METHOW RIVER:  The Methow River is an absolutely beautiful, pristine, freestone river flowing out of the North Cascades into the Columbia River at the town of Pateros, Washington.  It flows through the awesome Methow Valley and passes through the towns of Winthrop, Twisp, Carlton, and Methow on its way to the Columbia.  This river produces some of the largest Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout in the State of Washington.  It is also one of, if not the best, dry fly rivers in the northwest.  The trout season is from June 1 through the end of September.  The best dry fly fishing is mid-July, after the flows drop and stabilize, through the closing.  We normally float the river and fish from the boat, but also spend some time stopping and wading good spots.  Unlike the Yakima, this river also has a returning run of Upper Columbia River summer steelhead.  It is managed as an ESA management fishery and for the last several years has been open from mid October through February or March for the harvesting of hatchery steelhead.  The months of October, November, mid to late February, and March are the best steelhead fishing.  As a managed fishery wild steelhead can not be targeted or kept and hatchery fish are to be kept.  This river only opens for steelhead when the ratio of hatchery fish to wild fish is right and the run is large enough to support the fishery.  Our steelhead fishing is done both wading and using a boat.  It depends on the conditions and pressure on the river.  This is a river that can be swung or nymphed.  We fish sections from Winthrop to the closure boundary, however, our main focus is centered around the town of Carlton.  This river is worthy of the few extra miles that it takes to get to it.  The drive over the North Cascade Highway in the summer is awesome.  The scenic value of this entire region rivals anywhere in the lower fourty-eight.   
Methow Flow:  http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv/?station=12449950



WENATCHEE RIVER:  The mighty Wenatchee over the past 10+ years has been more known for its fierce white water during late spring and early summer than it has for fishing.  However, at one time it was known as one of the top summer-run steelhead rivers in the state of Washington; last year for the first time in 10 years, this river was opened for steelhead in October as an ESA management fishery.  Again hatchery fish are to be kept and wild fish released.  Like the Methow, this river only opens for steelhead when the ratio of hatchery fish and wild fish is right and the run is large enough.  Those who enjoy the steelhead fishing on this river are hoping that it will again be opened in future years.  I primarily fish this river using my drift boat, and spend most of my time from Cashmere to the mouth.   The river has great two-handed rod water, and you can easily spend all day on one or two runs.   The section from Monitor to the mouth has several of these and it is tough to get through this section by dark.  Actually, I have been known to do a great moonlight rowing adventure upstream in the Columbia River from the mouth of the Wenatchee to the take-out at Confluence State Park.  Couples especially enjoy this as it allows them to get back together after a day of competing for steelhead.  
Wenatchee Flow: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv/?station=12462500


YAKIMA RIVER:  The Yakima has been my home river over the past 20 years.  I actually started fishing the Yakima back in 1986 when I bought my first drift boat.  It was an old Slide Rite,  and my son, Clint, and I used to trek up to the Yakima from the Tri-Cities most every chance we got in the summer and fall.  It is the only Blue Ribbon trout stream in Washington and rates as one of the top rivers in the United States.  I have guided guests from all over the country on the Yakima over the past 7 years.  The lower canyon section is known for its great Rainbow fishery, and the upper stretches of the river have some pretty decent Cutthroats to add to the Rainbows.  There is approximately 65 miles of catch and release water and we fish it all.  The lower Yakima is a great smallmouth bass fishery.  There is a resident population, but the section from Benton City to its mouth at the Richland Y can produce fish in the 6 to 8 pound range during the spring and early summer.  These bigger bass move into the Yakima from the Columbia in late April and May to spawn.  The numbers are fewer than some of the stories I hear about such rivers as the John Day, but the size of the fish can make up for it.  May and June can be very good.  The Yakima is a year-round fishery unlike the other rivers we fish, and the winter can be pretty darn good for trout when the conditions are right. 
Yakima Flow: http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nws/hh/basins/yakima.html   


GRANDE RONDE RIVER:  This river is in my home country and is one of the most beautiful rivers in one of the most beautiful settings  in the country.  A great trout, steelhead, and smallmouth bass river.   It is best known for its dry fly steelhead fishing in the fall.   The best top water steelheading is in late September through October.  Mid-February through mid-April is also good steelheading depending on the run-off.  At this time of year using nymphing techniques is the most effective way to fly fish.  The best fishing during the early spring  is between Cougar Creek and Boggan's Oasis.  There can be as many as 6,000 fish holding in this approximately 4 mile section of river.  The best smallmouth bass fishing is mid to late June, depending on run-off, through the summer.  Air temperatures in the canyon during this time can easily exceed 100+ degrees.  I don't talk much, but I can talk about this river for at least 30 minutes.  One of my favorites.   
Grande Ronde Flow: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv/?site_no=13333000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060


KLICKITAT RIVER:  This fast running scenic river is one of the better summer-run steelhead rivers in Washington.  It is a glacial river with its headwaters on Mt. Adams.  Because of its glacial beginning it can be very difficult to fly fish during the summer.  Warm air temps on the mountain can result in the river going out quickly.  In fact, you can fish low on the river early morning ahead of the dirty water and go back up river late afternoon and fish behind the dirty water.  The river opens for steelhead June 1 and closes the end of November.  There are fish in the river throughout the summer, but the best fly fishing is from September through the closure at the end of November.  This is the time of year when the river is the most stable in clarity and flow.  We have hooked into King Salmon in the fall, and it is not unusal to see Kings in the 30+ pound range.  We also hook a lot of nice rainbows during the fall.  It is a great wild river in an awesome wild setting.  In my opinion, the upper section is second only to the Grande Ronde in its wild and remote location.  I have been fooling around on this river since the early 1980's, and it is one of our favorites. 
Klickitat Flow: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv/?station=14113000 


CONTACT ROD
 509-929-3813 
griffsflyfishing@yahoo.com