Did you come over to Central Oregon for the Spring Break? Or taking an extra day off this week to spend with the kids while they are out of school?
It ought to be a good week to hit the water.
Here is the latest on what we’ve been seeing and where we think you might have some good fishing this week:

The Metolius is fair for Dry Flies, good for nymphs and pretty good too for big bulls on streamers.
Let’s break that down a bit.
Yesterday there were both BWO’s #18 and Cinygmula Mayflies #14-16 hatching in the afternoon. Keep an eye out for the Cinygmula’s in the early evening too. We have this really cool thread body, yellow parachute that is probably the #1 fly to match these bugs, but certainly Knock Down Duns, Sparkle Duns, Comparaduns and Yellow Soft Hackles will do the trick. On the Blue Wing Olives, fish the cycle of the hatch from nymphs several hours before you might see the 1st duns emerge (about 1 PM), then be ready with emergers and cripples, duns and tuck some #18 rusty spinners in the box if you plan to fish from 5 to 7 PM.
March Browns ought to pop below Bridge 99 really any day now. If you see some, please write me and let me know. Always exciting to see them on the water.
As I’ve written about most of the winter reports and now continuing in the spring, it’s been awfully good on caddis. More pupa than dry adults, but some of my good local regulars have got fish up on caddis dries including Iris Caddis, X Caddis and Corn Fed. It is still very important to be drifting Amber and Orange Pupa patterns as those October and Silver Stripe Caddis are not done until usually the end of April.
Stonefly nymphs have produced well, especially Golden’s.
Perdigons, Eggs, Caddis Pupa, 2 Bit Hookers, Micro Mayflies, Walts, Zebra Midges, CDC Guides Hares Ear and Rainbow Warriors on the Euro Rig or under an Oros or NZ Wool Indicator. Oros will support the bigger nymphs and NZ Wool will be delicate for the small nymphs. Also, if you haven’t tried the new Xtra Small Oros Indicator, they are wicked good with one nymph and detect really soft takes. Add one to your kit.
The Bully Boys from the shop (Mattias and Gavin) have landed some amazing fish on streamers lately. Now it is your turn.

The Fall River is a great bet over the Spring Break week. It might be a bit crowded at the hatchery mid day, but if you hit it 7 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 7 PM it’ll be more mellow would be my best guess. Mid Day is a good time to go explore and walk and try your best to fish under fished waters. I know that isn’t as easy on the Fall, but it can be done.
The headwaters area has been good down to the Camp Ground.
Midges and BWO hatches are the main 2 hatches, but keep an eye open now for March Browns and some grey Caddis this week.
Micro Streamers and Euro Jig Streamers continue to be excellent for us, as are Zebra midges, Eggs, Perdigons and 2 Bit Hookers with a tight line/sighter rig or a XS Oros or NZ Wool Indy.
We are offering our spring special guide trips at the Fall and Crooked for $395 from now until 4/21/24. $395 for up to 3 people is a bargain and a great way to get out early and learn from our excellent guide team.

The Crooked River is in excellent shape BUT I am nervously watching inflows to the reservoir and concerned the BOR will have no choice but to bump flows back up….
Maybe not. So until then, let’s keep enjoying the perfect flows and go fish the Crooked.
Here’s what we have found this last week. Very few BWO’s so far. This surprises me, but it is nature and they will pop when they are good and ready to do so. Some decent midge hatches, but fish only poking around on the dries, not feeding heavily on them yet.
Nymph fishing is very good. Our guides and shop staff that fished it about every day last week reported Zebra Midges, Perdigons (especially bright ones that show up in the murkier water we are seeing now), Winker’s, Orange Scuds, Rainbow Warrior, Cased Caddis, Flashback PT and 2 Bit Hookers.
I do hope to see the hatches getting stronger and more dry fly opportunities, but until then, the nymphs are working just fine and plenty of trout and whitefish are keeping the rods bent. We are offering our spring special guide trips at the Fall and Crooked for $395 from now until 4/21/24. $395 for up to 3 people is a bargain and a great way to get out early and learn from our excellent guide team.

The Lower Deschutes near Maupin has definitely turned a corner as Spring has arrived. There have been great days on the nymphs both upstream towards the Locked Gate and downstream, all the way to Mack’s.
Stonefly nymphs, Perdigons, Frenchie, Soft Hackle PT, Hares Ear, Prairie Dog Pupa and small Streamers are working well for Aaron and others friends down there. If you give Aaron a follow on YouTube or Instagram @troutdirty and see his video content from the Lower D over the last few weeks.
It should not be long until we see March Browns hatching down there too.
We can offer guide trips on the Lower Deschutes. Aaron is happy to do Walk and Wades and Troy, Tonn and Steve float trips. No spring special pricing down there however.
Please remember to look at the 2024 regs and stay off closed waters. As a reminder, Warm Springs, Mecca, Dry Creek, Trout Creek and South Junction are closed until 4/22/24

Justesen Ranch is fishing great. Private access lakes for $150 per day. Leeches, Chironomids and even some dry fly action on emergers has been good. Float Tubing or a pontoon boat will give you the best access to the fish. Call us at the shop or contact Amanda at the Ranch and tell her Jeff sent you! justesenfishing@gmail.com or (541)980-4084
She also has 3 cabins/houses available for overnight stays.
Check out my write up on the private lakes page of the FFP website.

Haystack Reservoir is fishing well. Balanced Leeches and Chironomids are working great. You can wade the shore lines or tube or launch a boat at the ramp which is now open. ODFW stocked some big brooders recently and folks have been catching some really big trout lately.

Lake Billy Chinook is fair on the fly. Metolius arm might not be the best bet as of now, so consider the Deschutes arm as well.
Bull Trout catches so far (from my own trip and talking to other anglers who’ve been going regularly) have been so-so. Do we need warmer water? Has the lower reservoir conditions displaced fish off the banks where we chase them?
Let’s hope for a better report soon.

Chickahominy Reservoir has been excellent fishing. It is a 2 hour drive east of Bend, but wading the edges has been quite good. Leeches, Water Boatman, Blobs, Chironomids and Prince Nymphs are good.

Just a reminder that this Thursday 3/28/24 I will be the speaker at the Cascade Family Flyfisher’s Club in Eugene and they welcome guests to their meetings at no charge and without pressure to join.
my presentation will be on Fly Fishing local lakes. If you are in the Willamette Valley near Eugene please come and enjoy the evening as I share info on one of my favorite subjects.

Also, we have only 9 (NINE!) spots left for the August 6th Phil Rowly Clinic. Call the shop (541)549-3474 to get signed up.

See you on the water or in the shop, and happy spring break.

Jeff