A busy day and weekend are in store starting tomorrow with the Water Watch dinner and fundraiser, so if a report is to be done, tonight is the night. Tomorrow we head to the big city, and Sunday and Monday to the coast for a quick trip (hope to get some crab) and then home to guide most of next week again.

I’ll start by saying ODFW made a good decision to close the Crooked River until 11/1/22 due to low water. This is the thing we hoped would happen to keep people from shooting fish in a barrel. Yes, it is a total bummer Crooked is running 10 cfs, but like I said before, it has been there many times, and has even been worse, and the fish will be okay. If the water levels go to 50 cfs on 11/1/22, why not go back and enjoy the fishery, as at that level the fish have some room to spread out again. 10 is just ridiculous though.

Also, on the Cedar Creek (Waldo Lake) Fire, things are getting better but Crane Prairie remains closed. Lava and Little Lava opened today 9/23/22. I do think Lava might be a good lake for October with the summer stocking program and lack of pressure, decent water levels and good weather.
Hosmer is open, North and South Twin are open, Elk is open. Todd is open.
I would go to Hosmer in a heart beat and fish leeches, red ice cream cones, water boatman, callibaetis and damsel nymphs and twin lakes specials. Be ready to fish intermediate and hover lines and dry lines with and w/o an indicator.

Paulina Lake was pretty darn good this week again on beetles and hippie stompers and balanced leeches (including brown and watermelon) Scuds, 2 Bits, small Hares Ear and Rainbow Warriors are good under the indicator as a dropper with the leech.
Fishing the edges and drop off zones is good. Water temps are now below 60 and might start off in the morning in the lower mid-50/s.

East Lake was insane yesterday for old guide Danny yesterday fishing balanced minnows on a sink tip. Callibaetis hatches are about kaput, but the nymphs remain important for a bit until the water temps go down to the 40’s. Leeches, damsel nymphs and beetles are great fall choices on East.
Good launching for drift boats at Hot Springs and Cinder. Some people are doing it at EL CG but the drop off is pretty rough for some vehicle and trailer combos. Tubes and Pontoons can be launched anywhere. East ought to stay strong for October fishing and is a top pick for sure.

The Metolius is very good and about the same report as the last 2 or 3, with tons of hatches going all through the river.
Upper River = Golden Stones, Caddis, PMD, Mahogany Duns and BWO
Middle River (Gorge to Bridge 99) = Golden Stones, Caddis, PMD, BWO, Mahogany Duns, Flav, Green Drake, Pacific Stones, Little Olive Stones (seem to be waning a bit now) and October Caddis.
Lower River = all the same bugs as the middle river!
The Kokanee ought to be showing up any day now. That means eggs.
Bull Trout fishing is excellent on streamers dead drifted, swung, stripped and even jigged around log jams and undercuts. A friend of mine was on the river a day or 2 ago and was wading quietly in a spot for trout, and this giant Bull trout swam up to his legs, circled twice and went under the cut bank. Trout like privacy sometimes, but they will come out to attack prey from those hiding spots too!

The Fall River is fishing quite well again and ought to be for a while. My favorite time on the Fall River is in the Fall and to see great BWO hatches and happy rising trout.
Streamers and Euro Nymphs and ants are good bets, and certainly our summer PMD and Caddis are not over yet, especially with the nice weather coming up.

The Lower Deschutes is fair to good for trout and some steelhead are being found. October is a great month to fish the Lower River and with increasing October Caddis hatches, more stone nymphs in the drift, salmon spawning, mayfly hatches and drifting nymphs and even midges and micro caddis in the eddies there is a lot to look out for there. By a long shot, our FFP guide team are hooking most of the fish on Euro Nymphs now. Trout Spey with streamers, sculpins and crayfish is fun and effective.

The Middle Deschutes is fishing well and is a good option this week and next before the water rises at the end of irrigation season. PMD’s and Caddis are waning, but BWO and Caddis remain good and add Mahogany Duns to the mix in many areas. Again, Euro Nymphing is responsible for the best catches.

Right Now I don’t see any access to the Upper Deschutes from Little Lava to Crane. Bummer because it’s only open for one more week and that is fun in the last week or 2 up there.
I do not have a report from the Upper D below Wickiup to Sunriver. Should be good, but I haven’t been nor have I talked to anyone who has for a few weeks. Water levels will drop quickly soon as the will shut off flows from Wickiup very soon even though today it’s 1100 cfs and plenty good to float.

We had awesome guide trips to the McKenzie this week again. Floating it with a guide is your best bet to have a good trip and our guide team at FFP love that river. It will be one of there top picks to guide all the rest of Sept and through October.

Until next week, see you on the water and enjoy the great weather and good fishing we expect to see for the next week or so.

Jeff