Emerald Water Anglers

Lively conversation, attention to detail and exceeding expectations...pursued relentlessly and with passion.Instagram @ewaflyshop_seattle and @emeraldwateranglerswa

[emrldwtranglers]

June 7, 2020 - Sing it, “Whoohoo, We’re Oooopen Again!” Wish we could say this has been and easy time, obviously it hasn’t been at all but the world continues to rotate and we continue to evolve while spinning with it.  We understand how much being on the water means to everyone’s psyche and as we always say, we are quite simply here to help you learn, have fun, grow and find success out there.  We as always, greatly appreciate the support everyone provides us, we love being here for you. We would also like to applaud and thank all the demonstrators who showed up in the Junction yesterday, voicing the need for change and doing so meaningfully...in mass and peacefully.  We truly are stronger together. At this moment fishing around the greater Seattle area which we consider 3 hours driving time is pretty darn good, all things considered.  So here is the run down: Yakima flows are about where they should be considering where we are in the season and with our snow pack.  Caddis are abound and our wonderfully fickle trout are paying more concerted attention them and should from here forward.  Still seeing some Yellow Sally stoneflies and a few March Brown mayflies around the upper river and streamer fishing will definitely get some fish to move.  Trout spey, use that long rod to skitter some caddis down river of yourself, even riffle hitch that little Elk Hair so it stays on top as it comes across.  Don’t know how to do that, drop by and we will show you. Puget Sound is filled with lettuce so don’t worry about packing a lunch!  Intermediate lines can help with this by getting your fly below what is suspended on the surface and you will absolutely want/need a stripping basket for this time of year and we have 4 to choose from if you don’t have one.  Baitfish are growing in size so have larger profile flies on hand and trim if need be.  Hood Canal has been seeing an increase in resident Coho activity and more cutthroat showing themselves as well.  Try to fish an out going tide as often as possible.  As a tide comes in, it doesn’t necessarily bring the kelp to you but rather lifts is back up into the water column from its resting point on the beach.  So if you have to fish an incoming, scout the beach a bit and if there isn’t a ton of kelp on it, likely have less to contend with as the tide floods. Mountain creeks are mostly going to remain pretty high for a bit longer but following cooler days and evenings, you may be able to find some slightly lower water.  We don’t typically do anything but dry fly in these watersheds so larger stimulators are one of our favorites.  If you want to drop a little Copper John or Hare’s Ear off the back, by all means do so but these trout have a short feeding season so they will be pretty opportunistic.  Caddis, attractor patterns and if you want, small streamers will do great, especially in another couple weeks. Cedar River remains a bit high and BUSY but that is because it is a great little urban river to explore with quite a lot of public access.  We really like fishing streamers against the log jams.  Some evening dry fly activity for those able to stay out late, use some caddis and finally Chubby Chernobyl with a dropper through shallower riffle water will likely move a few fish as well.  In other words, enact your favorite tactic and get after it! Lakes are fishing well for trout and bass.  Some high alpine ones will remain mostly frozen so stay lower for now and for the warmwater species, surface poppers, frogs and baby duck patterns are the ticket!  These are so under appreciated in our area, we are going to spend considerable time getting people up to speed on how to and where to fish here locally for them so stay tuned. Steelhead rivers here in Puget Sound are open again and at the moment are at a fantastic flow for swinging some flies.  This can be a very good time to be on these rivers.  Water will still be sort of cold and have some color so don’t completely abandon your winter tactics but maybe go not as heavy on your tip, T7 or Intermediate would be great and go/stay smaller on your fly.  This is just our recommendation, as everyone knows this is maybe the most subjective space in fly fishing so take our 40 years of swinging flies with however many grains of salt you like. Have fun out there, stay healthy and respect one another on the water, its for all of us to enjoy.

