Friday's Featured Fly

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.

Limited Deschutes Trips with Sam Sickles

Spring Spots Available with Sam Sickles: Lower Deschutes Dry Fly Trips at an Early Booking Rate

Spring in the Gorge means one thing for a lot of us—Deschutes trout season is calling. If you have been thinking about getting out on the Lower Deschutes with a seasoned guide, now is a great time to lock in a trip with Sam Sickles of Steelhead Outfitters. Sam is offering limited spots for Gorge Fly Shop customers for early bird bookings.

A word from Sam...
The birds are chirping, the grass is growing and giant stonefly nymphs are making their way to the bank.  Spring in the Gorge means trout fishing on the Deschutes.  I’m offering an early booking rate for Gorge Fly Shop customers, 10% off ($585) if you book by April 15th. Along with a killer boat ride and a fabulous lunch I will show you the five most important tips for dry fly fishing on the Lower Deschutes!  

SteelheadOutfitters.com

Sam Sickles 

PO Box 115 

Hood River, OR 97031 

samsickles@gmail.com 

(541) 400-0855

Gear Up

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - May 22, 2025

Deschutes Trout:

It's that time of year again!  Stoneflies are going on the Deschutes and it's about to get really good!  The progression of things has been fairly similar to the last few years.  We get some hot weather sometime in the second week of may and the bugs get very active for a few days.  Then the weather cools off for a week or more and, though very present, the Golden Stones and Salmon Flies are not returning to the water in great numbers to lay eggs.  Will they still eat a big dry fly?  Absolutely, but you really need to get it in the pickers.  Fish looking for adults will be under the tree limbs and overhanging grass.....areas most likely to have bugs blown into the water.  If you're not opposed to it, adding a dropper below your dry will definitely up your odds.  As will indicator fishing with a stonefly nymph.  

The heat is going to be returning leading to the weekend and this should really crack things open for the remainder of the hatch.  There will be some EPIC days of dry fly fishing in the next couple weeks.  For those of you camping or fishing until dark, be prepared for some great evening caddis fishing, too.  The impending heat should bring them out in great numbers, too.  

Shop Trout Flies  

Stillwater Trout:

It sure has been fun fishing the lakes around Mt. Hood!  The stillwater bite has been strong to very strong.  Callibaetis have been showing up.  Chironomids continue.  The tricky part has been hitting a window during daylight hours when the wind isn't absolutely howling!  We're getting to the time of year where the strong and persistent Gorge wind is settling in.  And that's ok.  Enjoy the dry fly windows when they're there, but be ready to go down.  Balance Leeches paired with a Chironomid or Callibaetis Nymph will be very productive.  As will leeches stripped or trolled on intermediate lines.  Regardless of technique, it's just a darn good time to fish the lakes.

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The Last 100 Miles - A Fight for the Deschutes River

The Last 100 Miles movie is set to premiere this Summer.  This is a documentary created from the passion to keep the Deschutes River cold and healthy.  We are fighting for clean cold water, which seems simple enough.  But, we are going against much larger endities.  Fellow fly shop owners, guides, outdoor enthousiast and so many who have created and built their lives around the Deschutes River.  The health of this river, the fish, animals, insects and everything that calls the Descutes River it's home is in jeopardy of survival if we do not do something now.  We do not want to show future generations what the Deschutes River used to be like....we want them to see and experience it.  

The Deschutes River Alliance website is full of information....the link is below if you would like to learn more.

Deschutes River Alliance

The Premiere of this movie is July 9th in Portland Oregon at Cinema 21.   August 7th, 2024 the movie will be shown at the Columbia Center for the Arts, then in The Dalles and Maupin.  Click the link below for screening times, location details, and tickets.   

Last 100 Miles - Screenings

If you would like to make a donation to the production of the movie, click the link below.

