Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - August 2nd 2022 for Hood River and surrounding waters.
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
Showing posts with label Columbia Smallmouth Bass. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Columbia Smallmouth Bass. Show all posts
Aug 2, 2022
Jun 6, 2022
Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 6/6/2022
Trout - Deschutes River:
Lower Deschutes River
The salmonflies and golden stones are still going strong. The number of bugs in the grass is starting to die down, but the fish are still keyed on top. At this stage of the hatch using a smaller Clark’s Stone or Orange Stimulator pattern will get more eats than a big chubby. Fish have seen plenty of those by now.
There has been a lot of recent rain, clouds and thunderstorms throughout Central Oregon. This means…Green Drakes!! I have been hearing reports of electric green drake hatches where they begin popping like crazy out of nowhere. If I was hitting the Lower right now I’d definitely have some of these in my dry fly box. Caddis and pale morning duns are the other two bugs to have on your radar going forward. Look to fish these small flies in back eddies where trout will line up right off the shoreline. Some good pmd patterns include: film critics, parachute pmds, hackle stackers and comparaduns in size #16-18.
Nymphing is getting it done in the mornings as well before the hatches get going. Euro and traditional indicator rigs with two flies, a stonefly and a small caddis or mayfly imitation, is the ticket.
Don’t forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.
Middle Deschutes River
The big bugs are few and far between now on the middle but fish are still occasionally eating them on top. Pale morning duns, caddis, and yellow sallies are all important on this section in between Bend and Lake Billy Chinook. Attractor dries like renegades, parachute adams, stimulators and yellow humpies are all good searching patterns too.
Upper Deschutes
The upper Deschutes has been pretty good the past few days. There have been consistent pale morning dun hatches happening between 12-3pm most every day the past few weeks. Fish are keyed in and looking up for sure. They have been hatching in a #16 and hackle stackers, comparaduns and film critics have all been productive patterns. Lots of good brown and rainbows to be had in this section above Benham falls. In between Crane Prairie and Little Lava Lake has been really hit or miss since the opener. I don't think there are a ton of fish in there right now as the water level seems a little low. Fishing closer to Lava and Crane will likely have more fish. Little streamers around the cut banks are super productive when there are fish present. Dry dropper fishing in the pools will get it done as well.
Metolius River
The Met green drake hatch has yet to really take off. There have been some sporadic hatches on cloudy humid days the past few weeks but the consistent hatches everyday is still to come. This weekend with the wet and warm weather it could really start to happen.
I’d definitely bring the nymph and streamer sticks. Nymphing will be your most productive method, particularly euro nymphing as it gets down in front of the fish in such an effective way that indicator rigs can’t replicate. Lots of caddis and pale morning dun activity too so have a good arsenal of dries as these hatches can start to happen at any time.
Bull trout reports are good. Streamers in the mornings and nymphing in the afternoons. The biggest thing I’ve learned over my years of fishing the Met for bulls is to use flies that are unique with a lot of movement that those bulls have likely never seen. We are well past the days where you can show up to the Met and expect to catch a pile of bulls by tying on a simple dolly llama. Think outside the box with streamer selection. All black, and white & olive are some of my favorite color combos.
Mount Hood Lakes:
Lake Update.
The lakes up around the mountain are in full swing! Fishing intermediate lines with small balanced leeches and wooly buggers never fails. In certain parts of certain lakes you can get away with a floating stripping these same flies but generally you’ll want a slow sinking line to help get down. Still water indicator fishing with chironomids, pheasant tail nymphs, dark assassins and balanced leeches is another method that can be really fun. Seeing a bobber drain never gets old!
Steelhead -
For the latest on fishing regulations in your angling zone visit https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/
Smallmouth Bass / Carp:
Smally fishing has been pretty solid recently! Good catches have been reported slow stripping streamers. The RIO meat sweats is a great pattern that can imitate a lot of different things. Olive and tan are my favorite colors for smallies. I use an intermediate sinking line with a weighted bug and slow strip and twitch my fly in. This is a super fun fishery right in our backyards. Smallmouth put up a heck of a fight and are another great fish to challenge yourself to learn.
Won’t be too long before we’ll be stalking the flats of the Columbia looking for 20lb goldfish cruising the shallow flats. Carp fishing will humble you up really quick. Great practice if you have a saltwater trip coming up. These fish require accuracy and stealth to have success.
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
May 16, 2021
Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 5.16.2021
Trout - Deschutes River:
The big bug hatch is officially ON!
With this hot weather we’ve had the past 3 days, it has really got the salmonflies and golden stones active and flying which get the trout keyed in on the surface. The weekend weather looks hot, so the fishing should be fantastic.
