Good morning from the stormy Pacific NW! In this report I will go through our local waters, touching on, and detailing information for our rivers and lakes. In some cases this is going to be a reminder that some places are likely done for the year, while others are in a peak time for fishing.
I will also talk about how it feels to me to be done for the season after a record number of days on the water.
But first, I want to tell you that once again this year, FFP is offering a November Special for guided trips taken from 11/1 to 11/30/2025. Lower Deschutes Float Trips for $450 for 1 or 2 anglers, and Walk & Wade Trips to the Fall or Crooked for $375. If you need Rental Waders and Boots they are $0. Lunches are not included. With the good fishing in November this is a great opportunity to go out with your favorite FFP guide, learn something new, enjoy the day and save some money compared to the regular priced trips. I offer this for the benefit of our customers and to keep the guides busy with a few more trips at a time things often slow down for all of us. It’s a big help to them too to be able to tuck away some funds for the holidays and the winter ahead.

Metolius River. Today and for the next few days I like the weather for streamer fishing! Clouds and some rain are often the combination that make for a perfect bull trout day. They say “dark day = dark fly” and if that is the case then our 2 FFP exclusive BT articulated streamers are the best choices from this morning until monday evening for sure. I would also make sure to have some Articulated Sparkle Sculpins, Dolly Llama and both black and white versions of the Circus Peanut. The Circus Peanut is a great pattern for those of you fishing a lighter rod as it will cast well on a 6 weight. I prefer a 7 or 8 weight for my own BT fishing and it also honors the size of the fish and cuts down on fight times to release them safely.
For the trout game, it is a Blue Wing Olive weekend if there ever was one. Wind and rain can create longer hatch times from nymphs to duns and also a gust of wind, or a well placed rain drop can bedraggle a duns wings down to the surface film, trapping the bug and creating a moment we call cripples in the fly fishing world. Emergers and cripples make up a good portion of the feeding time happening during a hatch already, and add some interesting weather to the equation and there will be more of them on the water.
Don’t count out yellow mayflies, both PMD’s #16 and maybe some #18’s in the upper river, and Cinygmula #16. Mahogany Duns are another good mayfly to match this week and if you take a #16 Upright Rusty Spinner, #16 Quill Gordon and #16 Gray Comparadun you’ll be covered. I will also tell you that a #16 Timberline Emerger is a fly that has worked a little magic for me on the Met and the Fall when the Mahogany Duns are hatching in the Fall.
October Caddis are really good now, and a #10-12 Clarks Stone is a great fly to match that, along with some big orange pupa’s you will be covered. Coming soon to FFP is my new Improved FA Caddis in an October Caddis Version. Big beads, perfect colors and durable. The factory in Chiang Mai Thailand is tying them now and with October Caddis hatching on the Met from late August to late April each year, this is going to be a fly to get all winter long.
Don’t forget the smaller caddis, with the Tan #16, Olive #16-18 and Grey #14-16 in the hatch cycle this week too. Even on cooler days, while we might not see a condensed hatch moment of any of these smaller caddis, what we are learning about caddis in the Metolius is they trickle out enough pretty consistently that the pupa’s of the smaller caddis just make perfect searching nymphs 365.
Alright, I am not sure what is going on this year but a lot of people suddenly have an interest in targeting kokanee. I don’t get that…. This a fish in the process of spawning to make more for future generations. It’s unethical fishing behavior to target fish on active redds for one thing, and it’s not helping the future of the river by doing so.
This years Kokanee run will lay 100’s of thousand little orange eggs, many of which will successfully hatch in about 100 days (so next February) and turn into alevins, and then fry before they migrate the lake to mature for 2 years. The eggs themselves are often dislodged and become food for rainbows, bull trout and whitefish. A thoughtfully placed egg as a nymph is a smart choice on the Metolius from now throughout the winter months as there are many fish spawning, so eggs are an item in the biological drift often seen and rarely passed up by another fish. But don’t fish them right on top of a spawning redd, and certainly don’t use them to target other kokanee. I promise I am not starting the Kokanee Protection Society, or KU (Kokanee Unlimited) but I felt like this is an educational moment that should be said at this time as the spawning is wrapping up for the season.
Besides eggs and caddis pupa, other nymphs to choose this week include Jig SH Pheasant Tail, Frenchies, Micro Mayflies (BWO and PMD), Purple Perdigons, Jig Napoleon, Zebra Midge, Golden Stones, 20 Incher, Sloan’s Stone and a dark or light Walt’s Worm and the “peacock” Walt’s called a PCP.
The Upper River from Allingham Bridge to the Headwaters has 7 more days to fish it until next May 22, and the river below Allingham is open all year and offers amazing fishing in the Fall and Winter.
My next day on the river is coming with my good friend Chester next week, and I am personally looking forward to finally using a new Sage 3 weight rod I got last spring and casting dry flies to picky rainbows.

