Fly Fishing the Klickitat River

Discover fly fishing on Washington’s Klickitat River. Learn about steelhead and salmon seasons, river access, boat launches, guides, and the best places to stay and eat near the Columbia River Gorge.

The Klickitat River, known locally as “the Klick”, is a 95-mile, glacier-fed river that offers anglers incredible opportunities for Summer Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, and Rainbow Trout. Even Mountain Whitefish have their place here, though they’re less pursued.

With plenty of bank access, multiple boat launches, and campsites scattered along its course, the Klick is one of the Columbia River Gorge’s most versatile fisheries. Whether you’re hiking in, floating by drift boat, or camping riverside, this river delivers. Along the way, keep an eye out for wildlife—turkey, deer, otters, and even elk in the upper stretches.

Fishing Seasons:

• Steelhead: Typically June through November (check yearly regulations).

• Salmon: Year-round below Lyle Falls; above the falls reopens Aug. 1, 2025.

• Whitefish: Open all year, with winter being the prime season.

Access:

• Road: Hwy 142 parallels 18 miles of the lower Klick, offering excellent bank fishing.

• Boat: Popular floats include Slide to Ice House and Ice House to Town. Longer floats like Stinson to Ice House are also a favorite.

Where to Stay & Eat:

• Stay: Klickitat River Inn, Hood River hotels, or luxe glamping at Under Canvas.

• Eat: Hood River has endless options—favorites include Solstice Wood Fire Pizza, Double Mountain Brewery, and Stoked Coffee Roasters. In Klickitat, don’t miss Huntington’s Bar & Grill, famous for its steaks.

Guides:

• Travis Wallace: (509) 850-5125

• Sam Sickles: (541) 400-0855

For fishing licenses, visit Bridge Mart (Bingen), Lyle Merc, or Canyon Market (Klickitat).

Whether you’re after steelhead, chasing salmon, or just soaking up the Gorge scenery, the Klickitat offers one of the Northwest’s most rewarding river experiences.

Thanks for reading, get out there, be safe on the water and have fun!

GFS Team

John

Want to dive deeper into fishing the Klickitat? Visit SteelheadBum for more.

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Klickitat River Late Season with John Garrett

Re-post from September 2020

Summer has passed and now the temps are cooler and the river is more consistently flowing with more dependable fish-able water (unless you get a serious rainstorm or a number of rainy days in a row).

This is our favorite time to fish the Klickitat, less folks fishing because other things are happening such as hunting season. The mornings are cool and the afternoons can still be warm enough to not need a heavy coat, especially in early October. Fall, one of my favorite times of the year. The changing of the season with the leaves turning color, Fall Chinook begin to spawn...

Jeremy Hull successfully swung up this beauty right after losing one earlier. He totally redeemed himself. You know that feeling of losing a fish after working so hard to get the grab, yeah that feeling! Jeremy was using a Morejohn Bantam when he went from a zero to a hero! There were so many fish in this run, we could have easily went through it a couple more times. The only reason we left was we had 5 more miles of river to fish and it was noon already!

LATE SEASON STEELHEADING ON THE KLICKITAT RIVER:

Wow, time is seriously flying by. It seems like I just finished the first and second editions to fishing the Klickitat River. I thought I could take a breather and not have to worry about what to write and here we are, what seems like the next day, and I am writing the final entry for late season steelheading on the Klickitat River. Before we know it, the river will close and we’ll have to wait six months before it re-opens again in June.

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - December 10, 2019

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Trout: 

Deschutes: 

Remember the Deschutes has some great winter fly fishing. One great thing is there is no need to get up early, the best fishing is between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. From here on out the crowds will be low, leaving lots of great water for the rest of us.

There have been the usual good Blue Winged Olive hatches on the cloudy cooler days. Keep in mind that the colder and nastier the day the more concentrated the BWO hatch is. So stock up on Blue Winged Olive nymphs, dries and emergers.
Winter Trout Kit

My favorite flies are: 

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

You will also see very productive fishing with a variety of midge patterns. I prefer Zebra Midges Black, Brown, Tan #20

When nymphing I prefer drop all of my smaller flies below a bigger heavier nymph. Here are my favorite larger nymphs: TJ Hooker #8-10, Jigged PT #14-16, Jigger PT Purple #16, Bead Head PT #12-16. Many others work, but those are my favorites.

