water experiences
Kittitas County has some of the country’s best fly fishing in the Yakima River, quiet mountain lakes, plus opportunities for boating on the Columbia.
n FISHING
Quick contact number for current river conditions: Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office 509-925-8534
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CENTRAL WASHINGTON | VISITORS GUIDE
Kittitas County offers unparalleled fishing opportunities, from fly fishing the Yakima to reeling in a sturgeon on the Columbia. The Yakima River is a year-round fly-fishing destination. It is a catch-andrelease river for wild trout. There are multiple fly fishing gear and guide services in the county, including Red’s Flyshop, Troutwater, The Evening Hatch, WorleyBugger Fly Co., Ellensburg Angler, and Emerging River Guide Services. The Columbia River on the eastern edge of the county is also a prime spot for sturgeon, walleye, salmon and steelhead. In addition to the rivers and streams, the county is dotted with lakes. Lake fishing opportunities begin at Snoqualmie Pass with Keechelus and Kachess and continue through the lower valley. In the lower county, Mattoon Lake, Fiorito lakes and Lavender Lake are popular destinations, particularly for families with children. Other options? Cooper Lake,
Easton Ponds, Kiwanis Ponds, Lost Lake and Quartz Creek Pond. Many of the ponds are stocked by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and there are derbies and events at the lakes in the spring and summer. A license is required to legally fish in Washington, except for children under 14 years old. For those looking for fishing off the beaten track there are a multitude of lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area.
n FLOATING Floating the Yakima through the Yakima River Canyon is an awe-inspiring adventure. The canyon features massive and weathered basalt cliffs, and rolling, high shrub-steppe hills. The stretch of river southeast of Ellensburg from Ringer Loop Road to the Roza Recreational Site sees the most float and raft traffic when temperatures rise in Central Washington. Although a Yakima River float trip
