Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - September 5, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

September is here and it's full-on steelhead time.  It's been up, it's been down, it's been...well, normal steelhead fishing!  There was a wave of fish in the lower Deschutes a couple weeks ago that yielded some pretty unbelievable fishing for a while. That faded after a bit and settled in to a pretty standard good bite.  Anglers putting in shade sessions in the morning and evening have been rewarded with approximately 1-3 opportunities per day.  Sometimes more and sometimes less.  Call it standard steelhead fishing.  It's been great!  Particularly the dry line fishing.  The high sun sink tip bite will improve here shortly as the water temps come down.   

Angler etiquette is certainly worth mentioning at this point in the season.  The reality of the Lower Deschutes, especially the lower 10 miles, is that if there are a good number of fish going over the Dalles Dam, it's going to be busy. Hikers, bikers, rafts, drift boats, float tubes, gear and fly...anglers abound down there. With this in mind, everyone needs to be attuned to fishing with and around others.  You hear the term "Low Holing" thrown around a lot, but it's important to know what the definition of low holing actually is.  If you are fishing a distinct pool with a defined start and finish, that's your spot.  If someone jumps in below you within that defined piece, that is low holing.  Plan A is always to fish a run above the first angler, but that's not always possible.  The gray area is if there is another run below the first one that is technically a separate and unique spot.  Some people will be totally fine with you jumping into the second spot below and some will not be!  Good courtesy is to simply talk to the other angler and hash out a mutually agreeable plan if possible.  If that's not possible, party on.  It's not worth getting into a confrontation over.  Along these same lines, it's also important to recognize that you can't expect to have a gigantic stretch of water all to yourself for an extended period of time.  Sometimes people don't show up and you might get a few back-to-back runs, but that's not the norm.  Furthermore, do not under any circumstances be afraid to fish behind people.  Maybe you're casting a little further, swinging at a different speed or using a different fly.  All these factors and some others contribute to you hooking one.

Deschutes Trout

The trout have been noticeably active in spite of the recent heat.  You do not want to be a hapless caddis on the water at first or last light!  The trout have been on them like glue.  Most of the surface activity has disappeared during the high sun, but you'd likely do well nymphing faster water during the day. We're just a few days away from a major cooldown that will make the trout fishing much better through the entire day instead of it being a first and last light deal.  Steelhead steal the show in the early fall, but the trout fishing is not to be ignored.  It can be just excellent!

Mount Hood Lakes

Well, we're coming out of the longest spell of heat we've had the entire summer.  Surface temps on the local lakes have been a bit on the warm side.  A lot of the active trout will be at or below the thermocline until things cool a bit.  This means it's time to go deep.  Heavier sinking lines and extra long leaders with slip strike indicators will be the ticket to get you in the zone.  The impending cooler weather along with the shorter period of daylight should drop water temps here shortly.  There is still plenty of good lake fishing to be had this season.  With schools back in session and most summer vacations wrapped up, the traffic on the lakes should be on the slide.  The remainder of the stillwater season will present some excellent opportunities with relatively low fishing pressure.  Pretty fun!  

          

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - August 19th, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

Well, it's been off to a great start!  Numbers have been strong and fishing has been good.  We recently made it through three extremely hot days out in the desert....like over 100 degrees hot.  That has been the one upside of the extreme heat we've had so far this summer.  It's only been sticking around for a few days at a time.  It looks like we are out of the high heat for the time being and there are some cooler nights in the forecast, which helps a ton.  

From a fishing standpoint, the dry line bite has been excellent....especially in the morning.  With a solid number of fish present, this is a great time try and raise one on a skater.  At the very least, a grabby fish will often show itself.  It may not bite, but it will give you a visual cue in the form of a flash, boil or charge.  If you can't get it to commit on the surface, put a wet fly or two past it.  No guarantees in steelhead fishing, but that usually seals the deal!