The Last 100 Miles - Website

LET'S KEEP OUR VOICES LOUD

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Fishing Reports - May 24th, 2024

Mount Hood Lakes

The stillwater season is off to a great start!  The fishing has been very good....the weather has not been.  Strong winds and below average temperatures have been keeping the insect activity to a minimum, but that hasn't slowed the bite down.  Trolling leeches on intermediate lines has been fast and furious.  Though there haven't been a ton of bugs around, chironomid droppers are getting quite a bit of attention.  Nobody loves the high winds on a lake, but this can be used to your advantage.  Anchor up on the wind-swept end of the lake.  The wave action will push food that direction.  Rig up a slip-strike indicator with a balaced leech/chironomid dropper and cast it up wind.  This will get you a nice wind drift and provide plenty of action on your flies.  Keep a close eye on your indicator.  Sometimes the bite on a small chironomid just makes the indicator wiggle a bit as opposed to going all the way under. If anything looks funny, set the hook.  You'll be surprised at how many of those "maybes" turn into fish.  

Shop Stillwater Flies

Shop Leaders and Tippet

Deschutes Trout

Most of the local fishing buzz has been out on the Deschutes.  The stonefly fishing kicked off a couple weeks ago when the warmer weather was here.  Bug activity slowed a bit in the past week, but the fish have still been very interested in big dry flies.  They definitely have stoneflies on the brain.  Make sure you're fishing a dropper nymph below your dry, especially early in the day when it's cool.  This can really pad the numbers in the morning.  Aside from the stones, be prepared to see a smattering of mayfly activity.  This could come in the form of olives, pmd's, ped's or even Green Drakes if you get really lucky.  Also worth mentioning, the caddis will continue to become increasingly important as we work into early summer.  Once the big bugs fade, caddis become a daily staple on the menu.  

Shop Trout Flies

Shop Fly Lines 

Summer Steelhead

It seems a bit early, but there are already some summer fish on the move.  It's going to be a bit before the Deschutes becomes a viable option, but many of the Columbia River tribs further west already have fishable numbers of summers prestent.  If you find yourself in the greater Portland area, it would definitely be worth a shot.  These early fish tend to be super hot.  Certainly worth the effort!

Shop Steelhead Flies

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 3.26.2021

Trout - Deschutes River:

Trout fishing has really been picking up over the last few weeks. Supposed to reach 70 degrees this weekend out in the Maupin area which is a welcomed sight after a long, cold and rainy winter. This warmth should really get the trout and insects active and feeding throughout the day. Nymphing is still going to be your most productive method right now. This is the time of year where Deschutes redsides really start keying in and feeding heavily on the stonefly nymphs that are beginning to get more active as we move into April and the famed salmonfly hatch that begins in early May. 

I’d be running a size 6-8 black or brown rubber legs stonefly nymph with a 16-18 caddis pupae or mayfly nymph behind the big bug. Some of my go to Deschutes droppers that work year round are red lightning bugs, jig style pheasant tail nymph/soft hackle pheasant tail nymph, rainbow warriors, and red or purple psycho prince nymphs. 

 The trout spey bite has been superb. With water temps beginning to warm slightly, fish are getting more aggressive and willing to chase a large meal. 10 feet of T-8, 2x RIO fluoroflex, and a box of sculpin patterns and you’re ready to rock n roll.

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Lake Fishing:

Pretty snowy and cold up at the lakes. Until the spring...

Shop Stillwater Flies

Winter Steelhead - North Oregon Coast + Portland Metro area 

Winter steelhead season is winding down to close. There are some systems that fish well into early April but for the most part, it’s coming to an end. This weekend could fish decent as the rain last week bumped the rivers up and put some color into them. Again, I’d be fishing pretty low in the rivers to hopefully intercept a late chromer, versus fishing up high and targeting spawning fish. Please be aware of redds this time of year and do not consciously fish to fish that are actively on spawning beds. There is a good chance if you spot a few fish sitting deep in a tailout this time of year, that they are trying to do their thing.

Winter Steelhead - Hood River: 

While this has been a slow steelhead year all around, look for a few more fish showing up in the Hood. We generally see the peak numbers of fish around now in this system and it will fish well into April. Both swung flies and nymph techniques are working for folks.

Shop Steelhead Flies

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Warm, calm, sunny days will bring mr.smallie up from the depths to the shallows in search of a meal. With these conditions fish lightweight streamer patterns slowly. On windy days fish a float and fly rig on drops offs and main river points. 

