Hello from Sisters, Oregon. The rain finally came back and that is also bringing much needed mountain snowfall. Our percentages of average graph was really starting to slip down close to just average, and we need to keep busting the drought, so the upcoming weather patterns are welcomed by us, that is for sure.
That said, coming over the pass from the valley to fish (or ski) you’ll want to prepare for winter driving again.
I don’t think the Sisters area, including the Metolius is going to see much snow accumulations until next week. Monday through Wednesday might be pretty white over here!
I also fondly recall many days on the Metolius with snow falling, and experiencing outstanding fishing, including on hatches of BWO’s which seem to love a wet snowy day (unless it’s really cold and windy combined with the snow fall). So if you’re planning a Metolius day next week when it gets snowy, keep that in mind and pack the dry fly box.

***At the end of this report please check out the announcements for presentations we will be giving in Sisters, Portland and Eugene in during February.
These presentations will be on various topics, and we hope to see you there no matter where you live. These are things we think our angling friends and customers won’t want to miss seeing.

FISHING REPORTS:

On the Metolius River this week the nymph action was really quite solid, especially using tan caddis pupa, October Caddis Pupa, Silver Stripe Sedge Pupa, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, Micro May’s, 2 Bit, Golden Stones and Frenchies. Remember that in late winter a lot of the nymphs that were in tiny instar stages are now growing and maturing and drifting more before their spring and summer hatches begin. I believe February to be an excellent period on the metolius for this. As light intensity comes back, so do the bugs and the biological drifts they do before the hatch cycles really start rolling later in the spring and summer.
Some of the days this past week fish rose well to dries, and some of the days they rose poorly to dries, even though the hatches we saw were strong. A lot of time, the early spring like weather that we get in mid-Winter is a draw for us to believe “today is the day” for dries, but in reality, the winter hatches like today’s wet weather and next weeks snow better, and I think equally important to consider is the fish feel more confident eating when it’s darker out during a mid afternoon hatch. Embrace the grey in the sky and on your head.
Bull Trout fishing has been good. Leeches (try ’em under an indicator), Sir Sticks A Lot, Eggs, Pupa and big nasty streamers have all been good. It can be a grind, but it is worth it for a big 5 to 12 pound char!

The afternoon midge hatch on the Crooked River continues to be impressive with plenty of rising fish to the emergers and adults late afternoon, and pre hatch nymph action is good too.
Besides Midges, try some Fire Starters and other various Perdigons like a Purple with a Silver Bead and Pink Hot Spot, Rainbow Warrior, 2 Bit, Micro BWO, Skinny Nelson and Scuds.
Aaron at the shop also told me he had good fishing on some black leeches on a dead drift.
Water levels are back just under 100 cfs now. Euro Rigs and Indicator set up (we always prefer the NZ Wool Indicator, but the tiny Oros are gaining my confidence for the light rigging and shallow water you’ll be experiencing along with soft bites this time of year. If you want really interesting feedback on drift angle use 2 micro Oros spread apart 4 to 5 inches. 2 will show you the line of the drift better, and 2 will be more noticeable to detect a subtle slide of the indicator which on cold days is more likely that an indicator getting pulled under.

The Fall River is also seeing some good days overall, with a lot of the best catches coming on small euro jig streamers. Eggs, Zebra’s, Perdigons and 2 Bit Hookers will be good on the Euro Nymph leader or under an indicator. I would also give a Dry Dropper rig a whirl instead of an indicator, especially near the headwaters and at the “pond”. Try a Chubby and run the egg or Zebra off the bend of the hook.
Just like on the Met, the hatches and fish rise action should be good with the grey days and snow coming. With that snow, at the elevation of the Fall River it will likely accumulate fairly deep in the upcoming 7 to 10 days. Keep that in mind for access and driving and getting around on the banks and in and out of the water.

I am not hearing any reports yet from the Locked Gate/Maupin/Mack’s Canyon areas of the Lower Deschutes.
Who’s been?
I’ve said this before that I spent a few Super Bowl Sunday’s on the river and have had good days in early February near Maupin, even finding good BWO hatches in some eddies for dries. For a while it was a tradition to be there before the game.
If you head there soon your overall focus will be on Stonefly nymphs, perdigons (Blue is a great winter Lower D color!) Green Rock Worms and Micro BWO’s. I also like Hares Ears (thinking of clinger nymphs maturing in the riffles), PT’s, Prince and definitely add some Micro Streamers to the box and fish them near weed beds and along the gravel bars.

