Outing Leaders:  Jake Watrous

Registration Fee:  $25.00 (does not include hosts)

The Lower Yakima Canyon, from Wilson Creek to Roza Dam, offers more than 20 miles of relatively easy floating. NFA will set up camp at the Big Pines Campground, right on the river.  This is sagebrush country, a basalt and desert landscape home to Bighorn sheep, deer, and plentiful hatches of insects.

Your primary catch will be trout and whitefish.  Almost all of the trout are rainbows.  Many of our group will be floating from any of the several launch sites downstream to the Big Pines campground or from the Big Pines campground down to the Roza impoundment.  If you don't have a boat there is easy access via numerous pullouts on Canyon Road running alongside the river, state route WA-821.  In the spring and at the end of the summer through the fall, wading is not difficult.  When the river runs high during the summer due to upstream releases for irrigation, wading is more difficult.

Food & Beverages:

• The outings fee covers all of the meals from Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch.
• Bring your own wine, beer, or hard stuff.
• You do not need to bring any cook gear or eating utensils.

What to Bring for Fishing:

• Washington state fishing license
• Suitable floating devices including pontoon boat, raft, or drift boat.    
• PFD is always recommended for wading and riding in boats.
• It is very likely to be quite cool during the day and significantly colder at night.  Bring clothes that will keep you warm.  although we are on the "dry" side of the Cascades it rains here too, especially in the early spring.  Bring rain gear.
• Hat and sunglasses
• Camera     
• 4-6 weight rods and floating lines
• Net    
• 3x,4x, and maybe 5x tippet depending on which flies you use
• Check the local fly shops on what is working but bring a variety of nymphs including Stone, Copper Johns, and Bead head prince Nymphs; streamers including buggers; and Caddis.
• Water bottle and drinking water for when you are on the river
• Waders, wading boots and wading staff

What to Bring for Camping:

• Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad
• Change of clothes     
• Rain gear
• Flashlight(s)
• Folding Chair

Directions:

• East on I-90 to Ellensburg
• Take exit 109 to Canyon Road
• Drive south- 20 miles
• Campground is located near milepost 8

To see previous outing pictures, click here. 

Cancellation Deadline:  Deadline for cancellation is midnight on September 29th.  There will be no refunds after the cancellation deadline. To cancel, log onto the NFA website with your email and password, go to the event, click on "Already Registered", and follow the prompts to cancel your registration.