[emrldwtranglers]

May 9, 2020 - Beautiful Days Ahead Fishing has reopened here in WA but there are some things to keep in mind: 1.  All Puget Sound rivers remain closed until Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. 1a.  Forks of the Snoqualmie are open but main stem is not. 2.  Cedar River is closed until Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend 3.  Same with the Olympic Peninsula rivers 4.  Yakima and Cle Elum are open, salmon flies, caddis and PMD’s are around. 5.  Most lakes are open but check regs to make sure. 6.  Puget Sound is mostly open but check regs on specific places you intend to fish. Here is the latest regulation updates from WDFW Here is clarification from city of Seattle on parks and other areas: Seattle Parks & Recreation <[email protected]> 8:10 AM (3 hours ago)to dave Dear Seattle Parks and Recreation community, I am writing to share important information about continued impacts the coronavirus public health emergency is having on Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) facilities and programs. In alignment with Governor Inslee’s statewide ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order, Mayor Jenny Durkan has announced that the City of Seattle’s policies on facility closures and permit suspensions will be extended until at least May 31, 2020. The May 5 registration for fall childcare and summer programming is delayed until later this summer (no date is set). May 12 registration for summer childcare (ages 5-12) is ON. May 12 registration will begin with current Emergency Childcare in coordination with DEEL for essential worker families.  May 19 registration will open to enrollment to our scholarship families. Registration will be open to all on May 26 as space is available. An additional email on summer childcare details will be coming soon. All programming, rentals, and permitted events will remain canceled, and all community centers, pools, environmental learning centers, and all other recreation facilities will remain closed to the public until at least May 31. TEMPORARILY CLOSED: Facilities: All community centers, teen life centers, pools, small craft centers, environmental learning centers, and the Amy Yee Tennis Center are closed. Programs: All recreation and athletic programs, including (but not limited to) swim lessons, lap swim, youth basketball league, drop-in sports and activities, track and field programs, tennis programs, exercise classes, dance classes, art classes, and teen programs are canceled.  Rentals: All SPR facility rentals are canceled. Permitted events and field reservations: All permitted events and field reservations are canceled. Specialty gardens: The Volunteer Park Conservatory and the Japanese Garden are closed.   CURRENTLY OPEN: Shower program: SPR’s free shower program for Seattle Public Schools students and community members in need will continue at Delridge, Green Lake, Meadowbrook, and Rainier community centers. Miller’s shower program is currently being used only for the shelter residents currently in place there. Parks: All SPR parks, trails and open spaces are open (with the exception of the Volunteer Park Conservatory and the Japanese Garden). Community members are encouraged to use our parks, but not to congregate and to follow public health guidance around social distancing.    PARKING LOTS are closed at these popular parks to help disperse crowded conditions: Along Lake Washington Blvd (Adams St, Duck Bay, Ferdinand St, Lower Colman, Mt. Baker Bathhouse, Stan Sayers, Prichard Beach, 49th St), Seward Park, Genesee, Carkeek, Discovery, Golden Gardens, Green Lake, Kubota Gardens, Lincoln, Magnuson Park, Matthews Beach, Riverview, Volunteer, West Seattle Stadium, Woodland, and Atlantic St Boat Ramp (except when UW will be offering their drive-up COVID testing). Play area, boat launches, tennis courts, picnic shelters, and other high-touch amenities are still closed at this time. We ask that you assist us in encouraging your friends, families, and neighborhoods to continue to follow public health guidelines about physical separation as you visit our parks and open spaces.  In addition, if your favorite park is crowded, we invite you to discover others among our  more than 480 parks. I know that these continued facility closures and program cancelations are increasingly challenging to the many of us who rely on SPR for places to gather and connect with friends, family and community around health, wellness, educational, athletic, recreational, and environmental offerings.  SPR staff is dedicated to supporting Healthy People, a Healthy Environment, and Strong Communities, and we have been exploring ways for the community to continue to engage with us via virtual community and fitness programming via Facebook and YouTube during these temporary impacts. I encourage everyone to check the following resources for updates about SPR operations and facilities.Stay informed: Seattle Parks and Recreation Website:  www.seattle.gov/parksSeattle Parks and Recreation Blog: https://parkways.seattle.gov/ Seattle Parks and Recreation Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SeattleParksandRecreation Seattle Parks and Recreation on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeattleParks Seattle Parks and Recreation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu_TDwi9mJPWDKKEvY0BbrA We appreciate your understanding and patience during these difficult times. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your local community center or pool, or email us at [email protected].  As this unprecedented health emergency continues, we will communicate any additional program changes as soon as possible. Sincerely, Jesús Aguirre Superintendent Seattle Parks and Recreation

[emrldwtranglers]