For those that want to swing some streamers, streamer fishing will slow down a little during the winter, but you can still get them on Streamers. The key is fish your streamers slower than you do the rest of the year and keep moving. Here are my favorites streamers: Rio Precious Metal, Kiwi Muddler, Sculpzila #8 (White, Olive/White, Natural) and Beaded Wooly Buggers #8 variety of colors.
Streamer Fest Kit

Lakes:  

We are fairly limited on the lakes that you can fish this time of year due to snow in the high country and the lakes being frozen. The most accessible lakes in the winter are down near the Columbia. Taylor Lake on the Oregon side. Roland Lake and Spear Fish Lake on the Washington side.

The best thing about fishing lakes this time of year is that the best fishing is mid day. No need to get up early.

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 or Chironomids under an indicator with a float works well to. The biggest thing in the winter is fish your flies very slow.
Stillwater Trout Selection

Other Great Winter Trout Fisheries: Here are some other great winter trout fisheries across Oregon and Washington to think about. Oregon: Crooked River, Donner Blitzen River, Malhuer River and Owyhee River. Washington: Rocky Ford Creek and Yakima River.

All of these are great fishing during the winter and can be fun to go explore.

Steelhead:  

We are in that transition period waiting for rain. Once rain hits we should get a little blast of winter fish in many of the western rivers. Anglers are still catching late summers in the Lower Deschutes, this will continue until about Christmas. There are some scattered fish in the Hood River. You can still find some scattered fish in the John Day when it is not frozen. Keep in mind the Klickitat is now closed for the season.
Aqua Flies Winter Run Wreckers

Smallmouth:  

Water temps have cooled to the point that smallmouth are not very active now and won’t be until spring.

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 10.13.2019

Not much has changed from last week’s report, fishing has stayed consistent. The only real thing to report is that the White River has cleared up from the Thursday’s episode of colored water. It had to be from a freak warm rain, otherwise it has been way to cold for the glacier to be puking mud. Thanks to the cold there should not be anymore mud from the glacier.

Trout: 

Deschutes Trout: 

Fall has really set in and the trout are in full fall mode. Fall is some of my favorite trout fishing, on the Deschutes especially. Water temps are great, trout are happy and no need to get out there at the crack of dawn.
From here on out you will see more small mayflies, especially on the cloudy cool days. So stalk up on Blue Winged Olive nymphs, dries and emergers. My favorite flies are 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

You will also see very productive fishing with a variety of midge patterns. I prefer Zebra Midges Black, Brown, Tan #20

When nymphing I prefer drop all of my smaller flies below a bigger heavier nymph. Here are my favorite larger nymphs: TJ Hooker #8-10, Jigged PT #14-16, Jigger PT Purple #16, Bead Head PT #12-16. Many others work, but those are my favorites.

Fall is also a great time to break out the Trout Spey and swing some streamers, wet flies or soft hackles. Trout tend to be very active to a swung fly this time of year. Streamer takes are VIOLENT! Here are my favorites streamers: Rio Precious Metal, Kiwi Muddler, Sculpzila #8 (White, Olive/White, Natural) and Beaded Wooly Buggers #8 variety of colors.

Small Mountain Streams: 

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:  

Some of the best fishing you will find in our lakes is over the next month. Fish are very active all day this time of year.
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 

Steelhead:  

Fishing on the lower Deschutes continues to stay really consistent. There are fish throughout the system now, but the lower 20 miles of the river is still the most productive. Remember many of those upper Columbia Steelhead like Clearwater fish will park in the lower river until as late as Christmas. There has been great dry line fishing when light levels are low or overcast. Put on the sink tip and go deep once the sun hits the water.

The Klickitat has been in great shape with few people on it. Those who know the river well are doing great right now. Water temps have cooled so dry line fishing is going to be very limited to none. Go deep with a sink tip for best results on a swing. Fishing a fly under and indicator from a boat is also very effective.
Klickitat Super Slammer Kit

John Day River has started producing some fish over the last few weeks. The early rains and cooler weather is going to really help the JD see some fish much earlier than we have seen in the past few years.

Smallmouth:  

Water temps are cooling now so Smallmouth fishing starts to slow down now. The Columbia will still be good for another few weeks and would be your best choice.