Deschutes Trout

It's pretty amazing how much trout activity you see when you're trying for a steelhead.  The Redside's bigger cousins are not the only ones that like first and last light.  Wherever you happen to step in on the lower river, you're very likely to see some noses in the morning.  Several anglers have recently commented on the bigger trout grabbing caddis or aquatic moths in the morning.  We've seen some bruisers rising in the last couple weeks! 

Aside from the morning and evening surface program, all the standard sub-surface techniques have been effective, too.  On the nymphing side of things, make sure you have something cased caddis-esque in the mix.  Streamer folks can rejoice, as well.  Deeper/faster runs with some surface bounce have been giving up some great fish with outstanding grabs.  Make sure you're fishing a heavy enough rig to get your fly ~1/2 way down in faster water and you'll be in business.  Olive, black and natural streamers have been working well.      

Mount Hood Lakes

The stillwaters around Hood continue to be productive.  Recent reports have been favorable with a mix of tactics producing fish.  The surface bite continues with Callibaetis, some occasional chironomids and sporadic damsel flies.  Prospecting with generic smaller terrestrials has been really fun lately, too.  Call it something that just looks like a bug....tiny chubby, various ants, beetles, bees...you name it!  If you look closely on any given day with wind, you'll find a rather diverse smattering of terrestrial insects. Cruising trout in stillwaters seem to love random terrestrials, and that style of generic dry fly can get them to rise when other patterns do not. 

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - July 30, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

This graph is a pretty good summary of the early portion of the return so far.  Keep in mind that this is just unclipped steelhead, not total steelhead.  It's a relief and great to see!  Things on the lower river are about how they've been the last couple years.  Afternoon water temps are quite warm.  Your best bet is going to be from first light until noonish.  Keep in mind that the coolest water of the day is hitting Moody sometime right around 8:30 a.m. and trending up from there.  At this point, there should also be some fish higher up in the system.  Don't be afraid to fish the access road below Sherar's Falls.  You'd definitely have a shot at a fish and likely little company from other anglers. 

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Deschutes Trout

Not too much new to report there.  The trout fishing remains strong.  Especially in the mornings and evenings.  Caddis and aquatic moths are still the main bugs going.  Typical of the mid-summer, trout are parked in a lot of faster water.  This has made for some excellent Trout Spey fishing as of late!  Smaller sculpins and leeches in olive or black have been producing, per usual.  

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Mount Hood Lakes

The hot bite going lately has been in the evening.  We've had lots of reports of excellent Callibaetis fishing this week during the last few hours of daylight.  This is a good time to start carrying a broader assortment of Callibaetis dries.  Beyond standard duns and spinners, be sure to have some change-up bugs.  Cripples and emergers can save the day when the standbys are getting refused.  Many of the most productive lakes around Hood have been getting fished relentlessly for sometime now.  Something a little different can seal the deal when they get snooty.

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - July 18, 2025

Deschutes Steelhead

Everyone seems to be asking.  Are there some fish in the lower river?  Yes!  On any given year, barring a major catastrophe, there are some fish in the Deschutes in the first half of July.  Sometimes there's just a few and sometimes there's a bunch.  The major hitch tends to be the water temperature.  Interestingly enough, due to some combination of the dam operation and weather, the coldest water temps of the day have routinely been at about 8:30 a.m. at the mouth.  Not exactly corresponding with first light like we'd all prefer, but that's been the situation.  On the really hot days, it's only been getting down to ~66 degrees and going up from there.  Fortunately, we've had some slightly cooler nights the last few days.  Temps this morning were down to ~63....a much better number!

For those looking to try it for the first time, focus your efforts on the early part of the day.  Fish through the coolest water temps of the morning and call it a day when it starts getting excessively hot.  Put on 12 lb. and a bright hairwing with a stout hook.  The early summers can be totally ballistic and stacking the odds in your favor with the appropriate terminal tackle can be the difference between landing a fish and the "one that got away".     

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Deschutes Trout

Not too much has changed in the trout world out there lately.  Caddis and Aquatic Moths are still the stars of the show.  The best dry fly fishing has been early in the morning and in the evening.  That said, you can still drum up some fish in the riffles with a dry during the day.  Nymph fishing remains strong and the Trout Spey bite is definitely there, too.  The great news in the trout world is that the river is largely void of anglers.  It gets eerily quite out there post-stonefly and it's really not warranted.  The fishing is great!

