It always feels like Christmas Morning and the best Birthday Party you ever had when Opening Day hits. It’s funny that it is just randomly on April 22nd, which could be any day of the day of the week. I kind of liked the old days when it was always on a Saturday, because it was like a ritual getting the boat and tackle ready for the big day. I understand they are all big days, and that tomorrow is just as special as any opening day.
I plan to be on Crane and hope to see some of you there too.

Since it is the opener, let’s start this week with the newly opening places. The Warm Springs to Trout Creek drift + Mecca and South Junction, Crane, Wickiup and talk about the Lakes not yet accessible due to snow on the roads still.

Warm Spring to Trout Creek + South Jct is opening tomorrow (4/22) and ought to be prime with 3900 CFS flows. Salmonflies are just 2 or 3 weeks away, meaning stonefly nymphs are going to be killer.
Expect March Browns and some small caddis hatches, but be prepared for the nymphs too.
Don’t forget your Warm Springs Tribal Permit if you are fishing from Dry Creek to Trout Creek!
Don’t forget your Boater Pass if you are floating the river.
If I was going tomorrow I would set up 3 rods. My 10′ 5 weight for nymphs under an indicator. My 10 1/2′ 3 wt for euro nymphing, and a 9′ 5 weight for dries.
Certainly some game to be found with trout spey stuff too. So, for you swingers, swing it well man. It should be great on sculpin and leech type stuff on sink tips.

Crane Prairie is opening 4/22 and we know the docks are in at the resort side launch. I have not heard yet if Quinn or Rock Creek are open due to snow.
Last year at the opener black balanced leeches and chironomids were very good.
Road 40 is inaccessible due to snow pack on the road, so take Road 42/South Century Drive past Fall River to get there.

Wickiup is opening 4/22. With only a 54% level it is already low. Bummer. But it should fish well for a month or two for sure. Maybe longer when the snows up high start to come off.
Try balance leeches, chironomids, sculpins, caddis pupa and damsel nymphs.

Hosmer, Lava and Little Lava are still snowed in. They should be good in 2 or 3 weeks so we will keep it posted when they open up.
Paulina and East are not close to being able to open. Paulina Lodge says May 14 is their opening.
I posted photos from the East Lake Resort on the FFP Facebook page the other day. There is a good amount of snow up there and the lake was iced over except by the hot springs.
I’m sure by the 3rd week of May we will be up there! Crossing fingers now…

The Crooked is fishing well and is one of the best opportunities now. The water is up to full summer flows at 275 CFS.
Plenty of BWO’s hatching and great nymphing now, especially euro stuff on perdigons and zebra midges and 2 bit hookers.
Scuds and Leeches are also working well.

The Middle Deschutes is my favorite April spot for rivers. March Browns are the primary hatch of importance, but expect PMD’s, Pale Evening Duns, Caddis and a mix of BWO’s depending on the exact spot and place you end up between Bend, Tumalo, Lower Bridge and Crooked River Ranch access points.
Salmonfies are about 2 weeks away on the lower stretches of the Middle D.
Great nymph fishing. Usual suspects we talk about, including Perdigons and Micro May’s.
Water is low and easy to access and wade.

Fall River is very good too. Looks like ODFW has stocked some new trout in there.
Afternoon hatches are a mix of BWO and PMD. PMD’s will get more abundant by May. Some caddis, midges, ants, and attractors are getting fish up on top too.
Headwaters, Hatchery, Tubes and Falls are all worthy of your time.
Don’t forget your nymph rod, because it won’t be all dry flies all day. Most hatches are mid day between 11 and 4 and again towards dusk on warmer days.
Warm days might be a thing of the past after tomorrow. Looks like a cooler and wetter patterns is starting Friday late. That is good for the region.

The Metolius is seeing a bit of the April Blues. I’d say December and April are the weirdest months on the Met. Inconsistent. And holding true to form it has been!
Fishing most days is OK, but it’ll be better in May when things really start to turn for the better.
Now, nymph with precision, look for hatches of BWO’s and Cinygmula’s, Caddis and even some midges to be important fish catchers. But don’t expect it’ll all be on top. Fish the columns, nymphs, emergers, adults….
Bull Trout on Streamers has continued to be good on most days. AND oh boy do we have some killer new streamers lately. If you love Bulls, come check out the streamers. Best we’ve ever had.

Have a great week, great fishing, be kind to other anglers and boaters, and remember good etiquette on the water.
I always love to hear from people that read these reports. If you have a report to share, that is one of the ways we get info for this.

Lastly, today we sent out a new newsletter focused on Stillwater fishing. It has a good blog on Chironomids by my friend Sean who I cherish his info (and his brother Shane too) when I see them on the lakes, it has 5 Callibaetis flies with video tying instruction links from our friend Phil Fischer in Sunriver who knows what our local fish like to eat! And it has a couple of links we are inviting people to take part in with presentations by the stillwater master Phil Rowley. Tomorrow night he is doing a free You Tube show on Loch Style fishing, and I can’t wait to watch that, and hope many of you can do the same.
if you are not on our email list and want to get the newsletters I do periodically, shoot me a message and we will sign you up.