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| A Wild Coastal Beauty! |
Winter Steelhead fishing has been slow, but steady. Our local rivers haven't gotten the spikes in flow that we need to pull fish upriver. Most of the fish are being caught in the mouths or first few runs of the river where fish are waiting to make a push. Rains are expected this week which should help things out. The coastal rivers continue to be the best bet for winter chrome right now.
If your cabin fever is getting the best of you, and you are sick of fishing poor steelhead conditions, you really should be trout fishing on the Deschutes, Metolius or Yakima right now! As I have stated before, winter trout fishing can be absolutely killer. Double nymph rigs with a small stone and a midge/Baetis nymph can be dynamite. Or if you are like me, swinging meat for the big predacious trout is a staple winter pattern and a heck of a lot of fun! The bottom line is you should at least give winter trout fishing a try, especially during poor steelhead conditions. Stop on in the shop and we can get you dialed in for some redside fun!
Flows: The USGS sites give us real-time flows, while the NOAA site shows us predictions based on weather patterns. Both are invaluable tools.
Hood River:
Clackamas:
Deschutes near Madras:
Deschutes at the mouth:
Columbia River
As always, we are happy to talk fishing anytime. 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
Ryan Van Duzor
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977
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ReplyDeleteA problem with fishing the Yakima trout now is that most of the boat launches are blocked by ice walls. There is more open water now than 1-20, but I was out 1-29 and had a difficult time walking down to the water. Didn't hit anything on my best winter nymphs, but got one tug on a swung olive skulpin. http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/media/yakima-canyon-1-29-2017.43865/
DeleteHey Paul, Thanks for the update. Sorry your original post says removed. I was having some technical difficulty. Luckily I was quick thinking enough to copy the content before it disappeared completely. lol...Thanks again, Greg
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