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-Zach Parker

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

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Deschutes River Fishing Playbook

Salmonfly Hatch - Bucket list worthy

The Deschutes River Fishing Playbook: part one

The crown jewel of Oregon is arguably the Deschutes River. Earning Federal Wild and Scenic designation in 1988 the Deschutes is managed for recreation and continues to gain in popularity. The tailwater fishery is 100 miles long and runs north through an arid desert canyon until it meets the mighty Columbia River east of the Dalles Oregon. Along with beautiful scenery and all sorts of wildlife viewing opportunities are the fish. Wild populations of “redsides” or rainbow trout, mountain whitefish, bull trout, summer steelhead, spring Chinook and fall Chinook make the Deschutes a top fishing destination in the spring and fall.

The Deschutes is unique in a lot of ways, for one there is no fishing from a boat.  I get asked a lot where this came from and I have lots of answers but one thing's for sure, the Deschutes is a varsity level field for bank anglers.  Without a boat anglers will test their skill daily against a very sly opponent.  River level, clarity and temperature are very complimentary to a strong trout fishery.  Very few things will put the Deschutes out of shape and unfishable so it’s a fairly safe place to plan your next fishing get away.  The insect activity is heavy but the big hatches are very reliable (more on this later).  The Deschutes is truly an awesome river to fly fish with runs riffles and eddies all around.  River access is impressive as well and there is something for every type of angler and adventurer.

History

The first non-native visitors to the Deschutes occurred in 1805 when Lewis and Clark crossed at the mouth.  The name Deschutes means river of the falls for Celilo Falls located just downstream from the mouth.  Celilo Falls was a major hub for native peoples until 1952 when the Dalles Dam submerged it.  There are three dams on the Deschutes itself built from 1958 to 1964 and they are not without controversy today.  From it’s confluence with the Columbia River, a railroad runs most of the way up the Deschutes, on the west bank until it crosses the river at North Junction just short of river mile 75.  On the east bank there is an old railroad grade running parallel much of this distance.  Today it is a road, a dilapitated trail, then a road again.  There is a great book on the Deschutes Railroad Wars covering this period of time and is a great bring along book if you are floating the river.

Humans have had interaction with the Deschutes for a long time.  Even though it’s a “wild and scenic river”, there is good public access.  Prime time trout fishing starts in May and runs into the summer with the best month being May and the Stonefly hatch.  After the Stonefly hatch there are caddis and mayfly hatches well into summer.  The stonefly hatch is often referred to as the “salmonfly” hatch, but really they’re not alone as both golden stone and the smaller yellow stones are going off at the same time.  During this hatch it’s not uncommon to see blue winged olives, pale morning duns pale evening duns, caddis flies and once in a while the green drake hatch.   If you’ve got these bugs in your quiver then you are ready to come over and fish the Deschutes this spring.

Bug hunter!

Salmonfly Hatch

The Salmonfly hatch is easily the most explosive dry fly fishing of the year.  These giant bugs live several years on the bottom of the river and then they make their way to the rocky shore, clumsily climbing out and molt from their nymph stage to adult.  The adults will congregate in the grass, bushes and trees until which time they breed then take flight.  The big slow flying bugs drop their eggs into the river then the cycle begins again.  In the middle of all this we have two or three weeks of great fishing, this is a bucket list trip.

Know before you go.

If you point at a hundred miles of river and all the access point on the BLM guide (buy one), you might not start in the right place.  The “salmonfly hatch” moves up river with the water temperatures.  Ground zero is Maupin Oregon at river mile 52, one of three places the road crosses the river.  From Maupin the road goes south for a few miles until it reaches Locked Gate and north where it crosses the river and eventually leads to the Lower Deschutes access road.  Going north or south on this road gets the average guy plenty of spots to fish.  Maupin is well appointed with fly shops, a store, some restaurants and a hotel.

