We want to remind people that the river from headwaters to Allingham is still closed to protect the spawning areas. It opens May 22.
the river from Allingham to Lake Billy Chinook is open year round as always.
We remind people of this because a lot of people either don’t know, or they are sneaking up in the closed area. Please don’t. The river has been better with the “sanctuary” area closed for a short time each year. It is the “new hatchery”, the place where the fish spawn, and successfully grow to sizes to inhabit ALL of the river below. It’s good. It’s also our responsibility to protect it.
Fishing is good on the Metolius, still mostly with nymphs. PMD’s are just starting to show, by next week I’d expect to see them hatching way better. While it is not yet prime time for Green Drakes, this is the time of year they take a foot hold and begin hatching in small numbers. I would not go to the river without a Drake emerger and dun in my fly patch! My birthday is May14th, and many many many May 14th’s throughout my life have included catching fish on the Metolius with a Drake.
BWO’s are still important.
Afternoon dry fly action is improving, but you need to be in the eddies, soft pools and really know where to look about noon to 3. Evening’s will usually finish with light rises to Rusty Spinners now that it is warm during the day.
Caddis hatches are getting good late afternoons and evenings with the warm days. Iris caddis and other emergers are great, including X Caddis, but Parachute Caddis is one to have for now too.
A friend of mine was actually fishing Chubby’s over the weekend. There were enough mixed stones out he decided to try it, and it worked. He reported that skittering it was the most productive. While it is way too early for the golden stones we all know and love that hatch in the summer, there are various and lesser known stones that can be important day to day and place to place.
Bull Trout fishing remains good on streamers on a short sink tip (6′ of T-11 is a good choice). Bulls have been on Black the best, but White and White/Olive is always worth a shot.
I love this time of year on the Metolius. A lot of fun stuff to experience and fishing is getting better and better.