April 21, 2020 We’re Not Fishing...But We Have Coffee! Yes.  We now have our own EWA brand of coffee, click here to buy! Well, today we fielded yet a few more calls and emails from people asking which rivers and lakes were open to fish here in our illustrious state.  Sadly, at this time, Washington continues to be the only state in the U.S. entirely closed to fishing.  We like so many others hope this can begin to change in the near future, in the meantime, we are drinking coffee among other things, tying flies and spending incredible time with family.  Time we may not otherwise ever have.  DO NOT let this opportunity to do so pass you by. So without further adieu, here is our report for the region and futures forecast for fly fishing in Washington... Puget Sound - Looks freaking amazing these days, water is clear, gentle breezes and longer days will make for fabulous fishing when we are again allowed. Steelhead - Should be the song singing end to yet another amazing season of swinging flies for our wild state fish.  Well that song come in early March so we now look forward to hopefully a blissful reintroduction to our rods, boats, favorite runs and fishing partners.  On an up note, we are VERY excited to have provided the wild fish we love, maybe too much at times, a much needed break from us.  We hope they made the most of it! Yakima River - With any luck, like literally buy every lottery ticket available so we may be on the water for the caddis hatches of May and June. Mountain Creeks - A decent winter and a cooler spring could put us opening back up in time to enjoy some real social distancing on our little Cascade gems. Heads up everyone, we know this has been difficult but it has been for good reason and maybe, just maybe we will all look more fondly upon our favorite watersheds when we are able to return to them.  Deep breaths, long hugs with family and love for everyone, we have and are all truly in this together.

[emrldwtranglers]

March 4, 2020  Peeling Back the Layers

Do you feel the sun shining again? That old, smelly insulated jacket is starting to look a little worn for wear and you are thinking about T-shirts and sandals. Yes, we feel it too. Spring is on its way.

Steelhead - With the many closures happening around the state, it seems that the only game in town for wild fish is the OP or some others down South. It is a sad year to be a steelhead angler but we keep on, two steps at a time. Conditions have been good for the past month without interference of blown out rivers like we are used to. With small spurts of rain, the rivers have stayed at a comfortable flow, but still a good amount of color to make a swing angler feel confident. All your common flies have worked great as there have been a variety of conditions to fish in. With low and clear water, smaller reverse marabous have worked great. With high water, nothing beats an intruder in a variety of colors. The fishing will continue strong through the end of the month and will taper off into April.

Puget Sound - Chum fry season is here! This is one of our favorite times of year to target Sea Run Cutthroat in Puget Sound as they can be found harassing the schools of micro-salmon leaving their natal streams. This is an event that is hard to miss and you will definitely know when fish are present. For flies, you can’t go wrong with a Chum Baby but a small olive/white Clouser Minnow will get the job done too. The outgoing tides will be your best bet for experiencing this bait busting kind of fishing. Look for big congregations of Sea Runs near the mouth’s of your favorite creeks.

Yakima River - The Yak has been hot for the past few weeks with the mild weather we have experienced. This is the time of year when streamer fishing gets really hot and the big fish come to play. Just think, the fish haven’t seen flies all Winter...they will crush any piece of meat that comes their way. The standard flies will all work and you don’t have to be too creative to get lucky this time of year. We like a Sculpzilla or a Bow River Bugger for the streamer bite. In a few weeks, we should see a few skwala stoneflies emerging which marks the first good dry fly fishing of the year. Following that hatch, the March Browns will start to emerge and that is when things get really good. 

[emrldwtranglers]

High Water and Chrome Fish  -  February 2020

A month plagued with heavy rain and flooded rivers, January 2020 was a month to behold. The month was riddled with short opportunities to fish and even less opportunity to stand dry on our swollen rivers. 

Winter steelhead season has fully kicked off and we are seeing decent pushes of fish during the small windows of opportunity that we have had. With the recent closure of the Skagit/Sauk system, we have turned our attention to the OP, particularly the North Coast. With all this high water, the fish have been pushed way close to the bank and we have adjusted our strategies to this. Fish light and close in tight situations. We like a 10ft FLO-tip in T-7 or T-10 for these tight situations. In faster travel lanes, we will use longer tips, 12-15ft to get down into the zone in the heavy water. Be sure to up your fly sizes in murky water; the fish need to see it. The Sputnik from Aqua Flies have been a shop favorite recently, particularly in orange or black/blue. Other good flies have been the Ultra Squid, Dirty Hoh, or Greg’s Kriller. 

