Fly Fishing Reports | Columbia Gorge and Beyond 

Stay up to date with the latest Gorge Fly Shop fishing reports from the Deschutes River, Mount Hood lakes, and beyond. Our team shares real on-the-water updates covering steelhead, trout, and stillwater action along with seasonal tips, tactics, and local conditions to help you make the most of your next trip.

April 20, 2026

Steelhead Flies

March 30, 2026

Steelhead Flies

March 16, 2026

Steelhead Flies

March 3, 2026

Steelhead Flies

February 13, 2026

Buyers Guide to Waders

Winter Steelhead

Well, it finally rained! Not enough to blow out many systems, but plenty to motivate some fish movement. We're back in a little dry spell, but there is more precipitation coming in the near future. The forecast looks a little more normal for the next couple weeks which will certainly help the fishing.

Lots of rivers will be trending toward low/clear here for a few days, but that's not the end of the world. You can always go fishing when the water is low, and it can certainly make the fish a lot easier to find. They don't mind holding in shallow water when the river is steelhead green, but they definitely don't love to do that when the water is clear. Deeper buckets show up like a beacon and that's where you can expect to find the biters. In theoretically ideal conditions, they could be just about anywhere. Sometimes to the point that it gets in your head! That is a great thing about low/clear. The holding water is greatly reduced and it allows the angler to focus primarily on what deeper water with color is out there. It also reveals the details of spots you've caught fish before in higher water.

One other thing to keep in mind about winter fishing is that the window isn't that long compared to that of summer fish. Winters are on a rapid mission to get upriver and spawn. There isn't a long holding period. Hard to believe, but we only have a couple months left, give or take, of prime time. Go when you can and put the advantage of time with fly in the water in your favor. As things drop and clear, try some brighter flies. Pinks, reds and oranges can draw some pretty violent grabs in these conditions!

Deschutes Trout

There's some wintery weather coming soon. In the trout world, that means B.W.O.'s! Not sure why those bugs like crummy weather so much, but they really do. Some of the best B.W.O. fishing happens in the nastiest weather. Look for them to be rather active this coming week. Be prepared to imitate all stages of their life cycle. Nymph fishing will be the best option in the morning. Try a larger point fly with a small trailing fly to imitate the olive nymph. Tiny Pheasant Tails are a great choice. As you slide into the middle of the day, keep your eyes peeled for fish targeting bugs as they emerge. A few favorite patterns to match this stage are the Film Critic, Sparkle Flag and Sprout B.W.O. Look for the duns to be on the water sometime between noon and 2:00. Try a Double Vision or Parachute Extended Body B.W.O for this stage.

February 1, 2026

Buyers Guide to Waders

Winter Steelhead

Well, we need some water.   No way to sugar-coat the situation.  It's been extremely dry for quite some time.  It's definitely go time as we slide into February and there are some fish around, but you're going to have to either get pretty lucky or put in a fair amount of time for a fish.  Coastal rivers will be a solid bet.  Even when conditions are challenging with a relative lack of water, there are always some fish coming in off of the high tides.  Fish movement is definitely slower further up the Columbia.  With as dry as it's been, if we get a little rain and rivers go up even just a little, go fishing!  One important thing to keep in mind with winter fish is that they are on a much more abbreviated timeline than summers.  A little bit of rain can go a long way.  Even if the bump only brings your river to the low side of good.  

Be sure to be well-supplied with lighter sink tips and unweighted flies.  Try some pinks, oranges and reds in the low clear water.  Go before, during and after the next rain.  Just go a lot if you can!  The most successful winter steelheaders go as often as possible and find success through attrition.

Deschutes Trout

It's very abnormal, but you'd be hard-pressed to have more enjoyable weather on the Deschutes at this time of year.  It's not getting very cold overnight, and the daytime highs in the extended forecast are in the 50's.  It's just really nice in the desert country right now.  If you're not a steelhead person or are tired of swinging your heart out with minimal activity, head east and go trout fishing.  Pretty much any technique could be on the table throughout the course of a day.  Look for nymphing and streamer fishing to be the most productive options.  Kind of strange to say, but consider bringing sunscreen!  

January 19, 2026

Buyers Guide to Waders

Winter Steelhead

Winter season is always a rollercoaster. The first part of this "winter", if you can even call it that, brought a tremendous amount of water and moved a bunch of fish. The bite area wide was pretty encouraging leading up to all the flooding and continued for a while when things dropped back in. This situation seems to come up often in the winter, but it's time to start hoping for rain again. Rivers from the coast through the Gorge have been on a long steady drop and it looks like that's going to continue for another week-ish. There are fish to be had, but they seem to be getting a little sparse for the time being in a lot of places. Look for the next bump to be productive. In the mean time, try some brighter sink tip flies on these beautiful sunny days!

Deschutes Trout

The Lower Deschutes is in great shape. Easy level to wade and the water temps are notably warmer than they could be at this time of year. That means there's some great trout fishing to be had! Nymph flies with whatever method you prefer will be the most consistent way to go, but there are other options on the table. Hatches of BWO's and midges will be fairly consistent. Especially on cloudy days. You could even encounter some other bugs on these extra warm days. If there is cloud cover, be sure to work a streamer into the program. Whether you're a Trout Spey person or prefer the single-hander, the streamer bite is not to be overlooked. It can be just outstanding and produce some of the larger fish in the river. The fly itself doesn't have to be that big, but your terminal tackle does! Call this a 1 or 2x fluorocarbon tippet deal. The initial bite and surge from a big one can easily break lighter tippet.

January 5, 2026

RIO MOW LONG Tips SALE

Buyers Guide to Wading Boots

Winter Steelhead

Is there anything better than hooking the first winter steelhead of the season!? Even just hearing about a few being caught is enough to pump up the crowd around here. The back-to-back Atmospheric Rivers certainly did a lot of re-arranging throughout the Pacific Northwest. New channels formed. Some shallow spots became deep....and some deep spots shallow. Lots of trees and rocks moved. It was a real series of events!

On to the point....are there fish around? There sure are! Consider it go time from here on out. Go early and go often. There's rain in the forecast, but not the catastrophic amounts that we've already seen. One huge positive has been the temps. It's been on the warmer side which definitely helps keep the water temps up. This always helps in the winter. Get your sink tips and flies in order if you haven't already. This is going to be a great week to give it a try.

Deschutes Trout

This is such a wonderful time of year to trout fish on the Deschutes. Keep your eyes on the gauges and try to avoid and big flow spikes or drops. The trout prefer things to be steady in those two departments, and changes either way can put them off the bite. Water temps have been in the low-to-mid 40's, which should have fish sitting in softer winter lies. Call it predominately a nymph and streamer game with the possibility of some afternoon BWO fishing. The bugs should be present to some degree every day, but surface activity will be variable. The huge bonus of fishing the Deschutes at this time of year is the solitude. You can have large stretches of the river all to yourself.....and some really good trout fishing!

December 18, 2025

Flooding Advisory: Oregon River Roads? Drive Safe, Fish Safe.

Evening River Report — Update: It's been raining incessantly in the Pacific Northwest, but the first big drop is on the horizon!  This is the perfect opportunity to prep you gear and make sure you're dialed in for the first shot of the season! — Charlie | Gorge Fly Shop

QUICK READ:  Winter Steelhead Prep List (blog post)

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December 16, 2025

Buyers Guide to Korkers Soles

Winter Steelhead

Well, this pretty much sums up the current situation! The die-hards are super itchy to hunt for the first winter fish of the season, but aside from a few very brief windows, rivers have been out. Locally, we're predicted to see another 1-2" of rain tonight and more on the way later in the week. It's going to be pretty difficult to find any fishable water from the coast out to the eastern edge of the range of winter fish. All the high water will definitely move some fish around and it should be good when things finally drop.....but it may be a bit! It's going to be a good week to prep gear for the season ahead. Check your backing, sink tips, hooks, etc. Patch up your leaky waders. Replace your warm socks with the heels blown out. It's hard for steeheaders to sit on their hands at this time of year, but the prep work is never regretted when it's go time.

Deschutes Trout

Wish I could say there was a sunnier outlook on the Deschutes for this coming week, but if the predictions hold, it's going to get pretty big. Sometimes these giant systems coming in off the ocean lose most of their moisture before getting to the east side of the Cascades, but this one is giant. It's going to rain quite a bit out east, too. It takes a lot of water to make the Deschutes go up 5k+ in a short period of time, and it looks like we're going to get it. Look for the river to drop back down toward average flows before you give it a try again.

Discontinued Gear - Spey Rod Kits - Custom Fly Kits

December 1, 2025

Columbia Gorge Fishing Calendar

Winter Steelhead

How quickly the steelheader's mind shifts gears! We've already heard whispers of a couple winter fish on the coast. That tends to be a fun factoid about a lot of the winter rivers with decent wild returns. Their arrival times are highly varied. This allows different batches of fish to successfully make a go of it throughout the extreme variation of water levels we see in the nest few months. The beginning of the season is a great time to get one on the swing. The number of fish present isn't typically very high, but the water is on the warmer side for winter. That always increases the odds.

This is an annual statement on our blog, but it's definitely "make your own report" season with regards to winters. At this point, it's safe to say that every flow spike on the coast (and some other places) from now on will draw some fish. Just like summer season, the first fish to hand is always one of the best! If nothing else, it gets your head in the game.

Deschutes Steelhead

Call it about a wrap on a great season. You can certainly still find a fish or two out there, but the majority will have been around for a while....or a long while! Can't say that the water temp has taken a huge nose dive yet, but that could happen any time soon. If you try it again, focus on getting the fly down a bit and slowing your swing speed. Unless we see an unlikely rise in water temp, call it a sink tip game.

Deschutes Trout

Ideal conditions for trout fishing with a great extended forecast. Lots of cloudy days = good BWO hatches and awesome streamer fishing! Conditions couldn't be much better. The water just hasn't gotten that cold yet. Not nearly as cold as it could be, anyway. You could catch fish on just about any preferred technique at some point during the day. It would be wise to take advantage of the awesome fishing weather while it's still here. It can be great in the wind and snow, too, but the travel is easy for the time being.

