While still a bit on the high side the Methow sure looks great and it’s been fishing great as well. With Washington Pass closed life slows way down again in the Methow winters which can be nice after the hustle and bustle of the summer tourist season. Winter is the time for quite introspection on an all but deserted river where it’s just you, the fish and the sights and sounds of animal life on and around the water.

Alan with beautiful winter steel on the Met

We have some snow on the ground right now and it seems whenever the temp hovers right in the mid-thirties during a snow storm the bite is on. Mid-winter hatches of Duns, Midges and Chironomids have started to come off bringing noses once again to the surface in the drift and back-eddies. Hot bugs as of late for me have been the single black Chironomid and the Peacock Stone with orange beads.

Winter Cutt

Methow Bull

Variety of catch as of late has been great with not only some steelhead and bruiser bulltrout to the net but also some very nice cutthroat as well making for a few “trifecta” days! Winter is hard to beat on the Methow if you’re lucky enough to be on the water on the right day.
Water is very apt to color up below Benson Cr. While water upstream has remained clear. Flows for now are back down around 900 and rain withstanding should continue to drop towards ideal of 500cfs. Temps both air and water have remained stable and ideal in the mid to upper thirties with no big changes in the near future.

If you have any questions feel free to drop Methow Fishing Adventures a line, you can also check us out on facebook. Stay warm out there, get your Fish On and have a Happy Holiday Season!

Methow River Height Gage 12/12

Rain, rain and too much rain has left the Methow swollen and in the lower stretches brown with destabilized sediment from this summer’s wildfires. I wish I had some good news but right now I don’t. This winter has been fairly manic in its weather conditions, about the time it hasn’t been frozen there are a few days of good fishing then the rain comes.

Methow Flow Meter 12/12

I’m afraid at this point it’s just a waiting game, look for river levels to come back down in a few days as we enter a dry period. With any luck we will get a chance to get at fish again soon with the bonus of more fish entering system early with higher flows, further spreading fish up and through-out the river. Will keep yawl posted as things develop, until then maybe stay warm at the tying bench. Happy Holidays!