Washington

Wenatchee River

Washington·North Central Washington·47.60° N, 120.62° W

Fishing right now

Slow

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How we rate this

Water 72°F — too warm. Fish dawn only, or give them a rest.

What's driving it

72°F — too warm363 cfs — lowAQI 128 — unhealthy for sensitive groupswind 2 mph — calmbright sun

Flow

363cfs

Wenatchee River at Plain · stable

Water temp

72°F

Wenatchee River at Monitor

Flow vs normal

Well Below Normal

5th percentile for mid-August

Median 853 cfs

Weather

88°F

Partly Sunny · near Leavenworth

Solunar · next 7 days

About Wenatchee River

The Wenatchee is a big, cold Cascade freestone that drains out of Lake Wenatchee and runs about 50 miles through Leavenworth and Cashmere to meet the Columbia at the town of Wenatchee. It's first and foremost an anadromous river — its reputation rides on returning summer steelhead, with major runs of spring chinook, sockeye, and coho pushing through on their way to the upper basin. Underneath all that swims a resident trout fishery: native westslope cutthroat, redband rainbow trout, and ESA-listed bull trout that you are not allowed to target. If you're picturing a classic Western trout stream you fish all summer, recalibrate — this is a river you fish around the runs and around the snowmelt.

That snowmelt is the whole story of how it fishes. The Wenatchee carries an enormous Cascade snowpack, and through the spring and early-summer runoff the river is high, cold, and brown — the gauge at Plain can run several thousand CFS through June. Trout fishing really only comes together as flows drop in late summer, when the upper river above Leavenworth and the Tumwater Canyon pocket water clear enough to wade. Lower down through Peshastin and Cashmere the river slows and warms into bigger swing water, which is where the steelhead game happens: nymph rigs and swung flies through the tailouts when there's an open season. The canyon stretch is steep and bouldery; the lower valley is broad orchard water you can both wade and float.

The single most important thing to know is that the steelhead and salmon seasons here open and close on short notice. WDFW manages the fisheries on returning run size and sets seasons by emergency rule — a summer-steelhead opener might land in the fall one year and not happen at all the next. Bull trout are no-target, catch-and-release if hooked incidentally, and selective-gear rules apply on much of the river. Check the current WDFW emergency regulations before you drive out; the difference between a great trip and a closed river is one rule change. When the steelhead season is off, the upper-river trout and the Icicle Creek tributary fishing near Leavenworth are the fallback.

Species

Steelhead (summer-run)
Primary · Sep-Nov · 24-32"
The reason most fly anglers come — summer-run steelhead returning to the upper Columbia basin. Fished by swung fly and nymph through the Peshastin, Cashmere, and lower-river tailouts, but only when WDFW opens a season by emergency rule, which varies year to year.
Bull Trout
Present · No-target · 16-28"
Native, ESA-listed, and strictly no-target. If you hook one incidentally, release it unharmed without removing it from the water. They hold in the colder, deeper water of the upper river and tributary mouths.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Common · Jul-Sep · 8-14"
Native cutthroat that fill the upper river above Leavenworth and the canyon pocket water. Willing to eat attractor dries once summer flows drop and clear. The most reliable trout target on the system.
Redband Trout
Common · Jul-Sep · 8-15"
Native interior redband rainbows spread through the riffles and runs from the upper river down through Cashmere. Caddis, stoneflies, and attractor patterns in late summer when the water is fishable.
Chinook Salmon (spring run)
Common · May-Jun · 10-25 lb
Spring chinook return through the lower river toward the upper-basin spawning grounds. Seasons are tightly managed and often closed; check WDFW emergency rules before targeting them.
Coho Salmon
Present · Sep-Oct · 5-12 lb
Reintroduced coho run the river in fall alongside the returning steelhead. Fishing is open only when WDFW announces a season; otherwise they're a no-target passer-through.
Mountain Whitefish
Common · Oct-Mar · 10-16"
Abundant and underrated — whitefish hold throughout the lower and middle river and feed on nymphs and small flies through the cold months when trout and steelhead seasons are closed.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Steelhead (summer-run)	Primary	Sep-Nov	24-32"
Bull Trout	Present	No-target	16-28"
Westslope Cutthroat Trout	Common	Jul-Sep	8-14"
Redband Trout	Common	Jul-Sep	8-15"
Chinook Salmon (spring run)	Common	May-Jun	10-25 lb
Coho Salmon	Present	Sep-Oct	5-12 lb
Mountain Whitefish	Common	Oct-Mar	10-16"

Sections

5 reaches

Lake Wenatchee to Plain

Wade & FloatRedband · Cutthroat · Bull Trout · Rainbow Trout

The uppermost river, just below the Lake Wenatchee outlet, running cold and clear through the Plain valley past the USGS gauge. This is some of the most approachable trout water on the system — pocket water and gravel runs holding westslope cutthroat and redband rainbow trout, with no-target bull trout cruising the deeper holes. It drops and clears earlier than the canyon water downstream.

Best for: Westslope cutthroat and rainbow trout on attractor dries, caddis, and stonefly nymphs once flows drop in summer. Best Jul-Sep.

