Eastern Washington Fishing Report 08.09.18

Bonaparte Lake (WA)

One of the nice things about Bonaparte Lake this time of the year is it sits at almost 3,600 feet in elevation. It might not be a very high elevation, but it is enough to temper the hot weather we are going through right now. I am still getting good reports of some very impressive tiger trout and rainbows still being caught. August is a slow time for many of our lakes, so it is always good to hear of good fishing at one of them. The downside is that the water temperature is really iffy. I would start fishing at first light and call it a day right around noon. A #12 red or pink San Juan worm or squirmy wormies have been the ticket form what I have been told. Most of the time they are being fished under an indicator in 10 to 15-feet of water. Even if the fishing is slow, the food at Bonaparte Lake Resort makes the trip worth it.

Methow River (WA)

The river flow continues to drop and is currently at 410 cfs at the Twisp gauge. With these triple-digit hot days, you’ll want to watch the water temperature. Right now, most waters are an early morning until noon adventure. You’ll want to keep to the runs that have good broken water or fast water. If it is water that has a good chop, you’ll have a better chance of finding a few trout in there. Steam water is also a good bet. Using #10 - #8 hoppers and foam flies in pink or purple have been getting the most attention. A good caddis pattern fished just before dark is also having good results. Also, a #14 or a #16 TFP party on top caddis has been getting some nice action just before dark. You can expect a mix of rainbows and cutthroat in the 12 to 16-inch size range with a few at 18 inches. If you do fish the Methow River, expect some smoke coming down from the Twisp River drainage, from a wildfire 15 miles west of town.

See past reports from the Omak region, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.