Trav

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 10-7-2019

Trout: 

Deschutes Trout: 

Fall has really set in and the trout are in full fall mode. Fall is some of my favorite trout fishing, on the Deschutes especially. Water temps are great, trout are happy and no need to get out there at the crack of dawn.
From here on out you will see more small mayflies, especially on the cloudy cool days. So stalk up on Blue Winged Olive nymphs, dries and emergers. My favorite flies are 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

You will also see very productive fishing with a variety of midge patterns. I prefer Zebra Midges Black, Brown, Tan #20

When nymphing I prefer drop all of my smaller flies below a bigger heavier nymph. Here are my favorite larger nymphs: TJ Hooker #8-10, Jigged PT #14-16, Jigger PT Purple #16, Bead Head PT #12-16. Many others work, but those are my favorites.

Fall is also a great time to break out the Trout Spey and swing some streamers, wet flies or soft hackles. Trout tend to be very active to a swung fly this time of year. Streamer takes are VIOLENT! Here are my favorites streamers: Rio Precious Metal, Kiwi Muddler, Sculpzila #8 (White, Olive/White, Natural) and Beaded Wooly Buggers #8 variety of colors.

Small Mountain Streams: 

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:  

Some of the best fishing you will find in our lakes is over the next month. Fish are very active all day this time of year.
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 

Steelhead:  

Fishing on the lower Deschutes continues to stay really consistent. There are fish throughout the system now, but the lower 20 miles of the river is still the most productive. Remember many of those upper Columbia Steelhead like Clearwater fish will park in the lower river until as late as Christmas. There has been great dry line fishing when light levels are low or overcast. Put on the sink tip and go deep once the sun hits the water.

The Klickitat has been in great shape with few people on it. Those who know the river well are doing great right now. Water temps have cooled so dry line fishing is going to be very limited to none. Go deep with a sink tip for best results on a swing. Fishing a fly under and indicator from a boat is also very effective.
Klickitat Super Slammer Kit

John Day River has started producing some fish over the last few weeks. The early rains and cooler weather is going to really help the JD see some fish much earlier than we have seen in the past few years.

Smallmouth:  

Water temps are cooling now so Smallmouth fishing starts to slow down now. The Columbia will still be good for another few weeks and would be your best choice.

Trav

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 7/22/2019

UPDATE: 7/23

The Hex Hatch is on now at Lost Lake. There have been a few scattered bugs seen over the last week, but the last two nights have produced a good hatch. If you want to fish the Hex Hatch I would start about 6 pm by fishing the nymphs. About 8 pm switch over to cripples or adults. You will want to fish until dark, so bring a flash light.

Trout:  

With our cooler than normal conditions the Deschutes is still fishing very well through out the system. Caddis have been the most productive for most anglers. I would fish Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis and Outrigger Caddis in tan and grey, sizes #16. For pupa I would use #16 tan or grey; Deep Six Pupa, Sparkle Pupa, Bead Head Sparkle Pupa and Prime Time Caddis Pupa. Be ready to stay out late, the fishing the last 45 minutes or so of the day has been very good as Caddis come back to the water to lay their eggs. In addition to dry’s swinging soft hackles can be very productive.

When ever we get the higher humidity days be ready for a good mayfly hatch like pale morning, pale evening duns and we will start seeing some mahogany duns. Don’t forget about midges. Small flies like midges are greatly over looked on the Deschutes and can be very productive.

This is also the time that you can start fishing a small hopper with a nymph dropper.

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 Micro Trout Spey 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.

Small Mountain Streams: 

The smaller mountain streams have been fishing well. 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:  

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.

Still no sign Lost Lake’s Hex hatch, a few early single bugs reported. No real hatch yet reported, but I don’t expect to see the peak of the hatch until about the end of July to first part of August. It has been a comfortable average to cool summer here which generally means the hatch is the fourth week of July or so. We may see a few early bugs, but doubt if it will be very intense. I have people at the lake that will let me know when they see the first few signs of a real hatch.

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:  

There are a few anglers that are catching fish on the Deschutes. The Dalles Dam counts have been above the magic number of 200 a day, which generally means that there are good fishable numbers in the lower part of the Deschutes River. You don’t need many of these early Summer Steelhead to have good fishing, they are not stressed out and tend to be good biters. I would stay in the lower 10 to 15 miles of the river. Be ready these early fish are HOT!!!