Rods - Reels - Lines

November 14, 2025

Buyers Guide to Waders

Deschutes Steelhead

We've been pretty darn lucky with the late fall weather. It could be flat out cold by now and it's not. We've had some rain but it hasn't been enough to do anything crazy to the Lower Deschutes. Conditions for the tail end of the season couldn't be much better. Flows have been fairly steady and water temps have held up well. Pretty ideal situation to round out the season!

The fishing has changed a bit in the last couple weeks. It seems like a lot of the strays that were piled up down low have dropped out. There are certainly plenty of fish around down there, but noticeably fewer than there were a few weeks ago. It's a great time to spend a day higher up in the system.

As for the fishing, think about getting down a bit. You could definitely still get one on a floating line if you push the issue, but their willingness to move up in the water column and chase has definitely gone way down. Sink tip fishing will be the most effective method from here on out with smaller sink tip flies being the most productive. Best of luck to everyone out there trying for another fish, or two!

Deschutes Trout

For those of us that have put in a long season chasing steelhead, it's been pretty hard not to notice the increase in trout activity as of late! Things are pretty much perfect for that. All the dark and warmish weather has been kicking mid-day BWO activity into high gear. If you try for trout out there, be fully prepared to represent all stages of that bug. Nymph fishing will be effective right out of the gate in the morning. Be sure to have something imitating a BWO nymph going. A great two-fly combo is a stonefly or bigger Hare's Ear with a size 18-20 Pheasant Tail trailed behind. The bugs have been actively hatching sometime between noon and 2:00 spurring some good surface activity.

The streamer bite cannot be ignored, either. Dark weather is very conducive and the trout love bigger meals in the fall. It's not a particularly common practice on the Deschutes, but don't be afraid to mix in a bigger streamer if the standard smaller sculpins and leeches aren't working. You may not move as many fish, but you will see some real bruisers if you commit to if for a while.

Waders - Wading Boots - Wading Gear

October 31, 2025

Buyers Guide to Wading Boots

Deschutes Steelhead

Fall is setting in in full force out on the Deschutes. Not much in the line of extreme cold or icy morning commutes yet, but that could certainly be the case any day now. There has yet to be any kind of major fall shake-up on the river as far as flow is concerned. There can be a pretty significant bump in flow associated with the end of the irrigation season in mid-October, but that never materialized. The White River never really blew out the Deschutes this time around either, and it should be pretty well locked up for the duration. The return of Fall Chinook was certainly noticeable, but it seemed to be a bit smaller than the last few years. At least it didn't seem to throw off the steelhead bite as badly as it can some years.

The only notable change to conditions has been the falling water temps. Even that has been steady and fairly mild to this point. We're probably just a few days away from the Moody gauge going below 50 degrees for the first time this fall. All things considered, conditions have been great.

With water temps nearing sub-50, it is high time for some tactical changes. Lots of anglers have recently been asking if there is still a dry line bite to be had. There is, but it's becoming pretty situational and much better in the afternoon when the water temps are peaking. Look for dry line biters to be in shallower spots with structure and softer current. The best opportunities will be in places that you can present a fly on a broadside swing at a slow pace. Switching over to a slow sink Polyleader also helps the cause. It will get your fly down just a little more and also helps to slow the swing speed a hair.

Other than that, it's a sink tip game from here on out. A cold steelhead is much more apt to move up a foot in the column to grab a fly than it is to move up three feet. The fly doesn't have to be big and gaudy. It just has to be down a little deeper. As for sink tips, it's pretty hard to beat the versatility of 10' of T-11. You can fish it through most shallower water with an unweighted fly and little or no mend. Conversely, you can adjust your angle slightly upstream and get deep with a weighted fly if you need to. Beyond that one, a 2.5' Intermediate/7.5' T-11 tip comes in very handy in spots with structure. Great options from RIO and Airflo there. These tips tend to weave there way through rocks and ledges much better than longer level tips.

Deschutes Trout

The fall feedbag is a real event in the trout world and it's particularly evident on the Deschutes. The fish have packed on so much weight in the last month! The Redsides don't miss any opportunities to eat salmon eggs. The fall hatches have also been strong with ample BWOs, October Caddis and a daily smattering of other bugs. All methods apply at some point during the day. You could easily go from indicator to trout spey to dry and back again in the same day! The trout fishing is just flat-out good right now however you prefer to do it. Even on the lowest reaches of the river, big trout have been gobbling BWOs. This is an ideal time to target trout as they have been largely unbothered while everyone looks for a steelhead.

Mt. Hood Lakes

Stillwater season is winding down locally. Many of the lakes close today and it's gotten rather cold at higher elevations. That said, a few of the stillwaters in the greater Hood River area remain open. If you're looking to get a little more lake fishing in, pick a warmer day if you can. That will spur some chironomid activity and give you a shot at some dry fly fishing. Aside from that, think low and slow. Creeping a leech along with a sinking line or suspending flies under an indicator will work well. The bite can still be very good, but the willingness to aggressively chase things is on the fade.

Flies - Custom Reels - Headwear 

October 13, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

The weather is changing out in the desert. It's even been periodically rainy as of late! Look for stable weather patterns to produce the best fishing. One thing Deschutes steelhead hate is change. Even theoretically positive weather changes. Dark and rainy for several days in a row is good. So is bright and sunny. The day when the weather changes drastically from one to the other tends to be tougher. We get that a lot later into the fall and it's just a part of the program.

On the plus side, water temps on the lower river couldn't be much better. Temps have been hovering in the 56-59 degree range down at the mouth and it doesn't get any better than that! All methods are viable, but it's hard to deny how good the dry line fishing has been. Be ready with some smaller comeback flies. If you find a biter and can't seal the deal with your go-to searching pattern, show the fish something small and buggy, like a Steelhead Coachman or Undertaker. And don't be afraid to go really small. Sometimes it seems like the only limitation to how small of a fly they'll grab is having a hook stout enough to hold a fish!

Deschutes Trout

It's an awfully sporty time to be trout fishing out there right now! The cool and rainy weather has spurred some BWO activity. Caddis are still present to some degree. There have been a bunch of October Caddis around, too. Though the adult is sadly not a huge part of the game, the trout definitely love the pupa. If you do some indicator fishing out there, mix a big October Caddis pupa into the program. They love 'em!

Fall is also a great time to streamer fish. With much colder weather impending, some of the bigger trout are looking for more of a mouthful. Smaller sculpins and a variety of leech patterns will do the trick

Mount Hood Lakes

The local stillwater season is winding down. Check the regulations as many of the alpine lakes close to fishing at the end of the month. With colder weather up high, expect many of the lakes to be in the process of turning over if they haven't done so already. This tends to mean there will be some color in the water. If that's the case, stick with darker leech patterns. Slowly strip them along on an intermediate line, or fish them below an indicator.

September 25, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

Fishing remains strong on the Deschutes. By this point in the season, there are fish spread throughout the lower river. Things should be picking up nicely up high. Down low, the recent blast of heat (now gone) had significantly warmed the Columbia. This created a perfect situation to drive in tons of strays destined for rivers further east. The moral of the story is, if you want to get a fall trip in out there, pick your favorite zone and go! The weather forecast is absolutely beautiful. It's all lining up for some great times out there.

As for the fishing, wow, has the dry line bite been good! It always is, but it's been exceptional this time around. Many anglers that are not intimately familiar with the river assume that getting down deeper is more productive, but that's really not the case until the water temps get much colder. Common practice is to fish a dry line in the shade and switch over to a sink tip in the high sun. This is a very effective approach, but there are ways to get them near the surface in high sun. A big part of that is spot selection. If you are not a sink tip person, think a lot about sun angles with your floating line. If you can, pick a spot where the fish will be chasing your fly away from the sun and/or toward a dark background. It doesn't hurt to go with a bigger/darker hair wing or muddler, either. They don't quit grabbing flies near the surface in the sunlight, but fishing something that they can see and track easily dramatically ups the odds.

Deschutes Trout

It's sure starting to feel pretty trouty out there! Water temps are cooling and all methods are working. In the bug world, there have been some massive hatches of smaller BWO's as of late along with the caddis. With cooler nights, look for the best caddis fishing to be in the evening on warmer days. It seems like the they have been on the fade a little compared to a few weeks ago. There have also been some sightings of Golden Stones, of all things. Though I wouldn't expect to see much in the line of a surface bite on these, there must be plenty of active stonefly nymphs out there. For all of you streamer junkies, this is a great time to get going with your favorite Trout Spey. This is the perfect time to streamer fish.

Mount Hood Lakes

Early fall is a wonderful time to sneak in some stillwater fishing. The weather is lovely and the crowds of summer have faded. Be ready for the few remaining Callibaetis to be going on warmer days. Beyond that, chironomids should make some sporadic showings. Smaller terrestrials will also get fish looking up on a sunny afternoon. Aside from that, the subsurface fishing should really get cranking. The high alpine trout become keenly aware of the fact that cold weather is around the corner. They take the opportunity to pack on some weight before the deep freeze sets in. Yet another excellent fall fishing opportunity here in the PNW!

September 5, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

September is here and it's full-on steelhead time. It's been up, it's been down, it's been...well, normal steelhead fishing! There was a wave of fish in the lower Deschutes a couple weeks ago that yielded some pretty unbelievable fishing for a while. That faded after a bit and settled in to a pretty standard good bite. Anglers putting in shade sessions in the morning and evening have been rewarded with approximately 1-3 opportunities per day. Sometimes more and sometimes less. Call it standard steelhead fishing. It's been great! Particularly the dry line fishing. The high sun sink tip bite will improve here shortly as the water temps come down.

Angler etiquette is certainly worth mentioning at this point in the season. The reality of the Lower Deschutes, especially the lower 10 miles, is that if there are a good number of fish going over the Dalles Dam, it's going to be busy. Hikers, bikers, rafts, drift boats, float tubes, gear and fly...anglers abound down there. With this in mind, everyone needs to be attuned to fishing with and around others. You hear the term "Low Holing" thrown around a lot, but it's important to know what the definition of low holing actually is. If you are fishing a distinct pool with a defined start and finish, that's your spot. If someone jumps in below you within that defined piece, that is low holing. Plan A is always to fish a run above the first angler, but that's not always possible. The gray area is if there is another run below the first one that is technically a separate and unique spot. Some people will be totally fine with you jumping into the second spot below and some will not be! Good courtesy is to simply talk to the other angler and hash out a mutually agreeable plan if possible. If that's not possible, party on. It's not worth getting into a confrontation over. Along these same lines, it's also important to recognize that you can't expect to have a gigantic stretch of water all to yourself for an extended period of time. Sometimes people don't show up and you might get a few back-to-back runs, but that's not the norm. Furthermore, do not under any circumstances be afraid to fish behind people. Maybe you're casting a little further, swinging at a different speed or using a different fly. All these factors and some others contribute to you hooking one.