Sea Run Cutthroat fishing has been great too! While most of our rivers have been too high to fish, we have been spending some time on the one place that doesn’t really “blow out”. We have been finding cutthroat on a variety of flies but particularly on shrimp patterns. My favorite fly for this have been Rio’s Participation Trophy or Rio’s Banana Stand. Shrimp move a bit slower than your standard baitfish so we have been moving these at a medium to slower pace. 

For the swing anglers who are itching for a tightline grab, the Yakima is an excellent place to take your trout spey. We have been building a better trout spey selection, specifically for targeting fish on a swung fly. In warmer conditions, the fish can be found in your typical trout holding water but if the water gets cold, look for the deep, slow moving pools. Our favorite flies for the Yakima this time of year have been Rio’s Make it Rainbow or Rio’s Pocket Rocket. Both flies are perfect for swinging on our waters out east. 

[emrldwtranglers]

January 23, 2020  A Very Busy Week Ok, here is the quick and dirty of it.  There is so much going on this next 9 days it is a little crazy even for us so buckle up! January 23rd (aka today) - Tie One On at the store with Jeremiah Houle from Bend, Oregon.  Former steelhead guide, fantastic fly tyer and now Orvis sale rep will be doing his beautiful winter steelhead flies.  Join by clicking here... January 25th - EWA Spey Day on the Snoqualmie River in Fall City.  Find us huddled under the bridge with all the brands we carry to try the latest and greatest spey rods worth casting.  T&T, Winston, Hardy, Scott, GLoomis, Orvis, Echo, Sage, Redington, Scientific Anglers, Airflo, and Bridge Fly Lines.  Trout and Anadromous spey are all available to try.  Free instruction, bring water bottle and coffee cup, hot lunch provided. January 29th & 30th - The Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Admiral in West Seattle on the 29th and SIFF on the 30th.  Come see some of our very good friends on film around the world doing what they do best, capturing some incredible moments chasing our favorite species.  January 31st - Last day to fish our beloved Skagit and Sauk for the season.  Mother Nature may have some say in this but at the moment it is closing day so put on your waders and grab your new two hander and go enjoy... February 1st - March 31st - O.P. steelhead season in full swing.  Looks like it will be a wet one this year so plan carefully but more importantly be prepared to call in sick when the time is right.  As ALWAYS, call, email, stop in, IG message or even facetime us if you need to.  Our sole mission is to help you find the success you are after on the water. 

[emrldwtranglers]

December 24, 2019  Early Season

Steelhead

We are on the cusp of what nearly every serious angler in Washington looks forward to throughout the year...Winter Steelhead season. This is the pinnacle of fly fishing in the Pacific Northwest, the highest form of angling here, and we are starting to see a few early fishing nosing into our local rivers. 

Hatchery season has been in full gear for the last few weeks and there are decent catching reports coming from the Skykomish, Wynoochee, Humptulips, Bogachiel, Cowlitz, etc. All of these rivers have a heavier hatchery influence than some of the more renown rivers for big, wild fish. We approach hatchery fish the same way with a swung fly. In low water, we have been fishing heavy, longer tips, and small marabou style tubes while in our recent high water, we fish short and light with large intruder-style flies. 

Wild fish are starting to show in our local favorites like the Skagit/Sauk but we’re hearing good reports from the rivers on the Olympic Peninsula like the Hoh, Sol Duc, Calawah, etc. 

Puget Sound

Puget Sound is fishing well for Sea Run Cutthroat right now with many of the larger fish of the year being caught in December and January. We are looking to fish on the big tides and the quick drops that follow. The South Sound is where you want to be right now. The local favorites (Lincoln Park, Seahurst, Purdy) have all been good with most fish caught on that outgoing tide. 

Our favorite flies have been Rio’s Just Keep Swimming, Sound Searchers, and Puget Prawns. We have been finding fish on a slower retrieve recently, especially with shrimp flies. Don’t be afraid to try polychaete worms this time of year too!