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Mount Hood Lakes

Some of the shallower or lower elevation lakes are starting to go through a transitionary period.  After several weeks of summer weather, the surface temps are starting to warm on certain lakes.  Not to a detrimental degree, but it's changed the fish activity a bit.  Lots of fish, especially during the heat of the day, will be feeding down deeper toward the thermocline.  This can require a bit of a tactical change.  If the on or near-surface stuff isn't working, try a heavier sinking line that will get you down in the 10-20' range.  Slowly retrieving chironomid pupae or an unweighted leech will get these fish to go.  It's also worth trying early in the morning at this time of year.  The first light bite is not much of a thing on lakes at elevation earlier in the season, but it's definitely a thing now!  Expect to see insect and fish activity increasing earlier in the day with hotter weather.  

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - July 3, 2025

Deshutes Steelhead

Here we are again.  The front end of Summer Steelhead Season!!!!  It's a truly magical time of year for its devotees, but per usual, fraught with a bit of uncertainty.  Most of this is related to warm water in the lower river again.  The Moody gauge at the mouth has already hit 70.  Sadly, not an uncommon situation for this time of year.  The lower Deschutes was once a coldwater sanctuary for its native fish and for salmon and steelhead headed to other locales further east.  Now, it's not terribly uncommon for the lower river to be warmer than the Columbia, making it unappealing for any migrating fish.  Not to be all doom and gloom here as this all can change with the flip of a switch, more or less.  There was a breif yet notable drop in temp out of the dam in early July last year.  Hopefully this will happen again.

So what's going on with the front end of the run?  Early numbers of fish moving through the Columbia are a fair bit below where they were at this time last year, but that could easily be weather-related.  We've had some heat, but it's been fleeting.  Certainly not enough heat to bring up the Columbia temps enough to make steelhead move quickly upriver.  Recent counts over Bonneville are starting to go up.  As are numbers over the Dalles.  Hopefully this is the tip of the spear!

If you're ready to give it a shot for the first time, go early.  Fish for a few hours starting at first light when the water temps are at their coolest.  This is a dry line game.  Fish heavy tippet and stout hooks.  If you are lucky enough to come in contact in the next few weeks, be prepared for a serious battle.  Early summer fish are truly about as good as they get in every conceivable fashion!  They can be borderline unlandable in a lot of situations....and that's a risk worth taking!

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Deschutes Trout

As we slide into steelhead season, Deschutes trout tend to take a back seat.  The beloved anadromous cousins steal the limelight, but don't forget how good the trout fishing can be!  We're settling into the standard summer trout program which largely entails dead caddis early in the morning and swarms of mating bugs in the evening.  Look for the best dry fly fishing of the day to be in low light.  The last hour of fishable light often has the river very alive with trout looking for caddis.  Dead drift it...skate it...sink it and swing it.  Lots of techniques can be effective when they're into them.  

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Mount Hood Lakes

The stillwater fishing continues to be steady.  Callibaetis are present area-wide and the warmer weather is starting to spur more damsel activity.  The last few days have presented some interesting conditions.  Lighter winds with sporadic bug activity.  Fish were rising here and there.  Blind-casting a Callibaetis dry and letting it aimlessly drift was drawing the most attention.  Random small terrestrials were working, too.  Below the surface, fish were definitely looking for Callibaetis nymphs both under an indicator and creeped along on a midge tip line.  

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - June 19, 2025

Deschutes Trout

Put June right up there as one of the best months to trout fish the Deschutes.  It is annually amazing that so few people fish for trout out there after big bugs are gone.  It's uncrowded and the fishing is excellent.  Yes, that includes dry fly fishing!  The caddis program is going strong and it doesn't have to be complicated.  Grease up a size 14 or 16 Elk Hair and fish the choppy edges and fast pocket water.  You may not see a bunch of fish rising but they are definitely looking for caddis.  There are also a bunch of aquatic moths out there right now.  They are a little smaller than most of the caddis and a bit lighter in color.

