Friday's Featured Fly

Bugs have arrived, and the fishing is only going to get better!  The Salmon Fly Hatch is one of the most famous hatches known to anglers from all around.  We are lucky enough to have this right in our backyard.  The Deschutes Redside trout are hungry, big, and fun to catch.  We created our own Go to Dry Fly Kit so you don't have to think about it.  Our favorite flies for the famous hatch.  

Friday's Featured Fly RIO's Juicy Stone - Everything is lining up to have an excellent salmon fly season on the Deschutes River.  If you do not have these bugs in your box, we suggest you get yourself some.  We even created a kit for you, one-stop shopping with all of our favorite flies.   Deschutes Salmon Dry Fly Kit

Balanced Leeches are a critical part of any stillwater angler's arsenal.  Just in from our friends at Solitude, the Tungsten Balance Leech in Phantom.  Doesn't get any better than this one!  This is also part of our GFS Kit - Trout Stillwater Balance Leech kit.  

Friday Featured Flies are a tray of Mattioli's Trout Spey Buggers by Aqua Flies.  These flies are on their way to our friend in Great Britain.  We just updated our Trout Spey Rod Guide.  Here we break down trout spey rods, what size is the right size?  Plus, more questions are answered for you here.   Happy Spring!  Of course, always give us a call if you have questions.  541-386-6977

Today's featured fly is a new one coming in from Aqua Flies.  Stu's Barred Ostrich Intruder.   This fly is tied with Barred Ostrich, which is arguably the most successful steelhead colorway.  Send these baddies on your next Steelhead Adventure.  Need a Steelhead Rod for that next adventure?  Check out our Steelhead Spey Rod Buyers Guide

This week's Friday's Featured fly is coming to you in the form of a "Happy Meal"!  Well, kind of....meet our newest fly kit.  Our favorite Trout Stillwater Balanced Leech Kit.  The flies come in our logo pucks and are perfect to drop into your pack/bag or waders.  

Beck's Sili Legs Lite is undoubtedly one of the best bonefish patterns of all time. Call it a Gotcha with the huge bonus of rubber legs.  The "lite" version is tied with bead chain eyes for skinny water.  Don't go to the Bahamas without a fistful of these!

About what any steelheader needs.  A fistful of good leeches!  This one checks all the boxes.  Not too big.  Not too small.  Little bit of flash.  Hot cone.  Send it!  Aqua Flies Bunny Hare Leech in black/blue.  In stock now.  

All this dark weather means Blue Winged Olives!  The RIO's Film Critic is one of our favorite emergers.  The upright wing is just big enough to make it visible on gray days.  Fish it alone or trail it behind a bigger dry that you can see well.  If you are getting ready for Sping, check out our Five-Weight Buyers Guide

Catch Dirty PT Hot Pink Jigged - What doesn't this Nymph have going for it? A jig hook, soft hackle, Pheasant Tail, and a hot bead. A fantastic prospecting pattern that has a little bit of everything. We carry them in sizes 16 and 18

Some of the most effective bonefish flies could be described as "plain with a little pop".  Bonefish prey tends to be stealthily camouflaged to match the bottom and avoid detection.  This is where the "POP" comes into play.  RIO's Bone Doctor has an overall tan color scheme with just enough flash to draw attention.  This one works

Doesn't it look like it's about to crawl away!?  Here's RIO's take on the Flexo Crab in tan.  Made quietly famous in the Seychelles, this style of crab has caught the attention of Permit and other crab eaters across the globe.  Guides on Christmas Island love this one for triggers.

It's hard to beat a good cheeseburger!  The fly version has all kinds of great crabby characteristics.  Feczko's Cheeseburger is quietly one of the best bugs for Triggers.  Fun trick fly to try for Permit, too.  

Signature tyer of this fly, Jeffrey Feczkko, reached out to us and shared the story of how this fly came to life. We would love to share it with you.  6 or 7 years ago, in the middle of an atol in the middle of the Indian Ocean, he created what would end up being one of the best flies for trigger fish.  Jeffery is very humbled by the popularity of his fly and appreciates RIO for reproducing this fly.  To note Charlie tried bringing this fly in last year but was sold out!  We are excited to now have it in the shop.  

We want to personally thank Jeffrey for reaching out and sharing his story behind the scenes of this incredible fly.

