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You mean this is supposed to be easy catching fish in the Yakima? I suppose that if it were, there would be none left, catch and release or not. Its supposed to be tough, thats why its called fishing, not catching. I have had good days, great days, fantastic days, and world class crappy ones.... But the main cause of this is me, not the fish, amount of fish, or anything else. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Wrong flies, wrong presentation, wrong day to be on the water... We all have stories about someone catching fish while you smell like skunk. And visa versa, thats the way it is. Who cares about fish per mile, (and that is not a slam to who started this thread) you need to get to know the river, its tendancies, its personality, learn its hatches, learn where to be at certain times, learn where fish hang out during certain weather or water levels. I have spent over 20 years fishing the canyon with a fly rod, never took one fish out of there even when you could, and spend countless hours, days, weeks there learning what it takes to be where I want to be and when. I'm by no means perfect and by no means know everything there is about that river. I have so much to learn I will probably go to my grave still bewildered why at times they don't want to play with me.
I am not saying we need to increase fish counts, or get salmon out of the water. To me, the biggest thing is give the fish the best quality water they can have. Cleanliness.... get Wilson Creek cleaned up, or better yet diverted to the treatment plant before getting to the Yakima. Seven years ago, Wilson Creek, for those that didn't know, would hit the Yakima looking like dark brown paint. For miles below it, you could smell animal waste and at mile marker 18, and you could not see your feet in knee deep water. Thats over five miles down river from its inception to the Yakima. The amount of suspended solids that would fall on aquatic life and such no way could not suffer from all that organic matter in the water. I have seen water quality tests taken by Central and they showed levels so high coming out of Wilson Creek, it was amazing. No one would do anything about it and just turned their backs. It has greatly improved to almost the point of where it was before Wilson Creek did its personal touch on the Yakima. And yes, there was a time Wilson ran clear. I've seen it with my own eyes.
This creates the other issue with the Yakima being an irragation venue for the entire central portion of the state. What is the Yakima River, a irragation river with blue ribbon trout, or a blue ribbon trout river that is used for irragation. I know there will be two defined groups on that one. Someone said something about more fish and game officers in the canyon, if you didn't know, at one time, the state patrol can and will do the citation, I have called to report poaching more than once and they were the ones that would show up and take care of the problem. This river is very special to me. Fished it for half my life with a fly rod. Fished it before fly fishing was cool, and as others took fish any way they can, I trecked along with trusty flies. The scenery, wildlife, and seclusion all make it what it is. Sure, there is the road, but unless you have a boat, thats the only way in there. And years ago, that was the only way to Yakima, and it had tons more traffic on it than it does now... But yes, limit what can be carried on that road. Thanks guys, sermon over, my fingers are tired.... Greg
I am not saying we need to increase fish counts, or get salmon out of the water. To me, the biggest thing is give the fish the best quality water they can have. Cleanliness.... get Wilson Creek cleaned up, or better yet diverted to the treatment plant before getting to the Yakima. Seven years ago, Wilson Creek, for those that didn't know, would hit the Yakima looking like dark brown paint. For miles below it, you could smell animal waste and at mile marker 18, and you could not see your feet in knee deep water. Thats over five miles down river from its inception to the Yakima. The amount of suspended solids that would fall on aquatic life and such no way could not suffer from all that organic matter in the water. I have seen water quality tests taken by Central and they showed levels so high coming out of Wilson Creek, it was amazing. No one would do anything about it and just turned their backs. It has greatly improved to almost the point of where it was before Wilson Creek did its personal touch on the Yakima. And yes, there was a time Wilson ran clear. I've seen it with my own eyes.
This creates the other issue with the Yakima being an irragation venue for the entire central portion of the state. What is the Yakima River, a irragation river with blue ribbon trout, or a blue ribbon trout river that is used for irragation. I know there will be two defined groups on that one. Someone said something about more fish and game officers in the canyon, if you didn't know, at one time, the state patrol can and will do the citation, I have called to report poaching more than once and they were the ones that would show up and take care of the problem. This river is very special to me. Fished it for half my life with a fly rod. Fished it before fly fishing was cool, and as others took fish any way they can, I trecked along with trusty flies. The scenery, wildlife, and seclusion all make it what it is. Sure, there is the road, but unless you have a boat, thats the only way in there. And years ago, that was the only way to Yakima, and it had tons more traffic on it than it does now... But yes, limit what can be carried on that road. Thanks guys, sermon over, my fingers are tired.... Greg