The past two days I had great success on a #8 purple chubby chernobyl with a #8 black rubber legs dropped four feet off the back. I was fishing higher up on the Deschutes where they weren’t on the dries hard enough for me to cut the dropper off and fish just dry. Lots of good action though on the nymph during the day, then when the sun went behind the canyon walls got some dry fly eats on the big bug.
There are also yellow sallies and lots of caddis hatching right now too and I did find a few fish tucked up on the bank sipping caddis in the evening. Dry fly angler’s paradise! The fish have been waiting all year to gorge on these big insects and now's the time to go!
Coming soon!
Steelhead -
Coming soon!
Shop Steelhead Flies
Smallmouth Bass / Carp:
Smallmouth fishing has remained steady this spring. As weather and water temps continue to increase, the fish will become more responsive and less lethargic. Early spring, slow your presentation down significantly as the fish aren’t as aggressive. There are still some great smallies being caught now around the Columbia basin and should only get better. Slow stripping baitfish and small streamer patterns is an excellent strategy as is fishing a jig style fly under an indicator.
-Zach Parker
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
May 7, 2021
Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 5.7.2021
Trout - Deschutes River:
Big bugs are here and trout are looking up in the lower sections of the Deschutes. There are salmon flies and golden stonefly adults all the way up to Maupin but with a cooler weather pattern this weekend, these bugs will not be as active taking flights and laying their eggs. Fishing with dries should still be productive though! Next week it is really going to take off with weather in the low 80’s predicted. We have a great assortment of salmonfly and golden stonefly patterns to choose from so give us a shout to get dialed up. Don’t forget about the smaller little yellow sally stoneflies, the Deschutes trout love eating these smaller stoneflies and will become more prevalent later in May and into the month of June. Tough to beat a purple chubby this time of year.
Cheers to the start of what should be a fantastic month of dry fly fishing our favorite river.
Coming soon!
Steelhead -
Coming soon!
Shop Steelhead Flies
Oregon Coast Rockfish
Rockfish and lingcod fishing off the jetties has been really productive when the ocean lays down. Large clousers with dumbbell eyes and a full sinking line something in the 250-350 grain weight window is good. Go when the swell is predicted to be 3-5 feet or less. I like fishing an outgoing tide and into the low tide the best because you are able to get down lower to the water and fish the deep slots and troughs where the big lings hangout. Vary your strip speed but the technique that works best for me is a quick jerk of the rod tip then stripping in the slack slowly. Continuing that all the way back. This causes the fly to dance right off the bottom of the rocks.
Smallmouth Bass / Carp:
Smallmouth fishing has remained steady this spring. As weather and water temps continue to increase, the fish will become more responsive and less lethargic. Early spring, slow your presentation down significantly as the fish aren’t as aggressive. There are still some great smallies being caught now around the Columbia basin and should only get better. Slow stripping baitfish and small streamer patterns is an excellent strategy as is fishing a jig style fly under an indicator.
-Zach Parker
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Mar 16, 2021
Predator Hunt - Pre Spring Bass
What time of year do you start thinking warmwater? May or June!
I readily admit in my younger years I had a hard time fishing bass before May and June was even better. Over several years of pushing earlier and earlier into the spring season I can safely say March is not too early. I'm not just speaking to those in southern regions, I've personally have caught and released trophy class smallmouths in March on the Columbia River as well as many other locations.
The idea for this article comes from the fact that here we are in middle March and I'm already feeling behind on preparing my gear for some warmwater fly angling. Winter trout fishing has been so good that I'm running into species overlap. I'm not ready to give up winter trout'n but pre spring bass'n is ready to take off. Better get my rear in gear!
Key points to this Pre-Spring Bass Fishing
Early Bird
We've all heard the old idiom of "early bird catches the worm." Throw that bird crap out the window. Early season bass requires you to fish in the warmth of the day. It's fine to start early or finish late but In my experience this time of year mid day is where it's at.
Slow Down! No need to armpit strip those streamers right now. Let the fly sit in their face for as long as possible. With that said focus your flies on ones that sink slowly or better yet suspend.
Recognize the Strike
Cold water bass strikes are usually much more tame this time of year. Keep full attention on fly and fly line. Watch for the slightest of ticks. Try to keep your line taunt without moving your fly. That doesn't mean drag your fly slowly. Instead, jerk your fly multiple times then allow it to suspend for as long as you can stand it. The erratic jerking movements will attract the fish and pause suspension will give him time to commit.
Location, Location, Location
This one could be a whole article or a book. Fish south facing shorelines and areas that get a lot of sun. Look for obvious structures such as boulders, culverts, and tree stumps. Rocky reefs and current breaks can produce some early bass. Bottom line is fish where you would usually find fish with an emphasis on areas that will likely warm earlier in the year.
