Where to Fish in the Hood River area - Yakima River

In a state renowned for its steelhead and salmon, the Yakima River in Central Washington stands out as the state's premier (and only blue-ribbon) wild trout stream. Stretching 85 miles upstream of Roza Dam, it is home to native rainbow trout, thriving on abundant insect hatches.

While the closest float for us is in the lower canyon, it is over 2 hour away from Hood River.  We include this beautiful river in our list of places to fish in the area because it is absolutely worth the drive, and it's also closer than some other rivers around here like the Crooked.

The river is now managed specifically for wild trout, featuring catch-and-release regulations and barbless hooks. This management has led to some fantastic fly fishing days, interspersed with slower ones, adding to the challenge and allure of this fishery.

Prime fishing waters begin below Lake Easton, though this uppermost section is filled with boating hazards and holds smaller-than-average trout.

Fishing significantly improves when the Cle Elum River joins the Yakima. This area, known as “the flats,” is popular among boaters and bank anglers, offering numerous excellent riffles.

Further downstream, the addition of the Teanaway River brings some challenging canyon waters. A public trail provides access for serious hikers to this lightly pressured area, while some whitewater sections deter less experienced boaters.

Below this stretch lies some of the most premier water, reserved mainly for boaters, with conveniently located take-outs at the end of the best fishing spots.

The hatch chart reads like an insect all-star team, keeping both anglers and fish active throughout most of the seasons.

	Insect	Size	Begin	End
	Midges	18-22	January 1	May 31
	Skwala	8-10	January 15	March 30
	BWO	18-24	January 1	May 1
	BWO	18-24	September 15	November 30
	March Brown	12-14	March 1	May 30
	Green Drake	10-12	March 1	May 30
	Caddis	12-18	April 1	September 15
	Salmonfly	6-8	April 1	May 15
	Golden Stonefly	10-14	May 10	July 31
	PMD	14-16	May 1	August 31
	Yellow Sally	14	May 1	July 15
	Trico	22	July 1	October 15
	Mahogany Dun	14	Sep 1	October 15
	October Caddis	8-10	Sep 15	October 31
	Midges	22	November 1	December 31