FISHING
Don’t Eschew Chelan Falls For Chinook The waters on the way up to the famed Brewster Pool are also fishy in July.
By Mark Yuasa
W
e all seek to fulfill ultimate goals, and the revered salmon fishing grounds of the Upper Columbia River at Chelan Falls should be on the summer mustdo list. Nestled behind the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains, the Upper Columbia’s natural beauty is diverse with nearby rugged, forested peaks, vast fruit orchards and arid, desertlike scablands. Yes, the landscape is a sight to see, but it’s the highly anticipated arrival of summer kings that’ll turn anglers into a tizzy when the river opens July 1. “The king fishing can be amazing around Chelan Falls as they begin to stack up in early July,” said Aaron Peterson, owner of Peterson’s Northwest Guide Service (petersonsnorthwest.com, 425-2202928). “The second and third week in July is the best period, but you can catch them into early August.” What makes the fishery click is that around a decade ago the Chelan Falls Hatchery ramped up Chinook production to help rebuild the region’s salmon runs. These Chinook migrate to net pens (completed shortly after 2010) at the outfall to a powerhouse plant where intake pipes stretching up to
Early morning is the best time to work the Chelan Falls stretch of the Upper Columbia. Tegan Yuasa caught this one before the sun had risen over North-central Washington last July. (MARK YUASA)
nwsportsmanmag.com | JULY 2021
Northwest Sportsman 81
