The Evening Hatch

Type
Fishing
Overview
The Evening Hatch started by Jack Mitchell, began guiding on the Yakima in 1988. We are one of the remaining original outfitters on 'Our Home River.' Since then our services have expanded substantially, including three post and beam lodges. For those who have fished with us, we appreciate your loyal support as this is our 27th year of operating and it continues to be a fun adventure. If you haven't fished with us, we invite you to join us waterside and experience a day, two, three or more on the water with The Evening Hatch.

Over the years The Evening Hatch has seasoned a good number of the guides that are on the Yakima and in Central/Eastern Washington today. Some are with us and some may be out there on their own or with other outfitters. One thing is for sure, The Evening Hatch set the standard of excellence and continues to do so.

..The reputation of The Evening Hatch is based directly on our developed and original programs, quality facilities and our staff that greets you at the Yakima river fly shop, at one of our lodges or the guide that shows you the best of the fishery. We are fortunate to have our crew. These dedicated professionals are hard working, fleece wearing, sunglass bearing, weather tattered, sun lined, oar pulling, fish netting, fly tying, genuine fly fishing guides, bums, chefs, hosts and more. At first glance they may appear to be aloof, out there, glaze eyed, robotic and/or just 'guide like.' A closer look reveals a group of people that will do whatever it takes to make your day the best it can be, period! Our programs have always been 'the first' on the east slope of the Cascades. We guarantee our service, and were the FIRST to do so! - See what our guests have to say.!

Most of our guide staff are full time for The Hatch and some are freelancers roaming the waters... Regardless of their origin, rest assured the experience will be an enjoyable adventure. We guarantee our service! Some of our guide staff have been on the water with us for over 26 years now.....No other Washington or Yakima guide service can quote that statistic... Link below to learn more about our guide staff...

A good guide is your link between the knowledge you already have and the knowledge you would like to gain when it pertains to fishing with the fly.

We are grass roots, from the get go... We won't presume to tell you how to fish; Whether it be dry flies, streamers, nymphing or swinging...We are well versed in all techniques with a fly rod, both single hand and double handers and can teach you the intricacies of the methods you are interested in. If there is something you would like or not like on your trip, let us know and we will make it happen!
 
Fishing Trips
$
450
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
1 day
Fishing Waters:
Destination:
The 'Sister River' to the Yakima is the Naches. Over the years we have spent many a day on this partial freestone/partial tailwater. We were the first to offer float trips on this ... morebeautiful Washington river... for awhile we did not want to let that 'cat out of the bag' as it is a unique and fun fishery.

The Upper Naches river is formed by three rivers...The Bumping, American, and the Little Naches. Two of the rivers, the American and the Little Naches are freestones. Each of these rivers have merrit, but after the confluence of these we find the river to be a bit more consistent. The river is only to be navigated via boat by expert/advanced rowers as it has a high gradient, tight conditions, combined with a bit of white water! Aside from the fishing the actual boat ride and scenery is awesome. As the water subsides in late summer and fall, the wading opportnities are thumbs up.

The Lower Naches river is formed by the Naches and the Tieton. From this joining downstream the river is considered the Naches until it joins the Yakima at the Selah Gap! Hatches are definitely consistent throughout the watershed. Caddis, Yellow Mayflies and Stoneflies are the staple aquatic insects. Small fish and the biomass of the spawning Salmon are another main food source as well. There are some large predator Cutthroat in this system. We tend to not nymph the Naches river much as it seems that it is not needed. We like to dry fly, streamer on the move and swing the fly.

The #1 clue you know you are on the Naches River in the month of July is....You can't figure out if the trip is a fishing trip or a whitewater adventure!
$
475
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
1 day
Fishing Waters:
Destination:
Located in the notheast corner of Washington, the Kettle river is one we have been fishing since 1994; we just haven't been guiding it until the last 10 years. During spring thaw (typically ... moreMay/June) the river may peak at 9000 cfs. However, by August the flows may be as low as 300 cfs. Access is difficult for launching a boat save for a few locations and when the water gets real low ie: August, it makes for some rather long distances between actual put-ins and take outs. We are fortunate to have some private access. We fish this river generally in June, July, Sept and October in conjunction with our seasons on the Upper Columbia.