Deschutes Trout

The trout have been noticeably active in spite of the recent heat. You do not want to be a hapless caddis on the water at first or last light! The trout have been on them like glue. Most of the surface activity has disappeared during the high sun, but you'd likely do well nymphing faster water during the day. We're just a few days away from a major cooldown that will make the trout fishing much better through the entire day instead of it being a first and last light deal. Steelhead steal the show in the early fall, but the trout fishing is not to be ignored. It can be just excellent!

Mount Hood Lakes

Well, we're coming out of the longest spell of heat we've had the entire summer. Surface temps on the local lakes have been a bit on the warm side. A lot of the active trout will be at or below the thermocline until things cool a bit. This means it's time to go deep. Heavier sinking lines and extra long leaders with slip strike indicators will be the ticket to get you in the zone. The impending cooler weather along with the shorter period of daylight should drop water temps here shortly. There is still plenty of good lake fishing to be had this season. With schools back in session and most summer vacations wrapped up, the traffic on the lakes should be on the slide. The remainder of the stillwater season will present some excellent opportunities with relatively low fishing pressure. Pretty fun!

August 18, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

Well, it's been off to a great start! Numbers have been strong and fishing has been good. We recently made it through three extremely hot days out in the desert....like over 100 degrees hot. That has been the one upside of the extreme heat we've had so far this summer. It's only been sticking around for a few days at a time. It looks like we are out of the high heat for the time being and there are some cooler nights in the forecast, which helps a ton.

From a fishing standpoint, the dry line bite has been excellent....especially in the morning. With a solid number of fish present, this is a great time try and raise one on a skater. At the very least, a grabby fish will often show itself. It may not bite, but it will give you a visual cue in the form of a flash, boil or charge. If you can't get it to commit on the surface, put a wet fly or two past it. No guarantees in steelhead fishing, but that usually seals the deal!

Deschutes Trout

It's pretty amazing how much trout activity you see when you're trying for a steelhead. The Redside's bigger cousins are not the only ones that like first and last light. Wherever you happen to step in on the lower river, you're very likely to see some noses in the morning. Several anglers have recently commented on the bigger trout grabbing caddis or aquatic moths in the morning. We've seen some bruisers rising in the last couple weeks!

Aside from the morning and evening surface program, all the standard sub-surface techniques have been effective, too. On the nymphing side of things, make sure you have something cased caddis-esque in the mix. Streamer folks can rejoice, as well. Deeper/faster runs with some surface bounce have been giving up some great fish with outstanding grabs. Make sure you're fishing a heavy enough rig to get your fly ~1/2 way down in faster water and you'll be in business. Olive, black and natural streamers have been working well.

Mount Hood Lakes

The stillwaters around Hood continue to be productive. Recent reports have been favorable with a mix of tactics producing fish. The surface bite continues with Callibaetis, some occasional chironomids and sporadic damsel flies. Prospecting with generic smaller terrestrials has been really fun lately, too. Call it something that just looks like a bug....tiny chubby, various ants, beetles, bees...you name it! If you look closely on any given day with wind, you'll find a rather diverse smattering of terrestrial insects. Cruising trout in stillwaters seem to love random terrestrials, and that style of generic dry fly can get them to rise when other patterns do not.

July 29, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

This graph is a pretty good summary of the early portion of the return so far. Keep in mind that this is just unclipped steelhead, not total steelhead. It's a relief and great to see! Things on the lower river are about how they've been the last couple years. Afternoon water temps are quite warm. Your best bet is going to be from first light until noonish. Keep in mind that the coolest water of the day is hitting Moody sometime right around 8:30 a.m. and trending up from there. At this point, there should also be some fish higher up in the system. Don't be afraid to fish the access road below Sherar's Falls. You'd definitely have a shot at a fish and likely little company from other anglers.

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Deschutes Trout

Not too much new to report there. The trout fishing remains strong. Especially in the mornings and evenings. Caddis and aquatic moths are still the main bugs going. Typical of the mid-summer, trout are parked in a lot of faster water. This has made for some excellent Trout Spey fishing as of late! Smaller sculpins and leeches in olive or black have been producing, per usual.

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Mount Hood Lakes

The hot bite going lately has been in the evening. We've had lots of reports of excellent Callibaetis fishing this week during the last few hours of daylight. This is a good time to start carrying a broader assortment of Callibaetis dries. Beyond standard duns and spinners, be sure to have some change-up bugs. Cripples and emergers can save the day when the standbys are getting refused. Many of the most productive lakes around Hood have been getting fished relentlessly for sometime now. Something a little different can seal the deal when they get snooty.

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July 18, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

Everyone seems to be asking.  Are there some fish in the lower river?  Yes!  On any given year, barring a major catastrophe, there are some fish in the Deschutes in the first half of July.  Sometimes there's just a few and sometimes there's a bunch.  The major hitch tends to be the water temperature.  Interestingly enough, due to some combination of the dam operation and weather, the coldest water temps of the day have routinely been at about 8:30 a.m. at the mouth.  Not exactly corresponding with first light like we'd all prefer, but that's been the situation.  On the really hot days, it's only been getting down to ~66 degrees and going up from there.  Fortunately, we've had some slightly cooler nights the last few days.  Temps this morning were down to ~63....a much better number!

For those looking to try it for the first time, focus your efforts on the early part of the day.  Fish through the coolest water temps of the morning and call it a day when it starts getting excessively hot.  Put on 12 lb. and a bright hairwing with a stout hook.  The early summers can be totally ballistic and stacking the odds in your favor with the appropriate terminal tackle can be the difference between landing a fish and the "one that got away".     

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Deschutes Trout

Not too much has changed in the trout world out there lately.  Caddis and Aquatic Moths are still the stars of the show.  The best dry fly fishing has been early in the morning and in the evening.  That said, you can still drum up some fish in the riffles with a dry during the day.  Nymph fishing remains strong and the Trout Spey bite is definitely there, too.  The great news in the trout world is that the river is largely void of anglers.  It gets eerily quite out there post-stonefly and it's really not warranted.  The fishing is great!

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Mount Hood Lakes

Some of the shallower or lower elevation lakes are starting to go through a transitionary period.  After several weeks of summer weather, the surface temps are starting to warm on certain lakes.  Not to a detrimental degree, but it's changed the fish activity a bit.  Lots of fish, especially during the heat of the day, will be feeding down deeper toward the thermocline.  This can require a bit of a tactical change.  If the on or near-surface stuff isn't working, try a heavier sinking line that will get you down in the 10-20' range.  Slowly retrieving chironomid pupae or an unweighted leech will get these fish to go.  It's also worth trying early in the morning at this time of year.  The first light bite is not much of a thing on lakes at elevation earlier in the season, but it's definitely a thing now!  Expect to see insect and fish activity increasing earlier in the day with hotter weather.  

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July 3, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

Here we are again. The front end of Summer Steelhead Season!!!! It's a truly magical time of year for its devotees, but per usual, fraught with a bit of uncertainty. Most of this is related to warm water in the lower river again. The Moody gauge at the mouth has already hit 70. Sadly, not an uncommon situation for this time of year. The lower Deschutes was once a coldwater sanctuary for its native fish and for salmon and steelhead headed to other locales further east. Now, it's not terribly uncommon for the lower river to be warmer than the Columbia, making it unappealing for any migrating fish. Not to be all doom and gloom here as this all can change with the flip of a switch, more or less. There was a brief yet notable drop in temp out of the dam in early July last year. Hopefully this will happen again.

So what's going on with the front end of the run? Early numbers of fish moving through the Columbia are a fair bit below where they were at this time last year, but that could easily be weather-related. We've had some heat, but it's been fleeting. Certainly not enough heat to bring up the Columbia temps enough to make steelhead move quickly upriver. Recent counts over Bonneville are starting to go up. As are numbers over the Dalles. Hopefully this is the tip of the spear!

If you're ready to give it a shot for the first time, go early. Fish for a few hours starting at first light when the water temps are at their coolest. This is a dry line game. Fish heavy tippet and stout hooks. If you are lucky enough to come in contact in the next few weeks, be prepared for a serious battle. Early summer fish are truly about as good as they get in every conceivable fashion! They can be borderline un-land-able in a lot of situations....and that's a risk worth taking!

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Deschutes Trout

As we slide into steelhead season, Deschutes trout tend to take a back seat. The beloved anadromous cousins steal the limelight, but don't forget how good the trout fishing can be! We're settling into the standard summer trout program which largely entails dead caddis early in the morning and swarms of mating bugs in the evening. Look for the best dry fly fishing of the day to be in low light. The last hour of fishable light often has the river very alive with trout looking for caddis. Dead drift it...skate it...sink it and swing it. Lots of techniques can be effective when they're into them.

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Mount Hood Lakes

The stillwater fishing continues to be steady. Callibaetis are present area-wide and the warmer weather is starting to spur more damsel activity. The last few days have presented some interesting conditions. Lighter winds with sporadic bug activity. Fish were rising here and there. Blind-casting a Callibaetis dry and letting it aimlessly drift was drawing the most attention. Random small terrestrials were working, too. Below the surface, fish were definitely looking for Callibaetis nymphs both under an indicator and creeped along on a midge tip line.

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June 20, 2025

Deschutes Trout

Put June right up there as one of the best months to trout fish the Deschutes. It is annually amazing that so few people fish for trout out there after big bugs are gone. It's uncrowded and the fishing is excellent. Yes, that includes dry fly fishing! The caddis program is going strong and it doesn't have to be complicated. Grease up a size 14 or 16 Elk Hair and fish the choppy edges and fast pocket water. You may not see a bunch of fish rising but they are definitely looking for caddis. There are also a bunch of aquatic moths out there right now. They are a little smaller than most of the caddis and a bit lighter in color.

