This is going to be a quick report with another full report coming when I’m back from the East Lake camping trip on Sunday or Monday.
The fly shop is open from 9-5:30 today and we look forward to seeing you over the holiday weekend.

We are watching the weather and seeing some very hot days piling up around Oregon for the next week. While that is a bummer for some of our waters, it won’t effect others at all, so I want to share this for 2 reasons:
#1- Keeping fish safe!
#2- Making sure those of you who still want to fish are going to the right places at the right times.

I’ll start with the bad. I think by Sunday or Monday a lot of our lakes are going to be in the zone of temps not good for catch and release fishing.
Exceptions to this will likely be Paulina Lake, Three Creek Lake and Todd Lake. East Lake will probably be okay in the mornings until 11 or 12, but after that watch temps and get off the water, especially fishing the shorelines and shoals that will warm quickly to the upper 60’s and 70’s.
Why is this? Shallow water warms faster of course, and East Lake has prolific shallow zones which ordinarily is the reason why it is such a productive trout lake for fly anglers. What is good sometimes is a challenge at other times.
Paulina has very limited shoal areas in comparison, and a very deep reservoir of cold water that if the wind blows mixes well with warmer water and helps keep the lake cooler overall. But you still have to watch temps there too. If it is over 68, stop fishing.
New Science also says for rainbows and brook trout, do not remove them from the water over 61 degrees. Keep your net in the water and reach down in the water to unhook and release the fish without bringing it in the boat or on shore. Brown trout withstand a little higher temps, but by just a few degrees.
Three Creek and Todd Lake are both still getting a lot of snow melt into the lake and should be safe for a while but let’s hope this heat moderates to closer to normal after the first wave is over.
I think Hosmer, Crane Prairie and most of the other lakes ought to be off the radar until we get a cooling trend. It’ll happen, so be patient.

The good news is our rivers for the most part will be cold and completely safe to fish over the next week. The Metolius is spring fed, as it the Fall River. They remain so cold outside air temps just don’t matter.
The Mckenzie is cold and clear, the Crooked below the dam is coming from a deep, cold source and will remain very safe to fish, and the Lower Deschutes from Warm Springs down to at least Whitehorse and probably all the way to Maupin is plenty cold to be good for the fish. I have zero worries for these rivers and for the health of the fish and the quality of fishing at this time.

It is a good time to think about wet-wading and add some Korkers I-Drain Neoprene Socks, or Simms Guard Socks to your wading apparel and wade in some of these rivers with your shorts on. I personally think the Metolius and the Fall are way too cold to wade in with bare legs and don’t recommend it, but the Deschutes and McKenzie and possibly the Crooked River are good options for this approach.

Early mornings and Late evenings are times with high potential in heat waves. That doesn’t mean you won’t find good fishing mid-day as this is a blanket statement for too many waters included in our discussion.

As for you, stay hydrated and cool and for goodness sake wear sunscreen.

Enjoy your weekend and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Jeff
7/4/24