The Lower Deschutes River is a must fish this week as access to both the BLM (East) and Warm Springs (West) sides offer access through 10/31. November 1 remember that all waters on the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation are closing. Your tribal permit allows access from Dry Creek CG to Trout Creek CG on the reservation from 4/22 to 10/31. The other times no.
Plenty of steelhead for you to find in the upper reaches of the river now. Swing a leech on a sink tip through the runs, or something October Caddis-ish like a Muddler or Anderson’s Euphoria in the tailouts. Green Butt Skunks and Freight Trains are still a worthwhile swung fly too.
Nymphing is excellent, for trout, whitefish and steelhead. Stonefly nymphs, PCP, Caddis Pupa in orange #8-10 and Tan #14-16, Brown Micro May #16-20, Cheeseburger, Peacock Jig Girdle Bug, Eggs, Jig Napoleon, Perdigons, Frenchies and BH Prince.
Don’t forget the November Special at $450 for guided float trips on the Warm Springs to Trout Creek section for 1 or 2 people.

The Upper Deschutes is closed and the Middle Deschutes is pretty big water now after the canal shut off.

The Fall River is a great bet this week and in to November. Expect good to very good Blue Wing Olive hatches #18-20, tiny black Midges #22, Amber Caddis #14-16 for dry fly options throughout the day, and great nymph and streamer options at any time.
On the dry fly side, cripples and emergers are often the best choice, and a lighter than average tippet is highly recommended. 7x is a great idea, but if you are not comfortable with 7x, use 6x. Or split the difference and try a spool of 6.5x. Every bump down in diameter is a benefit to the drift, and harder for the trout to see. One wing KD Duns are amazing, Film Critic, Captive Dun, Winger Emergers, Sparkle Flag and EP Comparadun, Purple Comparadun. All my favorites on any spring creek, and especially this little spring creek.
For caddis pick up the Silvey’s Edible Emerger and the Orange Missing Link for emergers and that’s probably all you need, but it won’t hurt to add a Corn Fed Caddis #16 in there too.
Eggs, Zebra Midges, Tungsten Micro May’s and various Perdigons are the best for nymphing, plus Balanced Leeches , Micro Streamers like a Mini Gulp and even some Zonker or Sculpzilla type flies to swing or strip. And, get a little dirty and add a Mop Fly to your arsenal.
Don’t forget the November special at $375 for a full day walk and wade guide trip. This is a great place for a great price to get a fabulous trip or work on a specific skill like Euro Nymphing with one of our qualified guides.

