DIY Fly Fishing GuideDestinations map

Fly Fishing in Washington

50 featured rivers, lakes and streams in Washington, each with target species, a hatch chart and a map of nearby access.

Amber Lake (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout)
Eastern Washington quality trout lake with selective gear rules. Good spring and fall fishing.
Bogachiel River (Steelhead, Cutthroat Trout)
Remote Olympic Peninsula stream with wild steelhead. Less pressured than neighboring rivers.
Calawah River (Steelhead)
Olympic Peninsula tributary with winter steelhead. Scenic fishing through temperate rainforest.
Carbon River (Steelhead)
Mt. Rainier tributary with wild steelhead. Flows through old-growth forest in national park buffer.
Chelan River (Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon)
Short but productive river draining Lake Chelan. Good trout fishing in clear, cold water.
Chewuch River (Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout)
Methow Valley tributary with wild trout. Remote fishing in Okanogan National Forest.
Cowlitz River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon)
Major Columbia tributary with excellent salmon and steelhead fishing below Barrier Dam.
Crab Creek (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout)
Eastern Washington desert stream with wild rainbow and brown trout. Unique high-desert fishing.
Dry Falls Lake (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout)
Dramatic eastern Washington lake below ancient waterfall. Quality rainbow and brown trout fishing.
Dungeness River (Steelhead, Coho Salmon)
Olympic Peninsula river near Sequim. Wild steelhead and salmon in clear mountain water.
Elwha River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon)
Restored Olympic Peninsula river after dam removal. Returning salmon and steelhead in recovering habitat.
Entiat River (Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout)
Eastern Cascades river with wild trout. Clear mountain water in scenic canyon setting.
Grande Ronde River (Steelhead, Rainbow Trout)
Eastern Washington section with excellent summer steelhead. Remote canyon fishing near the Oregon border.
Green River (Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout)
King County river with good trout fishing in the gorge section. Accessible from the Seattle metro area.
Hoh River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon)
Olympic Peninsula rainforest river with world-class winter steelhead. Pristine wilderness fishing in temperate rainforest.
Humptulips River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon)
Western Olympic Peninsula river with excellent steelhead runs. Less crowded than northern rivers.
Kalama River (Steelhead)
Southwest Washington steelhead river with summer and winter runs. Excellent fly water throughout.
Klickitat River (Steelhead)
Columbia tributary famous for summer steelhead. Technical wading in scenic canyon water.
Lake Chelan (Kokanee, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon)
Deep glacial lake with kokanee, trout, and landlocked chinook. Beautiful North Cascades setting.
Lenice Lake (Rainbow Trout)
Eastern Washington seep lake with quality rainbow trout. Selective gear rules and excellent chironomid fishing.
Lewis River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon)
Southwest Washington river with excellent steelhead. Both North and East forks offer quality water.
Methow River (Rainbow Trout, Steelhead)
Eastern Washington gem with excellent trout and summer steelhead fishing. Crystal clear mountain water.
Nisqually River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon)
South Puget Sound river originating at Mt. Rainier. Steelhead and salmon in glacier-fed water.
Nooksack River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon)
North Cascades river near Bellingham with steelhead and salmon. Three forks offer diverse fishing.
Nunnally Lake (Rainbow Trout)
Eastern Washington seep lake near Lenice. Trophy potential rainbow trout with selective gear rules.
Okanogan River (Steelhead, Rainbow Trout)
North-central Washington river with steelhead and trout. Part of the Columbia River system.
Palouse River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout)
Eastern Washington river with rainbow trout. Flows through agricultural Palouse country.
Pass Lake (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout)
Whidbey Island fly fishing only lake. Quality rainbow and brown trout in scenic setting.
Puyallup River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, Pink Salmon)
Mt. Rainier watershed river with salmon and steelhead. Accessible fishing south of Seattle.
Quillayute River (Steelhead, Chinook Salmon)
Short but productive Olympic Peninsula river. Excellent steelhead and salmon near the Pacific coast.
Rocky Ford Creek (Rainbow Trout)
Eastern Washington spring creek with trophy rainbow trout. Catch-and-release, fly fishing only water.
Rufus Woods Lake (Rainbow Trout)
Columbia River reservoir with trophy triploid rainbow trout. World-record potential fishery.
Sauk River (Steelhead, Bull Trout)
Major Skagit tributary with excellent steelhead and bull trout. Wild mountain river in the North Cascades.
Similkameen River (Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout)
Northern Washington river near the Canadian border. Smallmouth bass and trout fishing.
Skagit River (Steelhead, Bull Trout)
Legendary steelhead river with excellent fly water. Spey casting paradise and birthplace of modern steelhead techniques.
Skokomish River (Steelhead, Chum Salmon, Coho Salmon)
Southern Olympic Peninsula river with steelhead and salmon. Flows through Skokomish tribal lands.
Skykomish River (Steelhead, Pink Salmon, Cutthroat Trout)
Central Cascades river with steelhead, salmon, and trout. Popular fly fishing destination near Seattle.
Snake River (Steelhead, Smallmouth Bass, White Sturgeon)
Major Columbia tributary with steelhead, sturgeon, and smallmouth bass. Diverse fishing opportunities.
Snohomish River (Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead)
Large Puget Sound river formed by Skykomish and Snoqualmie. Salmon and steelhead in tidal influenced water.
Snoqualmie River (Rainbow Trout, Steelhead, Cutthroat Trout)
Accessible Cascade foothills river east of Seattle. Good trout fishing with steelhead in lower sections.
Sol Duc River (Steelhead, Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon)
Olympic Peninsula gem with wild steelhead and salmon. Flows through old-growth rainforest with excellent fly water.
Spokane River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout)
Urban fishing opportunity with good rainbow trout. Multiple wadeable sections through the Spokane area.
Stillaguamish River (Steelhead, Cutthroat Trout)
North Puget Sound river with winter and summer steelhead runs. Both North and South forks offer quality fishing.
Toutle River (Steelhead)
Recovering post-Mt. St. Helens with returning steelhead. Unique geological fishing experience.
Tucannon River (Rainbow Trout, Steelhead)
Blue Mountains stream with wild rainbow trout and steelhead. Remote southeast Washington fishing.
Twisp River (Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout)
Methow Valley stream with wild rainbow and bull trout. Clear mountain water with excellent hatches.
Washougal River (Steelhead, Cutthroat Trout)
Columbia Gorge tributary with summer steelhead. Accessible fishing near Portland/Vancouver metro.
Wenatchee River (Steelhead, Rainbow Trout)
Cascade mountain river with salmon, steelhead, and trout. Beautiful Bavarian scenery near Leavenworth.
Wind River (Steelhead)
Columbia Gorge stream with summer steelhead. Clear water in scenic canyon setting.
Yakima River (Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout)
Blue-ribbon trout water in central Washington. Excellent dry fly fishing with prolific hatches throughout the season.

Fly Fishing in Washington

Fly Fishing in Other States