Tumwater Canyon — Plain to Leavenworth

WadeCutthroat · Bull Trout · Rainbow Trout

The whitewater heart of the river, where US-2 follows the Wenatchee through a steep boulder-choked canyon above Leavenworth. Big pushy snowmelt flows keep this stretch unfishable into July most years, but as it drops it opens up classic freestone pocket water for rainbow and westslope cutthroat trout. Bull trout are present and must not be targeted. This is wade fishing around big rocks — float-only through the rapids is for boaters, not anglers.

Best for: Rainbow and cutthroat trout in the pockets and seams once snowmelt subsides — stoneflies, caddis, and big attractor dries. Best Aug-Sep.

Leavenworth to Peshastin

Wade & FloatSteelhead · Salmon · Redband · Cutthroat · Rainbow Trout

Below the Icicle Creek confluence at Leavenworth the river widens and slows into more classic runs and riffles through the Peshastin reach. This is the core of the seasonal steelhead fishery — when WDFW opens a selective-gear summer-run steelhead season here, swung flies and nymph rigs work the tailouts. Spring chinook, sockeye, and coho also push through on their way upstream, though most salmon seasons are closed to fishing. Redband rainbows and cutthroat fill the trout slots.

Best for: Summer steelhead on swung flies and egg patterns when seasons open by emergency rule, plus rainbow and cutthroat trout. Best Sep-Nov for steelhead.

Peshastin to Cashmere

Wade & FloatSteelhead · Redband · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

Broad valley water through the orchards between Peshastin and Cashmere, with long gravel runs and deeper holding water. The river is warmer and lower-gradient here, prime staging water for returning summer steelhead and a swung-fly drift when the season is on. Whitefish and redband rainbow trout are the year-round residents. Bank access comes off the river road and at the Cashmere parks.

Best for: Summer steelhead and mountain whitefish on swung flies, nymphs, and eggs, with redband rainbow trout in the riffles. Best Sep-Nov.

Cashmere to the Columbia

Wade & FloatSteelhead · Salmon · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

The lowest river, dropping past Monitor through the final orchard country to the confluence with the Columbia at Wenatchee. Big, slow, and the warmest water on the system — this is salmon and steelhead staging water more than trout water. When open, the lower river sees summer steelhead and the tail end of the chinook, sockeye, and coho runs holding before they continue up. The Monitor gauge sits in this reach.

Best for: Summer steelhead and staging salmon on swung flies and eggs when seasons open, plus mountain whitefish through winter. Best Oct-Nov.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 800–2,500 cfs
Blow-out: >5,000 cfs
Ideal water temp: 44–58°F

Best seasons

Late summer into fall is the window. Trout fishing on the upper river and Tumwater Canyon comes together once snowmelt drops the flows in late July and August. Steelhead fishing, when WDFW opens a season, runs roughly September into November in the lower and middle river. Spring and early summer are blown out by Cascade runoff.

Regulations

The Wenatchee is managed by WDFW under selective-gear rules with no-target protection for ESA-listed bull trout. Steelhead and salmon seasons are not fixed — they open and close by emergency regulation based on return size. Always check the current WDFW emergency rules before fishing.

A Washington fishing license is required; steelhead and salmon retention requires a Catch Record Card.
Bull trout are no-target and must be released unharmed — do not fish for them and do not remove them from the water if hooked incidentally.
Selective-gear rules (single barbless hook, no bait) apply on much of the river; confirm the reach you're fishing.
Wild steelhead and wild (unclipped) salmon must be released where any harvest is permitted — only adipose-clipped hatchery fish may be retained.
Steelhead and salmon seasons open and close by WDFW emergency rule; a season in one year is no guarantee for the next.

Because the anadromous seasons are set by emergency regulation on short notice, check the WDFW emergency-rule page and the current sportfishing rules pamphlet the week you plan to go. When steelhead season is closed, the resident trout fishing on the upper river and nearby Icicle Creek is the fallback.

Source: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. Regulations change annually — verify before fishing.

Getting there

Leavenworth, WA

2.5 hrs from Seattle over Stevens Pass, 3 hrs from Spokane

Fly shops

Der SportsmannLeavenworth

Camping: Leavenworth anchors the upper river with hotels, vacation rentals, and Bavarian-themed everything; Lake Wenatchee State Park and several Forest Service campgrounds sit near the headwaters. Cashmere and Wenatchee have full services on the lower river. US-2 parallels the river the whole way, so access is easy.

US-2 follows the river from Lake Wenatchee through Tumwater Canyon to Leavenworth and on to Wenatchee, with pullouts and bank access throughout. The canyon is steep wading around big boulders; the lower valley is gentler. Icicle Creek at Leavenworth is the main tributary and a common fallback when the mainstem is high or seasons are closed.

Wenatchee River

Solunar · next 7 days

About Wenatchee River

Species

Sections

Lake Wenatchee to Plain

Tumwater Canyon — Plain to Leavenworth

Leavenworth to Peshastin

Peshastin to Cashmere

Cashmere to the Columbia

More in Washington

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