RIO's Banana Stand. This little gem is slightly flashier than other Shrimp Patterns is a great pattern in less-than-ideal conditions for bonefish and redfish. Tied with materials that are subtle yet have a tad of flash, resulting in a highly visible and enticing fly for murky water and low-light conditions

It's dark and rainy here in the PNW.  Some warm Flats Fishing sure sounds good!  Today's Friday Featured Fly is RIO's Smelling Salt.  This one was originally intended for laid-up Tarpon, but works equally well for all things that live in mangroves! 

Big Bonefish in certain destinations love big Flies! These are a few of our favorites for the Bahamas and beyond. Saltwater gear sales have picked up recently.  Weather changes increase the desire to find warm tropical water.  Searching for the big fish that call it home.  If you have not hunted for Bonefish before, you should put this on your bucket list.  Check out Sage's Limited Edition Grand Slam Salt R8 rod paired with a Sage Enforcer limited edition reel.  Our crew has a ton of Saltwater experience.  If you have questions, give us a call. 

No doubt about it.  Some of the best trout spey flies come in natural color schemes.  Aqua Flies' Trout Spey Intruder is a scaled-down, unweighted pattern tied in an intruder-style.  Buggy and wiggly.  This one gets it done!

Cooler fall weather has our minds wandering to the Caribbean. Salt season is upon us! Here’s one of Andros Island’s unofficial official bonefish flies.  The beefy RIO's Gotcha Clouser in size 2.  Simple and deadly!

It's getting deeper into fall, and many of the rivers in the northwest are filling up with coho.  If you're looking for a fly to strip on a single-hander or jig throughout the swing, check out the Starlight Leech Pink.  Heavy eyes to get down and work the twitch that love.

Modern Stillwater Rods:

Stillwater Fly Rods: What Makes Them Different?

When it comes to fishing lakes, your fly rod needs to do more than just cast—it needs to handle long leaders, deep presentations, and cover big water with ease. That’s where stillwater fly rods shine. Unlike standard trout rods, stillwater-specific rods tend to be longer (typically 9'6" to 10') to help lift long lines off the water, manage indicators, and make efficient roll or single-hand spey casts when space is tight.

These rods are designed with progressive actions that load deeper for smoother casts and better turnover at distance. Whether you're fishing chironomids under an indicator, slow-stripping leeches, or hanging flies on a hover line, a stillwater rod gives you more control and keeps you in the zone longer.

Looking to upgrade your lake game? Explore our collection of Stillwater Fly Rods at Gorge Fly Shop and find the perfect match for your next session on the water.

Read the full Buyer's Guide to Stillwater Fly Rods 2025 at Gorge Fly Shop.

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - April 24, 2025

Stillwater Trout

We are fortunate to have so much access to stillwater trout fishing here in the Northwest and we're happy to report that it is game-on for the '25 season!  Some of the Mt. Hood lakes opened to fishing 4/22 and things are off to a great start.  Water temps are spring cold but notably warmer than they were at this time last year.  Slow presentations have been drawing the most attention.  Wind drifting with a balance leech under an indicator produced the best results.  A split shot 3-4 feet above the fly to hold depth was very helpful.  The bites, especially later in the day, were rather aggressive, but they seemed to want everything to be slow.  Hovering the boat and barely moving with the wind was the ticket.  Row trolling leeches on an intermediate line worked, too, but did not seem be quite as productive.  That bite should gain a lot of steam in the very near future as things warm up.

On the bug front, chironomids are present in good numbers and Callibaetis are right around the corner.  The pesky wind was impacting the surface fishing the last few days, but there were a few brief periods of evening glass.  The windows were narrow, but the trout started looking up as soon as the wind went away.  Ample chironomids on the water had plenty of fish rising and they were not fly-selective in the least bit.  If you could get your bug near the rise quickly, they ate it....and it didn't seem to matter what it was.  A size 16 parachute with a darker body worked just fine.  They will progressively get a little more selective as time wears on and the pressure increases, but there's a great window here for a while.  Consider the fish hungry and willing! 

Shop Stillwater Flies

Deschutes Trout

We've been fielding a lot of phone calls regarding the trout fishing on the Deschutes as of late.  After a lengthy period of high water, the river is back down to a comfortable level for people to wade.  The water is warming up and things are shaping up for everyone's favorite time....stonefly season!  Something worth mentioning is how good the fishing is in the few weeks leading up to the hatch.  It can be outstanding and something that really adds to the experience is that it's not slammed busy on the river.  No, you will not have a bunch of fish attacking giant dry flies, but the stonefly nymphs are very active leading up to their transition to adulthood.  The water is warmer than its been in months and the trout are happily feeding. If you're itchy to go, don't wait...go now!  The weather is spectacular and there is a lot of wildlife to see. There's always a lot to love about being in the Deschutes Canyon, but seeing it before everything is brown again is pretty special.  