The first time the road crosses the river is at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation boundary, river mile 95.  There is river access on the east bank only.  The west side is tribal lands and a tribal guide is needed to access it.  There is a small exception from Dry Creek to Trout Creek and a tribal pass is required to access and fish this small section on the West bank.  Back to the east bank, the first public boat ramp is located on highway 26 on the east side just prior to the reservation boundary, it’s well marked and heavily used.  The next access point is Mecca Flats, a popular improved campground with a lightly used boat ramp.  A good trail runs north along the river to Trout Creek which also has an improved campground with a boat ramp.  The float from Warm Springs to Trout Creek is referred to as the day stretch although camping is allowed in designated sights only.  Camping from a boat on the lower Deschutes is regulated and requires a boater’s pass from The Bureau of Land Management.  The BLM is the primary manager of the river along with Oregon State Parks and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Once you get to Trout Creek, RM 85, the next public access is Maupin, RM52 give or take.  Don’t miss this takeout when floating from Warm Springs to Trout Creek as the next boat ramp is just upriver from Maupin.  The section from Trout Creek to Maupin is the multi-day section, this trip can be done as an overnight but is best done in two night.  Multi-day float trips down the Deschutes are what the Deschutes is all about.  The reservation side of the river remains off limits until the boundary is reached, usually on day two below North Junction around RM65, there’s a great big sign you can’t miss it.  Look for wild horses near the reservation boundary.  I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t point out a few hazards on this section, Trout creek Rapids, Four Chutes and Buckskin Mary are all legitimate rapids where experienced boatmen should be on the oars.  Whitehorse rapids should be attempted by only very experienced boatmen.  Whitehorse canyon is the most beautiful stretch on the Deschutes River but it claims several boats every year and people have lost their lives there.  Most people camp two nights, maybe an extra night on the same spot and take out near Maupin at Harpham Flats.

Guide tested, client approved!

The Deschutes has a lot to offer every level of angler but if you are coming from afar or want to maximize your effort, hiring a local guide or outfitter is well worth the money.  Trips range from $500 for single day to $400-$500 per day per angler on multi day trips.  That said if you are just getting started and have the time for trial and error or you are a total do it "yourselfer", the Deschutes has your name written all over it.

Equipment needs:
Rods: 5 or 6 weight rods with weight forward tapers, the more aggressive the better.

Reels: Deschutes fish are big and strong and they can take all your line if you let them. I like a nice disc drag and a large arbor.

Leaders: Tapered 2x, 3x, 4x, and 5x. Same thing for the tippet. I fish as heavy as possible on the big bugs; I also like a 7.5 foot leader but carry 9 footers as well. Some times accuracy in the wind and into the bushes is aided by a short leader.

Gortex waders with felt and studded boots.
 
If you are over 16 years of age, bring a wading staff the Deschutes is tough wading. 
Come prepared for sunshine and for rain.

BLM guide to lower Deschutes, you can get this from the Gorge Fly Shop

Flies:
Bring lots of Salmonfly and Stonefly patterns, some Green Drakes, BWO’s, PMD’s, and PED’s. It’s not a bad idea to bring some nymphs of the same bugs just in case.


Shuttle Services:
Fishes (541) 475-3129

Fly Shops:
Gorge Fly Shop (541) 386-6976

Steelhead Outfitters (541) 400-0855
Silvey’s Fly-fishing (971) 219-2615
Bischoff's Fly-fishing (541) 977-2796

Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 3.12.2021

Trout - Deschutes River:

The trout are getting happier and happier with the warmer weather we are starting to see across much of Oregon. Some baetis activity is still happening in the middle of the day. Some days the hatch is coming off stronger than others and lasting longer than others. Just depends mainly on weather and water temps. 

Another prominent spring mayfly throughout the lower D, is the famous March Brown. This is a slightly larger, brownish gray colored mayfly that typically hatches in a size 14-16. Little early yet for these, they usually don’t start coming off hard until later this month and into April. Definitely a fun hatch to fish and is usually the hatch that kicks off consistent dry fly fishing for the rest of the season with stoneflies in May/June (salmonflies, golden stones, and yellow sallies), green drakes in May/June, and caddis caddis caddis all summer. Nymphing is getting it done, both Euro and traditional. Best of luck out out there!

