Fishing the Twisp River

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Luke casting on the Twisp

The Twisp, how should I describe it? Twisp was the Methow Native’s word for the wasp and yes there are some on this rough and tumble little river but what I would think of first would be all the fish! Of course there are what seems like a million steelhead smolt in the river as well though there are more than a few nice cutthroat, resident redband and of course chunky cuttbows.

Luke with Twisp Cut

The Twisp meets the Methow in the town of Twisp and starts in the mountains to the west of town almost parallel with Lake Chelan, just separated by a short pass at the end of many of the Twisps tributary drainages. The lakes situated in the top of some of these drainages have produced Washington States record Westslope Cutthroat as well as the standing state record Golden Trout.

Nice Twisp Cut

But back to river, fishing the Twisp is one of my favorite ways to start the year as it seems to come down soonest from the spring run-off and the fishing is great. I like fishing the Twisp with either a dry-dropper or on the swing and as the water calms down I love to skate bugs. The water being short and fast with many grabby rocks can prove a bit tricky for nymphing which is why I prefer dry, drop or swing.

Fat Twisp Cut on Hopper

The Twisp is usually fishable starting in the first week or two of June depending on flows. All rivers in the state now open May 25th, whether they are fishable at such point would be to the angler’s judgment. Being a small stream like the Chewuch all fishing on the Twisp is walk and wade if you are interested in booking a trip with us on the Twisp, Chewuch or Methow Rivers just click on our Guides page and drop us a line we’ll get you on the water having fun!

Twisp Cuttbow

Fly Fishing the Chewuch

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Chewuch gorge

The Chewuch is a river that takes it’s time getting where it’s going and maybe you should too when fishing its tannin colored waters. From its origin hear the Canadian border to its confluence with the Methow River in Winthrop the Chewuch has a slower pace than its sister stream the Twisp. I’ve found that the Methow and Twisp rivers are much more similar than the Chewuch to the other two.

Resi Redband on the Chewuch

For one the color of the Chewuch is much more tannin colored and golden where as the Twisp and Methow are very clear as well the Chewuch for some reason seems to produce more resident redband trout than the Twisp and Methow.

Butter Cutthroat Chewuch

Now don’t get me wrong the Chewuch has what seems to be on some days a limitless supply of butter yellow cutthroat from green to red to gold. As well the Chewuch like the Methow can produce huge cuttbows, progeny of resident or anadromous redband and cutthroat parentage. The Chewuch for a small stream can surprise any fisherman with everything from bulltrout to spring Chinook, cutthroat and redband the Chewuch has all the same fish packed into its small banks as its bigger neighbor the Methow.

Giant Chewuch Cuttbow

There is one thing I look for on the Chewuch though and its dry fly fishing, from a size 14drake to a size 6 hoppers there are fish ready to rise to the occasion. Dead drift or skate, it’s usually one or the other if not both and the scenery is unparalleled .

last hole last cut.

Fishing on the Chewuch for me usually kicks off around mid July just after run-off. If you are interested in fishing the Chewuch just drop us a line via phone or email, info is on our Guides page. Happy Spring Ya’ll!

Methow Fishing Report

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Big Air Brown

Big Air Brown

Hold on tight because these fish haven’t eaten all winter and they are HUNGRY! Most area lowland lakes are ice-free or at least enough so to get some casts and maybe even a boat into the open water. General opener is April 26th but there are many year-round public and private lakes in the area producing well right now.

Vermiculation Nation

Vermiculation Nation

The water in many of our just iced off lakes can be a bit green with low visibility as they turn over, this will pass and they will clear as the O2 has a chance to mix back into the water with the spring winds. During this time of low vis I like to use large streamer patterns leaches, buggers and even articulated bugs like the sculpzilla, mostly in black or green.

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There have been a few hatches of what looked like large Lake Sedge lately leading to some of the year’s first surface action already! This is the time of the year where even the brown trout are compelled to catch some air and most fish have taken us for a ride in frisky spring fashion.

Spring Bow

Spring Bow

If you’re ready to dust the rust off your trout set-up just drop us a line, there are no extra rod fees public or private all the same. Check out Methow Fishing Adventures on our Guide page and give us a call or shoot us an email we’ll get you out on the water and having fun, Fish On Ya’ll!

I'm out!

I’m out!

Methow Fishing Report

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Big Bown Bastird

Spring Has Sprung and with it the fishing is springing into action in our area lakes.  In the last week or two I have fished both small local lakes and ponds as well have made the trip to the Big O (Omak Lake) as is often the case at this time of the year.  Both the smaller water and the bigger water yielded great results.

Spring 2013 1837

I took my sons Leo and Finley as well as my good friend Chris H. fishing at a small lake in the Methow where my eldest boy Leo who just turned 7 reeled in a nice little brown and his little bro Finley even scooped it up all by himself as well.  I found many other fish in the next few days drawn to the good ol’ Wooley Bugger as it is the time for them to be looking to dine on this years young, even bass are starting to wake up.

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Took a trip out to the Big O as I said, fishing was good most fish seemed to be cruising at about 15ft with pods of 2-3 entering the flats into 2-3ft of water.  Fishing is ON right NOW, I wouldn’t wait or you might miss the prime time.  Read your regs well on the res. Be ware to be in the right places with the right gear and no beer.

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So it’s spring as usual here and just as pretty as you could hope for, fishing is off to a great start and will just get better as more water opens.  If you are ready to scratch the itch and blow the dust off your trout set-up just drop us a line and we’ll get you out on the water havin fun Fish On Ya’ll!