Fall is in full swing on the Yakima with fish really starting to key in on the October caddis and BWO’s. Our best setup has been a dry dropper, with an orange gypsy king and any sort of small beadhead or soft hackle for the dropper.
As far as nymphing goes, the classic stone and a dropper will do just fine. You don’t have to fish them super deep, especially with clear water. Keeping your top fly right around 3 feet will cover you for the full day. You could even throw just two small bugs like a caddis pupa and a pheasant tail if you aren’t finding fish on the stone.
You can still find some fish on streamers this time of year as well, mostly just sticking to natural sculpin patterns like a slumpbuster or sculpzilla and swinging it on a sink tip, or eve under an indicator.
Please watch your step out on the river as well, we’ve been seeing salmon redds around and it’s best we leave them alone! Anywhere you see light patches of gravel avoid stepping in them as well as fishing over the top of them.
If you have any questions feel free to give the shop a call!