Beyond the dry, it's kind of a "choose your own adventure" scenario. Nymph fishing has been very strong with various Euro jigs and anything looking approximately like a cased caddis larva. Smaller flashback Hare's Ears in 16 and 18 fit the bill there. Don't be afraid to get out the trout spey, either. Jigging streamers through deeper/faster runs has been producing some freight train grabs from bigger fish. SO MUCH FUN!

The great news on Deschutes trout is the impending cloud cover. We have some very welcome darker weather moving through, and even a chance of rain out there on Saturday. This should spur a little more mayfly activity along with the caddis. The fishing is going to be outstanding. If you're feeling trouty, this is going to be a great week to give it a try.

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Mount Hood Lakes

Stillwater fishing is in full-swing. Callibaetis are present daily on most lakes to some degree. The tricky part about targeting this hatch has been nailing a time period when there are a lot of bugs and lower wind. It's been Gorge Summer windy here as of late. Howling! It has been relatively calm most mornings for a bit, but the cooler nights keep the bugs at bay until later in the day.

Subsurface fishing in the chop has been excellent on most days. Wind-drifting balance leeches below a slip indicator is pretty hard to beat. All leech colors seem to be working, but some of the lighter color schemes have been particularly strong as of late. This could be related to the increase in Damselfly activity. Either way, tan and lighter olive leeches have been great!

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Gorge Smallmouth

Lots of folks coming through on their way to the John Day as of late. Smallmouth fishing is game-on for the summer. This is a great trip if you're looking to do some serious catching! Fishing smaller poppers or foam bugs on a lighter rod will draw plenty of attention from the fish. If you want to try for a bigger one, take out a heavier rod and use a much larger surface fly. Or fish a big streamer on a sinking line in the deepest water you can find. There are some bigger bass out there, but it can be hard to keep smaller offerings away from the plentiful little ones.

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May 21, 2025

Deschutes Trout:

It's that time of year again! Stoneflies are going on the Deschutes and it's about to get really good! The progression of things has been fairly similar to the last few years. We get some hot weather sometime in the second week of may and the bugs get very active for a few days. Then the weather cools off for a week or more and, though very present, the Golden Stones and Salmon Flies are not returning to the water in great numbers to lay eggs. Will they still eat a big dry fly? Absolutely, but you really need to get it in the pickers. Fish looking for adults will be under the tree limbs and overhanging grass.....areas most likely to have bugs blown into the water. If you're not opposed to it, adding a dropper below your dry will definitely up your odds. As will indicator fishing with a stonefly nymph.

The heat is going to be returning leading to the weekend and this should really crack things open for the remainder of the hatch. There will be some EPIC days of dry fly fishing in the next couple weeks. For those of you camping or fishing until dark, be prepared for some great evening caddis fishing, too. The impending heat should bring them out in great numbers, too.

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Stillwater Trout:

It sure has been fun fishing the lakes around Mt. Hood! The stillwater bite has been strong to very strong. Callibaetis have been showing up. Chironomids continue. The tricky part has been hitting a window during daylight hours when the wind isn't absolutely howling! We're getting to the time of year where the strong and persistent Gorge wind is settling in. And that's ok. Enjoy the dry fly windows when they're there, but be ready to go down. Balance Leeches paired with a Chironomid or Callibaetis Nymph will be very productive. As will leeches stripped or trolled on intermediate lines. Regardless of technique, it's just a darn good time to fish the lakes.

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Stillwater Trout

Deschutes Trout

Winter Steelhead

Deschutes Trout

Deschutes Trout

Winter Steelhead

Deschutes Steelhead

Deschutes Trout

Mount Hood Lakes

Keep up on what's going on in all things fly fishing around our local area of Hood River including famous fisheries such as Deschutes, Hood River, John Day, Columbia, Metolius and seasonal coastal steelhead reports as well as seasonal mountain lake reports. Our Northwest Columbia Gorge Location provides ample opportunities for salmon, steelhead, trout, sturgeon, carp and smallmouth bass.

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Fishing Reports - April 1, 2024

Justesen Ranch

I recently got to spend a day fishing one of the beautiful lakes on the Justesen Ranch. The short story is you want to get out there ASAP! We had a cold start with air temps in the high 30's, but that didn't seem to bother the fish too much. Leeches brought the first few to the net early on. I made one long initial pass with a team of chironomids under an indicator and missed a couple. Then I changed to a scud/chironomid combo on the same rig and started doing very well. We had collectively racked up quite a few fish leading into lunch, and by that time, there were a few adult chironomids starting to make an appearance. When we shoved off after lunch, there were notably more bugs on the water. Call it around noon. There was a nice combination of smaller flies in the ~sz. 18 range and much larger "buzzers" that were about a sz. 14.

It didn't take long for the fish to start rising with good regularity. Unfortunately, due to a series of fronts that had howling wind with them, the surface fishing only lasted all of 15 minutes. Enough time to catch a few on top, but not much more than that. It eventually got so windy that holding position in my float tube was a real challenge. I pulled over to a gap in the cattails and grabbed my scud/chironomid indicator rig and started roll-casting it up wind. This allowed for a nice drift in the chop. In spite of the tumultuous weather, this led to some of the fastest fishing of the day. It was more or less a bite every other cast!

Overall, the fishing was excellent. I'd expect that to continue for the foreseeable future. The ranch typically shuts down the spring season sometime around the middle of June, so I'd recommend booking dates sooner than later. They have a variety of lakes that can accommodate groups of all sizes. Lodging is also available on site. Feel free to reach out to us at the shop with any questions or to book your dates.

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Deschutes Trout

It's a great time to fish the Deschutes! The canyon is a lovely shade of green that is only present in the spring. Wildflowers are blooming and there are happy birds everywhere. For the most part, the fishing pressure is fairly sparse compared to what's coming in the next couple months. Nymph or streamer fishing tend to be the best approaches, but keep your eyes peeled for bugs on the surface. Expect to see a mixture of B.W.O.'s, caddis and midges. It can be tricky to hit, but there should also be some March Browns showing up sometime in the next few weeks.

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Steelhead

It's hard to believe, but the window for winter steelhead is starting to close. We have a few more weeks of good fishing until it's a wrap. That said, as far as numbers of fish go, the tail end of the season is a great time to get out. The weather can be exceptional, and the pressure is fading as many anglers begin to look for Spring Chinook. Overall, this has been a great winter season all over the place. There just seems to be more fish this year. Hopefully this trend will continue with more summer fish.

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Fishing Reports - February 5, 2024

Deschutes Trout

It's been a little rough going on the Deschutes as of late. The Desert actually got quite a bit of snow in the end of January. This was followed by a fair amount of rain and a substantial melt event. The Moody Rapids gauge went over 12,000 c.f.s., which isn't enough to give the river a major flush like many are hoping for, but it will definitely help remove some silt and debris. It's currently on a slow drop and should be on the high side of good in a handful of days. The Deschutes can fish extremely well in higher water. Focus your efforts on the soft water close to the bank. There's no need to get out into the pushy stuff. Dark streamers and larger nymphs will be the ticket.

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Steelhead

After a lengthy weather delay, it is game on for winter steelhead! Most rivers have come back into fishable shape in the last couple days. It looks like we're in for a fairly dry weather pattern for a while with a little maintenance rain mixed in. Most rivers are predicted to drop to about average flow and hold there for a while. This means steady flows and several days with fishable conditions. We steelheaders are good at complaining about low water, but the nice thing about lower water is that you can still go. Those who keep waiting for ideal conditions of a river on the soft drop at a perfect level just don't really fish that much. Take advantage of the mild weather and get after it! The more time your fly is in the water, the better chance you have.

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Fishing Reports - January 8, 2024

Deschutes Trout

The weather has been pretty decent out on the Deschutes lately. Fish are settling into their typical winter patterns. This entails focusing the majority of your efforts in slower and deeper water. They will occasionally sneak into faster chop in the afternoon on warmer days, but the slow stuff has been the most productive. On the nymphing front, a big fly/small fly combo has been the ticket. Something heavy, like a T.J. Hooker, trailed by a Zebra Midge or B.W.O. nymph will work well.

The streamer fishing has also been good. We found the fish to be rather streamer-sensitive on our last outing. The little olive sculpin was not producing like it often does. Switching to a small black leech made a huge difference. They can be maddeningly specific like that sometimes. If your normal streamer doesn't do it in a likely spot, don't be afraid to change flies and go through the same run a second time. You wouldn't think the fly would be as important on an actively moved presentation, but it sure can be. Deschutes trout in a nutshell!

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Steelhead

It's many Steelheaders' favorite time of year...Winter! There are definitely fish around across their range. Some of the better reports of late have been coming from the greater Portland area rivers. The North Coast is also kicking out some early fish. Though the peak of the run is a way off, this is an ideal time to chase winter fish. There should be a couple quiet weeks remaining before the full-blown chaos ensues. The relatively lower numbers of fish in early January keeps the crowds down. This presents the chance to cover more premium water that hasn't been touched. It's the perfect time to fish a favorite river that gets crowded in February. We're going to see some water this week with the latest system coming off the ocean. Opportunities abound in the near future.

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Fishing Reports - December 15, 2023

Deschutes Trout

The Deschutes went up a fair bit with all the rain in the last couple weeks. It was the first time I'd heard the term, "Atmospheric River" so far this winter. After all the rain, the river is back down to a great level. One X-Factor to keep an eye on before you go is the flow of the White River. It's been abnormally warm on Mt. Hood and most of the precipitation has been rain. The ski crowd has not been very happy so far this season. Unless we get a major deluge in the desert, the Deschutes above the confluence of the White should stay in good shape.

On the fishing front, it's mostly a B.W.O. game in the hatch department, so be prepared for that. Otherwise, it's a nymph and streamer program with both of these techniques being very viable. Overall, the temps have been pretty warm for the middle of December. This usually makes for very happy trout! Gaudy Euro-style nymphs with a hot spot or hot bead will work well. Don't be afraid to go big, either. Various stonefly nymphs, big Hare's Ears and the venerable T.J. Hooker in brown will all turn some heads. Sometimes a little bigger offering is the ticket in cooler winter water.

