So…the snowpocalypse has subsided. It’s still snowing here in Cle Elum and we have roughly 18 new inches of snow over the last 36 hours. The snowpack data isn’t in yet but my guess is we’re are close if not over our 100% annual average. 

This was yesterday
 

This means a few things for the upcoming season. This snow has to melt and go somewhere. That means the lower river is going to be a runoff mess for a lot of the spring. I expect 10,000 plus cfs to come out of the Teanaway this season. Flooding will happen this year. And Ringer Access in the LC is going to more than likely be out of commission for the better part of the year.   
This means that spring fishing will be all about hitting the sweet spots. When the weather and runoff align and give Anglers a handful of days every other week where the fishing is stellar. I will communicate those windows accordingly as the season starts. If you want to fish the spring it might be a year where its a last minute call saying “The river is perfect who wants to go!?” So be ready for that. 
I will post daily reports as we get rolling here in the next week to 10 days. We have 35 degrees in the forecast later this week…with rain…so it’s gonna get wicked messy out there over the next 2 weeks. Cle Elum has a few feet of snow on the ground and I expect it to still be here through March. As access points become open I’ll let people know. Also keep in mind that the upper river may have a lot of new deadfall and debris in it this season due to the super cold temps, heavy snows, and flooding. So make sure you check to make sure floats are clear before you hit a stretch of river. 
There’s a lot of ice that still has to make it’s way down and I suspect that this warmer weather this weekend will make for some crazy ice jams. We are still 2 weeks out it looks like before things start. So…tie up those flies, go ski, sled, snowshoe, and/or snowmobile…because winter ain’t over just yet. 
That being said…I am going to ski down to the river tomorrow and sling a few streamers. Mostly just to see the river with all this snow before its gone.

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Published by tamaracksguideservice

I have been fishing the Yakima River and its surrounding tributaries, creeks, and lakes for 10 years. I have been tying flies specific to this river for 10 years as well. I have guided not only the river but also many of the hiking and mountaineering trails in the area and fished some of the more remote lakes and streams. I love to fish the Yakima River and have been running my driftboat here for 5 years. I guide a little differently than the other services here and have a slightly different philosophy on guided fishing trips. Its all about the experience, and while I can't promise there will always be cooperative trout, there will always be good times. I learned from some of the greatest anglers the Yakima has both on the water and at the vise and I guide to share and pass on that knowledge and expertise so others can enjoy this river as much as I do. I love to teach people to fish, I love to teach people how to read the river, and I love showing people the beauty and art of fly fishing. My service is a bit cheaper but that is because I have no shop taking a percentage. I use a lot of my own fly designs and patterns that no other guide has and have spent the past 10 years fine tuning my tying and patterns specific to this river. I have flies, leaders, tippets, and fly rods and reels, and always welcome anglers to bring their own gear. If you need waders and boots I can arrange for a rental. I support my local fly shop for my trips as well as it is important to me that our local shops stay open. When you take a trip with me it all about fishing and the experiences that happen along the river. I love getting my clients to have great moments with our trout here. Ask me all the questions you can, I want to teach as much as you want to learn. Whether you are an experienced angler or brand new to the sport I love sharing this river with people. I guide the Yakima River and many other secret waters in the area. When you give me a call I will ask you lots of questions as I want to make sure you have the best experience possible while chasing the trout we have here. Whether its a guided river float or a hike and fish, or a walk and wade to the secret places, I can help make your fly fishing experience memorable and fun. Give me a call today and lets set up a time to go fishing.

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