Washington Fly Fishing Forum banner

WA retirement location w/fly fishing nearby...

6K views 71 replies 45 participants last post by  Jim Wallace 
#1 ·
Question; if you wanted to retire to an area in Washington that had reasonable weather (banana belt, aka Sequim, would be ideal but it doesn't have to be THAT good…), freshwater stream and lake fly fishing close by, maybe golf, low crime, smaller town/city, nice, friendly neighborhoods, non-desert, decent local services and a medical facilities… and housing costs were removed as a high profile factor in the decision process… where would that place be? The preference is for trees, a decent sized lot (1+ acre or more), fly fishing (C&R), golf, decent people. Just wishful thinking and trying to plan ahead. Insights sincerely appreciated. Enjoy in good health.
 
#3 ·
Ellensburg. Winters can be cold at times and summers can be hot at times, but neither are as extreme as more interior climates *eg., Montana). The best trout stream (Yakima) and best lake fishing (basin lakes) rare close to closeish. And when you do want good fishing, the drive to Montana or Idaho is 2 hours shorter than from Seattle.

If you don't want cold winters at all, then you'll have to stay west of the Cascades. Then I'd recommend that you find a place where you can access good searun cutt fishing and still be relatively close to a freeway onramp for trips to the east side in season. Maybe a bit north or south of Tacoma.

D
 
#5 ·
If you don't want cold winters at all, then you'll have to stay west of the Cascades. Then I'd recommend that you find a place where you can access good searun cutt fishing and still be relatively close to a freeway onramp for trips to the east side in season. Maybe a bit north or south of Tacoma.
D
I'll list a west (wet?) side option.

When I got married about a year-and-a-half ago I moved from Tacoma north to Silverdale due to the new wife still working while I'm retired. Gotta love that situation, right? ;)

Anyway, I think this area is great. Lots of good saltwater beaches available both to the east and west (Puget Sound proper and Hood Canal are both less than half-an-hour away but in different directions); we live a block from Dyes Inlet (part of Puget Sound) and I've caught some nice SRC only 5 minutes from the house; the Olympic Peninsula with varied rivers and lakes is not too distant; the Strait of Juan de Fuca is fairly close; and, most importantly, I'm now away from the Interstate 5 corridor with all it's traffic and congestion! Disclaimer: our area has it's own traffic issues but it's certainly not as dire as fighting I-5!

If I had the big bucks I'd move to the Sequim area but property values there are way out of my league! If you're seeking an even quieter more rural lifestyle, consider something on the west side of Hood Canal.

Just my 2¢!

Oh, wait a minute!!!!!

Why am I telling a Californian the reasons to move here???? We used to have bumper stickers that read: "Don't Californicate Washington!"

Just kiddin, my friend! :D Good luck in your searching!
 
#4 ·
Richard is close, but to be specific Edgewood, WA (just north of Tacoma). Has a great country feel, but close to all major freeways and 2 hours from damn near all fishing in the state.

That said... I have found the damp, cold in Seattle worse than dry cold climates. A 40F, drizzle day in Seattle (for which there are easily 120/year) makes me colder than a 20F day with broken sun and humidity as dry as a popcorn fart. After 27 years here, we've had it. Pulling the pin at Boeing in two years and heading for drier climates... Ruby Valley, MT.

If we were to stay in WA, Ellensburg would be high on the list.
 
#15 ·
Richard is close, but to be specific Edgewood, WA (just north of Tacoma). Has a great country feel, but close to all major freeways and 2 hours from damn near all fishing in the state.

That said... I have found the damp, cold in Seattle worse than dry cold climates. A 40F, drizzle day in Seattle (for which there are easily 120/year) makes me colder than a 20F day with broken sun and humidity as dry as a popcorn fart. After 27 years here, we've had it. Pulling the pin at Boeing in two years and heading for drier climates... Ruby Valley, MT.

If we were to stay in WA, Ellensburg would be high on the list.
I'm with you Freestone on the cold rain bit. We've been here 21 years and will have the empty nest in a few more years. Ellensburg is on my radar screen. I've also heard good things about Roseburg and Bend Oregon, but haven't been there yet. Kurtataltos, if you're looking for a 1+ acre lot, then Puget Sound region is out as 1/4 acre is considered a generous sized lot. Much better chance for some more land on the east side of the Cascades. Good luck in your qwest.
 
#7 ·
Yes, I will admit it. I am from CA. Having noted that horrid attribute, I have seen Silicon Valley go from vast apricot orchards to concrete buildings and freeways. The only good news is that the housing market here is great IF... and only if... you bought a couple decades ago. Taking equity out here and retiring elsewhere would mean low house payments and we aren't looking for a "statement house" or a palace. Can't afford it, don't need it. Regardless, fly fishing from here means, typically, a 5-6 hour drive to the eastern Sierras or north of Truckee. Makes it kind of tough. Of course, the 5-6 hours is in the middle of the night since commute traffic times would get you 100 miles in 6 hours. Read: getting anywhere to fish is a major chore. I have heard so many folks lament Seattle and rain. We visited there for a week during one of my daughters softball tourneys. We had great weather and everyone said "don't get used to it". I have never fished for sea run cutthroat and all my gear is 4-6 wt. Argh. I mostly float tube on lakes for trout. Quiet, relaxing. Regardless, my search continues. As always, I sincerely appreciate any commentary. Enjoy !
 
#10 ·
Kurt -
4-6 wt rods are plenty for all the trout fishing you would do here, too. Searuns don't require bigger rods. If you get into pursuing salmon or steelhead, you might want a bigger rod, but fishing for steelhead is a declining proposition here.

