Happy Spring to you all, we are officially there on the calendar, and in another 24 to 48 hours it will really feel like it on our bodies as the sun is coming back to touch our noses with a little warmth and I can’t wait.
The great news about this weather coming in is it coincides with a lot of families coming for Spring Break, and being able to enjoy better weather finally. We hope to see you in Sisters this week for Spring Break. BTW, there is a new restaurant called Famille in Sisters worth dining at. Very good food and service.
I am really looking forward to the week ahead, and want to let you know I have a hosted trip to Justesen Ranch Tuesday and have 3 more open spots for Big Lake, and 2 spots for Granary Lake if you can join us. It is $150 per person. Contact Jeff before Monday afternoon to be included or ask for more details.

The Metolius River has been good with Cinygmula #14-16, BWO #18 and March Brown #14 mayflies, and the fish are also looking up for Caddis and while they might not seem as keyed in to the caddis as they will be for a more condensed hatch of mayflies, the caddis trickle by on a regular basis so try a #8-10 orange stimulator or foam elk hair caddis and #14-16 corn fed caddis throughout the week ahead.
As per many reports left lately the nymphing game is On! One of our customers John was in yesterday and had a great day using 2 Bit Hookers and Red Zebra Midges.
Sadly I haven’t had a chance to fish there since I got home from Patagonia, but a lot of the crew here has including Mattias, Phil and Sequoia and they have been also successfully fishing a lot of nymphs such as Tan Caddis Pupa (Fat Ass is best), October Caddis, Amber Stalcup’s Realistic Caddis Pupa, various colors of Perdigons, Walts, Jig Napoleon, Frenchies and Fire Starter Jigs, Eggs, Stonefly nymphs and Green Drake Nymphs. GD Nymphs are quite important now so add some to the box over the next few trips and keep fishing them for the rest of the summer until about early October.
Like the caddis pupa epiphany, Green Drake Nymphs are another nymph that I just didn’t put enough long term faith in as a day to day pattern, but it is paying off quite well day to day here lately and there is no reason it should quit with the big hatch starting in May and June and then the Fall hatch in September and early October.
Streamer fishing with smaller Euro Jig Streamers and also big articulated stuff is working for Bulls and Bows.
Don’t forget our spring guide trip special offered at The House on the Metolius. Book 2 nights at the resort and get a 3rd night free and we can guide you exclusively on that property for $350 for 1 or 2 anglers from now until 5/1/25.

The Fall River was a little slower this week after the storm, but I think it’s going to be great in the coming days and well worth the effort to go. Snow that fell was significantly deeper than I thought might settle in there, but with a few days in the high 60’s and maybe one hitting 70, we should see that snow clear fast.
BWO #18, Midges #20-24, March Brown #14, Purple Hippie Stomper #10-14, Purple Comparadun #18, Eggs, Jig Streamers, Jig Napoleon, Pink, Purple and Orange Perdigons, 2 Bit Hookers and Micro May’s are good choices.
Don’t forget the Falls to the Deschutes is closed until 5/22, but from the Falls to the Headwaters is year round.
I don’t think it will be a good camping opportunity for Spring Break with the ground covered in snow for those of you asking about that this week.
$350 Spring Special on Guide Trips from now until 4/22/25. A great time to get an early trip for a super good price.

The Crooked River is stubborn and remains too high to fish. If only Mattias knew that could happen. HAHAHA. 1400 cfs outflow from Bowman and 1200 inflow to the reservoir. The reservoir is at 66% so maybe BOR looks at what is left up in the drainage and ramps it down soon so they can fill the reservoir to 100%. I hope so, but I have no idea what kind of snow sits up in the mountains still, and if yet another fire hose of rainfall is setting its sites on Oregon again.