Fishing on the Klickitat had been good for the early season Summers, but the river has been colored for a few weeks now. It has been bouncing between 12 and 18 inches of visibility. I personally would fish it, but that is me I tend to really like colored water. Growing up fishing the Hood and Klickitat I have caught many fish in these conditions.
Klickitat Super Slammer Kit

Smallmouth:  

Smallmouth in the Columbia River has still been good. You will find many of the bigger fish starting to hold more in the deep drop offs and rock walls. These conditions do make it more important to use a boat of some type. 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 River 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. Keep in mind the river starts getting really low this time of year. So make sure your boat can handle the low water. Also keep in mind this river moves much slower so be sure to plan plenty of days to do a float.
Trav

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 7/10/2019

Trout: 

I know everyone likes to see lots of changes on fishing reports, but the honest truth is that fishing has really not changed much on the Deschutes, the whole river is still fishing very well. Caddis have been the most productive for most anglers and will continue to be for the several weeks or so. I would fish Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis and Outrigger Caddis in tan and grey, sizes #16. For pupa I would use #16 tan or grey; Deep Six Pupa, Sparkle Pupa, Bead Head Sparkle Pupa and Prime Time Caddis Pupa. Be ready to stay out late, the fishing the last 45 minutes or so of the day has been very good as Caddis come back to the water to lay their eggs. In addition to dry’s swinging soft hackles can be very productive.

When ever 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.

Small Mountain Streams:

Over the last few weeks the smaller mountain streams have started fishing well. 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: 

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.

The question of the day is anglers asking the status of Lost Lake’s Hex hatch. No bugs yet reported, but I don’t expect to see the peak of the hatch until about the end of July. It has been a comfortable average to cool summer here which generally means the hatch is the fourth week of July or so. We may see a few early bugs in the next week, but doubt if it will be very intense. I have people at the lake that will let me know when they see the first few.

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: 

The Dalles counts have hit the magic number of 200 a day, which generally means that there are good fishable numbers in the lower part of the Deschutes River. You don’t need many of these early Summer Steelhead to have good fishing, they are not stressed out and tend to be good biters. I would stay in the lower 10 to 15 miles of the river. Be ready these early fish are HOT!!!

Fishing on the Klickitat had been good for the early season Summers, but the river colored up to the point many are not comfortable fishing it. I checked it this morning and the it is grey/tan and about 15 inches of visibility. It has been cooler this summer, so must have been a slide up on the glacier. I personally would fish it, but that is me I tend to really like colored water. Growing up fishing the Hood and Klickitat I have caught many fish in these conditions. Hopefully the river will clear up in the next few days.
Klickitat Super Slammer Kit

Smallmouth: 

Smallmouth in the Columbia has still been good. You will find many of the bigger fish starting to hold more in the deep drop offs and rock walls. These conditions do make it more important to use a boat of some type. 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.

Trav

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 6.29.2019

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 miles
Klickitat 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

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report 10/16/18

 

I've been away from local waters lately as I took an annual fall steelheading trip. This year my girlfriend Chelsey and I took off to fish some Columbia River tributaries out East. Our target was the Clearwater, Snake, and Grande Ronde. We'd never been, and despite low returns we decided to go anyways. Fishing was tough, though we found a few. The Clearwater was touting it's fall colors and it was easy to be distracted while swinging a run. I does parallel a busy highway and it felt like I was rolling the dice every time I pulled out of a spot or looked for a new one. Most all the prime water had an angler or two nearby at all times of the day. No big B-Run's, though there was a fish that I hooked and lost that could've been...

Over on the Snake I loved taking out the big stick and dropping long bombs while not even covering 1/5 of the water. Then transitioning over to the Ronde with a switch rod and ability to hit the far bank. Everywhere was beautiful, though pressure was high and fish counts very low. I talked to an old timer who's family had been fishing the area since the 40's and said this was one of the hardest years they've ever experienced. While steelheading sure ain't easy, this is a tougher year for us all. We linked up with some friends and made some new ones along the way too- Campfire whiskey, lunchtime fly tying, and miles and miles of walking each day in beautiful country made this year's Steel Headquarters a blast.