Shop Trout Flies        

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Friday's Featured Fly

It's Stillwater season folks!  

Shop Black BH Hale Bopp Leech

Flies don’t have to be elaborate to be effective.

The Bead Head Hale Bopp Leech is a perfect example of that.  The dubbing loop body and sparse marabou tail provides all the leech motion needed.  It’s an outstanding Stillwater pattern!

Shop BH Hale Bopp Leech Patterns

We heard that Justesen Lakes are fishing really well right now with lots of open time.  Reach out to the shop and we will be happy to assist you with getting a date secured for your next trip.  Plus, the shop is well stock on float tubes, and all of the accessories you might need.

Justesen Ranch - Lake Fishing

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New RIO Ambassador Phil Rowley Stillwater lines

With Stillwater season coming into full swing, Rio has released new series of lake lines design by Stillwater guru and Rio Ambassador Phil Rowley. Phil took some of Rio most effective lake lines and replaced the front loop with a integrated tippet ring. The tippet ring helps smooth the transition from fly line to leader. It also makes switching between fly lines on the water a breeze, when fishing long leaders. These lines are available in Stillwater Floater, Aqualux and all configuration of Rio Midge Tip for 6wt and 7wts.

Shop the Ambassador Phil Rowley lines here

Shop other new arrivals here:

Link to Justesen Ranch Lakes

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Laurance Lake Update

Good news! The road to Laurance is fixed after last falls blow out. You can make it to the dam with no issue. Baddish news, snow is still blocking the road to the boat ramp and the main campground. So grab your belly boats and smaller inflatables. Water is wicked cold still, so bring extra layer's if you are going to be in a float tube.

All things Lake/Stillwater Fishing

As of 04/25/2024 - Low level snow is in the forecast so be sure to check the weather before heading up to any mountain lakes.  

Stay safe and have a great time, call the shop for any questions.  541-386-6977

GFS Stillwater Gear and Fly kits

Shop Float Tubes Here

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BUYER'S GUIDE TO SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED STILLWATER FLY LINES:

Sometimes fishing late pays off with stunning lake sunsets. (photo by Callum Brock)

Lake fishing seems like it should be simple, I mean, growing up as a child and going to the local lakes  was pretty simple, especially when fishing over planted fish.  However, now, knowing what I know, it can be quite technical.  As Callum from the shop here says it..."Lake fishing is the perfect example of how simple it can be or how complicated you want to make it."  I couldn't agree more.

That being said, it's amazing how technical stillwater fishing can be and it can make your head spin trying to choose which lines to use/buy.  Anyone who loves to fish lakes knows what I'm saying.  Honestly, I mean no offense, unless you're a stillwater ninja, the need for all the different types of stillwater lines out there seems uneccessary.  I hope to try and simplify things here and hope that I'm successful.  When it comes down to it, most often I'm fishing a couple to three lines at the most.  Especially if I am fishing from a float tube or pontoon and space is limited and I can't carry extra rods or a bunch of spare spools.  On the other hand, if I am in my drift boat, then I will carry more in case I need it.

FLOATING LINES:

RIO'S Elite Stillwater Floater:

RIO Elite Stillwater Floater.

RIO Elite Stillwater Floater Taper Profile

When fishing stillwater (lakes) having a full floating line that performs well is a necessity.  I personally like a floating line that can serve as an all-around multi-purpost line.  Unless I'm fishing out of a boat and have much more room for extra rods with different specialized lines, a multi-purpose all around line comes in real handy. 

The RIO Elite Stillwater Floater has been specifically designed to easily cast long leaders, and will turnover indicator rigs with multi-fly set ups we commonly use while Chironomid fishing.  This line has the ultra-low stretch ConnectCore Plus core that provides unbelievable sensitivity for those sometimes subtle takes for a quicker reaction time when setting the hook.  The Stillwater Floater also has a Hang Marker which allows you to estimate when to stop your retrieve and fish the "hang down" which can be extreamly effective.  This line additionally has the SlickCast coating for incredible casting and durability as well and the MaxFloat Tip, which helps keep the tip of the line from sinking as many floating lines tend to, especially when dirty.  The Elite Stillwater Line works well fishing from a boat or from shore.