Beyond the dry, it's kind of a "choose your own adventure" scenario.  Nymph fishing has been very strong with various Euro jigs and anything looking approximately like a cased caddis larva.  Smaller flashback Hare's Ears in 16 and 18 fit the bill there.  Don't be afraid to get out the trout spey, either.  Jigging streamers through deeper/faster runs has been producing some freight train grabs from bigger fish.  SO MUCH FUN!

The great news on Deschutes trout is the impending cloud cover.  We have some very welcome darker weather moving through, and even a chance of rain out there on Saturday.  This should spur a little more mayfly activity along with the caddis.  The fishing is going to be outstanding.  If you're feeling trouty, this is going to be a great week to give it a try.  

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Mount Hood Lakes

Stillwater fishing is in full-swing.  Callibaetis are present daily on most lakes to some degree.  The tricky part about targeting this hatch has been nailing a time period when there are a lot of bugs and lower wind.  It's been Gorge Summer windy here as of late.  Howling!  It has been relatively calm most mornings for a bit, but the cooler nights keep the bugs at bay until later in the day.

Subsurface fishing in the chop has been excellent on most days.  Wind-drifting balance leeches below a slip indicator is pretty hard to beat.  All leech colors seem to be working, but some of the lighter color schemes have been particularly strong as of late.  This could be related to the increase in Damselfly activity.  Either way, tan and lighter olive leeches have been great!

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Gorge Smallmouth

Lots of folks coming through on their way the John Day as of late.  Smallmouth fishing is game-on for the summer.  This is a great trip if you're looking to do some serious catching!  Fishing smaller poppers or foam bugs on a lighter rod will draw plenty of attention from the fish.  If you want to try for a bigger one, take out a heavier rod and use a much larger surface fly.  Or fish a big streamer on a sinking line in the deepest water you can find.  There are some bigger bass out there, but it can be hard to keep smaller offerings away from the plentiful little ones.  

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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! 

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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.  

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - March 28, 2025

Winter Steelhead

Sad to say, but we are getting to be on borrowed time for winter fish.  Call it another couple weeks, or so, remaining.  The good news is that the tail end of the season can yield some of the best fishing and the most enjoyable weather!  Water temps are on the rise and that's always a good thing for those that like to swing a fly.  It's getting close to "now or never" time for the fish with the final pushes on their way.  Though there are definitely spawned out fish dropping back, there will still be opportunities for chrome-bright fish out there.  All this said, if you're thinking about trying for one more winter fish, go soon!

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Deschutes Trout

Wish there was a hot Deschutes report, but we're on a bit of a holding pattern there.  All the rain in the past few weeks accompanied by a little heat has the Deschutes running rather high with color for the foreseeable future.  This isn't an uncommon situation for this time of year, and it's definitely a good thing.  Hopefully the elevated flows will wash out some of the silt and debris that's gathered from last season.  If you give it a shot, focus your efforts on whatever soft water near the bank you can find.  And be careful!  It's high and very pushy.  A lot of the water fish are in right now will not even require stepping off the bank.  

Fishing aside, this is such a spectacular time to see the Deschutes Canyon.  Early spring is very much in your face out there right now.  There's green grass and plenty of happy wildlife to see.  You're guaranteed to have a great deal of success out there with binoculars and a camera.  A fly rod....not so much for the time being.  Fishing should be very good in a few weeks when the flows drop.           

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 1/27/25

Deschutes Trout

The above photo pretty much sums up the weather pattern we've been stuck with for a while.  Bright days with clear skies.....and cold!  "Cold" is a bit relative considering the weather a large swath of the country has been dealing with, but it's been chilly for the Gorge.  Good news on the Deschutes is that the river is in great shape.  The high water has receded and flows are somewhere in the normal range for this time of year.  

