I’ve had a few days of laying around because I got really sick on Wednesday and have to quarantine at home. It’s a Total Bummer to miss guiding and fishing, and I also really need to be at the shop counting flies to finish deadlines for preseason orders. But that’s life, we can’t control a lot of stuff and when the body get’s sick it is time to rest, and it’s time to stay away from others to not expose anyone as best we can. Funny too, I had just got both the Covid and Flu shots last Monday in hopes for high efficacy before November travel to Belize and my surgery later in the month.

This week I am going to start with a conversation about introduced trout. There seems to be a large difference in opinions on whether Oregon waters would be better off with only native trout, or if we take the success of what are now wild trout and count our lucky stars we have both?
I am of the lucky stars group and I will share with you my opinion on it.
Brown Trout and Brook Trout were both introduced to Oregon, Browns in the late 1800’s and Brookies in the early 1900’s.
For me, Brown Trout are my absolute favorite trout species to catch. I just love them, and how they feed, how they act throughout the season and how beautiful they are to look at. They also grow to immense sizes and the state record of 28.5 pounds came from Paulina Lake. Previous records also came from both East Lake and Paulina before the current record was set in 2002. I have recently seen fish in East Lake that rival the size of the record.
These trout were introduced to the Upper Deschutes when Bend was a blip on a map. Back then it was just a small logging town with one of the finest rivers on the planet running nearby. In fact the fishing was so good the limit was 125 trout per day in 1901.
Between humans taking an over abundance of both native rainbows and introduced browns we didn’t end up killing off either. Add our terrible history of severe water mismanagement both fish have coexisted very well in the Deschutes for well over a century. The Upper Deschutes ran naturally at 600 to 700 cfs, and with irrigation demands in summer it often exceeds 2 or 3 times that, and will run a paltry 100 cfs most of the non-irrigation months from now until next April. And that is with conservation agreements now applied for the Spotted Frog. A few years ago we might see the river at 20 cfs in the winter. That is no habitat to keep fish alive.
So why is there such a dichotomy in the angling world with the existence of both species living together?
ODFW changed the regulation to unlimited kill of Browns in the Deschutes in the last 5 years or so. Yet, ODFW keeps seasons shortened to protect them in spawning areas each fall. We see the early closures on the Fall River and the Upper Deschutes. That is not for native rainbows.
The annual fish rescue at Lava Island is projected to happen this week where the (incredible) group called the Deschutes River Conservancy has spearheaded a fish rescue each year for many years now and inevitably the fish that wow the rescuers the most are the big browns that get netted from a soon to be dried up side channel and will be carefully brought back to the main river by a volunteer with a bucket. (If you want to help do this check out https://www.deschutesriver.org/event/2024-lava-island-fish-rescue for volunteer opportunities). I feel these kind of mixed messages are harming a fish that may actually be the future of trout in Oregon. Brown Trout do better in warmer conditions. Climate Change has assured us hotter summers as we’ve been living through many years in a row of that. In the the mid 1990’s a Whirling Disease epidemic on the Madison River whacked the native rainbow population hard, and it was the browns that kept the fishery and the industry alive and well until the rainbows rebounded several years later.
So how could 2 trout live in such harmony in so many places around the planet, including here in Oregon that suddenly one of them is the problem?
I really like what my friend Chester says here in a private letter concerning this subject:
Further, the demonization of brown trout by the ODFW is a handy smokescreen that obscures that agency’s failure to protect ALL TROUT in the Deschutes watershed. The current flow regime in the upper river is a scandal, and the boondoggle of the water tower on the lower river is battering steelhead, salmon and trout on the lower Deschutes. ODFW is de facto allowing a sustained largemouth bass fishery on Crane Prairie. Do we want to see largemouth bass from the Crane Prairie dam downstream to Steelhead Falls? I don’t think so, but there is a danger of that happening.
Why don’t we focus on repairing the ecological challenges that wild trout face on many of our rivers? Well, that is much harder than pointing an accusing finger at the brown trout. If we waved a magic wand over the state and eliminated every brown trout in Oregon, that would not improve any habit, streamflow or pollution problems — and it would not improve any fishery.
Anyway, think about your position on the 2 species living here and let me know what you believe. In the meantime, if you want to help rescue some trout this week, give that DRC link a whirl and put your waders on for a different reason.

One other important conservation note before the report. The Deschutes River Alliance is promoting a Movie called the Last 100 Miles at the Sisters Movie House and it is coming up on October 23rd. I plan to be there and will be watching with great interest. I know a lot of the crew from FFP will be there too. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here https://www.deschutesriveralliance.org/shop/p/sisters-thelast100miles
Please come and support this organization and watch this film. Protecting the Deschutes is our obligation.

