Dry Fly North West Washington

DRY fly is a bit of a misnomer, Mr. Bromium. We gots lot of wet.

Most of the rivers in the Puget Sound basin, and the Straights are closed until June.

Get on I-5 and drive south till you reach I-90. Turn left and drive east across Washington and the Idaho Panhandle. When you see a sign that says: "Welcome to Montana" start looking for some tailwater that isn't blown out with spring runoff. There they have dry fly fishing.

Okay, I'm being a bit facetious but there is a good reason so many of us drive hundreds of miles east to fish running water with dry flies.

Bromium said:

Hey folks just looking for some advice on if there is any dry fly river fishing to be had in North West Washington.

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The short answer is no. Like yours, our coastal rivers do not have large populations of resident trout (and for the same reasons as a political border does not change geology or nature). The only reason Ross/Skagit has resident trout is they can't become anadromous because of the dam.

In either Canada or the US, you are going to have to head inland to find water that hosts large populations of resident trout or find a river with a waterfall or dam/series of dams that restricts/reduces anadromy. In addition, the low mineral content, regular high water scouring, and/or the steep gradient of many of our rivers are not conducive to providing enough food to support large populations of resident trout. The Yakima River in central WA (4 hrs from you) is where lots of WA people head to fish for resident trout as a series of dams restricts migration. However, from what I hear about the fishing above Ross Lake, I think you will be disappointed by the Yakima.

Thanks for the replies, I suspected that it may be the same situation south of the border but also good to check with people who know. I guess I will have to get some lake fishing sorted and wait until July for the Skagit.

Thanks again

Bromium said:

The closest resident river trout we have got up here is the Skagit above Ross lake,

Any advice greatly appreciated.

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My advice would be to look harder, that is not the closest one to you

Dupher said:

My advice would be to look harder, that is not the closest one to you

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Hey if you are referring to the Birkenhead, Upper Pitt or the Upper Cheakamus then I admit they are closer however if you are not referring to those water bodies it looks like I will have to go back to the drawing board as I haven't come across anywhere else.

Thanks

they are not the ones I speak of

Back down the rabbit hole on google maps it is then.

Thanks

It's a fun rabbit hole