Spokane River Update - June 2018

Game On

We got about 2 weeks under out belt now on the Spokane River since it opened up earlier this month. So what's been happening? Well first off, the river has dropped a ton since then! On the opening days it was cranking and extremely limited, now at approximately 6,000 cfs things have mellowed a bit and a lot more windows have opened up to fish. Now I won't kid you, 6kcfs is still very swift and you need to exercise caution, but the margins along the bank have opened up and more and more spots are available to fish.

What's been hatching? Caddis of course! Tis the season, this is the peak time for caddis hatches on the Spokane River and the trout are keyed in on them as they usually are. Running a caddis pupa under a stone has been the meal ticket to success. While our population of stones isn't huge the fish do get keyed on them and the nymphs have been productive. Go-to patterns like the pats rubber legs have had some success on certain days while peacock bodied stuff like Twenty Incher, Twenty Bomb, or Delektable Mega Flashback Prince have been a bit more productive.

Don't like fishing bobbers? Fishing late into the evening and can't see your dry? Try swinging soft hackles, aka "softies". A double softie rig will get 'er done during the late afternoon and into the evening. Run bead head version of a soft hackle (or caddis pupa) as the lead fly, then a lighter or smaller softie as the trailer. About 16" apart usually is good. A slow swing with a little 1-2" strip does the trick typically. How to fish soft hackle video.

The big dry flies have found some fish, but not in great numbers. Now that the levels have dropped a lot I think that will will improve. Always a good prospecting tactic is a larger chernobyl with a 2' dropper below. Make the dropper a jig tungsten nymph to cut through the currents for best results.

So the ultimate question... how's the catching? Good! Our guides and staff are finding them on a regular basis. The only times it has been slower is when the water was super high early on, or if the wind was howling after a storm. We have even found a few big browns lately on the river. Second rock on the left, incase you are wondering where they were caught. ;)

Want to give the Spokane River a try? Book one of our stellar guides! Give Bo Brand our Guide Manager a shout to get on the schedule. 509-924-9998.

Want to try the Spokane on your own? Come on in and we can get you dialed in on the bugs and general direction where to go have some fun on your own.