Steelhead: We are working hard out for any type of encounter with Mykiss. Those lucky enough to score prime water still aren't guaranteed anything. The Deschutes has been pumping out a fish here and there, and same with the Klickitat. If you're complaining about only hooking a fish here and there, its possible steelhead fishing isn't for you. I always tend to fish smaller drab flies, however this time of the year I certainly exercise that section of my fly box more. I preach the skater takes and steelhead will crush a hitched muddler with reckless abandon, so be sure to keep those nearby too. Sometimes when the fish have seen all the go-to patterns I like to show them something different, and that's when skittering a waking fly across the surface can be just the ticket to spark their interest. 

Just one of those years...

Trout: Fishing is certainly slowing down in the higher elevation streams and lakes. Soon many will be even be closed for the Winter. All along the Deschutes and Klickitat, October Caddis are out and about. Trout love these big juicy bugs and I like fishing them too, in part because they're much easier to see on the water in comparison to other caddis. There are also some smaller size 16 and 18 caddis hatches happenings on the Deschutes and you'll see lots of BWO's on cloudy days below a riffle. However, come the cold season I really enjoy fishing streamers on the Deschutes with a trout spey.

Warmwater: Bass fishing has been slowing down some with the cooler nights and water. I was just over on the John Day looking for early steelhead and found only bass, however they were all pretty sluggish and not' too abundant. Mornings have been pretty cold so I think that is definitely translating to their behavior. Columbia River action is also slow, however the fish still gotta eat so if you're going to focus your efforts there, I'd wait till the sun heats up the river a little.

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

Bookmark our new link to Weather, Stream Conditions and Fishing Licenses

Cody Booth
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977  

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report 9/12/18

Conditions begged for a sink tip, but the heart begged to skate one up...

(Burkheimer 7117-4, Hardy Perfect 3 7/8", S/A Scandi Lite Integrated 420gr.)

Steelhead: Oh steelheading... Love it or hate it it has never been easy. Some of us have experienced some great days, and even great years. This summer season I've had some great days, and I don't always base whether or not I'll go fishing by looking at the counts. But the counts do is give us an overall picture, and hopefully a little insight to what's going on. We're looking a little worse than last year's low-return down lower on the Columbia, but upstream it looks as though some fish are migrating. Last year we had some great fishing on the Deschutes with the lower numbers while upstream I heard it was a little more challenging (for some). This season its slightly opposite- starting off good along the lower Deschutes, but as fish finally got some cooler water in the Columbia many seemed to boogie further on up the system. This is hopefully good news for Idaho where folks are worried about losing their famous large B-run native fish altogether largely due to dams, hatcheries, and gillnet fisheries.

We're pretty far off of the 10-year average where we had some great ocean conditions and returns. 

Below is the Year To Date counts for a handful of dams along the Columbia and Snake. 

Locally, fishing has been okay but hasn't been super stellar. Jet boat trips and camps are starting to pick up along the lower Deschutes, and honestly is probably the best way to really target that river and get put on prime water. While it's mostly one-salt A-run fish being caught, there have been some occasional B-run fish picked up in the mix. The Klickitat has also churned out a few fish, though its getting busier over there as salmon are nosing into the Klick and that river tends to be a little more on the conventional gear/bobber side of things anyways. However, that doesn't mean they still wont hit a swung fly. The Klickitat is pretty low right now and its made it a little more challenging for drift boats, but you can access more spots in these levels too. It looks like we've got a little bit of rain in the forecast so we'll have to see how much it affects out local waters.

Trout: Once again, Chelsey and I went back to a little trout stream over on the Washington side and chased some lil' guys (and gals) around. We keep exploring different sections and keep finding interesting pieces of water. Thanks to Google Earth I've found lots of places or access to water I've always been curious about. A double edge sword though as others utilize the same platforms, and my best suggestion would be to sometimes keep things to yourself. I'm happy to point you in the right direction, but I implore you to explore. I've had campgrounds/water that were seemingly unknown until one day we stumble upon piles of trash left behind, and then often the places are never the same. Pack in, pack out. Other than that you just might find a sweet new little spot that quickly becomes a favorite hangout.

Chelsey casting to some feeding trout. 