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Deschutes Steelhead

Could you still find a summer fish on the Deschutes? Yes. Are the water temps still in the zone? Also, yes! That said, the recent rains mark the unofficial kick off to the winter steelhead season. The latest ~ 2-week event was a real doozy causing flooding from the coast through parts of the Portland area. This was the first major flow spike of the winter and most certainly the catalyst to bring in a decent number of winter fish throughout Northwest Oregon. Most of the famous winter rivers are just coming into shape now. The next handful of days should present some great opportunities to swing flies in pretty mellow weather. The best thing a steelheader can do at this time of year is just go. Don't wait for the first few reports.....make your own!

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Fishing Reports - November 18, 2023

Deschutes Trout

All the dark November weather we've had couldn't be much better for trout fishing. Expect to find generally happy fish. Hope for some afternoon dry fly activity, but bank on nymphing and streamer fishing. This is prime time for a number of different approaches. If you're into the Trout Spey game, get out there ASAP! It's been cool out, but I wouldn't call it cold for this time of year. The water temps are extremely favorable for grabby trout on the swing or swing/strip. We just loaded up on a bunch of great new streamers. Reach out to the shop to get your Trout Spey program dialed in.

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Deschutes Steelhead

Things are winding down for Deschutes Summer Steelhead, but there's still hope! It just hasn't been cold enough to grind things to a halt, especially on the lower reaches of the river. The Moody gauge is topping out in the high 40's to 50 degrees in the afternoon. This is pretty darn good for the middle of November. Sink tip fishing will be the most productive, but don't be afraid to fish a hairwing on a slow sinking polyleader if the temps stay up. Fish are spread throughout the system, but it's pretty hard to pass up fishing the lower 15 miles of the river. The water is getting a little warmer down there throughout the course of the day, and there's a nice mix of native Deschutes stragglers and strays that are dropping out to the Columbia. If you're hoping to catch one more Deschutes fish, get out there soon before the winter weather settles in.

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Fishing Reports - October 13, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Trout

Cooler fall water temps are always welcome to Deschutes trout. River conditions have been a bit variable in the last couple weeks, but there have been some great cloudy and rainy days. This type of weather typically spurs good mayfly activity, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Nymph fishing remains strong, and the streamer bite will continue to pick up as the water cools. The relatively unstable weather as of late has made for some tricky fishing on certain days. If you find yourself striking out, start playing the fly changing game....especially if you're nymphing. The Deschutes is notorious for having one particular pattern on a specific day that is working exponentially better than others. Keep mixing up your flies until something good happens.

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Mount Hood Lakes

There is a little time left to enjoy the stillwater fishing of 2023. Check the regulations as many of the mountain lakes close at the end of the month. The snow level on Mount Hood got pretty low the last couple days. Cold evenings will slow down the insect activity, particularly at higher elevations. Look for the bulk of hatches to be in the afternoon. Chironomids will likely be the main bug of interest, but there may also be some sporadic mayfly activity. Beyond the bugs, slow-stripping a leech pattern will be very effective.

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Deschutes Steelhead

We still have a lot of good steelhead fishing yet to come. The great thing about the middle of October and beyond is that a lot of the traffic starts to disappear. When the conditions line up, the late season can be pretty spectacular! The White River has been an issue the last couple weeks with a few blowout days below the confluence. This should be less of a factor now that the mountain is starting to freeze up with more regularity. Water temperatures have been great topping out most days in the mid-to-upper fifties. We are still in prime time for dry line fishing. The real exciting news from the Deschutes has been the size of fish being caught. The next few weeks are a perfect time to bump into a two salt Deschutes fish or a Clearwater stray. The long and short is go if you can!

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Fishing Reports - September 18, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Trout

Steelhead get most of the attention on the Deschutes in September, but the trout fishing should not be overlooked! More favorable water temps have made for some excellent fishing. Caddis are still the main bugs and the trout are paying attention to them daily. Skating a light-colored Elk Hair in the morning and evening has been very productive. Look for most of the action to come on larva and pupa during the day. If you're fishing a pair of nymphs, make sure one of the two is a caddis. October Caddis will also be getting more active in the next couple weeks. Don't be afraid to fish a big October Caddis pupa any time now.

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Mount Hood Lakes

There's still a handful of weeks to fish the stillwater's on the mountain. All the cool evenings have made for some snappy trout. The dry fly fishing on calm evenings has been spectacular. Reports of lakes practically boiling with rising fish have been filtering into the shop. With more cool weather in the forecast, you can expect the Mount Hood lakes to fish well until the end of the season.

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Deschutes Steelhead

Not surprisingly, as soon as colder water started being released from the dam in mid-August, the steelhead fishing got really good. It's remained strong ever since. The great news has been the abundance of regular old 3-5 pound A Run fish. These are the fish that made the Deschutes famous! The water temps have been great for dry line fishing. Wet flies just below the surface and skaters have both been effective. Fish are now spread throughout the system, so don't be afraid to fish higher up on the river. One thing to watch for is the presence of Fall Chinook. The salmon will be becoming more of a factor in the coming weeks. These big and aggressive fish have a tendency to push steelhead out of their preferred holding lies. The moral of that story is be sure to finish all your swings. You'll often get grabbed way on the inside in shallow water when the salmon are thick. Don't give up on your cast until you've swung to the hang down and let the fly marinate for a few seconds.

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Fishing Reports - August 14, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Trout

Trout fishing continues to plug right along on the lower river. This past week brought multiple days in a row with great cloud cover. That almost always equates to good dry fly fishing, and it sure did! Caddis are still the prominent bug out there with a few mayflies and craneflies occasionally mixed in. On the sunny days, shade is the key to moving fish on the surface. If you're not seeing much in the line of bugs flying around, give a terrestrial a try. Small Chubbies, ants and beetles are all in play. As always, sub-surface fishing is a great bet. Nymphing deeper runs with chop has been a great way to go. Streamer fishing has also been good when the sun is off the water. We have a fairly significant heat wave headed out way, so expect the best bit to be early in the morning.

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Mount Hood Lakes

We are very fortunate to have access to so many local lakes. The fishing is just flat-out good! Many of the lakes continue to see Callibaetis to some degree every day and the fish are all over them. That said, at this point in the season, many of these trout have been fished over daily for weeks on end. They can get rather fly selective so make sure you're loaded up with plenty of options. The notable weather pattern of late has been the consistent wind during the day. It's calm in the morning and about an hour before dark, but it's been howling during the day. This can make the dry fly bite pretty tough. When it's choppy, plan on doing some leech fishing. Stripping leeches on an intermediate line or fishing balanced leeches below an indicator will both be equally effective.

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Deschutes Steelhead

Pretty good news on the steelhead front. The numbers of wild fish over Bonneville have been ramping up. Barring a major dip, we should see the Deschutes season remain open for the duration. Fishing so far on the lower river has been pretty good. There's not a pile of fish coming over the Dalles Dam yet, but certainly enough that you'd have a good shot at finding one. Fish movement has been pretty standard for this time of year. The majority of them are coming over Bonneville and sitting somewhere in the Bonneville pool for a while before continuing the journey. This will bankroll fish for later in the season. It's going to be a scorcher this week, so be sure to keep an eye on the water temps. Focus your efforts early in the morning and hang it up for the day if the water is getting too warm.

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Fishing Reports - July 17, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Photo Credit Tom Larimer

Deschutes Trout

The trout fishing remains strong on the Deschutes. In the bug department, you might as well call it a caddis show. You may bump into a few mayflies if you're lucky enough to be out on a rare cloudy day, but a lot of the fishing will revolve around what the caddis are doing. The dry fly fishing will be best in the morning and evening. You can sneak a few fish out of the shade under trees during the day, but the best surface fishing will be early and late. With the fish being keen on caddis, swinging a team of wet flies during the day can also be very productive. Pick a rocky riffle and try a bead head wet trailed by an unweighted caddis pupa. Give the flies a little twitch now and again throughout the swing and be ready for hard grabs. Also worth noting, keep an eye on water temps. Avoid fishing if the water is 68 or above.

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Mount Hood Lakes

Cooling off by taking a dip in a mountain lake has been just perfect lately. The fishing has been pretty darn good, too. The lakes continue to see some Callibaetis and chironomid activity. The heat has also brought out good numbers of damsel flies. If you don't see much obvious insect activity, try a terrestrial. Ants can be the ticket. The trout have been happily rising when the chop has been low. Think morning and evening and expect some wind during the day. Balanced leeches below an indicator work well when the wind is up. The waves often move the fly enough that you can just get it out there and wait for the indicator to go down. If you decide to try one of the lakes, get out as early as possible. Summer vacation is in full swing here on the mountain and there are a lot of people out recreating.

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Deschutes Steelhead

Fish are on the move in the Columbia. The Deschutes will be seeing some new arrivals on a daily basis. That said, it's going to be awfully hot in the desert for quite some time. Unless some cool water is released from the dam, the temps are going to be getting dangerously high for steelhead and salmon on most days, particularly in the lower few miles of the river. If you decide to go for an early fish, keep an eye on the water temps and focus on the first couple hours of fishable daylight.

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Fishing Reports - June 22, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Trout

The excitement of the big bugs has come and gone, but you don't necessarily need to put away your giant dries. Once the fish have stoneflies on the brain, it sticks with them for a long time. Fishing a chubby with a dropper will remain a solid tactic for weeks to come. As we slip into a more normal summer weather pattern, focus your efforts on the low light periods of the day. And, if you have the opportunity to drop everything on a rare cloudy day, do it! Most of the mayfly activity will occur on the occasional cloudy day, so bank on caddis being the star most of the time. Indicator fishing will be a great bet anytime. Look for fish feeding in fast choppy water all the way up to the tip top of the run.

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Mount Hood Lakes

The Stillwater fishing has been excellent. Water temps on most of the lakes are perfect for active bugs and happy fish. Callibaetis have been coming off in big numbers. Make sure you have a good selection of the various lifecycle stages of this mayfly. It's not uncommon to have some combination of spinners on the water and actively emerging flies. Having plenty of options that imitate duns, spinners, emergers and cripples can save the day if the fish get picky. 

When the wind is up, it's been pretty hard to beat the leech fishing. Slow-stripping leeches on an intermediate line has been exceptionally good. If they want something a little slower, suspending a balanced leech under a slip strike indicator and giving it a little twitch will get their attention.

