Stillwater Trout
We are fortunate to have so much access to stillwater trout fishing here in the Northwest and we're happy to report that it is game-on for the '25 season! Some of the Mt. Hood lakes opened to fishing 4/22 and things are off to a great start. Water temps are spring cold but notably warmer than they were at this time last year. Slow presentations have been drawing the most attention. Wind drifting with a balance leech under an indicator produced the best results. A split shot 3-4 feet above the fly to hold depth was very helpful. The bites, especially later in the day, were rather aggressive, but they seemed to want everything to be slow. Hovering the boat and barely moving with the wind was the ticket. Row trolling leeches on an intermediate line worked, too, but did not seem be quite as productive. That bite should gain a lot of steam in the very near future as things warm up.
On the bug front, chironomids are present in good numbers and Callibaetis are right around the corner. The pesky wind was impacting the surface fishing the last few days, but there were a few brief periods of evening glass. The windows were narrow, but the trout started looking up as soon as the wind went away. Ample chironomids on the water had plenty of fish rising and they were not fly-selective in the least bit. If you could get your bug near the rise quickly, they ate it....and it didn't seem to matter what it was. A size 16 parachute with a darker body worked just fine. They will progressively get a little more selective as time wears on and the pressure increases, but there's a great window here for a while. Consider the fish hungry and willing!
Deschutes Trout
We've been fielding a lot of phone calls regarding the trout fishing on the Deschutes as of late. After a lengthy period of high water, the river is back down to a comfortable level for people to wade. The water is warming up and things are shaping up for everyone's favorite time....stonefly season! Something worth mentioning is how good the fishing is in the few weeks leading up to the hatch. It can be outstanding and something that really adds to the experience is that it's not slammed busy on the river. No, you will not have a bunch of fish attacking giant dry flies, but the stonefly nymphs are very active leading up to their transition to adulthood. The water is warmer than its been in months and the trout are happily feeding. If you're itchy to go, don't wait...go now! The weather is spectacular and there is a lot of wildlife to see. There's always a lot to love about being in the Deschutes Canyon, but seeing it before everything is brown again is pretty special.
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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