The Deschutes is seeing some of the first October Caddis hatches, along with some Mahogany Duns and caddis in the size 16-18 range. A long time shop customer came in just recently to re-stock on some sculpin patterns and quickly reminded me that I don't need to just fish streamers in winter when the steelhead bite is slow. If you wanna target some of the bigger resident trout that the Deschutes has to offer, I would highly suggest a 3 or 4wt trout spey and an assortment of sculpin snacks. Fish em a little differently than a swung fly for steelhead in that you want to add speed and strip rather than slow it down. This brings out the aggressive fish and they will smash those streamer patterns! Nevertheless, there is always nymphing to produce when the dry fly or streamer fishing gets slow.

Warmwater: I gotta admit I don't do a whole lot of warm water fishing. I thrive in cold weather, and enjoy romping around higher elevations. It's just in my blood. That said, I do enjoy fishing the John Day for bass during low summer flows so I can find the good holding water come steelhead season (I know, a one-track mind sometimes). The Columbia is at my doorstep (almost), and I should get out there more often. Especially after seeing pictures and hearing stories from friends who do fish it often. I've got some buddies who target fishing near the sand bars as they hang out with family and end up doing pretty good- even finding some big ones. While those who target rock structure generally find a larger percentage of bigger fish. This doesn't mean overlook the beaches and flats as you'll find plenty of carp and smallmouth there too. We just got a re-stock of some key bass and carp flies so come on in if you need any!

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

Bookmark our new link to Weather, Stream Conditions and Fishing Licenses

Cody Booth
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977  

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report 9/5/18

 Chelsey snake-rolling to the far bank with a full floating line.

Steelhead: Days are getting shorter and nights are cooler. Steelhead activity should be up and September is possibly my favorite month of the year for pursuing my favorite fish. Nevertheless, I've been keeping my fingers crossed that there are many thousands of fish kegged up below Bonneville just waiting to cross. Initially fisheries scientists predicted a larger return than last year, and initially we were seeing better numbers. However, during the high temps of our summer fish passage slowed down as a result of the warm water, and though temps have dropped some we figured the counts would soon jump back up... Counts did jump back up but not nearly at the rate we've been hoping for, yet (optimistically).

I keep in semi-regular contact with John McMillan, Science Director of Trout Unlimited's United Steelhead Initiative, and I love shooting him convoluted and complex questions. His unique responses are always informative. If you have a social media Instagram account I would highly suggest following @rainforest_steel for all sorts of fun facts. A favorite quote of his- "We can all create our own opinions, but we can't create our own facts." Having always been a little more science oriented at heart I appreciate his unbiased theories interlaced with humor.

We're digging the new Sage Spey Reel! Classic aesthetics with modern tech.

Despite these lower returns, I'm still out there swinging away. I don't really fish sink tips for summer-run fish and was excited to go fish the Klick again as clarity permitted. Though Sunday after work, Chelsey and I went out for a short float and were treated with less than a foot of visibility. I haven't been over to the Deschutes lately, but have heard catch rates slowed over there too and there's a lot of nets out at the mouth... Nevertheless, I'll keep riffle-hitching a dry and staying optimistic. 

A favorite for this time of year- Fl. orange & olive mixed dub, turkey wing, and natural spun deer.

Trout: Targeting trout at a time of low steelhead returns can certainly be a moral booster. Chelsey and I explored a new watershed and found countless trout eager to eat (almost) anything we tied on. I fished a Trude pattern, ant pattern, caddis, parachute adams, BWO's, and even a mini muddler. I started to see some BWO hatches and once I tied one on, I started raising fish on every cast. I highly encourage you to go explore up around Mt. Hood's forest or even over in the Gifford Pinchot. Fishing the new RIO Creek line on my 2wt is amazing and has made my favorite trout setup even more fun!

If tiny creeks aren't your thing, we don't have a lot of mid-sized rivers available so we generally jump on over to the Deschutes for more hearty fish. Do not bring your little 2wt here! Deschutes fish are some of the hardest fighting trout I've come across. They all have big broad shoulders, and a 16" fish here consistently fights harder than a 20" trout from my home state of Colorado- especially when they utilize the mighty current of the Deschutes. Even though there are plenty of fish per mile, the trout here don't always give it up easy. Some days more so than others, but its a fishery well worth spending your time on to dial it in. 

Our various caddis hatches have been excellent this year but that's not the only game in town on the Deschutes. Fall Caddis, or October Caddis will be taking flight this month. BWO and Mahogany Dun adults come out around mid-day. These caddis and mayflies also have their pupa, nymph, and emerger counterparts if you enjoy fishing sub-surface. 