Trout

The Yakima has been a bit cold for the season but it is still producing a few fish for those that really dig for them. You’re shooting for a fish a day, maybe two, unless the water warms up a bit. If we get a warmer spell, try some streamers and shoot for the big boys. Sculpzillas, Dolly Llamas, Zonkers, etc. The standard approach is nymphing with a heavier fly, a Pat’s Rubber Legs, and a small dropper underneath such as a Rainbow Warrior or a Brassie. As much as we hate to say it, a fluorescent pink San Juan Worm is a killer on the Yak this time of year. 

Rocky Ford AKA “The Ditch” has been fishing consistently well throughout this Winter. The water stays relatively steady in temperature throughout the year so the trout have plenty of time to get big and fat. A 30″ rainbow is not uncommon and we saw a few tickling that range a few weeks ago. Nymphing with a small midge pattern or a scud has been productive while the odd BWO hatch has kept things interesting up top. Streamers are always a good bet this time of year and we like to throw larger flies, tempting the more aggressive fish in the creek. Sparkle Minnows, Circus Peanuts, Zoo Cougars, have all been good bets. 

[emrldwtranglers]

December 16, 2019  Enter the Steelhead Like it or not, it is steelhead season in the PNW in more locations that we can shake a stick at but for us, we are primarily focused on the Olympic Peninsula and the Skagit/Sauk system while it remains open.  Rain has been minimal here over the past few weeks so all rivers are in really good shape at the moment but that can change at any time.  Our reports page also has a link to water levels on most of our rivers with what we feel is good levels to be there and live links to current flows. Some large hatchery fish have been glad handing a few anglers on the Bogachiel and Sol Duc the past few weeks and a wild fish here and there on the Skykomish River.  This is absolutely the time to learn how to spey cast so you are ready for the meet of the season as well.  Nothing like a holiday gift of a private spey class with one of our great instructors. Puget Sound is also fishing well right now and the wind has mostly been pretty calm as of late and with the recent cloud cover, days have been perfect out there for the winter fly angler. Happy Holidays everyone, look forward to seeing or talking with you soon.

[emrldwtranglers]

November 10, 2019  Shorter Days Well, there it went, our daylight is gone for another season here in the PNW.  Shorter days mean being focused and planning your fly fishing experiences well.  Fortunately these days the choices are a bit more limited.  For us, we are focused on 3 species/regions of the PNW for the coming 5 months, some more than others.  Our entire staff is very spey-centric so naturally steelhead season is atop list of species to pursue.  Cowlitz, Skykomish, Skagit, Sauk, Klickitat, Hoh, Queets, Sol Duc and Bogachiel are some of our favs and are spread far and wide from each other here in western WA so knowing your flows and knowing where you are headed are going to maximize time on the water with rod in hand.  For the next few months we are guiding most of these rivers until they close or others become a better option in our opinion.  During that time we are also doing full day spey schools and spey casting lessons.  Call the store to book one and get your skills finely tuned for the season. Puget Sound is also up there as this is really our favorite season to fish/guide the Sound.  Fish are active, sun is low, kelp is gone and fewer people are on the water.  All good/great reasons to be turning your attention here. Lastly, the Yakima River is always a mid winter option if you are willing to endure the cold and can safely get over the pass.  With water levels being mostly low for the coming few months, we encourage anglers to explore this river on foot as there is ample water to cover over there and no need to cover vast swaths of it in order to find a few fish.  On any of these topics, please come in, call or email with questions, we just want you to have fun out there so we will do what we can to help that happen. We have a few events coming up to be aware of: December 5th - Customer Appreciation/Gift Registry 5pm - 9pm December 8th - Women’s Gear Up Night 7pm - 9pm January 25th - EWA Spey Day 10am - 3pm

[emrldwtranglers]

October 27th, 2019

Steelhead

We saw significant blowouts this past week, but rivers are on the drop and shaping up beautifully. Keep your eye on the flow as some rivers are dropping into shape more quickly than others.  We are getting into fish both sub surface and on the surface, so if you have ever been curious about skating dry flies, now is the time!

We have been fishing traditional flies like the Purple Peril and Brett’s Obie Skater from Aqua Flies and more modern flies like the Hobo Spey in a variety of colors.  For those fishing more modern flies, the Ultra Rig from Aqua flies has been the number one consistency from our guides.  We can’t get enough flies tied fast enough with the Ultra Rig! Come on by and ask us why the ultra rig is quickly becoming our go to rigging system for both summer and winter steelhead.