This weeks Metolius River reports are courtesy of some very fine anglers I know, Chester and Phil.
Chester is almost entirely a Dry Fly Guy, and has been fishing dries throughout the afternoon and evening and finding fish on #16 PMD’s, #18-20 BWO’s, #16 Mahogany Duns, #16 Tan Iris and Tan X Caddis and some #16 Rusty Spinners at the last light of the day. This is mostly near the Wizard Falls area but also upstream of Allingham as that is both of our favorite time of the season to fish dries up there.
Phil has been around the Canyon and Bridge 99 and from what I can tell the fish still want to eat a Drake, but the Drake hatch appears to have fluttered its last flutter for 2024. I’d still carry a Dry Ice Drake, Sparkle Dun and Film Critic for the next 7 to 10 days based on past experiences. I’ve seen fish eat the straggler Drakes in November. Phil said his week saw fish on both dries and using his Euro nymph rod and the nymphing rod won the fish to net total for the week.
I saw John Kreft posted a photo of a Silver Stripe Sedge he captured this week. These smaller relatives of October Caddis are going to be more important soon, and now we can focus on the orange pupa from size 8 to size 12 with confidence. Check out his blog and flies https://www.johnkreft.com John and his wife Karen are two of the most respected anglers on the Met.
Bring that nymph rod set up! Use Golden Stone Nymphs, EGGS(!!!), Perdigons, Sparkle Pupa, Frenchie, 2 Bit Hookers and did I say EGGS. I did , but use them twice. Kokanee spawning time in a run like this drops a lot of round orange protein in the drift.
As for Bull Trout, it is a prime time of the year to be after them and we prefer streamers for the moment. Euro Jig Streamers are hot, as are the big articulated stuff you’ll cast with a 9 or 10′ 8 weight. There are a lot of really nice fish in the system and the best of it is yet to come.

The Lower Deschutes is really good again. Our guides and our friends have been doing really well on nymphs for both trout and steelhead.
This week we saw a lot of good action on Caddis Pupa (October and Tan #14-16), PMD Nymphs, Perdigons and Eggs. None of the guides mentioned it, but Stonefly Nymphs (peacock, golden and black) are going to be important for Fall. I like a Red Worm for Steelhead and a Lightning Bug…. If Steelhead are around- and they sure as hell are!- then think about running those nymphs too.
Steelhead are going to a swung fly on a dry line still as any real cold fall weather just hasn’t hit us yet, but it is coming this week. Start adding the skagit and sink tips with intruders and leeches to your game plan.
We have some limited guide days available in October, so it may be tough to get on the schedule as of now. November opens up and we look forward to a lot of great steelhead trips with our guests from now until Thanksgiving or longer. Here is a wonderful photo from yesterday with guide Capt. Drew and 2 very happy guests.

The Crooked River is special and worth a visit and good fishing day. We are below normal winter flow for some reason, so I think it will bump from 72 cfs to about 100 cfs and hold there for the winter. 72 is fine, 100 just gives the fish more habitat.
PMD’s are still going and mixing in to the BWO’s that we think of as the Autumn time hatch.
The Furminky’s BDE Dun is a good fly to transcend both hatches I believe. It is one I reach for when I fish the Crooked in the fall.
Nymphing is great, but with lower water lighten your bead and probably go to one singe fly to minimize weed snags. I also prefer to fish a NZ Wool indicator over euro style in lower water as it allows me to be more flexible in putting the fly in more water types and areas.
I still have some, but not sure these are available any more but Tiemco (the Japanese hook brand) used to make these hot pink sticky foam rectangular strike indicators. I would cut them in half and space them 5 inches apart to see 2 indicators that were both very small work as a team. Why 2? Two would line up and in the seam telling you if the drift was correct. Two would be easy to watch and you often see the subtle “slide” happen easier than with just one. My next trip to the Crooked I’ll pull them out and use it again and report if it’s as hot as I remember. I’ll also check my Tiemco distributor and see if they have them still.

The Fall River was one of the places I did get to this week and it was darn good. My customer Sean is more of a dry fly angler than a nympher or streamer fisherman, so we stuck with dries 90% of the time and did quite well. I have often mentioned the Orange Missing Link Caddis in this report. Well if a picture says a 1000 words let this speak volumes as to why you need to add Missing Links to your box –

That Missing Link and both PMD and BWO Knock Down Duns were our best flies. When Sean wasn’t looking I borrowed the other rod and got a couple of fish on an Olive Mini Gulp. Had to be done for research. Eggs, Mops, Zebra’s, 2 Bits, Micro May and Various Perdigons and Euro Streamers are working well and hates include Amber Caddis #14, Yellow Sally #12-14, Olive Stones #16, BWO #18, PMD #16, Mahogany Duns #16 and we even saw a 10 minute hatch of Green Drakes that were about a size #12. I almost forget to mention we had rises to beetles too. Lot’s of people out there but worth fishing.

Don’t forget the Upper D is closed from Benham Falls to Little Lava Lake until 5/22/25. You know, to protect brown trout for the unlimited kill limits. HAHA.