With a lengthy string of nights in the 20's or less, the water is definitely on the cold side.  Temps are starting out in the 30's and peaking just a little above 40 briefly in the afternoon.  There is definitely a bite window, but it's been narrow.  Expect to pick off a fish here and there earlier in the day with a notably better period sometime in the 1:00-3:00 pm zone.  

Call the fishing program a nymphing show for the time being.  Though there may be quite a few b.w.o's on the surface, the fish don't love to rise in the cold water and high sun.  There is finally some moisture (and cloud cover!) on the horizon.  This will increase the odds of afternoon dry fly fishing and also help out the streamer bite.  

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Winter Steelhead

Steelhead anglers, it's time for us all to start praying for rain!  After a lengthy period of winter storms, it has been very dry.  Rivers throughout Northwest Oregon are on the low/clear/cold side.  There are fish on the move and a few being caught, but we need rain pretty badly right now.  Keep your eyes peeled for the next bump in flow.  Most rivers have gone quite a while without a spike and the next one should draw in a good wad of fish.  If the early reports are an indication, it's going to get really good again here soon! 

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 11/21/24

Deschutes Steelhead

Well, it's been a good one!  The weather has sure been a bonus this time around.  The Deschutes did not experience the dramatic and rapid drop in water temps that we'd seen in the last few years.  The lower river has been hovering somewhere around 48 degrees as of late.  That's a pretty good number in late November, but it's bound to change in the relatively near future.  If you're looking to get a last trip in, go sooner than later.

The bite has been pretty consistent when the conditions have been stable.  It's pretty much a sink tip program at this time of year.  Whether you get a hairwing down with a sinking leader or go to the Skagit and tip, you'll want to get the fly down a bit.  This doesn't have to mean full-on dredging....just get it down a little.  Could you still catch one on a floating line? Sure!  This is especially true on warmer afternoons.  Your best shot with this approach will be in shallower runs where fish don't have to move up quite so far to grab your bug.  Either way, there is something really special about catching your last Deschutes fish of the season....or at least trying to.  Best of luck to those who give it one more try!

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Deschutes Trout

Trout anglers have been pretty happy out there lately.  Similar to the steelhead, the trout don't love when the water is on the rise, but the fish has been solid with stable conditions.  The current weather patterns just scream B.W.O.'s!  They should be around mid-day most of the time for the foreseeable future.  A two fly nymph rig with an olive nymph dropper will be a great way to prospect.  Be ready to see emerging bugs sometime between noon and 2:00.  

Beyond the bugs, this is a great time to grab your trout spey or single hand streamer rig.  This window between fall and winter can provide some of the best streamer fishing of the year.  When it's on, it's a silly amount of fun and often produces some sizable fish. Standard leeches and sculpins will work well.  Don't be afraid to go big, either.  Larger streamers definitely have their days.....especially with the biggest fish in the run. 

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - October 18, 2024

Deschutes Steelhead

It's been a great season on the Deschutes.  Consistent fishing started early and remains strong.  The later portion of the season should prove to be good for those willing to deal with colder weather.  It looks like fall has officially made its showing in the Gorge, so be prepared for some crisp mornings.

The bite as of late has been all over the map, particularly on the lowest portion of the river.  Fish are certainly being caught but you definitely need to put some time in...or just get really lucky!  The return of Fall Chinook notably messes with the steelhead fishing for a bit in late September and the first couple weeks of October.  Fortunately, the salmon should be nearing the end of their life cycle soon and the steelhead fishing will improve.

One thing to keep your eye on is the water temps.  With much colder nights in the forecast, the water temperature is starting to slide.  The fish don't love when the temp is dropping on a daily basis, but they get happy again when it stabilizes for a few days.  Getting your fly down a little bit in colder water can dramatically increase your odds.  That doesn't mean that you have to dredge, but switching from a floating polyleader to a slow sink can be a game changer.  

