Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - October 28, 2019

COHO CHROME! This beauty was caught by our faithful customer Berle Stratton on his 8134-4 C.F. Burkheimer while swinging for steelhead - not a bad by catch!

FALL COHO:  Gorge Fly Shop faithful customer, Berle Stratton caught the above CHROME Coho while swinging a special intruder fly that he ties and fishes "Old School" style where the leader passes through the eye of the fly and is strung through a small mono loop tied in the rear, where you then have a junction of tubing where you can seat the hook or tie a non-slip saltwater loop for the hook. Although Coho sometimes prefer a fast swing with a twitch every once in a while, this particular fish came on a slow winter Steelhead swing technique.  Great job Berle!

Coho are moving into the Hood River (which if you catch a Coho downstream of the Hood River Bridge you must release it), the Deschutes and Klickitat Rivers.  If swinging flies for steelhead and it seems slow or you see evidence of coho, try a downstream mend to speed up your swing and do a bit of twitching as it swings.  Also try a twitch or two on the slower steelhead type of swing.  I don't typically like to twitch my rod on a typical steelhead swing BUT when Coho are around sometimes it can mean the difference between catching and not catching a Coho.

KLICKITAT RIVER STEELHEAD:  This time of year is one of my favorites on the Klick with the spectacular fall colors bursting for the next couple of weeks before all the leaves all fall off. The leaf hatch has started with a few breezy days but it's still fishable. There have been a bunch of Coho pass through the Lyle Falls ladder on the lower river, so look for a few more Coho to be caught up river. Hint: When swinging your fly like you typically would for steelhead, if action is a bit slow, try twitching the fly a few times of a few swings in likely looking water and you may be rewarded with a nice coho. The colder nights and days have the water in perfect shape to fish. If looking for a quided trip here are a couple solid choices that we highly recommend...

For Fall Steelhead/Coho trips on the Klickitat give Sam or Travis a call...

Sam Sickles
541-400-0855
www.steelheadoutfitters.com

Travis Wallace
Western Waters Guide Service
509-850-5125
www.westernwatersguides.com

DESCHUTES RIVER STEELHEAD:  Steelhead fishing remains pretty steady with some nice fish being caught as well as a few coho. With night time temps dropping and it getting frosty, think Skagit lines and sink tips in the morning and when it warms up in the afternoon switch to your floating line as long as the water temp are above 50 degrees. Typically this time of year you will have more success with the Skagit/sink tip set up and larger flies.

  

All smiles and why not? Beautiful day, beautiful steelhead (same photo different perspective)! - photos Sam Sickles

For Fall Steelhead guided trips give Sam a call.

Sam Sickles

541-400-0855

www.steelheadoutfitters.com

DESCHUTES RIVER TROUT:  In case you didn't know it yet, Fall is happening and trout are in eating mode. Fall is a favorite time for trout fishing, when not chasing steelhead, especially on the Deschutes. Water temps are great, trout are happy and hungry in anticipation of winter coming and you don't have to get out before the sun rises.

As we get deeper into the Fall and Winter season you should see more small mayflies, especially on the cloudy cooler days. So stalk up on Blue Winged Olive nymphs, dries and Emergers. Some favorites are for Dries: Sparkle Flag BWO #18-20, Extended Body BWO #20, Parachute Extended Body BWO #20, Parachute Adams #18-20 Emergers: Sprout BWO #18-20, Challenged PT #18 Nymphs: Bead Head Flashback PT #18-20, Pheasant Tail #18-20, Flashback Pheasant Tail #18-20, WD40 #18-20 Streamers: Skulpzilla, Sculpin "The One", Craven's Dirty Hippie Platte are a few of our favorites. Below is a respectable trout from the Deschutes caught on my G.Loomis IMX PRO 41111 while swinging "The One" sculpin.

SMALL MOUNTAIN STREAMS:  Again much the same as last reported...Fall is also the best time of the year to fish the small creeks and streams around The Gorge area. Places like Trout Lake Creek, Lewis River above Swift Reservoir, East Fork of the Hood, White River to name a few. Fish in these locations are small, 6” to 8” average, but they are always looking up. These waters offer great dry fly fishing. Take your light rod and have a blast.

LAKES:  (NOTE: Lost Lake has recently closed) The best fishing you will find in our lakes is over the next month. Fish are active all day this time of year hungry before winter sets in. Best results have been fishing an intermediate or slow sinking line with a variety of #8-10 leach patters in Black or Brown. Suspending a Balance Leach under an indicator with a floating line has been lethal to. Dry fly fishing has been good in the mid-morning through the evening. Favorite dries are Parachute Adams #14-16, Tilt Wing Callibaetis #14-16, Griffiths Gnat #18. Stillwater Trout Selection 

SMALLMOUTH:   Again, much the same for the Smallies...water temps continue to cool and the smallmouth fishing has slowed down a bit. The Columbia is still your best bet but try cold water tactics using sink tips and crayfish patterns with a slow retrieve.

Get out there, be safe and we just might see you out on the water.

Remember if you can't find it at the Gorge Fly Shop...You don't need it!

John G.

GORGE FLY SHOP | AROUND THE WORLD:

Gorge Fly Shop customer Alan Rogers gettin it done with a sweet Kingfish?
Great job Alan that thing looks like it was built for speed! - photo Alan Rogers