Be Stealthy
Spring time before major rain and runoff, rivers and lakes are usually pretty clear. You should take extra precaution with a stealthy approach. Stay away from wearing bright colors, watch your shadow, cast long when possible and avoid moving fast and making noise.
Boat or Foot
Boats can be super helpful but I found that if you can access good water on foot you may have an advantage in early spring. Boats make noise and easily get blown off target. On foot you are quiet and land will keep you on spot. Access is key and you may only have access with a boat but do keep in mind trolling motors, kickers and anchors all make a lot of noise, noise that most fish have not heard all winter long. If using a boat you might consider setting up drifts using the wind instead of motors and anchors.
And my last tip is...
Get acquainted with fishing a Float and Fly Rig. There is no better time of year than to soak a fly under a indicator for early season bass. What's funny is I won't spend one minute fishing an indicator for trout but when it comes to bass and the dozens, maybe in the hundreds of trophy size smallmouth that F&F has shown me over the past 15 years is more than proof that early season smallmouth want their presentation to be suspended with time to ponder and commit.
If you are one that refuses to fish an indicator I totally understand and respect your position but do please take away the F&F idea that the longer a fly will suspend in the face of a early season bass the more likely curiosity will prevail and attack is imminent.
Greg Darling
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Oct 2, 2020
Columbia Gorge Fishing reports 10-2-2021
Trout
Deschutes River:
Happy Fall everyone!
The Lower Deschutes River has been productive for trout fisherman the last few weeks. I was out fishing in Mack’s canyon last weekend and trout fished in the middle of the day.
Lots of fish taken nymphing under an indicator. Trout were eating both big stonefly nymphs as well as small caddis pupa droppers and soft hackle pheasant tail nymphs trailed behind the stone.
Water clarity was good when I was there but recently the white river has blown out again making the river below the white all the way to the Columbia, unfishable. The White can be very unpredictable this time of year with random hot weather which can melt the glaciers on Mt. Hood causing it to blow, or just getting big rainstorms that blow it out. Hard to say when it will clear but fishing below the confluence of the White will be challenging with heavily off colored water. This will congregate more anglers above the White River up all the way to Mecca Flats so be prepared to be fishing around more folks than normal if you get out there this weekend.
There is some dry fly opportunity still around with small caddis fishing in the back eddies. More and more October caddis are around too so using an October caddis pupa on a nymphing rig can be a good bet.
European style nymphing is also highly productive with jig style euro nymphs. As we move further into the fall and the weather gets cooler and cooler, the trout will begin to move to their winter holding water. Slower and deeper pools.
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Lake Fishing:
Lakes are good and will continue to be good for another month or two. Fish will be feeding pretty heavily trying to fatten up before winter. Fishing a full sink line with brown, black, olive or purple wooly buggers or crystal buggers are great options.
Fishing indicators with balanced leeches, chironomids, scuds or pheasant tail nymphs is another productive method to try if stripping flies isn’t producing. Giving your indicator some twitches and movements every now and then will help trigger bites if it’s super calm out.
Crowds from the summer have thinned out some and will continue to going forward into fall. The lakes can be a great option to escape for a few hours and have some productive fishing opportunities.
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Shop Stillwater Flies
Summer Steelhead
Deschutes River:
Steelhead are spread throughout the entire Lower Deschutes now. From the first hundred yards of river, all the way up to Mecca Flats.With the White River being completely blown at the moment, focusing your efforts above that confluence will be your best shot at getting into one this weekend.
Mix bag of hatchery fish and wild fish out there right now, but both are taking swung flies if the conditions allow. Still an opportunity to be using scandi’s and small flies, but as we move further into October and it gets significantly cooler out, fishing sink tips and big flies will be the norm.
Nymphing in the afternoons for steelhead is another method to try this time of year. I like using a big egg sucking stonefly nymph and some sort of egg pattern as a dropper. This method will also hook trout too to make things interesting. When doing this I’d run either a 7-8 weight single hand fly rod with a basic weight forward floating line like a rio grand to help with mending and roll casting. Use a big indicator and some split shot to get your rig down off the bottom.
There are also quite a few Chinook being caught down in the lower 10 miles of the river which are hooked quite regularly when swinging for steelhead.
Hood River:
There are probably quite a few old springers in the lower few miles but not super high on people’s list to be targeting at this time as they have been in the river for quite some time now.There are definitely summer steelhead spread throughout much of the Hood which can still be caught on the swing and nymphing. Recent rains can get the fish freshened up and more willing to bite.
If you’re swinging, using an egg sucking black leech is a tough fly to beat. Other good patterns are dark colored intruders or hobo spey type flies.
