Yakima River Smallmouth Fishing

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ryan Gates on April 25, 2010 at 2:58pm

well my experience has been good in that same location( mouth of the yak) i used a firetiger rattle trap in a 5/8 oz size and some zoom lizards in a pb&j or a watermelon chartruse tail 4 and 5 inch lizard mojo rig with a red bead.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on April 25, 2010 at 3:11pm

Thomas,

Floating, boating, or shore bound? I can help you better if I know your capabilities.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on April 26, 2010 at 8:23am

If you are floating the yak, then throw some grubs. Can't go wrong there. If you are boating near the mouth. Its hard to throw a 3.5 inch tube in the right spots and not get a least a couple bites when the water is clear. Green tubes are never a bad choice.

Get your bait on the bottom and work it slow. You need to find rock. There isnt much of it in the lower river, so if you can find it......you'll find fish.

Confidence + Rock + green tube = lower yak bass. Work it slow or even vertical.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Cooksey on April 26, 2010 at 10:40am

Thanks... I have been using green tube, chartrouse grubs, senkos. Bank fishing in between the mouth and West Richland. Some spots the water is very fast. I did find out how to get to the train bridge right there. I have had awesome luck in the past few years there from a boat. That was later in the year, i dont think i have begun to fish this early in the year.

Permalink Reply by Harry Hardy on April 26, 2010 at 11:34am

If you have a boat, Go up the Yak to the I-240 bridge. Rig a 4" greenpumpkin Zoom lizard on a mojo rig and drift with the current making sure your lizard is on the bottom. Folat the shore line on the Richland side of the river. I have had great success with this method. Now is the time they should be coming in the river in droves.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Cooksey on April 26, 2010 at 12:15pm

No boat!!! I am not sure what a mojo rig is either.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on April 26, 2010 at 1:29pm

For the love of god man......When someone gives you the name of a rig, then at least try to meet them half-way and do a little of your own homework. http://www.bassdozer.com/articles/mojo.shtml

Google is a most awsome and powerful part of the interweb.

What you need to do is forget banking it on the lower yak. I've done it. What you are going to find is a lot of ticks, skunks, and a few guys that would probably stab you over that giant carp you just banked.

One exception is the tip of Bateman Island. Bankies do just as well if not better than boats there. Its a grind, but if you drag a tube/lizard slow around that area, you will hook some good fish. Patience is the key there.

A better deal is to save up a few nickels and buy a float-tube, or better yet a pontoon boat and float the Yakima river. If you must fish from the bank, there are better areas in Tri Cities like the dike/traintracks near Casey's pond, Dalton lake, any of the marina's, one of the many columbia basin ponds, or all over the snake river. Lots of spots where you can move easier, and cover more water, while still having a chance to catch some good fish.

Also a less busy area on the yak to bank it is above the horn rapids dam between Benton City, and Horn rapids park. That area should be heating up now, but watch the regs as the salmon fishery puts a kink in certain set ups.
Good luck.





Thomas Cooksey said:

No boat!!! I am not sure what a mojo rig is either.