The fishing can be stellar with the dry fly. The fish are incredibly beautiful wild redbands and pound for pound incredibly strong.
$
495
/ Angler
Capacity:
1 angler
Days:
Daily
Duration:
1 day
"Jack Mitchell - The Evening Hatch built THE STEELHEAD RANCH on a plateau above the valley of Washington's Klickitat River. The beautiful home is both lodge and the centerpiece in ... morea complex of new buildings for clients and guides. Unique among non-wilderness lodges, the superb guides are on site 24/7. And they find steelhead; angler success is astonishingly high. Accommodations can be brochure boilerplate, but here fly fishermen live large with new friends. I don't know of another steelhead river served so well. See you there!" Trey Combs

Multi-day trips We operate 'The Steelhead Ranch' at full operational level from August 15 until November 30. Prior to that, The Steelhead Ranch Lodge can be scheduled based on a trip by trip basis.

Come and join us at our 40 acre ranch for a 2-4 night/day fishing pkg. Enjoy fishing for summer run steelhead on the wild and scenic Klickitat river daily and our conveniently located ranch nightly which features a beautiful double mountain view and 'Bonanza style' ranch like comfort - the nearest neighbor is 1/4 plus mile.

Notes

Requires double occupancy
$
495
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
1 day
The headwaters of the Klickitat river originate on the slopes of Mount Adams in Washington. The topographic map shows an incredible myriad of small streams combining to form this glacial ... morewaterway and the river is home to a strong Fall Chinook and Summer Steelhead run. The landscape is unique and predominantly a combination of scrub oak, pine trees and cottonwood. The watershed is home to a large population of deer, turkey, cougar and elk.

The drainage is quite steep and in fact some of the lower portions of the river are not navigable due to class 5+ falls. The river tumbles into the Columbia approximately 120 miles from the salt and this can equate to some rather 'hot' summer run steelhead. The Klickitat river's wild strain of steelhead are strong and unpredictable. Typically in the 8-12 pound class with fish as large as 18-20 pounds caught occasionally. The wild summer steelhead runs enter the river anywhere from June until November. In addition to the wild steelhead, the hatchery steelhead that inhabit the Klickitat are of the Skamania strain. We like to say...'What is the first clue that you know you are on the Klickitat river? Answer, 'You just got your A_ _ handed to you!'

During the heat of summer the fishing can be a bit sketchy due to the lack of clarity in the river. However, once the weather patterns cool down a bit, the river's clarity will typically be in the 2 to 5 foot range. We fish the river with both swing and nymph tactics. Two handed rods are a useful tool as are single handers. For those of you who would like to swing the fly exclusively on the Klickitat, then we are your crew. For those of you who would like to nymph the Klickitat, then we are your crew. For those of you who would like to mix it up, then we are your crew. We are well versed in all techniques from skating dries to slack line drifting egg patterns. We don't presume to tell you how you should fish the fly for steelhead, we do however listen to your desires and build an adventure based on those requests.

Come spend a day with us on the Klickitat. Our day and multiple day trips are based on a full day or series of full days. Accessing the river can be by boat, walk/wade, bike/wade. If you have a preference or would like to mix and match, let us know!
$
325
-
$
395
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
4 hours - 1 day
Washington is blessed with an incredibly diverse selection of watersheds to chase fish with the fly. The Yakima river is listed as a Blue Ribbon trout fishery from the headwaters at ... moreEaston Dam to Roza dam. We call this river our "Home Water". With over 27 solid years of guiding on this river and well over 10,000 floats you won't find a more seasoned crew with the sincere desire to make your day the best it can be.