Carp fishing is pretty much over for the year. Until next year! We want to thank the brave firefighters and first responders again for all their valiant efforts during these crazy wildfires. Thankful for the rains that have helped suppress these fires and hopefully we won’t have anymore this year.
Shop Carp Flies
Smallmouth fishing remains good if you know where to fish. Having a boat helps tremendously to move around and find fish. They sit in different water depths usually in 10-25 feet of water around steep drop offs, and places with submerged rocks and other types of structure.
Shop Carp Flies
Smallmouth fishing remains good if you know where to fish. Having a boat helps tremendously to move around and find fish. They sit in different water depths usually in 10-25 feet of water around steep drop offs, and places with submerged rocks and other types of structure.
We like fishing full sinking lines and big streamers or crayfish patterns. Balanced leeches and wooly buggers work well too fished on the strip. Any place where there is a steep rocky bank that goes into the water, is a good place to start. Once you find them, you generally will find a bunch and can be a ton of fun.
Some of the biggest smallies around are found on the main Columbia. Fishing the countless side sloughs along I-84 are all good bets for smallmouth and other warm water species as well. Fishing under an indicator with leeches can be super productive for smallies too.
Stay safe out there everyone and be sure to get in touch with us at the shop if you have any questions on anything fishing!
-Zach
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Aug 20, 2020
Columbia Gorge Fishing Report 8/20/2020
Trout
Deschutes River:
The trout fishing should be good going into the weekend with slightly cooler temps than we saw last weekend. Caddis is still the main topic of discussion and will be for the rest of August. Fish are eating dead caddis in the mornings and are positioning themselves in the foam lines where the current acts as a conveyor belt, delivering caddis that hatched the previous night and have died, downriver to the opportunistic redsides.Fishing a dry dropper is a great late summer technique. Using a euro style nymph with a tungsten beadhead helps get that fly down in the zone fast. Jig style tungsten cdc pheasant tail nymphs are a great dropper when fishing suspended under a dry. Use larger caddis dries with foam to help hold up a tungsten beadhead nymph underneath. Vary your tippet length depending on the run but a 2-3 foot section between the dry and dropper is a good starting length. Be sure to douse your fly up good with dry fly gink and fish the faster riffles and you will find success.
Lake Fishing:
Not a lot has changed since my last report on the Mt. Hood lakes. Later in the summer however, the fishing can be a bit more challenging due to heavy pressure throughout the whole summer. Fish have wised up (maybe not the stockers), and won’t eat that traditional size 8 black wooly bugger anymore like they did in June and July.Great place to beat the heat up there with great views of Mt. Hood and lots of fish around however. Usual lake methods of nymphing or stripping flies. Running a size 16 ice cream cone chironomid in red/black and a 16-18 non beadhead pheasant tail nymph or dark assassin nymph is a deadly combo. The pheasant tail/dark assassin fly imitates a callibaetis nymph really well and is a good dropper behind the chironomid. Don’t be afraid to twitch your indicator rig a bit to give those nymphs some life if its calm out on the water. If it’s windy and there’s some chop on the water then that alone will move your nymphs around enough.
Summer Steelhead Deschutes River:
Steelhead numbers over the Dalles Dam have slowed down quite a bit. Earlier in the month and in late July we were seeing lots more fish daily come over the dam, and those numbers have slowed down. There are still lots of steelhead around in the lower 20 miles of river, the key now with less coming into the river (at the moment), is swinging lots of water and moving. You can’t catch em if you’re fly isn’t in the water so being efficient is important. Fishing a sink tip with a big fly in the middle of the day is effective as is nymph fishing with an egg sucking stonefly nymph.Be prepared to see quite a few folks out there. With the Oregon Coast buoy 10 fishery opening this past week, it has lessened the crowds slightly, but still lots of anglers out trying to connect with a steelhead.
We are starting to see some early fall chinook enter the Deschutes as well so don’t be surprised to hook one when steelhead fishing. The water temps have been running cooler now as they lowered them at the dam, but on super hot days they have still been creeping up towards 70.
With as many people who are out on the Deschutes, it’s important to practice good river etiquette and take care of our wild steelhead!
Here’s water temps over the last week. Been trending up with hot weather but should start trending down towards the end of the week with weather forecast to be in the low to mid 80’s instead of high 90s and 100s.
Hood River:
The Hood has been pretty colored up with all this hot weather. Been pretty unfishable for the most part this week, but could come into shape towards the end of the week. There are steelhead in the river and people who are fishing the Hood consistently, are the ones getting them.Smallmouth Bass/Carp:
Carp fishing continues to be good out on the main Columbia as well as the countless side sloughs and ponds along I-84. Later in the summer, there is more algae and weed growth in the Columbia which can make keeping your fly clean a bit difficult.Carp are still eating good and are super happy with the hot weather we’ve been having. I run a 9’ 8 weight rod with a general weight forward floating line and either run a heavy tapered leader to my fly or if I am lazy, will just tie like 4-5 feet of 20 pound maxima tippet off my fly line with a perfection loop.