Shop Trout Flies

Lake Fishing:

Pretty snowy and cold up at the lakes. Until the spring...

Shop Stillwater Flies

Winter Steelhead - North Oregon Coast + Portland Metro area 

Dry and sunny out on the coast and in the valley as of late. The long range forecast doesn’t show any large rain events in the future besides a few days of showers, which likely won’t do anything to the flows except maybe at a tint of color, which is a good thing! 

Fishing remains fairly slow and inconsistent. Fish are being caught no doubt, but man are we having to work for them this year. Discouraging to see for sure, but there are still enough fish to make it worth the efforts. 

Focus on larger river systems this time of year when the water starts getting low and clear. The smaller tribs are generally too low and far too clear to be productive, so the mainstems and larger rivers are where you should be focusing your time. There will still be chrome fish moving into these systems through the end of the month. Usually the closer to April we get the lower I fish in the systems to intercept late chromers. Versus fishing high and catching spawning or already spawned out fish.

Winter Steelhead - Hood River: 

While this has been a slow steelhead year all around, look for a few more fish showing up in the Hood. We generally see the peak numbers of fish around now in this system and it will fish well into April. Both swung flies and nymph techniques are working for folks.

Shop Steelhead Flies

Smallmouth Bass / Carp:

Smallmouth fishing has remained pretty tough recently. Fish are still fairly spread out making them tough to find. Sinking lines with streamers and crayfish patterns are getting it done down there. People gear fishing have a better advantage of getting their presentation down in their face quicker.

Shop Carp Flies

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-Zach Parker

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 1/29/2021

Trout

Deschutes River:

The Deschutes still remains a bit on the high side but the clarity is okay. Since the Deschutes is a tailwater, the flows usually remain pretty consistent throughout the year, so I generally don’t check flows prior to my trips out east. More importantly I’m checking the water temps when targeting steelhead in the summer months. But this time of year is when it is a good idea to check flows at both madras and moody down by the mouth to gain a sense of how fishable it will be. http://levels.wkcc.org/?P=Oregon.html this website also shows water temps and is updated hourly and is my go to river flows in Oregon resource. 

 Trout fishing is fair out there. I would be nymphing most of the day with a whacky worm or stonefly nymph, and a bead head mayfly nymph as my dropper. A euro jig style pheasant tail nymph always produces well, as do red psycho princes or red copper johns as droppers. Blue wing olives, the predominant winter mayfly on the Deschutes, will hatch generally during the warmest part of the day, late afternoon and is generally a short window. Look for rising fish during this hatch in back eddies and softer runs and seams.

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Lake Fishing:

Pretty snowy and cold up at the lakes. Until the spring...

Shop Stillwater Flies

Summer Steelhead

Deschutes River:

Deschutes steelhead will be going into spawning mode here pretty soon. You should not be targeting them now even though it is not technically illegal to. Leave them alone now so they can spawn and make future generations of steelhead. Besides, chrome winter fish are swimming to their home tribs on the coast and valley area as I write this report.

Shop Steelhead Flies

Winter Steelhead 

North Oregon Coast + Portland Metro area 

This year has had a slow start for the most part. The oceans have been really rough with some king tides occurring in the second half of January. Steelhead generally don’t like swimming into their home river when the oceans are rough. The ocean is flattening out and another rain event predicted this weekend should really get it going. Low water conditions on most coastal and valley systems right now but weekend rains should get the flows up and fish moving. Look for good fishing on the drop mid next week. There are definitely fish around though so don’t be discouraged and not go. Can’t get em sitting on the couch. 

For swinging, I usually run a floating skagit head with 10 feet of either t-11 or t-14. In heavier and deeper runs, I will switch to a sinking skagit head to get me down quicker and run the same t-11 tip mostly. Black and blue is my favorite winter steelhead fly color combo, but have done well on bright orange and reds as well. For nymphing, I usually run a single 12 mm orange or pink mottled bead under a large thingamabobber. I like using the thingamabobbers over the airlocks for steelhead nymphing because they make a larger size than the biggest air locks. I also use two bobber stops to sandwich my thingamabobber and slide the leader line through the hole, instead of looping it as you are supposed to do. I have lost some big fish with the loop method because it kinks and weakens your leader and when a big fish takes off on a hard run, it can snap pretty easily.

