WA retirement location w/fly fishing nearby...

I don't know, freestoneangler, I understand that the upper Tigris fishes pretty good and the climate in northern Iraq can't be beat!
D

Sounds like you've done a good job adjusting to those 13 month-long Montana years!

K

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

Yeah, well when we hear from all those who have chosen to retire there, I'll revise my statement.

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.

My vote would be the Methow, but real estate is pretty steep and winters are long. Reareation abounds, great lakes and great stream fishging
Kelly Michelsen

Walla Walla.. Mild winters, warm summer, lots of wine, lots of fishing within a couple hours.

Long, long time ago I did an analysis of heating days in Washington state. We got sued by the Sierra Club for selling firewood so I had to gather quite a bit of data.

Anyway, western and eastern Washington have almost the exact same number of heating days. And that includes the ice-box that Ivie lives in.

The weather in most of eastern Washington is nicer from about late-Febuary until Thanksgiving. From Thanksgiving to Presidents Day the weather is just as crappy in eastern Washington as in western. And it is colder during that time period. However, once past Presidents Day the weather is warmer and much sunnier on this side of the mountains.

I lived in northeastern Washington for four years. Lots of great fishing....and as you have notice Ivie has still not figured out there a whole country a few miles north of him with great fishing!! However, my wife has refused to even go back for a visit almost 30 years later!!

Coming up from California I would recommend western Washington for that guy.

As my nephew, from Cupertino said..."Wow, you guys have a lot of dirt up here." I guess for him paved is normal. For Californians dirt can be a problem.

Weather is relative. We are outside Tucson and 55 degrees and sunny and this is awful weather. I'm walking around in t-shirts and shorts and everybody else is staying indoors because of the horrible weather.

Even their snowstorm was a wimp. From first flake to last melt was about 8 hours.

Washington is full. I recommend Weed.... California

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."

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.

You mentioned Sequim. It's a really short drive to the Olympic Mountains and great salt water right there.
It's also got way less rain than 45 miles away. It has a big retirement community and plenty of local services for when you need them.
Ken

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!!!

Go to Bend area in E OR. Much lower crime.

Sadly E WA is over run with gang bangers, Tweekers in the areas you described. Even E burg and Wenatchee are starting to experience more and more gang related crap.

I would never retire in area where I would have to worry constantly about vehicle thefts, break-ins, res burglaries etc.

If Washington is your desire then I'd think about Thurston County (Olympia area). There is a lot of ground available, places in the Olympia area to shop and it's relatively close to the southwest rivers, Columbia, etc. It's also close to the ocean beaches and by way of Shelton, the Olympic Peninsula. The property values a lower and hence less expensive than King and Pierce counties, as well. There is also a big freeway that goes through the middle by which you can get to just about anywhere you want to go. For myself, I live in the Tacoma area and find that I like it quite well however there are few 1 acre parcels for sale unless you get out toward the mountains. It's a matter of taste.

I'm back. Apologies for lack of responses but not being near a computer makes it problematic. A lot of GREAT responses. Overall, I ponder lake-centric or river-centric. Then I thought about the last 30 times I have fished and really enjoyed it... 24 times on lakes, 6 on rivers. Hummm.... as for "California dirt", yes, we see little of it as everything is getting built out. At an upscale community just southwest of us by 2 miles a half acre to acre lot, just dirt... plain olllll dirt... is $1.5-2.0M That's U.S. dollars. People buy "scrapers" for $1.5, demolish them, put up a new home at $500/sq ft. I find it bizarre as I wallow with the working masses in the flat lands. At least for now. I don't need the traffic, whackos (those with "alternative lifestyles") and just plain silliness. Time to move on. I now spend free time researching your suggestions. An extended road trip is required. My sincere thanks to all and "keep those cards and letters comin' " ... enjoy in good health !

The teanaway valley is infested with Elk that eat all your flowers. Wolfs that eat the Elk & house pets, and a river full of tenkara fishermen. This is not the place to retire too.

Poulsbo, Port Townsend or Port Ludlow ...

You're all nuts, you old coot . . . but not so much as I am. for I moved away from there (so, I'll serve my time in purgatory, then move back.). How are you doing, Jim?

Nothing here to make you want to settle down. Move along.

K