River Flow: 2,780 cfs at Umtanum
Water Temp: Wet wading is great! Temps - 54-61F
Trending: Slow rise, water is coming up for summer irrigation in the lower valley.
Water Clarity: 36"+ Vis
Hatches Upcoming and Current:
Summer’s rolling in, and so is the water. With the Yakima River climbing toward 3,000 cfs, it’s officially pushy current season. This is when having a seasoned guide on the oars really matters—someone who can read the river, hit the seam lines, and keep you in the zone when everything’s moving fast. Wading? Not so much. Floating? It’s prime time.
The Summer Stonefly hatch is in full swing now. These big nocturnal bugs are creeping and fluttering along the banks under the cover of darkness, and trout are on the lookout when the light is low. That means your best shot with a dry fly is early, late, or on a cloudy day. Midday? We’re probing drop-offs, deep seams, and boulder pockets with nymphs and streamers. And now that flows are up, trout are finally pushing into that juicy shoreline structure we love to target from the drift boat.
Over on the Naches River, flows are dropping into shape and we’re kicking off our limited run of guided float trips there. The Naches is wild, remote, and has great fishing —but not a great place for DIY floats unless you’re fluent in river hazards, log jams, and “oh-no-we-missed-the-takeout” moments. We max out at 2 guide boats per day, and offer single angler trips in smaller boats that absolutely crush in fast water. It’s a true adventure float if you can snag a spot.
Need something totally different? Bass are on the menu. Largemouth are active at Hilltop Lake, our private oasis, and Smallmouth season is in swing on an unnamed river we won’t mention here (because it’s too good). If you’re looking to shake things up, email dallas@redsflyshop.com to check for available Smallmouth dates.
Bottom line? Flows are up, bugs are out, and the fishing’s only going to get better in the coming weeks. Pick your target, book your trip, and let’s go fishing.