The Yakima river watershed is a gem: From the multiple eagles inhabiting the waterway during the winter, to the Bighorn sheep calling the banks its home, to the mule deer, the heron, the hawk, the cougar, bobcat, black bear, elk and the trout. From the water it supplies the farmer and the recreational venue it provides for water sports, to the basalt daisy which is only indigenous to the Yakima river canyon and the incredible white ash line in the lower canyon in remembrance of a time that man was not here and Mt Mazama deposited its mark. It is a river of many faces from its terrain and seasons to the tactics and methodology used to fool the trout. 

Our day trip adventure has been our bread and butter for 27 years now. A day waterside with one of our guide staff is an invaluable experience. Ninetynine percent of our guided trips on the Yakima are based on a drift trip from point A to point B. During low water season there is ample wading opportunities if so desired, but the heart and soul of a day on the water with our crew is a drift trip.

There are many watersheds that offer significant beauty. While the Yakima is not the only beautiful river it most certainly is dramatic, unique and a Blue Ribbon stream centrally located in Washington

What is included in your Yakima day trip; (This refers to our Washington Day Trips)

April 1 - Oct 31 Your Full day trip includes a riverside lunch, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks that while not quite gourmet will most definitely satisfy, all your flies, rods and reels if needed, tippet, floatant and of course all your guides wisdom. What is not included; your fishing license and wading attire

Nov 1 - March 31 Your Yakima Winter rates trip includes flies, tippets and such and of course all your guides wisdom. What is not included; your fishing license, wading attire and lunch
Fishing Reports
High water flows right now. The Lower and Upper Canyons are flowing from bank to bank. The best fishing currently is out of the Farmlands or Upper Proper, which both offer access on ... morefoot in high water using islands and channels.

We are currently experiencing hatches of March Browns and Baetis, along with the Skwala hatch. Just around the corner we'll be seeing Salmonflies and American Grannom - Caddis.
Date:
Monday, 24 Apr, 2017
Fish Caught:
4-8 fish
Overall tough conditions. Most likely isn't going to get better in the near future with the weather pattern we have.....which is warmer then normal.... more

Upper Proper 1 foot
Upper Flatlands 1.5 + foot
Upper Canyon 1
Farmlands - 1 foot
Lower Canyon 6 inches

If you are going to fish, the 12 noon to 3 PM time frame is the window.....March Browns are hatching and over the years in this situation we have been able to find some rising fish during the hatch. Prior and post hatch is difficult.

We will keep you updated as conditions become more favorable.
Fishing Water Report:
Date:
Monday, 18 Apr, 2016
Many of you have already seen images of this, but the below pics are of the launch ramp, or should I say, 'the lack there of," at Stinson campground on the Klickitat. The actual launch ... moreis gone....
Fishing Water Report:
Date:
Tuesday, 19 Apr, 2016
Lots of fish lately....No true giants; But hey, when the average trout is 17-19 inches and there is a realistic chance at an 8 pounder, things are good.... more

Water levels have increased at the border and the lake level is low. Typical water pattern so far. Bugs are popping and we should see some Mothers Day Caddis on the UC within the next 20 days :)
Fishing Water Report:
Date:
Wednesday, 20 Apr, 2016
Guides
Joe first picked up a rod on the banks of the ever so mighty Tin Cup Creek outside of Darby Montana. At the age of 12 he was literally hooked, in the back of the head, the ear, and ... morethe face. It’s amazing how a few dozen 6 inch Trout can alter the course of a boys life.

Joe is passionate about catching fish. He has journeyed far and near in his pursuit. He considers fishing to be the delivery device of life’s greatest gifts his friends, family, and memories.

Since his days on Tin Cup Creek Joe has fished as far South as New Zealand and as far North as Alaska. His love of adventure and extensive travel experience make Joe a great resource for our destination packages, our lodge, and any of our clients searching for new journeys.

Joe is a Seattle native where he currently resides with his wife and two young children. He has a house full of girls and cannot wait until they are ready to become part of the family business.