Yakima

After a bump in flows, the river is returning back to normalcy, just above 1000cfs.  With sunny weather for the remainder of the week, we are expecting lows in the low to mid 20’s for the beginning of the week, rising to low to mid 30’s by the end of the week.  Expect the fish to be lethargic in the morning, so fish area’s where the water has had a chance to warm (the tail outs) and try to slow down your fly and put it in the zone.  As temperatures rise in the middle of the day, fish will become more active.  Some flies for the morning should be Pats rubber legs size 8’s in Coffee or Orange.  Some flies of interest: WD-40 Midges in 18, and October Caddis in the afternoon.  Don’t be afraid to skate or twitch October Caddis on the surface after your dead drift.

Puget Sound

We have seen our typically increase in productivity on the Sound over the last few weeks with the onset of more all day cloud cover.  Even though this week is much sunnier than the last few, the sun’s trajectory in the sky is not as steep, meaning that fish feel more secure even in broad daylight than during the summer months.  Therefore find the moving tides and get your fly in the water!  Tomorrow has a fantastic 12.15 to -.51 from first light until mid day.  This should be a great time to be on the water. 

[emrldwtranglers]

October 25, 2019  YES! We just completed our first of many EWA Women’s 2 day/1 night steelhead trips on the Klickitat River and it was a resounding success.  Not because a ton of fish were caught but because new friends were made, new river fished, new skills learned and new stories created.  The Klick is fishing well at the moment.  As most of you know we are only swinging flies and mostly utilizing two handed rods.  We are one of the very few who ONLY swing flies for these majestic fish and do so for many reasons but mostly because it is what we are crazy sick with passion for and believe it can be infectious.  Yakima River had a decent bump from the rain last week but is coming back down quickly as are most of the other rivers in the area.  Still some BWO’s coming off during the afternoon mostly and of course other methods are working well too. Cowlitz River is in great shape at the moment too and while there are a few steelhead around and can surprise you if chasing the sea run cutthroat.  With flows as low as they are, there is some wonderful water to pursue these days down there. Puget Sound is testing anglers to know their beaches as wind has been coming from all directions lately so knowing which beaches are in the lee of the wind is crucial to a fishable day on the water.  Baitfish, shrimp patterns and surface skating flies are all working well for SRC’s at this time. Lastly, most of our small streams are open for just another week or so so if you want to get out there better do it though at this point we would simply suggest pointing your attention to the Yakima or Cle Elum Rivers as both are fishing well and low enough to approach from all over. If we can be of any assistance out there, please let us know so we can get you out there and ready?

[emrldwtranglers]

October 11, 2019  Swingin’ Baby! Spent the past couple days swinging flies for trout on the Yakima River and it was nothing short of amazing in many ways.  First, covering water nearly everyone else ignores as they float by with indicators leaves much of the water to only those wielding the shorter long rod.  Secondly, because you cover water as you would while steelheading, you spend more time with you fly in the water fishing and doing so while becoming a better line manager.  As a guide, you watch clients have 100% control over the experience of every fish, teach new casts and watch lines tighten as a trout turns on a soft hackle rising in the water column.  All in, this is as good as this river gets, call or stop in and join us over the next month or so for one of our seasonal favorite guided experiences.

[emrldwtranglers]

September 16, 2019 All Things Spey As we enter fall, nearly our entire staff...actually the whole staff begins to get a little stir crazy because some of our favorite watersheds in the area are in perfect shape for swinging flies for either trout or steelhead.  The Yakima and Cle Elum are down and ready for swinging flies for cutthroat and rainbow trout and if you haven’t handled a trout sized spey rod yet, we really need to help you make that happen.  We currently have staff throwing Winston, Echo, Gloomis, Sage, Thomas and Thomas and Redington trout spey and they are all fabulous! If would like the thrill of chasing a steelhead but would like a tug or two as well, the Cowlitz is a great place to put yourself in the game because there are steelhead in right now and the sea run cutthroat will also take smaller flies so it is sort of the best of both worlds here for the next month or two.  Call us and let’s get you in the water with one of these great little sticks, or a big one...or both!  Happy fall everyone, see you soon, EWA Staff 206-708-7250

[emrldwtranglers]

