There is a lot of water coming out of Lake Cle Elum, leaving the limited-access water above the Cle Elum River rather wadable.?? From the mouth of the Cle Elum, down, there is some limited bank opportunities, however a boat and a partner to row is by far the way to go, availing repetitive shots tight to/and into the bank/vegetation.?? Only four or five weeks ???til drop time, though, so hang in there, bank prowlers!

Big Dry season is in full-swing, with Hoppers and Summer Short-Wing Stones entrenched as top-of-the-menu courses for the trout.?? However, PMD's (early afternoon) and Caddis (late in the day-to-dusk) will provide variable matching opportunity from one day to the next.?? Furthermore, Micro-Caddis are due to trigger "mystery rises" through the month of August, in the evenings.?? Don't feel bad for not being able to readily ID these #24-ish mass-emergers, and take heart in the fact that you can get by with a #20.?? For good measure, consider dropping a tiny caddis pupa/adult behind a larger emerger/adult in an attempt to "get into this game" late in the day.

About all that will change through August will be the days.?? Once the water drops in September (usually by the 10th), we'll start looking to add Fall mayflies and October Caddis, as summer gives way, and the Hoppers wane.

PATTERNS:
Caddis ~?? Sparkle Pupa Tan, Green #14-#16; Silvey's Edible Emerger Tan #14; Prime Time Pupa #14-#16; X2 Caddis Tan, Olive #14-#18; Elk Hair Caddis Tan #14-#20; Parachute Caddis #14-#18; Hi Viz Caddis #14-#16; CDC Caddis Tan #16-#18; Last Call Caddis #14-#16; Dead Caddis #16-#18; Quigley Micro Caddis Emerger #20-#22

PMD's ~?? BH FB Pheasant Tail Brown #16-#18; Tung-Stud Nymph Amber #14-#16; Bead Head Bubble Back PMD #14-#16; Almost Dun PMD #16-#18; Brook's Sproat PMD #14-#16; Sparkle Dun PMD #16-#18; Parachute PMD #14-#18; CDC Comparadun PMD #16-#18

Stones ~?? Stimulator and Rubber Leg Stimi Tan #8-#10; Bearly Kickin Stone #10; CFO Ant, Flesh #8-#10; Foamulator, Orange #8-#10

Terrestrials ~?? Paracute Hopper #8-#12 (also a good Short-Wing Stone pattern); Dave's #8-#10; Mo Joe Hopper Tan, Yellow #8-#10; Green Hopper #8-#10; Illegal Beetle #12-#14; Power Ant #12-#14; Two-Tone Para Ant #14-#18