Favorite Trout Rod – 509 LL Series
Two Hander - Old Brown 7136
Favorite Washington Waters - Yakima, Klickitat, Methow, O.P. , Lake McMurray
Favorite Waters outside of Washington – Belize, Chile, Florida, Mexico, SE Idaho
Favorite Fish – Big ones that bite
One Liner - "Who loves you Baby?"
It all started at age nine when his Dad handed him a UPS fresh Cabelas kit rod. From then on, his bike was the Ford and the SF Snoqualmie was the Madison. Resident Coastal Cutthroat ... moretaught him all the basic stream skills anyone just had to know and growing up on the Northwest's native trout couldn't have been any more nostalgic. Every beaver pond and trickle in the Upper Snoqualmie Valley was explored, and a thirst for adventure was ignited. At sixteen he got his ford, and it was game on. He explored the stillwater scene heavily on waters like Lenice, Nunnally, and the famous Seeps and with his old man's boat in tow explored and learned Eastern Washington's reservoirs with Smallmouth in mind. Banks, Potholes, and Lake Roosevelt have been good. Beach fishing sparked an interest and the Puget Sound became and still is one of his favorite fisheries. His favorite trout's anadromous form was the target more often than not, and many wonderful days have been spent on the salt, including a good number on the state's north coast, Neah Bay, targeting migrating Coho and Black Bass on the fly.

CJ is a Coast Gaurd Rated Captain and a licensed Washington guide. We call him The Predator. He is second in command at Black Bear Lodge for big wild rainbows, he is a senior guide, he helps you catch 'Steel' with ease on any of the many rivers we chase chrome, a Yakima expert and he is always positive....

Favorite Two hander-Vt2 8139
Favorite One Hander-RPL 590
Favorite WA Waters- Anything draining into the greater Columbia Basin....Olympic Peninsula
Favorite Water outside WA-Western MT.....YNP
Favorite One Liner- Steelhead are where ya find em......so go find one!
Ricky reminds you of the boy next door. Don't let that appearance fool you as his fishing and casting prowess is top notch. Quite frankly, his two hand rod skills are borderline world ... moreclass. He has an awesome demeanor about his approach to the day and he is as nice as the day is long in June. Well versed in all tactics with both the two hander and the single hand rod, we are happy to have his prowess on our team. Ricky spends most of his time with us on the Olympic peninsula, Yakima and Klickitat.
Kevin Mahaney grew up in Ellensburg and has been fishing the Yakima river and it's tributaries all of his life. After attending Central Washington University for two years, Kevin moved ... moreto Driggs, Idaho to ski and fish bum before he returned to Washington where he completed his degree in business marketing at Western Washington University. While Kevin attended Western he was the marketing intern for Fly FishJournal, one of the industries premier fishing magazines.

During his break from school in Idaho's Teton Mountains, Kevin was able to devote more time to his passion for fly fishing on waters like the Henry's and South fork's of the Snake River. Because of this experience Kevin brings a technical approach to The Evening Hatch that includes an unsurpassed knowledge of hatches and how to catch big trout on dryflies. Along with his ability to catch fish, Kevin brings his pastwork experiences in the customer service and fishing industries together to teach anglers of all skill levels, especially those new to the sport, how to up their game. Kevin is absolutely one of the most personable and likable people you will ever meet, in or out of a fishing boat.
Trey has lived a long and illustrious carreer in fly fishing. He is most well known for authoring 'Steelhead Fly Fishing' and 'Blue Water Fly Fishing'. He has been an advisor for countless ... moreequipment manufacturers including but not limited to, Thomas and Thomas, CF Burkheimer and Sarcionne. Aside from his incredible prowess in actually catching fish and then writing about the insight in doing so, Trey is a masterful teacher.

He was part of the 'cutting edge' of Steelhead and Blue Water flyfishing. He was making shooting heads before 'shooting heads' were cool. He has fished ALL OVER the WORLD with too many places to name.