September 13, 2019  Spey Time These days we are able to employ spey casting in nearly all facets of our fly fishing endeavors but when fall arrives in the PNW, particularly here in the Seattle area, we feel its relevance even more.  With flows at low fall levels, swinging flies on the Yakima and Cowlitz for rainbow and cutthroat trout are terrific options and for those seeking slightly larger interactions, steelhead on many of the rivers around here is beginning to uptick.  Skykomish, Klickitat, Cowlitz, Hoh and Queets would all be great options to consider.  Low and clear water will demand longer leaders, possibly smaller flies and while your winter Skagit heads will work just fine with a floating tip, why not pick up and enjoy casting a Rage or Scandi head with a longer front taper.  These heads will turn over flies with delicate precision and elegance, showing off those casting skills so well. Questions on anything spey, call 206-708-7250, we are here for you!

[emrldwtranglers]

August 22, 2019 - Fall Rising

Here we are coming to the end of August and yet, the mornings and evening already feel as though fall is upon us.  We don’t actually have a problem with that what so ever and here is partly why. First, nearly every fishery in the state is predictable, approachable, beautiful, bountiful and fishable at this time of the year.  As of now, Pink salmon are all over the place paving the way for Coho salmon to begin arriving on our local beaches.  If you have never attached yourself to a Coho on a 6wt in the saltwater, well, it is about as good a tug of war as you can have here in WA.  These should be going on until mid to late October if we are lucky so come in, ask questions and get out there! By mid September of the Yakima will be back down to fall and early winter flows meaning walk and wade anglers will have plenty of water to safely step into and water temps will begin to cool, igniting all the fall hatches we love so much.  BWO and October Caddis are on the menu! All of this being said, for us, it really means we get to really focus on spey casting, both for trout and steelhead.  NOW would be a great time to begin your sojourn into taking a steelhead on a skated fly and for those wanting to begin their steelhead pursuit, now is a fabulous time to pick up that new two hander and get our free spey class we offer with it.  Learn the basic casts and discuss other equipment and approach with one of our professional guide/instructor staff and get these skills honed for winter! Creeks have some time left as well.  Water is crazy low and later starts to the day will be a thoughtful way to ensure you are seeing trout come to the surface for your fly.  Caddis, Stimulators, Parachute Adams, Humpy’s and Wulff patterns are all great options as these trout know their time to take in calories is now before winter water temps put the hatches to bed for the season. As always, we are here to ensure your success so please come in, call or email with any questions you might have.  Thanks for reading, now go fish! 206-708-7250 [email protected]

[emrldwtranglers]

August 19, 2019 - It All Comes Together...or Pretty Close! Unsure if our mild summer has made it feel like summer is already over of if the cool evenings are just being welcomed because they are here.  Either way, fall is the most predictable time of the year to fish around here so there is literally no reason to NOT be on the water, some water, somewhere fly fishing right now.  Let’s be brief... Puget Sound - Pinks and Coho - YES Creeks - Dry Flies All Day - YES Summer Steelhead - YES, there are a few around! Yakima - Hoppers and Caddis - YES Carp/Bass/Pike - YUP Come by, call or whatever, just let us help you got out there, be successful and have fun!

[emrldwtranglers]

August 4, 2019 - Early Rises This time of year, no matter which fishery in Washington you are hoping to engage with, an early start is going to almost always arch the experience in your favor. Most won’t get up when daylight begins much less before that to be on the water when the sun rises which is somewhere around 6am currently.  All the creeks, the Sound and Yakima and any of the steelhead rivers are going to provide a slight benefit to those who take advantage of day emerging from night.  Fish are less inhibited during dark hours and it takes them a little bit of time to gain weariness again in any clear water situation.  On the Sound, if you can coincide early AM with a strong outgoing tide more of the kelp will make the Pink Pursuit a little less frustrating.  Early AM on the creeks will see some small hatches of PMD’s that will quickly move into caddis so have a selection of those on hand for any streams you are headed towards and finally our steelhead rivers have some fish in them but water is very low and VERY clear.  Long leaders, Scandi, Rage or Long Belly lines will present more gently and try smaller flies as well. In the end, remember you are on the water, have fun with it and enjoy your time out there.  Call is with questions, we are here 7 days a week to help you find success.