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.
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!
Gorge Smallmouth
Lots of folks coming through on their way 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.
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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