The Lower Deschutes in Maupin is picking up and worth the time to go. Up towards Locked Gate is great access, including hiking access above the gate. Also heading down to Mack’s, or stopping at literally dozens of spots between Maupin and Mack’s is good too.
March Browns have high potential this week! If not a full blown hatch, look for them and swing some hares ears soft hackles and fish a bead head PT soft hackle as a deep nymph.
Grab the stonefly nymphs in both black #6 and golden #8 and 10 and drop a tan or olive caddis pupa off the back.
Perdigons, Frenchie, Walts, Red Copper John and try some Zebra Midges and even some SJ Worms out there.
A little BWO #18 hatch is pretty common now too, and look for them in the eddies and margins of pools below weed beds to see noses poking up on them.
Don’t forget the Warm Springs, Mecca, Dry Creek, Trout Creek and South Junction access areas are closed until 4/22. Those areas are seasonal closure spots and it is closed now.

The Middle Deschutes is very high and I do not recommend navigating those currents at those levels.

The McKenzie River (darn it) is about 2000 cfs higher than we want to see it to have a good and safe float for our spring special so let’s keep an eye on the gauge hitting 6000 cfs or below and get you out in the coming weeks for a trip.

Justesen Ranch is just awesome this spring. Balanced Leeches, Hanging with my Chromies, Ice Cream Cones, Chartreuse Mop, Damsel and Callibaetis Nymphs.
$150 per person per day and we can get you on one of the 8 lakes there any day, and don’t forget if you want to join me on Tuesday I have 3 spots for Big Lake still.

Haystack Reservoir is still fair. Balanced Leeches were the only fly I heard anyone caught any fish with this past week. Orange Bead and Chartreuse Beads seems to be the attraction so add that to the fly for sure and don’t fish it too deep, as most of the fish seem to be hitting the fly in the 3 to 7 foot range.

Ochocco Reservoir is slow still, but I question if the 70 degree days coming up will make it pop?

No actual fishing reports from Chickahominy yet, but judging from a photo I saw it should be nearly completely fishable around the lake now? I’d love confirmation of that please.
It’ll be a balanced leech and olive chironomid show to start. I would try a MOP, and in the good old days we used to kill them on a Prince Nymph.

We have a rack full of UFM, Simms and Patagonia chest packs and hip packs at HALF OFF if you want a great deal on a 2024 model pack.

I am putting together a group of 8 for December 6-13, 2025 for a 3 day/2 night float trip on the Rio Caleafu with me and Southern Loops Flyfishing. After the camp trip we will go to San Martin de Los Andes (jeff’s future home??? hmmmm) and spend the next 3 days in the comfort of Le Village Hotel and fish the Rio Alumine, Rio Collon Curra and Rio Chimehuen.
It’s affordable and such a great trip. Who wants to join me?
Also, I have 2 spots left for Chile at the Rio Baker Lodge February 21-28, 2026. It’s expensive but it is so awesome.
Possible to get one to 3 more on the Chile combo lodge trip the 1st week of March. If you wait to be the 7th and 8th person, don’t because I only reserved 6 spots and 5 are full and my friend is hopefully taking the 6th as my partner. Mike???

I am going to be opening up some more guide days for those of you who wanted to get on the LAKES with me. They are all Sundays, and here is what I will offer:
June 8, 15, 22 and 29.
July 20.
August 3, 10, 17, 24.
September 7, 14, 21 and 28.
This is an opportunity for those of you who have been trying to get on my schedule to become a new customer and get on the boat.

And a SHOUT OUT to my friend and fellow stillwater junkie Addison Rook over in the Eugene area who is offering guide trips NOW, this week and well into the spring and summer on some reservoirs near Eugene and hammering the smallmouth on leeches.
If you want to get on the Stillwater’s before the Cascade Lakes open in about 5 to 9 weeks from now, I highly recommend Addison’s operation. Give him a call (541)570-3621
Price is great at $300 for the day, lunch included, and all you need is a fishing license. If someone from Central Oregon wanted to go and I had a day to join in, I’d love to do it too.

That is a quality smallmouth. Let’s go Addison.

As always thanks for reading, thanks for your support, thanks for all the friendships although chocolate chip cookies have not been delivered in quite some time….
I appreciate you all.

Jeff
3/22/25