4 Upcoming Events Fly Anglers will enjoy:

#1) FFP teamed up with Fulling Mill Flies to bring a 2 night event to Sisters following the story of Howard Croston, a British Competition Angler as he prepared for the World Championships in France in 2024.
Talking to the film maker yesterday, I am really excited to bring this FREE event to our Central Oregon customers because it is very interesting to see how the focus of “comp” fishing brings so much to anglers like you and me who are never going to sign up to compete but will benefit from the innovation anglers like Howard share with us.
You’ll see awesome footage of the French Alps, and watch some of the best anglers in the world trying to fool some very picky trout there. You’ll learn more about flies, equipment set ups and gear as you watch parts 1 through 3 on February 10th, and parts 4 through 6 the following Monday February 17th.
These are free to join us but our space is limited to 30 people, so call or stop by the shop to get on the list. (541)549-3474
These 2 viewings will be at Stellar Reality 382 East Hood Avenue across from Ace Hardware from 6 PM to 9 PM both nights. Thank you to my wife Tina for the use of the office space as the shop is too small to accommodate what I believe will be a good turnout for such an interesting event.

On Tuesday February 11th, I will be in Portland as the guest speaker to the Fly Fisher’s Club of Oregon. The event will be held at Ernesto’s Italian Restaurant from 6 to 9 PM and for $41 also includes dinner. I will be presenting on Lake Fishing techniques and referencing all my favorite Central Oregon lakes throughout the show.
The club wanted me to extend the invitation to my Portland friends and clients who may wish to just enjoy an evening out, listening and learning more about how to successfully approach all this good stillwater over here in Central Oregon. And I’d love to see you if you can join us.

The following week I will be in Eugene on February 19th at the Mckenzie River Fly Fisher’s, this time doing a presentation about fly fishing on the Metolius River. If you are in the Eugene area please join us at the club and come listen how you can approach the fishing on the Metolius in ways you may not have considered.

CHILE 2026! ….. and other travel too.
As you know I had a great trip to Chile 2 weeks ago and I can’t wait to go back.
I have my 2026 dates on the books and really to start filling the lodges with friends like you!
Our 1st week is back to The Patagonia Baker Lodge February 21-28, 2026. $7500 for the week (double occupancy)
I found the Baker River to be one of the most fascinating rivers I’ve ever fished and here is why: We saw good caddis hatches and had opportunities to catch trout on small dry flies. We fished technical eddy’s using long leaders and light tippets and very small dry flies, pin pointing individual trout we wanted to target. This was challenging and exciting! My type of fishing for sure!!! We fished large foam beetles along the banks. We fished Chubby’s with a nymph dropper on the shoreline structure and in riffles. We fished nymphs along wadable gravel bars and from the boats. And we stripped streamers while drifting the river. That kind of diversity of fishing assured we would have a lot of fun each and every time we went out.
I am told to expect even more hatches and more dry fly action on the 2026 dates as it is later in the year.
Something to really look forward to.

Week 2 we will be doing the Estancia del Zorro/Cinco Rios Combo Trip, with the 1st 3 days on the springs creeks fishing hoppers on small spring creeks, and the last 3 days at the Cinco Rios Lodge floating the world renowned Rio Simpson and fishing Lago Elizalde and other nearby waters! I have fished many many times the rivers and lakes offered through Cinco Rios, but I am really excited to FINALLY be going to the pampas and hitting the spring creeks of Estancia del Zorro! Hallowed grounds for a spring creek enthusiast. $7650 for the week double occupancy.

December 2025 we are adding a new week at the Blue Bonefish in Belize (our favorite) and 99% sure we will settle on Dec 6-12.
This should offer folks time to recover from Thanksgiving and be home way before Christmas, and offer a good get away just as the weather is turning cold and wet here and all you want to do is keep fishing.

Other dates and places that are highly likely in late 2025 and winter of 2026 are Argentina with Southern Loops (probably early November 2025) and Baja (probably April 2026) with Angling Baja. Let me know if you want to be on the list for more info on any of these.

LOCAL 3 Day Deschutes Trips:
There is nothing like a 3 day camp and fish trip on the Lower Deschutes in the Summer and we have been getting some excellent early bookings already, but I wanted to let you know dates that are still open and offer prime fishing to enjoy some of the best hatches of the season:
May 13-14-15. Maybe early salmon fly hatch, but certainly PMD’s, the end of the March Browns, Caddis and pre stonefly nymphing.
May 20-21-22 should be prime stonefly dry action, as will be May 27-28-29.
June 3-4-5, the Stonefly madness, including the crowds will thin out and this is PMD, Pale Evening Dun, Caddis and Green Drake time on the lower river. This in my opinion is a very prime time to book.
July 22-23-24 and July 29-30-31 are going to be nice warm camping nights, good afternoon nymph action and wonderful evening dry fly action. This is a quintessential time to do a Lower D camp trip.
4 People is $6000 ($1500 per person)

It has been surprisingly busy this winter around the shop and it’s nice to see so many of you out fishing. Thank you for the support and being such good friends to FFP, Jeff, Aaron, Sequoia, Mattias and both Gavin’s. A lot of meaningful friendship’s occur here.

With gratitude, (and a strong love of fishing and travel to cool places)

Jeff

1/31/25