Warmwater: The John Day is a whopping 8.25 CFS at the time of this report. Plenty of bass to go around, but if you go it'd be best to look for any type of current or some deeper pools. My favorite way to fish for them there is with a black leach-like fly with a red head, cast out and let it swing then lift the rod... they almost always take when the fly starts to lift. Plenty of other flies work here too and it is a fun place to experiment. The Columbia has been fishing good as well for smallmouth and carp. We've had a bit of wind lately which makes casting tougher, but we're usually out there with larger rods anyways to match up with the heavier bass bugs. They also make a big difference when the wind does pick up so we're able to punch through it. An Outbound Short line works amazing in those conditions, and even OPST Commando heads are seeing their place on the Columbia.

 

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

Bookmark our new link to Weather, Stream Conditions and Fishing Licenses

Cody Booth
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977  

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report 8/29/18

 Smokey skies and swung flies...

Steelhead: Numbers of steel have increased a little lately over the dams, most likely due to the cooler weather we've been waiting for... As expected the angler numbers on the rivers are a direct correlation from those queued into dam counts. However, numbers are still pretty low in the grand scheme of things. While sometimes I'm apart of the O'Dark 30 Crew that gets to spots before first light, I really dislike competing for water. Thus, I've been bushwhacking through woods and rappelling down cliffsides in order to find untouched water. It's a bit more exploratory and a bit of a gamble, but it sure beats standing in line for the the pool that was rumored to hold fish recently. I have heard fishing has slowed a little on the main rivers, which is again why I like approaching the less attractive water. Though you can certainly grab a guide to get chauffeured from spot to spot in either a sled or a drift boat, and you'll most definitely be put in the right spots (and hopefully at the right time!). Obviously I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to hop on someones boat, but I've always been more of a DIY guy.  

 This native one-salt fish thought it was much bigger with the fight it displayed. I love wild steel!

I've heard the Klick is in a little better shape and finally getting some better clarity. I haven't been over there recently, but I have also heard the lower flows have made floating more difficult. Be cautions if floating above town as there are a couple spots with log jams or where the current pushes boats into walls.

Trout: Caddis hatches are the main program on the Deschutes right now and flows are about back to the historical average. You still might be finding some fish further off the bank than usual but I would just keep an eye on the foam lines. The majority of fish I find out there are typically along the foam lines. I haven't been up to the little creeks lately, but I've heard some second hand reports that the trout are still gobbling up various dry flies. 

Warmwater: Columbia temps and levels have stabilized since the last report. Plenty of smallmouth bass and carp to go around! With a little of this cool weather reprieve, it might be nice to go fish some warmwater without feeling like you're getting roasted out there. The John Day River is all but a trickle right now- Under 14 CFS at McDonald Ferry! While the bass are still there, they are out of their typical lies. A buddy of mine was over there recently and in two half days of fishing landed over 180 bass, with the largest being about 16"- A black gurgler-like fly was his predominant choice.

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

Bookmark our new link to Weather, Stream Conditions and Fishing Licenses

Cody Booth
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977 

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report (8/19/18)

Important Closure Information via ODFW & WDFW: 

Deschutes River-

The Columbia River around the mouth of the Deschutes River closed to all fishing, including catch-and-release. The closed areas are:

• All waters south of a strait line projecting from the flashing red USCG light #2 upstream to the lower South Channel Range B marker located approximately 3/4-mile upstream of the mouth of the Deschutes;
• The lower Deschutes River from the mouth upstream to markers placed on the downstream end of Moody Rapids.
• This area will be closed to all fishing until river temperatures have stabilized below 68 F. ODFW staff will continue to monitor river temperatures and run sizes throughout the fall to determine when the area can be reopened. This is unlikely to occur prior to late-September. 

Steelhead fishery closure in the Wind River and Drano Lake-
Action: Release all steelhead. Night closure for salmon/steelhead fishing.
Effective date: August 18th, 2018 until further notice.
Species affected: Salmon and steelhead.
Location: Drano Lake and Wind River from mouth to 400' below Shipherd Falls fish ladder.
Reason for action: Precautionary action is being taken to reduce steelhead impacts as cumulative steelhead passage over Bonneville is behind expectations, particularly during a time with elevated water temperatures.
Additional information: When a night closure is in effect, fishing is closed from one hour after official sunset to one hour before official sunrise. Official sunrise and sunset times can be found here.
The steelhead run will continue to be monitored as the season progresses.

