Washington · river

Methow River

The Methow River ( MET-how) is a tributary of the Columbia River in northern Washington in the United States. The river's 1,890-square-mile (4,900 km2) watershed drains the eastern North Cascades, with a population of about 5,000 people. From Wikipedia

Length
80 mi
Basin
1,825 sq mi
Elevation
781 ft
Flows into
Columbia River

Flow now

Methow River At Twisp, WA, 2 mi from the river.

268cfsat build, Nov 12, 11 AM MT

0403805Oct 12Nov 11

The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 324 cfs to 805 cfs, around 443 cfs.

Also gauged at Twisp River Near Twisp, WA: 45 cfs, Nov 12.

Snowpack

0.4 in of water in the snow at Muckamuck and 2 more stations, against a median 1.4 in for the date (27 % of normal).

The season, November

Usually workable this week. Pick your window and fish it well.

  • Midgessizes 18 to 22
  • Small eggs and worms
  • Pheasant tail and zebra midge nymphsunder an indicator

Typical for the week over 10 years: 324 to 805 cfs. Running 268 cfs today, inside that range. Flows are not forecast; check the gauge the day before.

Brown Trout are spawning (October to December). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Brook Trout are spawning (September to November). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Mountain Whitefish are spawning (October to December). The egg bite behind spawning whitefish is the best winter nymphing of the year: an egg pattern below the riffles.

  • Flows swing a lot this week most years. Carry both a heavy nymph rig and a dry-dropper and let the gauge decide.
  • Egg patterns in the runs below the spawning gravel, never on it.

Written by the app's rules engine from the calendar, the gauge record and the snowpack, not by hand, so it says only what the data says. The weather for the week comes with the app.

Fly shops on this water

Open Methow River in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.

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Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.