NOTE:  It is always a great idea to carry a few of the RIO Fly Line Cleaning Towelette's in your boat, pontoon or vest when fishing lakes.  If your floating line starts to sink, they are a blessing and you can get a quick cleaning and your back to full floating.

• RIO Fly Line Cleaning Towelette:

Airflo SuperFLO Stillwater Floater Fly Line:

Airflo SuperFLO Stillwater Floater

Airflo SuperFLO Stillwater Floater Taper Profile

Airflo's version of the stillwater floating line has their classic Delta Taper which is great for casting multiple fly set ups for distance with minimal disturbance on the waters surface, which helps prevent spooking fish.  Airflo lines are made with a durable Polyurethane coating and are 100% PVC free.  This has proven that the lines last longer over time.  In addition, the FLO technology has made it possible to create thinner diameter running lines in comparison to their older lines.  This is a huge improvement because the newer lines are super slick and have minimal friction when going through the rod guides.

Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator:

SA Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator Line

SA Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator taper profile.

The Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator fly line has become a pretty popular Chironomid line when using strike indicators.  I like this line alot.  It roll cast really well and is easy to see with it's alternating Hi-Vis bands near the tip.  Even in low light conditions, I can easily track it.  I also like the fact that it is one and a half line sizes heavy so there is no need to upsize the line for your rod.  This also takes less effort to roll cast because it easily loads your rod so that you don't have to "make it" or try to "force it" to roll cast.  With every rod that I have used this line on I just get the line that matches the rating of the rod.  In other words if you have a 6wt rod, get the 6 weight line and you're good to go.

NOTE:  One thing to note is that indicator specific lines tend to take up a lot more room on your reel because of the fact that they are sized heavy.  Instead of a standard 6wt line being put on your 5/6wt rated reel, you're now trying to put a line that is more like a 7.5wt line on that reel.  So your backing capacity will need to be adjusted accordingly.  We also typically use longer rods like a 9.5' or 10' rod and sizing up on the reel is a great idea for two reasons,  #1 it will balance out the rod better and #2 it will have the capacity to hold the right amount of backing and the indicator fly line. Make sence?

Beautiful Bow Bow, caught with a Chironomid and a sinking line.

SINKING LINES:

Let's face it, when fishing stillwater, having sinking lines is critical to consistent success, especially when fish are not activly feeding on or near the surface.  This is where it can be overwhelming, with so many choices of different sink rates available.  Some manufactuers even have different stages of intermediate sink rates which we will discuss shortly.  This is where having multiple spare spools make sense to me, especially when fishing from a float tube or pontoon.  If you can easily change the spool to accomadate the techinque or sink rate you need, then having spare spools uses up less space than having seperate rods for each depth or tecnique to get the job done.

RIO Elite Sub-Surface CamoLux Fly Line

RIO's CamoLux Sub-Surface Line

CamoLux Taper Profile

I probably use the RIO CamoLux sinking line the most.  It's a full interemdiate line that sinks at 1.5-2 inches per second, and is perfect for fishing near shore or in shallower areas or even when slow trolling.  This line works really well when fishing Chironomids without an indicator and utilizing a super slow figure of eight retrieve.

The beautiful thing about this line is that the weight forward taper makes it pretty easy to roll cast or overhead cast and it has a hang marker to let you know to stop stripping and start slowly raising your rod tip up to fish just under the boat.  This can be extremely effective.

The CamoLux comes in line sizes 4wt to 8wt and has a camo tone color scheme and the ConnectCore Plus technology.  Another option of this line is the RIO AquaLux, which has the same taper and sink rate as the CamoLux but has a Clear/Translucent Green color scheme.

SA Scientific Anglers:  Sonar Stillwater Clear Camo

SA Sonar Stillwater Clear Camo Fly Line

Intermediate Versions:  SA's Sonar Stillwater Clear Camo line with AST (Advance Shooting Technology) is famous for this technology which is an aditive that is impregnated into the line and creates a super slick line that cast like a dream and it enhances the lines durability.  This line has also been built on the very popular MPX taper and it is a full intermediate sinking line that sinks at a rate of 1.25" per second, allowing you to fish just under the surface and choppy water and it is a full line size heavy, so there is no need to line size up.  This line is perfectly suited to fish nymphs and streamers in your favorite lakes when you're not trying to get deep fast.  Offered in line sizes 4wt thru 8wt line sizes.

