• You will find lots of Cutthroat, Rainbow and Brook trout to catch in a variety of riffles, pools, and water pockets behind boulders. You can walk or wade most of the Boulder River which has a relatively low gradient at our location. Felt bottomed boots are recommended for the slippery rocky river bottom.
  
  
• Learn about where fish have been caught and what flies to use from fly fishing reports that we have compiled from our guests’ experience. You are encouraged to add your own fly fishing experience to these reports.
  
  
• A supply of flies is available for sale that work in our area.
  
  
• For the beginner fly fishing instruction is provided at the trout pond or get you started in the Boulder River.
  
  
• Fly fish in special wilderness locations, such as a mountain stream reached by horseback, or a glacier lake the end of the wilderness primitive road.
  
  
• Fishing in the fall is insurmountable. Lower river levels and the colorful mountain scenery make this a truly satisfying experience. This is a time that is often missed because of summer vacation schedules, but if it fits, we know this will be a memorable September for you.

Besides fly fishing the river, you or others in your family can enjoy a variety of other outdoor activities. Call us to arrange your fishing vacation.

If you started on this page, click • Hawley Mountain Ranch• to see ranch activities and description.

Dry flyfishing began as usual around the second week of July and became better and better as the water level dropped, the temperature increased and hatches became more numerous. By mid-August fishermen were catching between 30 and 50 fish a day. Some began fishing at 10:00 am and didn't come back to the lodge until 8:00 pm.

Elk hair caddis, hoppers (yellow), and adams, sizes 10 to 14 did the best in moving water. Nymphs and black mambas worked in the deep pools. There was only one week in August when we had more than 3 fishermen on the river at one time.

The 2007 season should see a great catch of rainbows, cuthroats, brooks and cutbows in the 8" to 18" range. So make your reservations early and happy fishing!

Dry flyfishing season began on the Boulder River as the river began to clear towards the end of the first week of July. Beginning fly fishermen were having a difficult time but the more advanced fishermen were more successful. A husband and wife who were fishing together using Joe’s Hoppers, Grey Wolffs and a dropper of a bead head Pheasant Ear were catching approximately 20 fish a day with a predominance of Brook trout.

Fishing continued to pick up the second week of July. Elk hair Caddis were the predominant fly and the average catch per day was about 20. As of July 18, a very experienced fisherman indicated that he caught at least 30 fish a day with one of them being approximately 20 inches. The best fly fishing seems to be between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. It slows down in the hot afternoons and picks up again around 5:00 pm until dark. All five varieties of fish are being caught which include Brook trout, Cutthroats, Rainbows, Cutbows and on rare occasions, a Golden trout. Happy fishing!

In mid-July through mid-August, the best luck was had by fishing with a nymph dropper, usually a Flash Back Pheasant Tail or a Hare’s Ear nymph, size 12 or 14 and using a dry fly such as a Royal Wolff or Cahill, size 14 or 16 as a floater on top of the water. Based on the reports filled out by the fishermen they were catching approximately 5 – 10 fish per hour.

This increased as the summer wore on and by late August they were using Adam’s Caddis’ and Hoppers size 14, 14, and 10. Other flies that were successful were Stimulators and Brown Drakes. A guest who has returned for 14 summers fishing in the late fall, reported catching 50 fish in one day. A couple of the comments from guests from Andover, Michigan included, “What a beautiful location to fish”. “I encountered a moose, face to face, on my way back from fishing.”

“I previously had caught only one dumb fish in the state of Washington on a fly before I came to Hawley Mountain Guest Ranch. I caught more than I could count today.”

The season lasted into the third week of September when the temperature started to drop.

Due to a late snow melt, the river remained high and cold until the week after the 4th of July. With several sunny days the water temperature went up from 50 degrees to 56 degrees and the fish began to feed. A report made by a very good fly fisherman stated he was catching 12 to 18 fish per day using a #14 Red Humpy dry and dropping a Hare’s Ear Beadhead nymph. He also used a #12 Stimulater. The longest fish was a 16” Rainbow. His last day was July 15 and total catch was 12 fish using Hoppers, Adams, Humpys and Stimulators.

The August fly fishing report indicated a fly fisherman was catching 25 fish on small Hoppers on August 2. August 3 was too many fish to count, mostly 6” to 12”. He estimated that between two of them they caught 60 fish on longer Hoppers, Adams, and Muddler Minnows. On August 4, his last day fishing he caught about 20 fish and lost a big one near the cable about 20” using Blue Duns, Caddis and Muddler.

As of August 5, the river is at mid summer level and should continue to warm with lots of hatches through September which means great dry fly fishing. Come join us