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Deschutes Steelhead

It's hard to believe, but Summer Steelhead time is very near! Some of the Columbia tribs downstream from Bonneville have already been producing some early summers. As they tend to do at this time in June, the number of fish going over the dam is starting to increase. With a little luck, these numbers will start to bump significantly as we head into the first week of July. If you're looking for a shot at an early fish on the Deschutes, first thing in the morning will present the best opportunity with low light and the coolest water temps of the day. Be prepared for the possibility of a supercharged chrome fish. Beef up your leader material and avoid lighter wire hooks. These fish can be hard to handle!

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Fishing Reports - May 25th, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Trout 

Deschutes Trout

Stonefly fever has been in full force the last couple weeks. Unfortunately, there were a lot of disappointed anglers this past weekend. The unseasonably warm weather produced several different thunderstorms that impacted the flow and clarity of the Deschutes with last Friday's severe storm really making a mess. It was a true flash flood event on certain parts of the river and spiked the flows dramatically making it high and very muddy. The good news is that the river has been dropping and clearing daily and is very fishable now. If chasing the stoneflies isn't your thing, the nymph and streamer fishing will be very good. Barring any other major weather events, the Deschutes will be fishing well for the foreseeable future.

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Mount Hood Lakes

The May heat wave brought some rapid changes to the lakes on Mount Hood. Many of the lakes at lower elevation thawed quickly. After a long winter under the ice, these trout are pretty darn hungry! I wouldn't say that they've been eating everything in sight, but they have been rather opportunistic. Leeches on an intermediate line or under an indicator have been working very well. As for hatches, it's been a little smattering of a bunch of different things. Chironomids, a few Callibaetis, a caddis here and there, a few ants.....it's been a mixed bag. The water in the lakes has been on the cold side with all the snowmelt from the mountain, but that will get better. If there isn't a noticeable bug that fish are keyed on, try a generalist dry, like a Parachute Adams, Griffith's Gnat, Elk Hair Caddis or small Chubby Chernobyl. Get your fly to the rising fish as quickly as possible. If it doesn't eat it in a few seconds, give the fly a little twitch. Sometimes this will call them right in.

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Fishing Reports - April 4th, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Trout 

Deschutes Trout

The B.W.O.'s and midges are still showing up in good numbers, but there's a new bug in the mix. March Browns have started to make an appearance, especially on the warmer days. Finally a fly that's easier to see! This hatch will improve as we move into April. We can look forward to some great surface fishing during bigger emergences. Aside from the excitement of a sizable mayfly, we should start seeing more caddis in the afternoons soon. With insect diversity increasing along with the water temp, fishing soft hackles will be very effective. In these situations, you can cover several bases by running a two fly rig. Lead with something a little larger, like a March Brown wet, and trail with something smaller, like a Partridge and Green soft hackle. Swing your team of flies in riffles and shallow flats and hang on!

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Deschutes Steelhead

It's sad to say, but we're running out of time to fish winter steelhead. Realistically, we've got a couple decent weeks left, give or take, and that will be a wrap for the `23 season. Fortunately, we have some great forecasted conditions. Most of Northwestern Oregon from the coast through the Gorge has seen a fair bit of moisture lately. This should bring in the bulk of the stragglers. If you're hoping to sneak another winter fish, or two, go soon!

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March 11th, 2023
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Trout

The trout fishing has been quite good lately out in the desert. One of the biggest bonuses of fishing the Deschutes right now is the solitude. Having so much water to yourself always ups the odds. The standard winter hatches are still rolling right along. B.W.O.'s and midges have been active to some degree on a daily basis.

One noticeable fishing change as of late has been the effectiveness of stonefly nymphs. They're always a good choice on the Deschutes, but the fish have seemed to be favoring the bigger offerings lately. Heavy jigged patterns, like the T.J. Hooker, have been absolutely deadly. Trail the bigger bug with a midge larva or B.W.O. nymph and you're in business. Aside from nymphing, the Trout Spey fishing has been really heating up. This will continue to get better in the coming weeks as fish begin to feed more in shallower water. The dry fly bite has been sporadic. Finding a good surface fishing right now seems to be mostly a matter of luck. The bugs have been around, but rising fish have been hard to track down. Pretty much a, "right place at the right time" luck of the draw situation. This will also improve when we start to see some warmer weather.

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Winter Steelhead

This winter season has been shaping up a lot like the last few. There was a good flurry of activity out of the gate followed by a bit of a mid-season lull. The extreme cold at the end of February did not do us any favors. If there is one thing that gives steelhead a hardy case of lockjaw, it's plummeting water temps. Fortunately, it looks like we've moved past the cold fronts for the time being and some good reports have been coming in. It looks like the western part of the state is going to get some much-needed moisture this week. The impending flow spikes should get some fish moving. Look for the fishing further east to continue to improve through the course of March. Historically speaking, the numbers out here tend to go up quite a bit for the next three weeks. The bulk of the winter run in the eastern part of Steelhead Country should be showing up soon. Time will also start to be on our side. As March dwindles, regardless of conditions, winter fish looking to spawn need to make a move. It starts to become a "now or never" situation in the last part of March and first part of April. This usually accounts for some good fishing with nicer weather.

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Fishing Report 12/16/2022 - Charlie's Report

Deschutes SteelheadSome anglers are still finding a late summer fish here and there, but it's officially time to start looking for winters! This is such an exciting time of year to hunt for the first one of the season. The best part of it is the masses won't start showing up for a month, or more. Most people don't start chasing winter steelhead until sometime in January or February. It seems like everybody waits for the first few hot reports before they give it a shot themselves. The best advice I can offer is to go early and go often. You will not regret making your own report. We've already heard of early winters being caught in a variety of places in Northwestern Oregon. There is a huge series of storms predicted to come in off the ocean early next week, so it's going to be game on very soon. Look for the drop following the monsoon and there should be a good wad of fish around.

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Deschutes Trout

It's awfully quiet out in the desert at this time of year. To be perfectly honest, it's been darn cold on the Deschutes lately. Fortunately, the weather looks like it's going to trend to the warmer side by the end of next week. Hopefully this comes to fruition, but there are lots of days predicted in the high 40's to 50 in the later half of the month. It's going to be warm, dark and rainy. Ideal winter trout conditions. The fishing can be shockingly good in the cold, but a little winter warming trend will really kick things into high gear. Olives and midges will be on the menu. Nymphing and streamer fishing will be great. If good trout fishing in relative solitude is your thing, get out to the Deschutes in the next few weeks.

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Fishing Report 11/3/2022 - Charlie's Report
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Steelhead

They're out there, folks! The mild weather this past week made for some pretty good fishing for those putting in the time. We are, however, right on the edge of the first major cold front of the fall. The water temps are going to take a serious nosedive. This won't eliminate the possibility of catching fish on the swing, but presentation is going to become much more important. This means slowing your swing speed and getting the fly down. Think winter tactics for late summer fish. When the water gets really cold, try switching over to an intermediate or multi-density Skagit Head. These lines slow your swing speed to a crawl and can convert cold fish into biters.

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Deschutes Trout

Deschutes Trout Standing out in the cold rain isn't on everyone's to-do list, but it sure makes for great trout fishing on the Deschutes. The recent rainy days gave way to some massive afternoon B.W.O. hatches. These hatches should continue to go off and improve with the impending sporty weather. Keep your eyes open for risers in the early afternoon and be sure to have at least one B.W.O. nymph going on your indicator rig. Even if there aren't many rising fish, they will be keyed in on the active nymphs.

Bugs aside, the streamer fishing has been very good and will remain a solid bet as the water cools. Vary your presentation until you figure out what peaks their interest. Sometimes they like the fly stripped aggressively and sometimes they don't care for that at all. Most of the action I had on the Trout Spey this week came on just a steady swing with no stripping. But that could be totally different today. Mix it up until you crack the code. Fish your streamers on heavy tippet. The possibility of a steelhead encounter is there, especially if you're just swinging the fly.

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Fishing Report 10/17/2022 - Charlie's Report
GorgeFlyShop.com

Deschutes Steelhead

Steelhead haven't been particularly easy to come by lately on the lower river, but there's still plenty of time for that to change. All the steelheaders passing through the shop have been optimistically talking about the upcoming weather change. Dark days and floating lines are on the way. The fall transition can definitely help stir things up and make fish move. One very notable thing about the Deschutes steelhead in the last several years is that many of them show up a little late to the party. A good majority of anglers hang up their gear in mid-October which leads to the ability to fish a bunch of great water with confidence. They may not jump in your net on the first run, but they're out there to be found. With fish spread throughout the system, pick your favorite area and find a unicorn. 

As for flies, think buggy and natural. The water has been on the low/clear side for some time now. Dry line flies like Undertaker, Steelhead Coachman and the Brazilian have been working well. On the sink tip, try Hoh Bo Speys, Mini Intruders or Bantams. 

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Deschutes Trout

Deschutes trout fishing has been nothing short of excellent. Spawning fall Chinook have perked up the fish and they have been packing on some extra egg weight. The warmer weather has also spurred a bunch of insect activity. Be prepared to see a mixed bag of bugs out there...B.W.O's, caddis, crane flies and clouds of midges. The surface activity has been a bit sporadic, but the nymph fishing has been deadly. Don't be afraid to go small in clear water. Midge larva and pupa patterns have been working well. The streamer bite has also really picked up. The fish will be getting extra happy when the cooler rainy weather sets in. Deschutes trout love nasty weather!

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Mount Hood Lakes

The lakes have been fishing quite well as of late. Local anglers have reported good chironomid activity along with a smattering of other bugs. The leech fishing has been very good with the most success coming on olive patterns or an intermediate lake line. Now is the perfect time to soak up our remaining warm weather on the lakes. Be sure to check the regulations before you head out as many of the lakes close at end of the month. 

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Fishing Report 10/14/2022
GorgeFlyShop.com

Greg's Trip Report: Brook Trout with Polar Bears

Trout - Deschutes River:

Lower Deschutes River 

The day stretch from Warm Springs to Trout Creek has been good. It has been an unusually warm and dry start to fall this year, with temps still hitting the 80s during the heat of the day. This has kept the caddis active on the Lower river, so keep some small elk hair and x caddis in the box. October caddis and pmds have also been popping off at times, so be ready with these in your box as well. Nymphing and trout spey continue to be highly productive as well.

Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.

Middle Deschutes River 

The middle is a great option in October. BWO's and pmd's are the main bugs hatching here at the moment and fishing is good. Throwing larger articulated streamers in here is a good bet to try and find a big brown.

Upper Deschutes

The upper Deschutes is now closed until the spring.

Metolius River 

Still plenty of good dry fly fishing to be had on the Met. There are still a few Green Drakes and Flavs around the middle to upper river. BWO's and pmd's are also important this time of year so be ready with nymphs, emergers, cripples, duns and spinners to cover the entire life cycle of these insects. Some days they want to eat the dun, other days they want an emerger just under the surface film. Nymphing both euro and traditional is effective. October caddis nymphs and golden stone nymphs are good bets, followed by a two bit hooker or a small frenchie.

The bull trout have finished up their spawn for the most part and will now just hang in the river for the next 3 months or so and gorge on the Kokanee. The kokanee seem to be a little late this year, though there definitely are some around still. Tying flies that imitate dead or dying kokanee and stripping them around log jams or dead drifting them in longer runs is a great way to go. The Met is a beautiful place to spend a fall day, the great fishing is just a bonus.

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Mount Hood Lakes:

Lake Update

Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.

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Steelhead - 

Steelhead fishing has been rewarding to those putting in the time and effort. This is a fishery where you can expect success if you put in the time. It requires early mornings, long days of searching, switching up your gear and tactics, and a little bit of luck. Both dry lines and small flies, as well as sink tips and intruders are finding fish. These fish are spread out now the entire length of the river from the mouth all the way to Warm Springs.

https://www.fpc.org/currentdaily/HistFishTwo_7day-ytd_Adults.htm This is a quick resource to check fish counts over the dams in the Columbia.

For the latest on fishing regulations in your angling zone visit https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Carp fishing is about done for the year. If we get any last warm sunny days, it'll be good if you can find and see them.

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Fishing Report 9/29/2022
GorgeFlyShop.com

Trout - Deschutes River:

Lower Deschutes River 

The lower has been good decent for trout and steelhead lately. The heavily fish sectioned from warm springs to trout creek and around Maupin is a little tougher as those fish have been getting artificial flies thrown at them all season now. You have to start thinking outside of the box during this time of year. Fall is a great time to be in the lower Deschutes canyon. October caddis will start to become more prevalent, blue wing olives and midges start to become important, and spawning salmon make fishing eggs really effective as well. Trout spey with crayfish and sculpin patterns is picking up some good fish this time of year as well so don't forget the two handers. Get out there and get after some fish!

Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.

Middle Deschutes River 

No recent report from the middle Deschutes but I would imagine it is good with the cooler weather and water temps we are starting to experience as we roll into mid September.

Upper Deschutes

The upper Deschutes from little lava down to Crane Prairie Reservoir is still inaccessible due to the Cedar Creek Fire. The area below Wikiup dam down towards Sunriver is open and accessible and the fishing is okay in there right now. This time of year, the streamer fishing is usually can be pretty good so keep that in mind if heading to this section. Pmd's are still happening here on certain days and the fish have been keying in on the nymphs in the mornings.

Metolius River 

The Met is one of the best options in Central Oregon right now. There are still strong hatches of flavs, drakes and pmds in the afternoons most every day. The drakes will hang around for another week or two, so be sure and get out there to fish this exciting hatch before we have to wait until June for them to return. Nymphing in the mornings before the hatches get started is a good idea, then from around noon until 3 or 4pm you can be fishing all dry.

Bull trout fishing is excellent. Lots of fish hiding out in the log jams getting ready to ambush the kokanee that are starting to arrive. I was out there last weekend and saw a kokanee getting chased around in a log jam by a big bull. Sure enough I tossed my streamer in there and that bull hammered my fly as soon as I twitched it. So fun to see the visual take from these big predatory fish.

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Mount Hood Lakes:

Lake Update

Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.

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John Garrett and son Kohl getting into some Steelhead

Steelhead - 

Steelhead fishing has been fair to good. You definitely have to be covering water and searching hard, but those who are putting in the time, are finding fish for sure. Dry lines and skaters and/or small wet flies in the mornings and sink tips and intruders when the suns high. It's getting to that time of year though when you can fish dry lines all day as the sun does not get as high in the sky. Get out there and have some fun!

https://www.fpc.org/currentdaily/HistFishTwo_7day-ytd_Adults.htm This is a quick resource to check fish counts over the dams in the Columbia.

For the latest on fishing regulations in your angling zone visit https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Carp fishing is about done for the year. If we get any last warm sunny days, it'll be good if you can find and see them.

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Fishing Report 9/13/2022
GorgeFlyShop.com

Trout - Deschutes River:

Lower Deschutes River 

Fishing on the Deschutes from Warm Springs down to Maupin is getting better and better as we move into the middle of September. With overnight and daytime temps beginning to significantly cool off, the river and trout alike are responding well with more active feeding fish throughout the entire day, giving anglers more time to have productive fishing. 

Caddis are still happening and people are having success fishing dead imitations in the mornings and adult patterns in the evenings. A size 18 cdc x-caddis is a great pattern for the evening bite. Nymph fishing continues to produce the most action with frenchies, soft hackle pheasant tails, psycho princes and pat's rubber legs all being good patterns. The streamer game has been picking up as well as we move into fall and get some cooler water temps. Swinging sculpzillas or the RIO meat sweats on a 3-4 weight trout spey is a good bet right now.

Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.

Middle Deschutes River 

No recent report from the middle Deschutes but I would imagine it is good with the cooler weather and water temps we are starting to experience as we roll into mid September. 

Upper Deschutes

The upper Deschutes is currently closed due to the Cedar Creek Fire which is burning near the town of Oakridge. Cascade Lakes Highway, Crane Prairie Campgrounds and Wikiup Reservoir campgrounds are all closed indefinitely until the fire becomes more contained.

Metolius River 

The Met is phenomenal right now on all fronts. Prolific hatches, an abundance of bull trout, and great nymph fishing in the mornings are all happening right now on my favorite river in the world. Let's start with the hatches. The fall green drakes began hatching over the last week and will continue to consistently hatch between 2-5pm most days for the next month I'd say. These large mayflies hatch here in a #10. Have both cripple and dun patterns during this hatch, these Metolius trout absolutely go crazy for these bugs. Additionally, flavs (#12-14 mayfly), a smattering of caddis and pale morning duns are all going off too. Because many of these bugs are all hatching at the same time, try using a double dry rig. Same setup as a double nymph rig, just with two dries. I like using a large green drake pattern with a smaller pmd or caddis pattern 18 inches off the big dry. Fishing is good folks. 

Nymphing in the mornings before the hatches get going is picking up fish as well. Lots of bull trout in the river and they are quite aggressive to streamers. Bring your 8 or 9 weight for these fish. They are big and pull hard in the fast current.

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Mount Hood Lakes:

Lake Update

Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.

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Steelhead - 

Steelhead fishing has been fair to good. You definitely have to be covering water and searching hard, but those who are putting in the time, are finding fish for sure. Dry lines and skaters and/or small wet flies in the mornings and sink tips and intruders when the suns high. The smoke in Central Oregon is providing good cover to the sun allowing you to fish floating lines all day. Water temps are great with the Moody gauge reading 60 degrees today. Brisk fall mornings are here, get out there and get after it!

https://www.fpc.org/currentdaily/HistFishTwo_7day-ytd_Adults.htm This is a quick resource to check fish counts over the dams in the Columbia.

For the latest on fishing regulations in your angling zone visit https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Carp fishing has been killer during this heat wave! Look for carp cruising the shallow flats and back sloughs off the main Columbia River and be prepared to put an accurate cast right in their face to get an eat. It's a super addicting way to fish and we have all the good carp bugs at the shop.

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Fishing Report 8/26/2022
GorgeFlyShop.com

Nice Brookie that ate a small sculpin near some log structure. 

Lower Deschutes River

The lower is still a good central Oregon fishing option. Again, with temps throughout Oregon still quite hot, it's important to focus your efforts from dawn until about 1pm for your most productive fishing window. Afternoons when it's hottest out, can be more challenging, and also not an ideal thing from an ethical standard as water temps are getting upwards toward 70 on hot days in the lower sections of the river, which can be lethal to trout and steelhead alike.

Mornings are productive fishing caddis dries in the back eddies and off grassy banks. Nymphing is still your best bet. Focus on faster riffles where it is most oxygenated. Some good bugs to run this time of year are jimmy legs, euro style frenchies, copper johns, red lightning bugs, various caddis pupa patterns and psycho princes. Dropper flies should be in the #16-18 range for best success.

Middle Deschutes River

Middle Deschutes has been productive in the mornings. This is great dry dropper water, so using a golden stone or small chubby dropped down to a euro style frenchie is a fun way to target the rainbows and browns that live here.

Upper Deschutes

The upper Deschutes has been fishing strong. The upper upper in between Little Lava and Crane Prairie is running cold and clean this time of year. This is a very fun stretch of water if you are the type of angler who likes to put some miles on their boots and fish in a beautiful high alpine setting. The brook trout are moving in from the lakes in prep to spawn next month and have been fired up and eating small streamers and buggers around log jams and in the deeper pools and seams. Small chubby's with a beadhead nymph dropper is a great tactic to to target some nice fish as well.

Nicely colored up brown that ate the #18 split case pmd. 

The section below Wikiup down to Sunriver, is fishing really good as well. Lots of active fish eating nymphs hard in the seams behind log jams. Predominant hatches up there include pmds, various caddis and bwo's. Dry dropper during the hatch windows is a great tactic. Last Sunday I ran a #10 chubby with two flies beneath, a #16 euro frenchie and a #18 split case pmd nymph.

Metolius River

The Met continues to be a great option with it's consistent 46 degree water where the trout thrive. Caddis, pmds and various golden stones are the main bugs hatching the Met right now. Rusty spinner's at dusk is picking up some good fish and caddis are happening in the afternoons and into the evenings. Nymphing with rubber leg stoneflies, peridigons, rainbow warriors, frenchies and zebra midges are all great patterns.

Lots of lake run bull trout are in the Metolius getting ready to spawn in the tribs. Streamer action is strong both dead drifted and stripped when targeting these fish. These lake run fish will hang around after spawning all fall and into the winter so the time is now to string up the 8 and 9 weights with your favorite articulated streamer pattern.