Aside from all of that, Trey is a 'nice guy'. We are fortunate to have him on our crew in an advisory/host capacity and most of all a good friend.
The head guide and owner of the company is, Jack Mitchell. Jack is married to his best friend, Jennifer who can fish along with the best and has a very successfullyReal Estate brokerage ... more- Dryside Property

Father to three beautiful children; Lauren, Kelsey and Justin.

Jack started fishing at the early age of one. The first 16 summers of his life were spent fishing at Neah Bay, with his parents and grandparents as "Kelpers" - catching and selling salmon caught in the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean.

Prior to the families years at Neah Bay, Jack's grandfather owned a very well known fishing resort on Camano Island called Camp Lagoon, where he hosted thousands of people on fishing excursions.

During his 16 years at Neah Bay, he spent 4 years as a bait boy on the top two Charters Services. When he wasn't in the boat fishing the ocean he was by foot and/or bike fishing for sea run cutthroat in numerous local creeks on the reservation.

After high school Jack went on to college at Washington State University and was on the 7 year plan for his BA in Sport and Recreation Management. While at college he fished, hunted and played a large amount of Rugby, hence the 7 year plan. Soon after graduation he found himself in Ellensburg and realized that his love of fishing had brought him to the right place.

His fishing trails have led him to Alaska, Canada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and South America. In Chile, he explored many watersheds that until a few years ago had hardly ever been fished. Jack guided in South America for a total of 7 winters. The Evening Hatch started as a small dream in 1988 and since the company has grown from a small red pick-up, an Achilles raft and doing a seasonal 30 trips a year, to a year round operation facilitating over 900 guided river days a year. Our services range from day trips to all inclusive programs featuring our very own post and beam lodges in two locations and our 'Heart and Soul' waters include the Yakima, Klickitat, Methow, Upper Columbia and Olympic Peninsula. He has guided from Southern Chile to Washington and fortunately fished more watersheds then most. His favorite fishing is a greased line for steelhead with a two hander. He started the credited fly fishing class at CWU in 1994. The class is still ongoing and very popular. He has spoke on the topic of fly fishing at sport shows, clubs and seminars

Jack, The Evening Hatch and his guide staff have been featured in numerous media publications over the years. .

The company goal is and always has been to have fun on the water, provide you with an enjoyable fishing experience, teach you some new technique, and create appreciation for the wonderful resource; We thank you for your continued support.

Licensed Washington State Freshwater Guide- License #32047
US Coast Guard Captain - License #000007007

Clackacraft Pro Staff, Thomas and Thomas Pro Staff, Simms Ambassador

Favorite Two Handers - 12'9" DNA Thomas and Thomas, 12'6" Sage TCX , 13'7" #7 Guideline Lecie
Favorite Trout Rod - #5 NS 11 Thomas and Thomas
Favorite Washington Waters - The Klickitat, The Upper Columbia, The Yakima
Favorite Waters outside of Washington - The Dean River, British Columbia; The Rio Pico, Chile
Favorite Fish - Steelhead
Favorite One Liner - Nooiiccee!
Jeff and Jan are our Lodge Managers. Married now for 14 years, they bring a creative touch to both lodge locations. We refer to Jan as 'Mother Jan' and let me tell you, she will not ... morehold back in letting you know what needs to be done. Love these two; Yes they work for us, but more than that they are friends, salt of the earth and REAL people. We are incredibly fortunate to have them in the family.

Jeff has been around the fly fishing game for a LONG time. With over 28 years in the Industry participating in all dimensions of operation from 17 years in Tierra Del Fuego, 7 years in the Kola Peninsula as a guide to 8 years in Colorado guiding on the famed waters to owning a Fly Shop and to now managing both Black Bear Lodge and The Steelhead Ranch, Jeff is a seasoned veteran. Aside from all of that, he has raised more Klick Steelies on a dry fly than anyone I know!
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