to cover, but make sure you get your bugs on top of where the fish will be holding once the sun is out and high in the sky. 

Current Trend: Improving
Flows: Dropping currently at around 990
Best Tactics: Dry flies, nymphing, occasional streamer action
Outlook: Very good, with continued improvement expected as cooler weather arrives.

Cooler water temperatures are giving the Naches a much-needed boost, and the fishing has responded. We've settled into one of our favorite seasonal patterns: cold nights, warm days, shortening daylight, and trout beginning to feed with a little more urgency. It's the kind of weather that gets us excited about fall on the Naches.

The river remains very low and continues to drop, but there are still fish to be found for anglers willing to cover water and fish thoughtfully. Water temperatures remain the biggest factor. Afternoon temperatures have still been pushing into the upper 60s on warmer days, so anglers should plan accordingly. If you're headed to the Naches, fish early, carry a thermometer, and keep an eye on conditions throughout the day. Mornings continue to offer the best combination of cool water temperatures and active fish.

One bright spot is that we're on the doorstep of one of the river's most anticipated fall events. October Caddis should begin showing up any day now during the evening hours. For whatever reason, this hatch often gets rolling a little earlier on the Naches than it does on the Yakima, giving local anglers an early taste of fall dry-fly fishing. We're not seeing consistent emergence just yet, but it's close enough that we'd keep a few October Caddis patterns handy every time we hit the river.

With flows as low as they are, dry flies remain the primary game. Trout have fewer places to hide and surface-oriented fish are often easier to locate than during higher water conditions. That said, don't overlook nymphs and streamers. Well-presented subsurface flies can still move fish, especially during the cooler hours of the day or in deeper holding water.

If the lower river is feeling a little warm for your liking, now is also a great time to explore some of the higher-elevation tributaries and smaller streams throughout the basin. Those waters typically maintain cooler temperatures and can provide excellent late-summer and early-fall fishing opportunities.

We're still offering guided trips on the Naches, but conditions are changing quickly as flows continue to fall. Depending on when you're looking to get on the calendar, we may only be able to accommodate single-angler float trips. We also offer walk-and-wade trips for anglers who want to experience this unique fishery on foot. If you're interested in fishing the Naches with one of our guides, reach out to Dallas at dallas@redsflyshop.com and we'll do our best to find a date that works.

Current Trend: Improving with cooler nights
Flows: Low and dropping
Best Tactics: Dry flies, with nymphs and streamers as secondary options
Outlook: Good, with October Caddis season just around the corner and improving fall conditions ahead.