Mt Hood Lakes

Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.

Columbia River Carp

Carp fishing has been killer during this heat wave! Look for carp cruising the shallow flats and back sloughs off the main Columbia River and be prepared to put an accurate cast right in their face to get an eat. It's a super addicting way to fish and we have all the good carp bugs at the shop.

Steelhead

The lower Deschutes has been open now since August 15th and there have been mixed reports, even given the strong numbers of fish around. Fish are definitely being caught but you have to work for them and cover water to find them. Early mornings right at dawn until about 11am is your best shot at hooking a summer fish so get to your spot early.

Tight lines!

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Fishing Report 8/19/2022
GorgeFlyShop.com

Super rare Metolius brown that ate a #18 purple peridigon nymph under an indicator.

Lower Deschutes River

The lower Deschutes is still a good option to beat the heat this week. Caddis are still going strong fishing pupas, adults and dead caddis. Nymphing in the oxygenated fast riffles will also pick up fish. Reminder to focus your efforts early in the morning and wrap it up early afternoon before the water temps get too warm. Depending on where you are fishing, water temps will stay good throughout the entire day. Down closer to the mouth, water temps are upwards of the 70 degree mark with this heat wave rolling through Central Oregon at the moment.

Middle Deschutes River

Middle Deschutes has been productive in the mornings. This is great dry dropper water, so using a golden stone or small chubby dropped down to a euro style frenchie is a fun way to target the rainbows and browns that live here.

Upper Deschutes

The upper Deschutes is holding on during the dog days of summer. Dry dropper rigs continue to produce in the deeper pools and undercut banks. Streamers are a good bet around structure to target the larger brookies and browns up there. Caddis and pmds are the main bugs happening up there. Go have some fun!

Metolius River

The Met continues to be a great option with it's consistent 46 degree water where the trout thrive. Caddis, pmds and various golden stones are the main bugs hatching the Met right now. Rusty spinner's at dusk is picking up some good fish and caddis are happening in the afternoons and into the evenings. Nymphing with rubber leg stoneflies, peridigons, rainbow warriors, frenchies and zebra midges are all great patterns.

Lots of lake run bull trout are in the Metolius getting ready to spawn in the tribs. Streamer action is strong both dead drifted and stripped when targeting these fish. These lake run fish will hang around after spawning all fall and into the winter so the time is now to string up the 8 and 9 weights with your favorite articulated streamer pattern.

Mt Hood Lakes

Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.

Steelhead

The Lower Deschutes opened on Monday the 15th and will be open for a month then ODFW will re-evaluate wild steelhead numbers to see if the season will remain open the rest of the year. It is looking good for the season being open all year!

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Fishing Report 8/1/2022

Lower Deschutes River 

The lower Deschutes is a good option right now to beat the heat this week. With hot temps happening throughout the NW, I would focus your efforts early in the morning from sunrise till about 11am. Then back in the evening when the sun is setting. It's also a good idea during these heat waves to fish higher up in the system closer to Warm Springs where the water will be the coolest. This time of year is a good time to carry a Fishpond thermometer to make sure you are fishing responsibly. Fish water that is 68 degrees or less for trout. Anything above this can be fatal to trout upon release. 

Fish dead caddis in back eddies and along grassy banks in the mornings. Nymphing continues to produce well at any time of the day. When it gets hot like this, the trout generally will move into deep and fast water so using heavily weighted nymphs will allow them to break through that current down where the trout are laying. 

Middle Deschutes River

Haven't fished the middle Deschutes in a little while. I would assume fishing is decent. Should be some caddis hatching in the afternoons/evenings. Nymphing will be most productive in the fast riffles where the water is the most oxygenated. 

Upper Deschutes

The upper Deschutes has been okay. Water is staying fairly cool the higher up in the system you go. PMD's are hanging on still with fish still looking up. Streamers and nymphs will be the most productive method at this time though. 

Metolius River

The Met is a good bet with all this heat. With it being a spring fed stream, the water temps remain consistent throughout the year staying nice and cold which make the fish happy. There are quite a few lake run bull trout showing up at this time getting ready to spawn in the next few months. Dead drifting big articulated streamers that imitate whitefish/kokanee is a highly productive method. You can do this with or without an indicator. If you're able to see a few fish laying in a run, i like to just dead drift them without an indicator and watch for the fish to eat. 

Trout fishing is good. Euro nymphs and traditional nymph rigs are getting it done. Caddis and pmd's are the main bugs that are hatching with the occasional golden stone flying around. 

Mt Hood Lakes

Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes. 

Steelhead

The Lower Deschutes river will be opening for steelhead fishing on August 15th which is exciting news. We surpassed the 9900 unclipped steelhead number over Bonneville to yield a season opener. The next number we need to hit is 23,100 unclipped fish over Bonneville through the month of August to ensure the season remains open for the rest of the season. Please give the shop a call if you have any clarifying questions, but as of right now, the Deschutes is set to open August 15th. 

Last Week:

Laurence Lake Update: Laurance Lake Rd. (Forest Road 2840) on Hood River Ranger District opens Friday, July 8, following emergency repairs. Laurance Lake Rd. provides access to Kinnikinnick Campground, Laurance Lake Day Use Area, and several trails on the Hood River Ranger District. While the Eliot Creek washout has been repaired, Laurance Lake Rd. is still extremely rough and narrow. Forest engineers recommend travel by high clearance vehicles only, and highly discourage trailers. Laurance Lake Rd. has been closed for public safety due to a road washout at Eliot Creek. Crews recently completed work, which included installation of two culverts at the creek crossing. Campsites at Kinnikinnick Campground are now open and available for reservation at Recreation.gov. The crossing over Eliot Creek is a flood-prone area, primarily due to melted water and erosion from Eliot Glacier on Mount Hood's north side. In spring the fast-moving water carries rock, silt, and other debris down the mountain and into streams. Erosion from the snowmelt creates unstable ground and stream washouts, specifically at this section of Eliot Creek.

Trout - Deschutes River:

Lower Deschutes River 

The lower continues to produce good fishing with caddis being the main bug on the trout's menu. The epic swarming evening caddis hatches are well underway throughout the entirety of the Lower Deschutes. These caddis are typically a size 16 or 18 so having a wide range of different patterns in that size range is a must if you are planning a trip. My favorite pattern would be a tan x-caddis. Fish will be tight up next to grassy banks, under trees and in back eddies when they are looking for these bugs. 

Nymphing both traditional and euro style in the mornings is producing good action too. Rubber legs down to a caddis pupa or mayfly nymph is a good bet. There are stoneflies in the Deschutes year round and even though that hatch is well over, the trout still eat them. 

Swinging small leeches or sculpins on a 3-4 weight trout spey is producing some fish too. This is typically not a numbers game (though it definitely can be) but you will usually hook into some larger fish with this method and its loads of fun.

Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.

Middle Deschutes River 

The middle D from Bend down to Bill Chinook has been productive for those venturing down into the beautiful canyon. Quite a few caddis and pmds hatching down there with fish looking up in the later parts of the day. Nymphing two flies is by far the most productive method right now. The middle D is great hopper dropper water too and is more fun than staring at a bobber all day. Foam body hoppers, chubby chernobyls, stimulators, renegades, and yellow humpies are all great attractor dries that can hold up a bead head nymph well.   

Upper Deschutes

The very upper river from Little Lava Lake down to Crane Prairie Res is fishing quite good. This is a fun 7 mile stretch of water full of log jams and undercut banks where good size brook and rainbow trout live. Dry dropper rigs with a hopper or small chubby and a euro style pheasant tail or red lightning bug is getting consistent action. Stripping small buggers and sculpins around the log jams is your best bet at finding brook trout. 

Pmds are still hanging around from Benham Falls upriver to Wikiup Dam. This is a fun section to hunt heads. Fish are still looking for a well presented pmd dry whether its a rusty spinner or a comparadun. They typically hatch pretty large up here, size #16s and even some #14s mainly from what I've experienced recently. Stripping big black streamers around the log jams early in the morning is a good way to find some of the larger browns that live up there.

Metolius River 

There have been some really good hatches and dry fly opportunities on the Metolius as of late. There was a strong pmd hatch a few days ago in the late afternoon and the trout were keyed on them good. Caddis and little yellow sally stoneflies are hatching on any given day as well so have a few patterns of each in your box. I also have been seeing a few golden stones crawling around the banks of the Met so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a few of these patterns on hand as well. These are a good searching pattern to use in non hatch times with a dropper nymph below. Euro nymphing still remains the most productive way to get into some fish right now. Euro frenchies and pheasant tails are some of my favorite sub surface patterns to use on the Metolius but don't overlook a standard zebra midge as this is a staple pattern for this stretch of water. 

Bull trout fishing has been fair to good above bridge 99 for resident bull trout. A common misconception is that the fall and winter are the only times there are bull trout in the Met. There is actually a pretty healthy number of local fish that live here year round but the late summer/early fall is when even more bullies migrate up the Metolius from Lake Billy Chinook to spawn and follow the Kokanee upriver. There are already a few lake run fish that are nosing their way into the lower river and those numbers will continue to increase over the course of the next few months]]. Bull trout's main diet once they're in the river are whitefish so using large white/grey articulated streamers is the best way to "match the hatch".

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Mount Hood Lakes:

Lake Update

Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.

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Steelhead - 

As of Sunday July 24, over 9,900 unclipped steelhead had been counted at Bonneville Dam. This means the lower Deschutes will reopen on August 15 and be open until at least September 15. Another 12,122 need to cross before August 31 for the river to be open until May 31. Runs so far this year have been strong. We're hopeful it will surpass the numbers to remain open.

https://www.fpc.org/currentdaily/HistFishTwo_7day-ytd_Adults.htm This is a quick resource to check fish counts over the dams in the Columbia.

For the latest on fishing regulations in your angling zone visit https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Smallmouth are residing deeper these hot sunny days but good topwater action can be found in early morning and late evening. fish the shady drop offs and for this summer topwater bite bigger is better.  

Carp are actively cruising the shallow flats. Carp fishing will humble you up really quick. Great practice if you have a saltwater trip coming up. These fish require accuracy and stealth to have success. Focus with site fishing them in mid day on shallow flats. 

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