Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Yakima Canyon: Ringer access to Roza; WA's blue-ribbon float The river tops out around 6 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 433 acres wrapped in 40.8 miles of bank. A development index of 14 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Call it 12.7 mi long by 2.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Kittitas County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Wenas Lake, is 9 mi to the west.
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 1 to 6 ft. Start at Current seam (mile 7.0). It's a current seam holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 7.0) (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 7.0) (5 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 7.0) (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 7.0) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring smallmouth bass on Yakima River hold shallow, usually 2 to 6 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 6 ft in summer, 2 to 6 ft once it turns cold. Put Inside bend (mile 9.9) first on the milk run — a point near 5 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 7.0) (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 7.0) (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Inside bend (mile 9.9) (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 7.0) (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts rock bass in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. Summer rock bass concentrate at Inside bend (mile 9.9), a prime-rated point around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Inside bend (mile 9.9) (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Inside bend (mile 9.9) (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Inside bend (mile 9.9) (5 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Eddy pocket (mile 4.0) (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Yakima River carries 16 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), about 5 ft down.
Access data: Washington WDFW — Water Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Washington waters are set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Yakima River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Washington fishing regulations →
Yakima River is about 6 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, rock bass on Yakima River.
Current seam (mile 7.0) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Yakima River is regulated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official Washington regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Wenas Lake 9 mi · Evergreen Reservoir 33 mi · Burke Lake 33 mi · Quincy Lake 34 mi · Stan Coffin Lake 34 mi · Crater Lake 38 mi · Meadow Lake 38 mi · Lake Cortez 38 mi · Bumping Lake 40 mi · Saddle Mountain Lake 41 mi · Cle Elum Lake 43 mi · Giffin Lake 46 mi
See how Yakima River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Washington · best rainbow trout lakes in Washington
Browse all Washington fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.