An agreement between Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Yakama Nation has opened an often-closed section of the central Yakima River to non-tribal sportfishing for chinook. The 21 miles of river lies between the Hwy 223 bridge at Granger on the bottom end and the railroad bridge below the Sunnyside Diversion Dam on the upper end. That stretch is a favorite, when open, with local salmon fishermen and has been very productive in the past.
The catch is that non-tribal anglers fishing either bank, or from boats, must have a Yakama nation fishing permit in addition to a current state freshwater fishing license and the Columbia River salmon/steelhead endorsement.
Spring runoff from a huge snow pack may make the matter moot, however, and limit decent fishing to the area just below Roza Dam, where action can be good even in high, dirty water.
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