Smallmouth fishing is good if you know where to fish. The Columbia is low right now and the fish are in deep water with structure. A friend of the shop had a great day fishing full sinking lines, similar to that of trout lake lines but heavier and faster sink rates, stripping streamers in about 15-30 feet of water. Most of these fish are closer to the bottom so having a type 3 sinking line is a good bet to get down quick. Topwater action when the winds stops blowing is good, but its been pretty rare to have no wind in the gorge lately.
Zach
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
May 8, 2020
On The Hunt - Float and Fly
Confidence: the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
It's easy to be lured in by techniques such as big streamers or big topwater and yet so often success can be minimal at best. It's not that these aren't proven techniques but often times they are not implemented at optimal seasons or in optimal spots. Combine wrong technique for the season and/or unproductive water and you have a setup for failure.
A way to overcome this failure is to build on a technique that one can quickly gain confidence in.
In my warmwater predator hunting adventures I've come to rely on a technique that not only do I gain confidence quickly but many days just can't get enough of the fun with this technique.
On days when nothing else wants to work I can depend on Float and Fly. More often than not it will show me where the fish are and provide me with important clues to their current feeding mood.
I mention "feeding mood" to emphasize the fact that predator fish are not always willing to chase down a streamer or break surface for a topwater but that doesn't mean they won't eat. They might just need a presentation that doesn't necessarily force a reaction but instead it works by teasing and temptation.
Think of it like this: Pick your favorite candy bar. Let's say it's a snickers. If I hold a snickers in front of you long enough I bet you will take and eat it. How long of period that is will be greatly be determined by your desire to give into temptation. This could vary day to day or even hour to hour.
Recently some fly guys, including myself, started to look at this idea as a fly rod technique. After all if you look at indicator fishing for trout, outside of the fly there is not a whole lot of difference. Or is there!?
Personally I've worked with this technique now for about twelve years. There are some distinct differences compared to trout nymphing. Starting with...
Cast in tight to these areas. Move often, even if only a few feet. When a smallmouth bass takes it he will steadily pull it under and most cases even out of sight. No reason to get in a hurry to hook set just so long as indicator is well under you should come to a solid set most of the time.
A cool feature of this technique is the fly is almost always hook up in upper jaw. It's makes for a super clean catch and release and comes with a solid landing ratio.
I tell anglers to fish it like a popper. Cast, let settle, give it a twitch or two, maybe a pull, move!
On those days when a bass won't break surface for a topwater or move for a streamer, they'll eat float and fly. So have confidence and keep searching. They will show themselves.
What are you waiting for!
Greg Darling
It's easy to be lured in by techniques such as big streamers or big topwater and yet so often success can be minimal at best. It's not that these aren't proven techniques but often times they are not implemented at optimal seasons or in optimal spots. Combine wrong technique for the season and/or unproductive water and you have a setup for failure.
A way to overcome this failure is to build on a technique that one can quickly gain confidence in.
In my warmwater predator hunting adventures I've come to rely on a technique that not only do I gain confidence quickly but many days just can't get enough of the fun with this technique.
On days when nothing else wants to work I can depend on Float and Fly. More often than not it will show me where the fish are and provide me with important clues to their current feeding mood.
I mention "feeding mood" to emphasize the fact that predator fish are not always willing to chase down a streamer or break surface for a topwater but that doesn't mean they won't eat. They might just need a presentation that doesn't necessarily force a reaction but instead it works by teasing and temptation.
Think of it like this: Pick your favorite candy bar. Let's say it's a snickers. If I hold a snickers in front of you long enough I bet you will take and eat it. How long of period that is will be greatly be determined by your desire to give into temptation. This could vary day to day or even hour to hour.
Origins
Float and Fly has it's origins as a gear technique. Crappie anglers rely on this system to get their early season catch. These old school guys will tell you that they often run into bass, particularly smallmouth bass while attempting to catch some silver slabs.Recently some fly guys, including myself, started to look at this idea as a fly rod technique. After all if you look at indicator fishing for trout, outside of the fly there is not a whole lot of difference. Or is there!?
Personally I've worked with this technique now for about twelve years. There are some distinct differences compared to trout nymphing. Starting with...
