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Klickitat River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A Columbia tributary through basalt canyons: the Klickitat runs steelhead and salmon past Mount Adams.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
65 / 70 F
Wind
SSW 4 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Klickitat River lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. Today brings a mixed sky, wind SSW around 4 mph, rising pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 70. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown troutExcellent

Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

SteelheadFair

First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Tomorrow: Similar at 71 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp65 F
High / Low70 / 49 F
WindSSW 4-8 mph
Pressure1013.6 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain46% cloud, 10%
Sunrise / Sunset06:29 / 19:37
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 70/49 F, wind 10 mph, rain 10%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Klickitat River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Steelhead illustration

Steelhead

Best: Oct-Apr

Lake-run rainbows that turn tributaries into winter fisheries. First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

When to come: the Klickitat River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Steelhead
Smallmouth bass
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Klickitat River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 67 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 7 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 76 F, wind to 15 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Washington requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Washington license plus catch record card. Seasons and boundaries vary; Yakama Nation waters have separate rules: check current WDFW regulations and posted boundaries.

Access

Highway 142 access along the lower river, forest roads upstream, and the Klickitat Trail for canyon walking access.

About this water

A 95-mile glacial river from Mount Adams to the Columbia at Lyle, Klickitat County, Washington.

Fishing Klickitat River: the full guide

A glacial river

The Klickitat River flows about 95 miles from the glaciers of Mount Adams through basalt canyon country to the Columbia River near Lyle, Washington. Glacial silt colors it much of the year, clearing in fall and winter. It hosts summer and winter steelhead, spring and fall chinook, coho, and resident trout in the upper reaches above the tribal waters.

Steelhead and salmon

The steelhead fishery peaks in fall, when the glacial melt subsides and the river clears: fish the canyon runs and pools with swung flies, jigs and drifted bait. Fall chinook and coho run the lower river in the same window. The Klickitat clears from the top down, so the upper reaches fish first as summer melt ends.

Understanding the color

Summer glacial melt turns the river gray and largely unfishable in its lower reaches, which is why timing matters more here than on most Washington rivers. Cold weather in September and October shuts down the melt and drops visibility into fishable range. Rain complicates it: check conditions or local reports before driving out.

Klickitat County logistics

Access is via Highway 142 along the lower river and forest roads upstream, with the Klickitat Trail providing walking access to canyon water. Yakama Nation lands cover a substantial portion of the river: know the boundaries, as tribal waters have separate rules and are closed to non-tribal anglers in places.

Common questions

Why is the river gray in summer?

Glacial melt from Mount Adams: it clears when cold weather shuts the melt down, usually in fall.

When is the best fishing?

Fall, as the glacial melt subsides and steelhead and salmon move in: the upper river clears first.

Are there tribal waters?

Yes: Yakama Nation lands cover substantial river frontage with separate rules. Know the boundaries before fishing.

Is fishing good at Klickitat River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Columbia River15 miDeschutes River18 miDrano Lake23 miSandy River58 miLake Merwin61 miRiffe Lake68 mi
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