Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 07/01/2016
We have been very busy in the shop here with great weather, lots of tourists and fisherpeople coming through, we haven't been able to get a report up the past few weeks. Fishing is pretty darn good throughout the area, so go get a line wet.
The famous Hexagenia mayfly hatch has arrived. I had a bunch of them on the back of my house last night that came out of the Columbia. The giant yellow mayflies drive Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Brook Trout absolutely bonkers. Merrill Lake in Washington is the most famous lake with a hex hatch, but many other lakes get a hatch too. Some lakes like Timothy Lake get a hatch, but it can be very short, just a couple of days sometimes. Merrill's hatch can last well into late July, while others will be done by the 4th. The Columbia gets a decent hatch too and it is a fun time to go strip hex nymphs for carp in the shallows.
The bugs hatch at night, so fishing a nymph in the evening is a good idea. Throwing a dry right at sunset in the shallow, muddy area will also produce some nice fish. There are some monster fish that only eat insects during this one hatch every year and then are never seen again. This is the lake equivalent of the salmonfly hatch, so plan a day or two of lake fishing in the next couple of weeks and you might just be transformed into a lake fisherman.
Steelhead fishing is still slowly moving along. The Clackamas has reportedly been fairly good. The Klickitat has mostly remained in good shape, although the fishing hasn't been too great. It is more of a late summer show there. The Deschutes has been very slow for steelhead for the few guys that have gone out. The river has punched above 70 degrees every day this week, so please limit your fishing to the morning hours as the chances of a steelhead surviving a battle and release in 70+ degree water is low. There has been no announcement of afternoon closures on the Deschutes yet from ODFW, but it happened last year when the river was over 70 every day.
Trout fishing on the Deschutes has been good lately, especially upstream from Maupin. Caddis hatches have been thick and there have been days lately when the fish want to eat dries all day. Be prepared with the nymph rod, but hope that they are on surface flies...
Carp fishing should be great with the Hex hatch going on in the Columbia. Throw a hex nymph and pull it slowly through carpy areas...
Smallmouth Bass fishing has been absolutely fantastic on the John Day River. Poppers all day... The Columbia has been good, but they haven't been as apt to eat poppers.
Flows: The USGS sites give us real-time flows, while the NOAA site shows us predictions based on weather patterns. Both are invaluable tools.
Deschutes near Madras :
As always, we are happy to talk fishing any time. Give us a call if you have any specific questions on local rivers, gear, and tactics, or if you just want some encouragement to get out of the office. 541.386.6977
Andrew Perrault
Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977
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