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| 12 years perfecting this fly. Blurry on purpose! |
The Fly
Starting with the fly, while many flies hung from an indicator will catch fish, a float and fly system, fly is designed to represent baitfish and should be delivered in a horizontal presentation. Notice the Solitude Drop Dead Minnow is tied on a jig head. This gives the fly its horizontal presentation. |
| Solitude Drop Dead Minnow |
Leader
A good leader for float and fly is the RIO Bass Leader. It has a strong butt section for great turnover of fly and float while the 9 foot length is perfect for majority of this fishing.Indicator
Hard to beat the easy usability of an Air-Lock indicator. If you need to adjust depth just loosen the screw, adjust and re-tighten. Thing-a-ma-bobbers work just fine too.Fly Line
While no special line is needed I do prefer longer headed lines for mending ease. Lines like Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity or RIO's InTouch Trout Steelhead Indicator line work very well.Fly Rod
Without getting into a books worth of rod choices let's just say a 6-7 weight in at least a 9' length. Adjust as necessary. Your fishery might be just fine with a 5 wt. One of my favorite rods for this technique is a Sage X 597-4. It's 9'6" with full wells grip and fight butt.Technique
Start with your fly about 5-6 foot below your float. Adjust as necessary. Seek out your ideal smallmouth holding water. Now I realize that last statement could prompt an entire article about what smallmouth holding water looks like but that will have to be for another time. In general search rocky shoreline areas.Cast in tight to these areas. Move often, even if only a few feet. When a smallmouth bass takes it he will steadily pull it under and most cases even out of sight. No reason to get in a hurry to hook set just so long as indicator is well under you should come to a solid set most of the time.
A cool feature of this technique is the fly is almost always hook up in upper jaw. It's makes for a super clean catch and release and comes with a solid landing ratio.
Clues and Insights
This isn't sit on a bucket while drinking PBR type of fishing. Keep moving! Most take downs are within 10 seconds of cast. If I really have confidence in a spot I might soak it for maybe a minute, max.I tell anglers to fish it like a popper. Cast, let settle, give it a twitch or two, maybe a pull, move!
On those days when a bass won't break surface for a topwater or move for a streamer, they'll eat float and fly. So have confidence and keep searching. They will show themselves.
River or Stillwater
Bass in general are stillwater creatures. Even if you are fishing a river such as John Day, most bass will set up on drop offs, current breaks and eddies. Much of this fishing is done in those stillwater spots directly adjacent to currents. You might call them frog water. Don't hesitate to work float and fly down a current seam just as if you are drifting a nymph for a trout. But also don't overlook the "frog water" behind the current seam.Where
Local to Gorge Fly Shop is an incredible smallmouth fishery in the Columbia River. While access is limited especially without a boat there is in fact many places that feature quick dropping, rocky shorelines. The next couple months will be prime for smallies in close to shore.What are you waiting for!
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| I'll see you on the water...But you won't see me! |
Greg Darling
"Passion For Fishing Is A Lifelong Pursuit Of Discovery"
Jun 29, 2019
Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 6.29.2019
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| Austin Duddles gettin' tight on his bass game! |
Deschutes Trout:
The whole river is still fishing strong. Caddis have been the most productive for most anglers and will continue to be for the next month or so. I would fish Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis and Outrigger Caddis in tan and olive, sizes #14 - #16. For pupa I would use #16 tan or olive; Deep Six Pupa, Sparkle Pupa, Bead Head Sparkle Pupa and Prime Time Caddis Pupa.Whenever we get the higher humidity days be ready for a good mayfly hatch like pale morning and pale evening duns. Don’t forget about midges. Small flies like midges are greatly over looked on the Deschutes and can be very productive.
In low light or cloudy days don’t forget streamers. That is my favorite way to fish the Deschutes. May not always produce big numbers, but it can be big fun! I like to fish my little 3 weight two hander with 10’ of T-8 sink tip along with the following flies. Sculpzillia # 8 (Olive, White or Natural), Kiwi Muddler, Precious Metal and Aqua Flies Char-mer Zonker.
Lakes:
Laurance Lake has been fishing well after being closed last year, well worth the trip. Lost lake is it’s usual consistent self. This is the best time to hit the small higher mountain lakes before the heat slows them down. This is a great time of year to fish our local lakes, they fish really well right now. During the hot days the carpenter ants will hatch. These ants drive fish crazy.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 or in the evening with Parachute Adams #14-16, Tilt Wing Callibaetis #14-16, Black Ants #8-12
Stillwater Trout Selection
Steelhead:
We are seeing more and more early summer fish in the Klickitat. Not much pressure on them this time of year, it can be worth a trip. In about a week the Deschutes should start being productive in the lower 10 - 15 milesKlickitat Super Slammer Kit
Smallmouth:
Smallmouth in the Columbia has been really good! You will find lots of fish in the shallows and back waters of the Columbia. Best results are with a variety of streamers like; Sculpins, Crayfish, Baitfish, ect. Also try jigged flies like the Jaw Breaker under a indicator on a floating line, it can be really good.John Day is a great river the fish this time of year for smallmouth. Take a light rod and a pile of small poppers, hang on! No need to fish any sinking flies on the JD, non-stop popper action out there. It is best to float it, but there is good walking access at Cottonwood Canyon State Park.
