Eastern Washington Fishing Report 10.27.2017
Words By: North 40 Outfitters
Posted: October 27, 2017

—North 40 Omak

Washington fishing report cover

Rufus Woods Reservoir

It is that time of the year when Rufus Woods really starts to take off. The trout in this water are hungry and on the prowl. I am getting reports of nice triploid rainbows and some hard-fighting red-band rainbows. Mornings through the middle part of the day offer the most opportunity. Water temperatures are holding around 58 degrees. Working the soft waters with a balanced leech will produce. A #8 black TFP Balanced Squirrel Leech and #6 black BTB Balanced Leech are a good choice as well. If throwing streamers is your game, try a #6 sculpin, Coffey's Sparkle Minnow or a #4 Sculpzilla along the seam water between soft water and the current. Be mindful of the weather this time of year. It can change without warning. Always wear your PFD when in any type of a boat.

Frenchman Wasteway

Part of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, this water way is known more for its hunting then fishing. You will find predatory tiger trout, brook trout and rainbows in this high-desert water. Rarely freezing in the winter, this water can be fished all year. From now into March is the best time to chase after resident trout. The clarity of water is great and allows you to sight cast to holding fish. Scud patterns are a productive pattern with either a #16 olive/gray Ultra Scud or #16 Dunnigan's Flashback Scud are my recommendations. Leeches, leeches and more leeches are always a good idea this time of the year. A #8 black or olive gold bead Rubber Leg Crystal Bugger or #12 black or olive Pine Squirrel Leech will be a good bet to have as well. If you like to throw streamers, try a #6 olive/white Skullhead Zonker. Bring your nine or ten foot six-weight rod to help cut through those windy days.

Rocky Ford Creek

This desert spring creek is a staple this time of the year until spring time for area fly anglers. Sixteen to twenty inch rainbows are the norm, but fish up to five pounds are highly possible. From the reports, fishing has been better in the morning, dead through midday and picks back up in the evening. This is one of those bodies of water that justifies using a ten-foot six-weight rod.  Olive or grey scuds in #16-20 are the number one producers. Smaller streamers like the #6 pearl gold Coffee’s Sparkle Minnow or #6 olive Zonker are also seeing some action.