SA Seamless Density Lines

Deeper Sinking Versions:  SA Sonar Stillwater Seamless Density fly lines are designed to provide straight line presentations to your subsurface flies with a seamless transition between the sink rates.  These lines are based off the SA MPX taper and are two line sizes heavy for casting multiple fly set ups.  Offered in S1/S3, S3/S5 and S5/S7

Airflo:  Sixth Sense Stillwater Fly Lines

Intermediate Versions:  New to us is the Airflo Sixth Sense 2 with Power Core and a smooth running line.  A few have started to show up in the shop recently.  The line boast low stretch of 6% and has hang markers at 10', 20' and 40' so there is no excuse to not fish the hang and feel confident you know exactly where what your depth is.  Just in the intermediate versions, they have three different options, #1 Slow Intermediate at .5" per second, #2 Mid Interemdiate at 1" per second, and #3 Fast Intermediate at 1.5" per second.  I personally would never fish all three of these, BUT if you're a stillwater ninja like I mentioned before, you might need all three.  If I had to settle on one of the three, I would just fish the normal intermediate which is the Fast Interemdiate at 1.5" per second.

That said, I could totally see fishing the slow intermediate for instance in the very shallow weed beds along the shoreline where fish are cruising.  Being able to keep your fly in the zone would be pretty important in that instance.  A line that sinks too fast, requires a faster retrieve if trying to fish in shallow water, therefore giving the fish less time to decide to eat.  Other manufactuers like RIO and Scientific Anglers have a Hover and Midge-Tip verstion of these slower sinking "intermediate" rates of .5" - 1" per second.

Airflo Sixth Sense Sinking Stillwater Fly Lines

Sixth Sense Taper Profile

Airflo's Sixth Sense Stillwater sinking lines come in a variety of sink rates.  If you need a line that sinks deeper than the intermediate sink rates, you can choose from either Sink 3 (3ips), Sink 5 (5ips), Sink 7 (7ips) and Sink 8 (8ips).  Comes in line weights from WF5/6 TO WF8/9.  These lines are very subtle and easy to manage, which is really nice and helps cut down on the line coiling on retrieves.  These are also great for slow trolling or a slow figure of eight retrieve.

NOTE:  The Airflo Sixth Sense sinking lines DO NOT come with a tip section loop at the front, there is a loop that attaches to the backing but not one up front.

RIO: Lake Series Fathom Sinking Lines

RIO's Fathom Sinking Line

RIO's assortment of Lake Series lines pretty much have you covered for any situation you might find yourself fishing.  Just like Scientific Anglers and Airflo, RIO has put a lot of thought and effort in helping stillwater fisherman become better and more consistent anglers.  From full floating lines, to Hover lines, to Midge Tip lines to Sink 3 to sink 7 lines.

One cool thing about the different colors for  the different sink rates is that, if you can remember, just by glancing at the reel, you will be able to tell the sink rate by the color.  Honestly I am a big fan of the sinking lines since I use them the majority of the time, which makes sense also because the trout spend their majority of time below the surface.

Parablolic/Cleansweep sinking lines:

These lines get even more technical.  Designed to sink in a "U" shape allowing to fish different depths in a single cast and retrieve.  Wether you use the RIO Fathom CleanSweep or the Scientific Anglers Sonar Stillwater Parabolic Sink line, you will be fishing effectively.  These lines help cover the more water per cast than a typical sinking line because when you strip the fly in, you go from shallow, to deep, level out a bit and then go from deep to shallower as you retreive.  Sounds pretty effective doesn't it.  Well, you should try it and see what happens.

RIO's CleanSweep Lines - Slow & Fast Sink - Avail in 5 through 8 wt lines.

Scientific Anglers Sonar Stillwater Parabloic Sink Line

Available in 5 thru 7 wt lines.

As you can probably see by the length of this article that there are a lot of options of fly lines for stillwater fishing.  I'm just scratching the surface without really going in to super detail about each line.  This is where it is good to call the shop if you need to get deeper into it.

As a kid, I loved how it seemed simple to go lake fishing.  Never gave it much thought.  We just went and fished and whatever happened, happened.  Now that I'm older and more inclined to think about why I am not catching trout in a lake, I am very pleased that we have the assortment of lines to choose from.  Turns out, that having your fly at the right depth and the right time makes a huge difference.

Well, nuff said.  Hope you got something out of this.  If you have questions you can always give us a call at 541-386-6977.

GFS Team

John G.

PARTING SHOT:

Beautiful Rainbow couldn't resist a Chironomid and a super slow retrieve on sinking line.

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