What wt line do you use on the Lower Yak???

And mid size rivers like it. Just curious. I use a 4wt floater.....(lower Yak = in the Canyon)

That section's called the lower canyon. I use a 4wt or 5wt floater for dries or nymphs or and a 6wt outbound for streamers.

The reason I ask is that I fish a 4wt but I tried a Redington CT 5wt today and it felt great......

I would call the lower Yakima big water, not medium. I guess the Skagit, Columbia and Missouri are bigger, but I'd still call the Yakima big.

I use a 6wt as my all-around rod, but I fish streamers a lot. A 6wt allows me to most comfortably throw big bugs but still be in the game if a hatch of small bugs happens.

I bought a 4wt CT last fall but hadn't used it until I got to Ringer last week; what a fun little rod! I've been casting an Echo 6wt at the beach for months, and enjoyed the liveliness and feel of the CT. Sadly, there were no trout in the Yakima that day, but I was happy to finally get a chance to try my hand at it.

During the rubber hatch of summer, I generally don't wait and immediately go with the Joey Tribbiani "How you doin?"

How's that work for ya?

Thanks all - I think I have this figured out. I'll keep my 4wt for floaters and small nymphs. I have an 8wt for Steelhead, and pinks. I'll pickup a 6wt CT for streamers to use on both the yak and out in the sound for sea run cuts. Next I'll need a 2wt 7' 4 piece for small streams and back packing to finish my even#wt collection...

Killer when combined with a flat brimmed hat and exaggerated swig from a PBR

I'm surprised you'd be tossing a 6wt out there. I use a 6wt for summer steelhead and feel like it's perfectly matched. I used a 6wt on a yak for a while, but felt like it was just too stiff for most of the trout that I'd catch. Once in a while a nice 20> fish would put a good bend in it, but that wasn't every time out of course

I switched to a 4wt switch which seems like a better match. To be honest I haven't been trout fishing much lately but am looking forward to getting back into the game here soon.

Don't worry Bradley, the trout seem to take a vacation elsewhere when I'm around too.

6wt on the Yak is great for heavy streamers or windy days.

You'll want a 5wt for those days when you might be nymphing and throwing dries and go for a faster 6wt for beach work and general streamers. I'm using a $130 Redingotn Pursuit. It's marketed as a fast rod, but it's not superfast like some of the saltwater beach cannons. It's a good compromise IMHO. Definitely in the same league as the cheaper US made rods. (I own a Sage Vantage)

Whats up with that? You'd think that the fish would try to schedule their vacations with a little more consideration for us conservation minded trout fans. Sheesh.

I pick a rod for a day based on what flies I am going to throw. I fish streamers enough on the Yak that I feel like a 6wt line has the right mass to cast them. It's got nothing to do with the fish.

the only rules in this game, are the ones you make for yourself.

I have 2 6wts and one 4 wt.

Most of time, especially in summer the 6wts get a workout. Large flies like a hopper/dropper on one rod and a multiple nymph rig on the other. I have a nymph type line that turns over easy in the high winds/big water that works well. I have not tries much streamer fishing because I enjoy the extended semi natural drifts that can be accomplished fishing from the drift boat on the Yak.

4wt gets use when small dry flies come out - but that does not happen very often when I fish the water.

I'll pick up my 6wt when I through the big flies if I have it with me and rigged up. But the 5wt rods seem to do all around a good job on the Lower Canyon for me no metter what flies I am throwing. When drifting I generally keep 5 wt rods on both sides of the boat ready to go.

I'd also consider a 6-wt switch on the lower Yak. It allows me to cover more ground with streamers and a Spey cast. Besides, I really like to pretend I'm back in the glen...

I even use the 6 weight up river around cle elum too. 3 weight for dries and the 6 weight for streamers are my usual weapons of choice on the Yak. I have a 5 weight but generally don't use it on the Yak, it is a very undergunned 5 (8'3" DS). I save it for smaller waters like the forks of the snoqualmie and lake fishing.