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Deschutes Trout

Fall is such a wonderful time to trout fish the Deschutes.  The cooler water just makes the fishing a lot better.  The trout know that winter is just around the corner and they try to pack on some weight before the water temps start to slow them down.  Expect to see a smattering of caddis and BWOs in the afternoons.  Nymph and streamer fishing will be great.  Though it may be blasphemous to some, have a handful of egg patterns in your arsenal, too.  Indicator fishing with an egg trailing a heavy nymph is a homerun with all the salmon present.  Like it or not, trout love eggs!

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Local Lakes

We are nearing the end of stillwater season here on Mount Hood.  Please check the regulations as many of the lakes in the Central Region close at the end of the month.  If you have the opportunity to give it a try, focus your efforts on the later half of the day and expect the bite to fade as soon as the sun is off the water.  It's been getting pretty cold up at elevation and the snow level is getting lower and lower.  The warmest part of the day will present the most opportunities.

Hatches are noticeably on the decline, but there will still be some chironomids buzzing around in the afternoon.  Indicator fishing with a balanced leech and chironomid dropper will be a great bet.  Be prepared to slim down your tippet at this time of year.  As the water cools, much of the suspended algae dies.  The water can be gin clear and switching from 4x fluoro to 5x and 6x tippet will make a huge difference.

For those looking to extend their stillwater season, we've just received some glowing reports from the Justesen Ranch!  It gets rather hot out in Grass Valley, but that time has come and gone.  Water temps are ideal and the fishing has been fast and furious.  These private lakes will stay open until the weather gets really bad.  If you haven't been to this ranch, put it on the menu.  The scenery is spectacular and your party will have a private lake all to yourself for the day.  It is well worth the drive and the rod fee!

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - July 23, 2024

Deschutes Steelhead

It's that magical time of year again. Summer Steelhead season is here! We're all cautiously optimistic, but the early numbers are looking quite good. Local steelhead anglers always hope for a late shot of fish when things start off slow, but a better indicator of the overall run tends to be a strong early portion of the return. And that seems to be exactly what we have going on thus far. The daily count over Bonneville Dam has not been below the ten year average since June 7th. Writing that makes me giddy!

As for the fishing, this is premium dry line time.  Pick a wet fly or skater that you have confidence in and cover some water.  They are definitely out there, but combing water is the key to finding one. You're going to have your best shot from first light until mid-day when the water starts to warm.  Do pay attention to water temps.  Especially on the lower river.  I wouldn't put much stake on fishing the evenings until we get into a cooling trend.  Water temps are peaking late in the day and don't begin to drop until after dark. Check out Fishpond's great new tool for checking water temperature.

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Deschutes Trout

Many anglers start shifting gears toward steelhead by the end of July, but the trout fishing sure is good right now.  The trout crowd has thinned and the hatches are thick.  Caddis are the most important bugs going these days.  They are very active in the morning and evening and there are lots of great pursue caddis eaters.  Fishing back eddies in the morning can be important.  These recirculating currents gather spent bugs from the night before creating somewhat of a stationary buffet.  Once the sun is on the water, focus your dry fly attack in the shade.  Deep water under trees or along grassy banks will produce.  If you're nymph fishing, make sure one of your flies is a caddis.  If you want to see some explosive takes, skate an Elk Hair in rocky riffles during the evening.  Those eats are as good as it gets!

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Mount Hood Lakes

Lake fishing on the mountain remains strong.  What a great way to cool off!  There are still Callibaetis and the ever-present chironomids.  Damsel flies are also a sure bet.  The recent heat wave has warmed surface temps on a lot of the lower elevation lakes.  This has caused many of the active fish to stay deep in the cooler water.  Leeches on heavy sinking lines or slip strike indicators on extra long leaders will be critical in reaching the biters down deep.    

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Deschutes River - Fishing Update

The big bugs are fading on the Deschutes, but this doesn’t mean the party is over.  Scale down your chubbies and have a good selection of Yellow Sallies.  June may very well be the best dry fly month of the year!

