Blue Ribbon Trout

The Yakima River runs right through Cle Elum. In fact, there is a boat launch just over the bridge dividing Cle Elum from South Cle Elum.

Washington's best trout fishing stretches from just below the dam at Lake Keechelus to Roza dam in the lower Yakima Canyon.

The Blue Ribbon designation is only applied to rivers with quality water and quality fish counts per mile. The Yakima is known throught the west for wild rainbow trout and native cutthroat trout.

Yakima Boating

There are ample opportunities to fish the Yakima from a drift boat or a pontoon boat. There is a launch site in town and another suitable for taking out your boat about three miles east of town. About halfway between the two launches, there is a public park with a stocked pond. The pond is restricted to kids and seniors, and there is Yakima fishing just south of the pond.

Up river from town, there are boat launching sites and plenty of woding opportuniites in between.