Let’s start with the news about high water flows on a couple of our rivers. The Crooked River is cooking at over 1300 cfs today, and will probably be high for over a week at this point. Normal flows are about 250 cfs. Over 500 cfs and we don’t go.
Prineville Reservoir is 99% full and rising, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see the flows below the dam go higher over the course of the next several days.
The Middle Deschutes is also much higher as Wickiup releases have gone from 100 cfs to 400 cfs and without any diversion in to the canals until next week, that flow is rolling through Bend and the river is high all the way down to Lake Billy Chinook. By this time next week, I believe the flows on the Middle will be under 500, maybe even under 400. Today is 721 CFS and that would be awfully challenging access and wading on the Middle D. Yep, there are places to fish, but it won’t be out top recommendation until irrigation diversions begin next week and increase in Mid to Late April.

The Metolius has been fishing well this week, with good reports of a nice afternoon mayfly mix of BWO’s and Cinygmula’s (pronounced Sign-ig-Mewla). Fish are looking up and taking dries and emergers most days. We’ve also taken some fish on dry caddis like Iris, Corn Fed, X and even Elk Hair’s. If you’re below Bridge 99 next week with the warm weather coming back, tuck a few March Browns in your box too. Hasn’t happened yet, but it is imminent. Such a pretty hatch of Mayflies too.
The best fishing is definitely on nymphs, with Perdigons, Eggs, Caddis Pupa, Golden Stones and Brown Mayfly Nymphs working really well. Add some Red Copper Johns, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchie’s and Soft Hackle PT’s and Hares Ears.
Bull Trout are being caught on both nymphs and streamers and have been abundant below the Hatchery and down towards Candle Creek.
Remember that the river is closed from the Spring/Headwaters to Allingham Bridge and does not open until May 22 in that critical spawning area. We saw some folks fishing upstream of the Camp Sherman Bridge over the weekend and PLEASE don’t do that. Walking over redd’s is not cool at all. Know the river, know the regulations.

The Lower Deschutes through the Maupin area runs (Nena to Wapinitia and Maupin to Mack’s) is fishing well as per Aaron’s reports. He is fishing heavy beaded Euro nymphs with a ton of success.
March Brown hatches should be pretty peak next week and for the rest of the month. Mix some Caddis and BWO’s in and there ought to be some good emerger and dry fly fishing to be had on the lower D.
Don’t forget your Stonefly nymphs, Streamers and Leeches. Euro, Indicator, Swinging, Trout Spey, Dry Fly….Deschutes in the spring is like that. Go get em.
Also, don’t forget the Warm Springs, Mecca, Dry Creek, Trout Creek and South Jct access points are closed until April 22.

The Fall River is fishing well and we’ve shifted a lot of our spring special guide days to the Fall since the Crooked is running high.
BWO’s, Midges and some Caddis are the main hatches, but keep an eye peeled for March Browns and certainly give Ants and Hippie Stompers a try too.
For our guides, Micro Streamers have been producing the best, with heavy Zebra Midges, Perdigons, Red Copper John’s (Thanks Troy!), Mops and Eggs doing quite well.

We had some amazing days on the Justesen Ranch Lakes this week. A few customers took advantage of the good weather earlier in the week and caught some darn good rainbows.
Mostly nymph fishing under an indicator with leeches and chironomids. Stripping leeches and water boatman and damsels has been good. Fish are rising to Chironomid Emergers on and off when the wind is calm and that can be sweet dry fly action.
Call us for a booking, or call Amanda Justesen and tell her Jeff at FFP sent you. You will be happy out there I am sure.

Chickahominy Reservoir is incredible. Worth the 2 hour drive east of Bend. Leeches and Chironomids have been absolutely on fire. Blobs and Prince Nymphs are good too. Wade the shorelines and don’t forget your net.

Haystack is also fishing great. You can wade the shorelines, tube it or launch a boat at the ramp. Leeches have been by far the top producing flies. Chironomids and Balanced Streamers are good bets too.

South Twin is fishing well, but the fish are showing signs of copopods (gill lice) after ice out. The fish are seemingly fine otherwise, but many of the fish being caught are reported to have the copopods covering the body, some more than others.
Balanced Leehces, Olive Wooly Buggers, Damsels and Chironomids are your early season flies here. Tubing is going to be your best option.

Lake Billy Chinook has not really taken off for the fly guys yet. Some Bull Trout are being caught in all the arms. From what I have heard it seems like the Deschutes Arm might be the best? I am headed to Belize this afternoon but will be on LBC as soon as I get back after 4/14. If any one has intelligence to share I’d be grateful. A reminder that the water is low and will be for a while until the dam work is done. Crooked River Boat Ramp is the only sure bet for bigger boats to launch.

A few notes, we have 5 spots left for the August 6th Phil Rowley Seminar.
If you’re on Instagram please give my new page a follow if you like fly fishing lakes. Oregon_Stillwater_Jeff
Also, if you like lake fishing, you have to go by the shop and check out the Lake Fly Displays I finished this week. Our selection is fantastic and as organized and easy to get to as it’s ever been.
Same on the saltwater flies, (that was last weeks project) and if you are headed Flats Fishing in Belize or Mexico I have a great selection to choose from.
I’ll be flats fishing in Belize all next week, with a great group of 15 good folks who are all excited for the trip! If you want to be included in the next trip, it will be the 1st week of November so let me know.
Also I have a few open spots for the Chile trip in January.

I am so excited for the season and really look forward to seeing you soon. I’ve been having a blast at the shop reconnecting with a lot of friends I hadn’t had the chance to see when I wasn’t managing the store myself. That will be the normal schedule for a lot of the summer as my guide schedule is light in May, June and July and gets a bit heavier in the late summer and fall. It’s already been a good year, but the best is yet to come.

Fish it well,

Jeff