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - April 1, 2024

Justesen Ranch

I recently got to spend a day fishing one of the beautiful lakes on the Justesen Ranch. The short story is you want to get out there ASAP! We had a cold start with air temps in the high 30's, but that didn't seem to bother the fish too much. Leeches brought the first few to the net early on. I made one long initial pass with a team of chironomids under an indicator and missed a couple. Then I changed to a scud/chironomid combo on the same rig and started doing very well. We had collectively racked up quite a few fish leading into lunch, and by that time, there were a few adult chironomids starting to make an appearance. When we shoved off after lunch, there were notably more bugs on the water. Call it around noon. There was a nice combination of smaller flies in the ~sz. 18 range and much larger "buzzers" that were about a sz. 14. 

It didn't take long for the fish to start rising with good regularity. Unfortunately, due to a series of fronts that had howling wind with them, the surface fishing only lasted all of 15 minutes. Enough time to catch a few on top, but not much more than that. It eventually got so windy that holding position in my float tube was a real challenge. I pulled over to a gap in the cattails and grabbed my scud/chironomid indicator rig and started roll-casting it up wind. This allowed for a nice drift in the chop. In spite of the tumultuous weather, this led to some of the fastest fishing of the day. It was more or less a bite every other cast!

Overall, the fishing was excellent. I'd expect that to continue for the foreseeable future. The ranch typically shuts down the spring season sometime around the middle of June, so I'd recommend booking dates sooner than later. They have a variety of lakes that can accommodate groups of all sizes. Lodging is also available on site. Feel free to reach out to us at the shop with any questions or to book your dates.

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Deschutes Trout 

It's a great time to fish the Deschutes! The canyon is a lovely shade of green that is only present in the spring. Wildflowers are blooming and there are happy birds everywhere. For the most part, the fishing pressure is fairly sparse compared to what's coming in the next couple months. Nymph or streamer fishing tend to be the best approaches, but keep your eyes peeled for bugs on the surface. Expect to see a mixture of B.W.O.'s, caddis and midges. It can be tricky to hit, but there should also be some March Browns showing up sometime in the next few weeks. 

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Steelhead 

It's hard to believe, but the window for winter steelhead is starting to close. We have a few more weeks of good fishing until it's a wrap. That said, as far as numbers of fish go, the tail end of the season is a great time to get out. The weather can be exceptional, and the pressure is fading as many anglers begin to look for Spring Chinook. Overall, this has been a great winter season all over the place. There just seems to be more fish this year. Hopefully this trend will continue with more summer fish. 

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Fishing Reports - February 5, 2024

Deschutes Trout

It's been a little rough going on the Deschutes as of late.  The Desert actually got quite a bit of snow in the end of January.  This was followed by a fair amount of rain and a substantial melt event.  The Moody Rapids gauge went over 12,000 c.f.s., which isn't enough to give the river a major flush like many are hoping for, but it will definitely help remove some silt and debris.  It's currently on a slow drop and should be on the high side of good in a handful of days.  The Deschutes can fish extremely well in higher water.  Focus your efforts on the soft water close to the bank.  There's no need to get out into the pushy stuff.  Dark streamers and larger nymphs will be the ticket.

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Steelhead

After a lengthy weather delay, it is game on for winter steelhead!  Most rivers have come back into fishable shape in the last couple days.  It looks like we're in for a fairly dry weather pattern for a while with a little maintenance rain mixed in.  Most rivers are predicted to drop to about average flow and hold there for a while.  This means steady flows and several days with fishable conditions.  We steelheaders are good at complaining about low water, but the nice thing about lower water is that you can still go.  Those who keep waiting for ideal conditions of a river on the soft drop at a perfect level just don't really fish that much.  Take advantage of the mild weather and get after it!  The more time your fly is in the water, the better chance you have.  

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports

Deschutes Trout

The weather has been pretty decent out on the Deschutes lately. Fish are settling into their typical winter patterns. This entails focusing the majority of your efforts in slower and deeper water. They will occasionally sneak into faster chop in the afternoon on warmer days, but the slow stuff has been the most productive. On the nymphing front, a big fly/small fly combo has been the ticket. Something heavy, like a T.J. Hooker, trailed by a Zebra Midge or B.W.O. nymph will work well.