Lakes Report-

Paulina Lake is really picking up and is going to be one of my top places as I finish up my season when I am better. When we fished it Wednesday we stuck with the Purple Chubby and a trailed a Red Aero Legs 4 feet behind the Chubby. The fish ate both about 50/50
My friends John and Kris wrote me this morning and said they used Chubby’s yesterday with good success too.
Had a great mention from our customer Lance about his tactics and success and I wanted to share this too  The lake fished well on Friday, fish seemed to be hanging out on the seam between ledge and drop..  A white BL took several nice bows’ on the north side point, when that slowed down went to chironomids with Chromie’s turning out to be the fly of choice for several more fish.  When it warmed up went to beetles against the shore which amid more misses than hook-ups took three nice fish, all fish were bows’ other than a single decent brown. 
Watch the weather later this week. It looks cold and snowy for 2 or 3 days starting Thursday. That said, the lake is not going to freeze anytime soon if you know what I mean and I think you do. (I must be feeling a little better as my sarcasm is starting to flow)

East Lake is a winner now and doing it with leeches and streamers from the shoreline is a darn good way to connect with really nice fish for the next weeks the road remains open (usually early November). Launching a boat is a challenge if it’s going off and back on a trailer. Hot Springs is the best area for that. With a boat I would fish the North side from the Cliffs to the Red Slide. You know me and Beetles….
Also balanced leeches and an Egg Dropper. Kokanee spanwers have the trout wanting to eat eggs.
Wading the shore from EL CG to the White Slide is a top choice for fall. Add some scuds to the fly box and try under the indicator and stripping hover and intermediate lines and keep your type 3 handy for fast striping a minnow.

I want to shout out to Micah again for providing intel on Crane Prairie. I was going again Thursday but had to cancel, so his reports from yesterday and Friday give me something to share. Friday, on a breezeless day we said the fishing was slow…. A few eats but skunked after losing a few before the net. Saturday was much better as we both agree the breeze put the fish at ease to feed and the bite seems better. He said a Black Balanced leech was best. Plenty of fish around the grass flats on the Cow Meadow Side. I think we have 2 nice weeks of CP fishing ahead, and you know how CP goes…. It is hot and then it’s not.
Bring the Chironomids, Balanced Minnows, Leeches, Boatman, Scuds, Damsel Nymphs and Dragonfly Nymphs and don’t always rely on the indicator and get the slow sink lines out too. Plus, Purple Chubby and Red Hippie Stomper are 2 dries to carry and use them as a searcher if fish are not rising and as an attractor if they are. BTW, On October 13th 2019 I was there with my friend and good customer Skip P and we had a good little feeding action on small spiders that were using their web to drift across the lake to the forest beyond. Not all were making it and the ones that hit the calm lake were getting sipped by trout that keyed on that quickly.
When I started in the fly fishing business in 1986 there was a customer who I have mentioned before on my blog named Clyde Keller. He was a a WW2 Vet, a National Champion for Fly Casting and he later became a mentor and co-worker and eventually an employee of mine. In the fall of about 1992 or 93 he and I were at Rock Creek on CP in his boat and there was guy in a nearby boat catching a lot of fish. We asked him on what and the answer surprised me to this day. An Irresistible Adams. He painted this scene for me after the day as a gift and this is a painting a cherish- Sorry it comes in sideways here, I am just happy that bastard with the Irresistible isn’t in the scene 🙂

Hosmer Lake is still fishing well and I know our guide Troy had good action with the Balanced Damsels on a recent trip. Also getting good reports on soft hackles on an intermediate or hover line. Don’t forget how important Water Boatman are in the fall. Scuds show up frequently in the throat pump now. Red Holographic Jig, Ice Cream Cone, Zebra Midges, Balanced Leeches, Ants and Beetles and I am still wanting more info on that dudes “Green Streamer” from a couple of weeks ago. I was supposed to guide there today but thankful Tonn was able to cover and join Steve with Dennis H’s family. Looking forward to hearing how they do. it is beautiful today but remember that poor weather for being in the mountains is coming Wednesday and Thursday this week.

I have not got any new reports on Little Lava. It was good when I was there last.
I also don’t know if the rumors that the gate would be locked blocking access to the Big Lava ramp happened. The Local USFS website is so out of date it still shows docks are in where they have obviously been pulled so we can’t trust their website anymore than we can trust them to provide services for us and prioritize our seasons for usage. Grrrrrr.
I have not heard how South or North Twin are, but both should be really picked up as Fall returns. Balanced Leehces and Chironomids, Dasmsels and Blobs are fall patterns to use. These are great places that fit short sessions as the daylight lessons, and they are less exposed to bad weather, and easy to get in and out from, and are perfect size to use a kayak, tube or pontoon boat, or launch a drift boat to row around and they both usually fish well into November pending some normal fall conditions and no weird really harsh arctic fronts. Good places for a lot of us to finish the season before things get too cold in about a month.
And don’t forget Justesen Ranch. Private access to 7 awesome lakes and nice big rainbows all to yourself for the lake you’ll be assigned to. $150 p/p.

That’s it for this weeks edition of jeff’s all original (non plagiarized & non AI generated) fishing report. If I ever need to rely on AI to do this job of telling stories and sharing info, please shoot me. I’ve got lots more stories to tell and just going fishing, going to guide, leaning from the ffp guide team, listen to friends and paying attention allows to be able to provide fresh content about fishing each report. As we move towards November and December I will slow down a little but provide content about what is open and worth fishing when the time is right. Thank you for being there with me and reading them. I love your feedback and comments.

JP
10/13/24