There are lots of lakes around both sides of the Cascades, and if you are fishing for trout, lakes will typically grow bigger fish than our west side rivers do.

If you were here for a softball tournament, it was probably summer. We have great summer weather. It is not much of a stretch to say we have a Mediterranean climate, just like San Diego, only our warm dry season is shorter and our cool wet season, longer. It can be cloudy and wet for 9 months a year, but we still only get about 35-40 inches of precipitation a year, which is less than a lot of other places in the US.

D
 
#14 ·
I moved to Bend Oregon in June of 2011 from the Spokane area.
I loved living in eastern Washington and really did not want to leave, but I have grown to really like my new home town. Bend has everything you want other than it's not really a small town ( 80000 people) but it does not feel that big.
What has really shocked me is the mild weather we've had the past 2 winters. I fished my 33rd day of the year today and last winter fished at least 10 days every month of the year. I kinda feel like I'm on vacation living here.
 
#16 ·
True native westside northwesterns rust. It is a fact of life. After 50+ years here, I still enjoy living on the westside.
I plan on saying adios to Seattle in about 10 years for either the northern part of Kitsap Co or Whidbey Island. I can't image living a long ways away from saltwater.
 
#17 ·
Not that I'm really anxious for more neighbors, but IMO Hansville is tough to beat. Surrounded by some of the best beach salmon fishing our state has to offer, with some great lakes within an hour or so. No moving water, which is probably its biggest downfall, but a 2-4 hour drive puts you on plenty of steelhead water.

Quiet, lots of space, thirty minutes or so from the Seattle ferries. Hop skip and a jump from the OP. I suppose I'm biased but there are very few things I would trade for my ability to walk out the door and be casting to silvers in five minutes
 
#19 ·
When I retired, I moved away from Washington. I moved to Montana where there is 9 months of winter and 4 months of summer. But I can fish all year long. No waiting for rivers to open up. Except for the ones that get a good covering of ice in the winter time.

But you have to be half nuts to live in this climate, and I fit that bill.
 
#22 ·
When I retired, I moved away from Washington. I moved to Montana where there is 9 months of winter and 4 months of summer.
Sounds like you've done a good job adjusting to those 13 month-long Montana years!

K
 
#20 ·
Well, it's pretty clear from the responses so far there is no one perfect place, but many good places.

We should all be happy about that... can you imagine this same discussion on where in Iraq or Afghanistan one should consider living in retirement :eek:
 
#23 ·
I would agree with Triploidjunkie on the Kettle Falls/Colville area. The weather is moderated by it's proximity to Lake Roosevelt, the hospital has just been sharply upgraded, and the traffic is probably about 1% of what you are used to in Los Altos. The fishing opportunities are just staggering-particularly for a guy that has had to to drive 5 or 6 hours to get to good fishing in the past. A 5/6 hour drive from there would put you on some fabled trout water in either Idaho or Montana. There are at least 100 lakes within a two hour drive and some very good C&R flyfishing only lakes within about 45 min. And no traffic to get to them. Most of us that lust for stream fishing find ourselves going to Idaho or Montana as there is little of that in Washington apart from the Yakima. Kettle Falls is relatively close to the Kettle river and there is some decent fishing there once you learn the river.

Spokane is less than two hours away if you need to do some big city shopping or just crave a mall fix. There they have all of the big box stores of course and some of the very best medical facilities in the state.

There is no perfect place to live as you are well aware. Some have property tax that is just off the charts, some west side sites have traffic congestion even worse than what you are used to, some places it rains or is gloomy what seems like 75% of the time and some places are so far from decent fishing that you would be little better off than you are now. Come on up and check out some of the suggestions you have heard. Look at Ellensburg for instance. You might also want to start a thread on where not to go. There are plenty of those places as well but I would assume you would recognize them up front.

It's an exciting time for you, wondering where you are going to retire and trying to get all the details just right. I went through this process about 15 years ago and retired 13 years ago. Easily the best 13 years of my life. Good luck with your search-and if you need a free guide for those 100's of lakes..........

Ive
 
#25 ·
Seriously Take a look at the Ellensburg or Cle Elum area. The Teanaway valley just northeast of Cle Elum would be perfect. You could live right on a beautiful trout stream that's just miles from the Yakima river. Ellensburg is small, but it's a college town so there are some advantages from that.
 
#30 ·
Looks like we've gone full circle back to Sequim and the surrounding Olympic Rain Shadow.
There's enough pavement there in Sequim now to satisfy any Californian. Once I'm there, I can hardly wait to leave. IN fact, I've taken to calling the town "Squirm.":confused:

Disclaimer: My bad 'tude is a result of having tromped the area in the late 50's and early/mid 60's as a kid with a fishing pole, before the sprawling and extensive development got under way.
 
#32 ·
I haven't done much travelling in the state but I really enjoy living on the KP. I'm close enough to Seattle that I can easily catch a ferry when needed. I have saltwater fishing at my door and a marina to tie up the boat. Traffic is almost nil...I definately can't stand traffic in Bremerton, Silverdale area. Poulsbo traffic on the main drag is tolerable...just.

Port Ludlow and Mats Mats has always struck me as nice little towns...perhaps a bit too rich for my blood though. Port Hadlock would be ok. Dunno...having a place on a good lake would be nice too...I could see myself retired at someplace like Cady. :cool:
 
G
#33 ·
couple to three years and I'll be pulling the plug...honestly can't wait to get out of this state..20 years is enough....smithers, san diego, tropic's, idaho, oregon...Worst fish and wildlife management I've ever seen in this state...all yours!!!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top