The streamer fishing has also been good. We found the fish to be rather streamer-sensitive on our last outing. The little olive sculpin was not producing like it often does. Switching to a small black leech made a huge difference. They can be maddeningly specific like that sometimes. If your normal streamer doesn't do it in a likely spot, don't be afraid to change flies and go through the same run a second time. You wouldn't think the fly would be as important on an actively moved presentation, but it sure can be. Deschutes trout in a nutshell!
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Steelhead

It's many Steelheaders' favorite time of year...Winter! There are definitely fish around across their range. Some of the better reports of late have been coming from the greater Portland area rivers. The North Coast is also kicking out some early fish. Though the peak of the run is a way off, this is an ideal time to chase winter fish. There should be a couple quiet weeks remaining before the full-blown chaos ensues. The relatively lower numbers of fish in early January keeps the crowds down. This presents the chance to cover more premium water that hasn't been touched. It's the perfect time to fish a favorite river that gets crowded in February. We're going to see some water this week with the latest system coming off the ocean. Opportunities abound in the near future.
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Columbia Gorge Fishing reports - 12.16.2023

Deschutes Trout

The Deschutes went up a fair bit with all the rain in the last couple weeks. It was the first time I'd heard the term, "Atmospheric River" so far this winter. After all the rain, the river is back down to a great level. One X-Factor to keep an eye on before you go is the flow of the White River. It's been abnormally warm on Mt. Hood and most of the precipitation has been rain. The ski crowd has not been very happy so far this season. Unless we get a major deluge in the desert, the Deschutes above the confluence of the White should stay in good shape.

On the fishing front, it's mostly a B.W.O. game in the hatch department, so be prepared for that. Otherwise, it's a nymph and streamer program with both of these techniques being very viable. Overall, the temps have been pretty warm for the middle of December. This usually makes for very happy trout! Gaudy Euro-style nymphs with a hot spot or hot bead will work well. Don't be afraid to go big, either. Various stonefly nymphs, big Hare's Ears and the venerable T.J. Hooker in brown will all turn some heads. Sometimes a little bigger offering is the ticket in cooler winter water.

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Deschutes Steelhead

Could you still find a summer fish on the Deschutes? Yes. Are the water temps still in the zone? Also, yes! That said, the recent rains mark the unofficial kick off to the winter steelhead season. The latest ~ 2-week event was a real doozy causing flooding from the coast through parts of the Portland area. This was the first major flow spike of the winter and most certainly the catalyst to bring in a decent number of winter fish throughout Northwest Oregon. Most of the famous winter rivers are just coming into shape now. The next handful of days should present some great opportunities to swing flies in pretty mellow weather. The best thing a steelheader can do at this time of year is just go. Don't wait for the first few reports.....make your own!

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Reports - 11.18.2023

Deschutes Trout

All the dark November weather we've had couldn't be much better for trout fishing. Expect to find generally happy fish. Hope for some afternoon dry fly activity, but bank on nymphing and streamer fishing. This is prime time for a number of different approaches. If you're into the Trout Spey game, get out there ASAP! It's been cool out, but I wouldn't call it cold for this time of year. The water temps are extremely favorable for grabby trout on the swing or swing/strip. We just loaded up on a bunch of great new streamers. Reach out to the shop to get your Trout Spey program dialed in.

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Deschutes Steelhead

Things are winding down for Deschutes Summer Steelhead, but there's still hope! It just hasn't been cold enough to grind things to a halt, especially on the lower reaches of the river. The Moody gauge is topping out in the high 40's to 50 degrees in the afternoon. This is pretty darn good for the middle of November. Sink tip fishing will be the most productive, but don't be afraid to fish a hairwing on a slow sinking polyleader if the temps stay up. Fish are spread throughout the system, but it's pretty hard to pass up fishing the lower 15 miles of the river. The water is getting a little warmer down there throughout the course of the day, and there's a nice mix of native Deschutes stragglers and strays that are dropping out to the Columbia. If you're hoping to catch one more Deschutes fish, get out there soon before the winter weather settles in.

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