Hood River: 

Slow start, but I have heard of a handful of winter fish caught. The Hood River generally see’s the bulk of its winter steelhead arriving a bit later than other rivers with the peak arriving in late Feb through the whole month of March and into April.

Smallmouth Bass/Carp:

Smallmouth fishing has remained pretty tough recently. Fish are still fairly spread out making them tough to find. Sinking lines with streamers and crayfish patterns are getting it done down there. People gear fishing have a better advantage of getting their presentation down in their face quicker.

Shop Carp Flies

Shop Bass Flies

-Zach Parker

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 1/16/2021

Trout

Deschutes River:

The lower Deschutes has remained pretty high and unfishable recently but from reports I’ve heard from some friends who fished yesterday down around Maupin, the river is in better shape and better visibility. A couple feet is what I heard in terms of vis down there right now. The water is a little higher than normal too with all the rain we got last week, it has blown out a bunch of tributaries including the White River, causing the Deschutes to rise and dirty up a bit. 

It is fishable to some degree now. In higher and slightly off color water you can get away with running larger presentations and your skill presenting your flies doesn’t need to be as on point. You can get away with running 3x fluorocarbon tippet to your lead fly and 4-5x fluoro to your second dropper fly. In off color water a great fly choice is a san juan worm or beadhead wiggly worm with a pheasant tail or red lightning bug as a dropper. 

Another good high water tactic is running two big flies, a worm and a stonefly is a good combination. I’ve also done well using a small streamer like a size 8 sculpzilla as my lead fly and dead drift it under an indicator and allowing it to swing at the end of my drift. I’ve hooked some truly large Deschutes trout doing this. 

Keep an eye out for the late afternoon winter blue wing olive hatch and focus efforts fishing this hatch in the back eddies with a small size 16-18 bwo sparkle dun or film critic pattern.

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Lake Fishing:

Pretty snowy and cold up at the lakes. Until the spring...

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Summer Steelhead

Deschutes River:

Deschutes steelhead will be going into spawning mode here pretty soon. You should not be targeting them now even though it is not technically illegal to. Leave them alone now so they can spawn and make future generations of steelhead. Besides, chrome winter fish are swimming to their home tribs on the coast and valley area as I write this report.

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Winter Steelhead 

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North Oregon Coast + Portland Metro area 

Most steelhead rivers around the central and north Oregon coast as well as the valley remain pretty high at the moment, but are dropping fast and should be fishable by this weekend and into next week should be prime. General rule of thumb, if the waters high fish high. If the waters low fish low. The higher up you go in a rivers system, the less tributaries there are feeding it, and the more fishable conditions you will find. Often in low water, fish will stage up in the meat of the runs down lower in the system. 

This last big rain event caused some major flooding on many north coast rivers, so I have to imagine it will bring in a nice fresh pile of fish. Fishing the drop this weekend and into next week should be really good. 

Swinging big black and blue flies with 7-8 weight spey rods, skagit heads and t11 is the name of the game this time of year as these early Jan and Feb fish are generally pretty grabby. I’ll occasionally run a bead rig after swinging as that can be very productive as well. Covering as much water as you can is super important in the winter. I see guy’s all the time staking out a hole and fishing it all day long. This can sometimes work if the water is high enough where you have new fish recycling in and moving throughout the day. But once the river starts dropping and clearing, fish will not be busting up tailouts and moving until the safety of night comes.

Hood River: 

Slow start, but I have heard of a handful of winter fish caught. The Hood River generally see’s the bulk of its winter steelhead arriving a bit later than other rivers with the peak arriving in late Feb through the whole month of March and into April.

Smallmouth Bass/Carp:

Smallmouth fishing has remained pretty tough recently. Fish are still fairly spread out making them tough to find. Sinking lines with streamers and crayfish patterns are getting it done down there. People gear fishing have a better advantage of getting their presentation down in their face quicker.

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-Zach Parker

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