Rivers in Pierce County

I can confirm this. I was on the Rush yesterday at 465 street. The water was very off color and moving pretty fast and tough to fish. The only thing that started to work (for me) was to swing some big tungsten head nymphs across downstream. They usually hit right before or at the end of swing.
Of course, it was still nice to be out.

Eric
Eric
Great question! First, let me say that the color of water tends to be defined differently by each of us and the determination of whether to fish or not depending upon water clarity is all up to the individual.
Here are a couple of my thoughts.
First, If water clarity is zero or close to zero and safety is going to be a factor when wading, I probably will not fish. Water currents will be strong at this point and being able to see obstructions and depths of water play a critical factor in that decision for me. At this point I will probably go bowling at one of the local alleys rather than risk my clients or my safety. If I am going to make a few casts here is a thought under what our eyes see as extremely poor water clarity
Pools will remain pools(areas of water slow down) and rocks(large rocks) will remain in place and provide the same cover as they always do. These places will be targets for fishing because they provide areas where fish can remove themselves from the turbulent flows of high/dirty water situations. Dry flies will not be in my basket of techniques because fish will likely be holding closer to the bottom in the slower moving water and will probably not see or not expend the energy to come to the surface and actively feed. You should try targeting the holding stations of the fish and present your fly to those places.
White is the absence of color and black is a combination of all colors and as far as I understand can bee seen by fish against any background. These are the colors of patterns I would rely on most. Be deep and heavy. Once again the fish are probably on the bottom and unless you can get there, your chances of hook up will be diminished.
Second, I am certain the trouts vision is somewhat obscured by the color in the water. I think we all would be surprised though at what trout can actually see when water is in this condition. They also probably rely on a number of their other senses during these situations like smell, and their ability so sense movement and sound to help them feed and survive. Use Power Bait-crawfish flavor. I enjoy fishing water that is off color because as a predator it enables me to get closer to the fish in flat or unbroken water. and fish that I am never able to approach because they see/feel me under clear water conditions are oblivious to my approach and cast when water is off color.
Lastly, If you know where the trout live to begin with, they most will be there under conditions of off color water. There is a reason they live there in the first place. I think you were on the right track already.

I like what Andy wrote.

Also, many years ago I read an article about using big streamers when the water is high and off-color. I tied some streamers that were at least four inches long, with orange and black hackle feathers for wings. They were streamlined so they wouldn’t have much wind resistance on the cast, and so they would sink on a slack line. Once the fly was near the bottom, I retrieved it with slow pulls, and caught some really nice fish in that river under nearly unfishable conditions.

Great talk at TU last Tuesday. Learned a lot.

Thanks.

Pete