Steelhead fishery restrictions in the Columbia River-
Action: Night closure for salmon/steelhead fishing.
Effective date: August 18, 2018 until further notice.
Species affected: Salmon and steelhead.
Location: Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to Hwy. 396 at Pasco, WA.
Reason for action: Precautionary action is being taken to reduce steelhead impacts as cumulative steelhead passage over Bonneville is behind expectations, particularly during a time with elevated water temperatures.
The steelhead run will continue to be monitored as the season progresses. Anglers are permitted to fish within joint state waters with either a Washington or Oregon fishing license, but must follow regulations of the waters being fished.
Anglers are reminded that you may not continue to fish for salmon once the daily adult limit for salmon has been retained.

____________________________________________________________________________

Steelhead: Considering the above information it looks as though these warm water temps are hindering the run right now. I myself have been wondering why ODFW hasn't implemented a Hoot Owl closure on the Deschutes with the high river temps from the last two months, but it shouldn't stop angers from self-regulating their fishing. I always keep a thermometer close and monitor throughout the day.

Chelsey still swinging dryline while the sun is up. 

However on the Deschutes we did see a slight touch of cooler water last week. Partly due to some slightly longer nights and a bit of smoke in the air from fires along the West Coast from California to B.C. While the smokey skies aren't desired, it has made for better dryline fishing on the Deschutes. Typically most anglers switch to sink tips when the sun is on the water, though I continue to fish dryline as long as I'm swinging away from the sun and not towards it. The Deschutes is a world class dryline river, and that's just the way I've always fished it. Typically I hang up the rods when I can't escape the sun and end up taking a siesta until I can either swing my fly away from the sun again or the canyon shadows return later in the day- Though I have yet to fish late afternoon/evening this year with water temps as they are. 

The Klickitat came into shape briefly last week and then quickly blew out again. I heard a rumor of 2ft of visibility on Tuesday/Wednesday and upon arrival Thursday morning I saw 6 inches to a foot max. But as they say, c'est la vie, and I went home early...

Trout: I keep saying it but man, the caddis hatches have been pretty phenomenal this year on the Deschutes. There's literally swarms of them at times! Because the Deschutes is so low right now, most the fish are off the banks further than usual. I've seen fish rising farther off the banks than normal but the good news is the wading is more manageable in spots to reach them right. My best tip is to head out early and fish those dry flies heavily until late morning. Afterwards you'll still find some surface feeders, but more of the action will be subsurface with nymphs. 

The smaller creeks up higher are at low flows too, but there are still plenty of fish found in the deeper pools. The lake fishing has also remained consistently good with mornings and evenings being your best bet. Personally, I haven't seen a strong Hexagenia hatch yet but maybe they're still to come as Hex hatches along the west coast can last as little as a few weeks, to a couple months in duration. 

Warmwater: The Columbia River recently rose a little from some dam release. Often times this disperses fish briefly before they settle back into their comfort zones. The bass have been hitting all sorts of goodies, but typically the big boys (and girls) are found near structure, whereas the smaller ones are more widely dispersed and if off the carp flats. This has been Jacob's summer of carp, as Carpe Diem has has left him in pursuit for much of his free time. I don't blame him either as they are a challenging species and readily available.

Speaking of carp and warmer waters, I am reminded of a book I the other year- The Dog Stars. This post-apocalyptic story follows Hig on his journey of searching for what else (if anything) is out there after a flu epidemic wiped out 99% of the Earth's population. Accompanied with his dog, a Cessna airplane with a stockpile of AvGas that doesn't expire like traditional gasoline, and a gun-toting misanthrope, their adventure ensues after Hig hears a muffled radio transmission alluding to other survivors in need out there... A bit of a love story, a bit of adventure, Hig had a passion for trout fishing in Colorado until all the cold and clean waters became too warm. What once were prime trout waters, are now filled with carp. Though he claims to despise carp, he can't help but pursue them with a fly rod and eat them too in such troubled times. If you enjoy fictional reads, this is one I would highly recommend exploring.

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

Bookmark our new link to Weather, Stream Conditions and Fishing Licenses

Cody Booth
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977