Bronzeback Buster Bass Kit
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Jun 25, 2018
Columbia Gorge Fishing Report 6/25/18
Photo courtesy of Central Oregon Fire Information
Deschutes River/Maupin Area Fire Update- There is an unfortunate fire brewing over near the town of Maupin
caused by lightening this last week, which has currently engulfed over
87,000 acres. Our thoughts and prayers for those in the area and
hopefully it subdues soon before much more damage is done. It's likely
to be another strong fire season here and while fires occur naturally, I
sure hope we can eliminate some complacency and human-caused fires. Parts of the river remain open, however camping is not recommended and certain areas are on a Level 1 evacuation. For more up to date info, head over to Central Oregon Fire Info / Blogspot
Now for the Fishing Report...
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| Chelsey spotting a nice steelhead holding in a tailout. It wouldn't play though. |
Steelhead- Local waters have a couple moving through and pressure has remained fairly light. Personally, I'd rather fish for less fish with less pressure than lots of fish and lots of pressure. They just seem to respond better to the swung fly. People certainly like stats and graphs and such so if we check out the dam counts, there's almost 200 fish per day crossing over Bonneville. Which soon means the lower Deschutes will be fishing. Early on in the season, I can't recommend a Jet Boat up from the mouth enough... You simply get to chase the canyon shadows for much longer, which is partly what makes the dryline fishing on that river so renowned. A lot of strays enter the lower 15 miles of the river, and that means that despite the difficult access on foot down low there are just more fish available. Fish generally seem to transition pretty fast through the lower few miles until they get over a couple good rapids, upon which they tend to hold and are more aggressive to the fly. The mouth is already approaching 70 degrees at Moody Rapids, and I hope anglers will also be able to self-regulate themselves as the water warms up to lethal steelhead temperatures in the coming weeks.
Still early, but remember last year was one of those low-return years that provided great fishing...
The Klickitat has been churning out some color lately with these hotter days and full snowpack on Mt. Adams, so turbidity is a bit high come mid-day. However, floating lines are still moving fish and the Klick fortunately hasn't seen much bobber pressure yet either. A buddy of mine recently nabbed a 10# hatchery fish on a single-hander and a swung size 10 soft hackle in about 2ft of visibility- proving its not always about skagit heads, tungsten tips, and lead eye intruders... Sometimes its the archer, not the arrow that makes a difference.
Trout- Over on the Deschutes action is still plentiful, but I would try to avoid some of the fire action so crews can continue to contain the flames. Below Sherars Falls is probably a better bet, and one I go to more often as Maupin seems to be more of a magnet for anglers and pressured trout. Yellow sallies are dwindling, but the mayfly hatches of PMD/PED's are still strong. Caddis hatches are also doing very well this year. Nymphing is a productive way to spend some time on the water when the hatches aren't cooperating. As the river warms up, trout will seek the refuge of colder and deeper water where many of the nymphs reside.
Trout happy water void of anglers if you're willing to look for it...
Other trout opportunities exist among the countless streams and lakes surrounding Mt. Hood and Adams. If you grab a map, virtually any blue line or dot represents a fishable area. While many of the streams don't boast large trout, a small 1-3wt trout rod is a blast on those smaller creeks. In the lakes you'll find some larger fish around, but as our days get hotter they'll be seeking the sanctuary of the cooler water deeper down. Make sure you've got a lake line when the heat is out as they don't seem to rise too readily mid-day through the heat of summer.
Hazy light on a nice mountain lake.
Warmwater- The top water bass bite on the Columbia has turned on! Get out there with some big poppers and watch the violent attacks from some big ol' smallmouth. If there isn't any wind to kick up silt which tends to push them deeper, I would also go check out the carp fishing along the Columbia and in the side lakes.
Jacob with a dandy. Do you even two-hand carp fish?!
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.
Local Fishing Information
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| Bookmark our new link to Weather, Stream Conditions and Fishing Licenses |
Cody Booth
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977
Aug 13, 2017
Columbia Gorge Fishing Report (8/13/2017)
The heat wave has finally broken in the Gorge!
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| Pretty decent view |
Cooler weather has settled in this weekend, with a bit of rain in the western Gorge, and undoubtedly the humans and fish are enjoying the respite.
