Methow Valley Fish Report

Temps have come down a bit again, mid thirties by day and upper twenties at night which can be a good thing for steelhead.  I would much rather see a cloudy thirty six degree day than a bright one and right now that’s what we’ve got in spades.  With the inversion almost like a giant back eddy in the clouds we’ve got very stable weather and the fish have liked that.

Chironomids have been the thing; red, black, double, single, whatever just put it out there.  Fish are still in the very slowest water whether that’s inside at the top, around whatever is left of the back eddies or under the foam at the low end of the hole they are there.

Winter Cuttbow

Believe it or not it’s still winter out there so target the 10am -2pm stretch on the warm days, use some smaller stuff and try to be stealthy because the water is slim.

Catch has been good all the way from the mouth to Twisp and even as far up as Winthrop, though I would focus on Twisp down.

Steelhead Gear: 7-8 wt floating line with a nymph and strike indicator set up.  Switch 6-8 wt rod work great also.  7-8 wt floating line with a dry skating fly works well early in the season.  7-8 wt floating line with a sinking line for swinging.

Summer River Gear:  4-5 wt dry fly hopper/dropper set up, a deep stone fly nymphing rig with a strike indicator and a 6-7 wt sinking line with a big bugger/nymph set up.

Chewuch River – CLOSED – Open May 25th – Aug 15th.

Methow River – OPEN FOR STEELHEAD – Open for trout May 25th – Sept 30, Catch and release only.

Twisp River – CLOSED – Open May 25th – Aug 15th.