For those of you who don't know, I am leaving the Gorge Fly Shop as a full time employee to pursue a teaching career. I will still be a part of the team and hope to continue to contribute to the blog. Thank you all for reading my work and for being our customers!
The summer steelhead run, as predicted, is pretty dismal so far (see graphs below), and the fishing has been reflective of that. Sam of Steelhead Outfitters has gotten his clients on some fish on Deschutes, but otherwise it has been slow. There have been a few reports of fish caught on the Klick, and I had a chrome donkey absolutely whoop me in 3 seconds flat, but the fishing has not been easy. There have been more large 3 salt fish caught this year though. We are all hoping that the run will be late, as the spring chinook run was this year. One thing I can say, is that the pressure has been lower than normal, and with the Columbia closed the fish are getting harassed a bit less. There are certainly worse ways to spend your day than swinging flies in a beautiful piece of water, even without a grab. Hopefully this cooldown will ease the stress on the fish and we will see better returns and fishing.
Lucky for us, there are a ton of other fishing opportunities in the Gorge!
Lake fishing for trout has remained excellent, particularly in the higher elevation lakes. Sinking lines are the name of the game, and sometimes you can't have one that sinks too fast. My dad and I did well fishing leeches in the deepest part of the lake on type 5 and type 7 lines. I have also continued to catch nice fish on damsel and dragonfly nymphs fished on intermediate lines and even a few on damsel adults.
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| Damselfly nymph muncher! |
Trout fishing on the Deschutes has been pretty good as well, especially in the evenings and mornings. The caddis hatches are pretty epic this time of year, and the trout gorge themselves in larvae/pupae during the day and eat the adults in the evening/night. A dead caddis pattern can also be deadly early in the morning.
High mountain streams have also been a great way to escape the heat. Wet wading with a 2wt and some dry flies is pure joy. The fish might not be huge, but they are willing and happy to eat most any attractor dry fly.
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| Beauty of a high mountain cutt! |
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| Gabe and I had a killer topwater evening! |
Smallmouth fishing on the Columbia is in full summer mode. I have had a few stellar days fishing shad/smolt patterns deep and big topwaters fast and furious in the mornings and evenings. I recommend a fast sinking line, like the SA Sonar Titan, as it makes repetitive casting much easier and gets down to the fish quick. I also love the Wavelength Titan for my topwater flies.
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
*Add us on Instagram for more fishy content! @gorgeflyshop
Ryan Van Duzor
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977
Read More from the "Bearded Pescador"
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Apr 23, 2017
Columbia Gorge Fishing Report (4/23/2017)
Seasons of Change in the Gorge
A beauty of an early summer fish, photo by Sam Sickles
The Winter steelhead season is on it's last legs. The fish I have seen caught have all been pretty colored up as of late and many are likely kelts. Sam from Steelhead Outfitters has gotten into some early season hatchery summer steel on the Sandy, and if you are hard up for some swung fly action I would head out with him or hit the Clackamas.
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| Gabe is a San Juan Worm believer now! |
The trout season has really gotten rolling as of late. Gabe and his lady crushed them on the Deschutes with big stonefly/rubberlegs and San Juan or Gummy worm dropper. Not much dry fly action yet, but it is coming! Get stocked up on our excellent assortment of salmonfly and golden stone dries and nymphs before you head out! Sam still has some open dates for the upcoming hatch on the Deschutes, don't hesitate before they are gone!
The general trout opener for Oregon and Washington was yesterday (4/22). I have already had good reports on the lakes that are now open and accessible, including Laurance and Kingsley lakes locally. Pulling a woolly bugger/leech or dropping Chironomid larvae under a bobber are killer spring techniques. I am leaving for my annual lake fishing excursion this week, and will give you all the breakdown when I get back!
Outcast boats are on sale right now, but the sale ends today! So, if you have always wanted a float tube, now is your time! There are not many things as enjoyable as floating around a serene lake catching trout on the fly...
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| The big girls have been few and far between, but persistence pays off! |
The smallmouth bass fishing is finally picking up. Water temps vary greatly on the river, and are overall still pretty chilly, but the backwaters have warmed up quite a bit and the fish are responding. I have found the best action on Clouser minnows and big crayfish imitations fished on a sinking line. The fish in the shallow warmer water seem to want it moving fast, but the fish in the cooler water liked it slower. I have been fishing my new Sage X 790-4 with Lamson Waterworks Force SL Series II #3 loaded with a Rio Coastal Quickshooter and SA Sonar Titan int/s3/s5. This setup is absolutely incredible and easy to cast. The X and Force are feather light and don't wear you out casting all day. Look for my more in depth review of the Sage X in the coming months...
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| The smalljaw slayer Combo! |
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
Read More from the "Bearded Pescador"
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
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