The Crooked River is a gem right now and is seeing some really nice afternoon dry fly fishing on BWO’s. Water is low and normal for this part of the season and is at about 102 cfs.
The hatch is starting after lunch around 12:30 or 1 most days and last for an hour or two with good dry fly fishing from the Dam at MP 20 to MP 12. Film Critic is a great emerger, a Sparkle Flag or Sparkle Dun are the transitional emergers with wings up but still stuck to the nymphal shuck, a BDE Dun, Olive CDC Parachute and Purple Comparadun are good for the adults that are taking a long (or short) float before taking off.
Nymph action is excellent and you’ll want to include Rainbow Warriors, Micro May BWO, 2 Bit BWO, Jig Napoleon, Fire Starter, Zebra Midges, Scuds, Amber Psycho Prince and some flies to swing like a Soft Hackle and small Leech.
Don’t forget the November special at $375 for a full day walk and wade guide trip. This is a great place for a great price to get a fabulous trip or work on a specific skill like Euro Nymphing with one of our qualified guides.

It looks like some good weather returns on Wednesday for several days of above average temps, and after some soaking rains this weekend I am thinking the McKenzie River is going to be really good for a bit.
Our float trip special will also apply to the McKenzie at $450 for 1 or 2 anglers in the boat.

LAKES REPORT

I can tell you none of us should be on the lakes today through Monday. It is downright nasty with wind and snow on the lakes for the next 72 hours.
In some cases I believe we saw our last days on these waters this past week.
I am hopeful to see access to East and Paulina from Wednesday to next weekend, but it is going to depend on the snow totals. If they get a foot of snow, the snow gates might close access.
How about Little Lava? It was good this week again, with my freind Rob reporting a good beetle bite and some callibaetis still hatching. If road access (probably best coming from the south) is ok, I think fishing is a good possibility this week on Wednesday and beyond.
Hosmer? A crap shoot for access with a foot of snow on the road. And if this front had a cold ending it may start to freeze the upper lake and channel.
South and North Twin Lakes are good end of season lakes, especially North with balanced Leeches along the shorelines.
Crane Prairie for sure is going to be on the radar this week. Tuesday through Friday are good bets for access.
Three Creek Lake is truly believe is done for the year. We will see access blocked by snow after today and possibly icing on the lake by early this coming week.
Justesen Ranch is OPEN and these private lakes offer excellent fishing in the fall. HIGHLY recommended for November. Call me to book it or tell Amanda Jeff sent you.

I had my last guide trip on Wednesday this week. It was up at Paulina with a younger client who I guided earlier this season and we had a nice day, even though the wind came up and was colder than the forecast said it would be, we had a lot of fun and saw some interesting things. First, Beetles are so important as a food source to these fish. Even on a cold and windy fall day, they rise to them. Secondly, I am in awe of the brown trout on this lake. It is apparent to me how and why the state record brown trout comes from Paulina Lake seeing what we saw swimming around on Wednesday. I was cold, tired and in the last hour of my guide season, but I kept telling Nick let’s make one more pass at them. We even cut off the fly and reeled the last rod up only to see 2 fricken enormous fish cruise by and I said to Nick let’s restring that rod and do one more pass (wind drifting loch style with the drogue as he cast streamers both big and small to these browns). In the end all we got is the memory of these fish being near us, unobtainable to the fly on that day. But I know we will be back.
For me, I need to go back.
I woke up yesterday morning after my last guide day of 2025 on Wednesday and a fun day at Diamond Lake with my friend Jesse on Thursday franky kind of lost, if not a little depressed. In so many ways my joy and my purpose comes from the lakes and the boat. The game that is stillwater fly fishing. The clients, many of whom are good friends now. The preparations. Now it is behind me and I don’t exactly know how to process it. I have felt this before, and I am sure I will feel it in future seasons too. it takes time to come off the high that is guiding the lakes. Not every day is perfect, and sometimes the fishing sucks, but every day is full of some kind of hope and that is what is missed.
Hope will soon come in new ways. I am spending the winter in Argentina and Chile, leaving November 30, and staying until Mid March. I will be home from Christmas to see my mom and family and work in the shop for a week and half at such a neat time of year to see my customers and their families. I have 5 trips down to Patagonia this year, 4 of them are now 100% full and we still have spots open for the Baker River in Chile February 20 to 28. You might recall how absolutely pumped up I was at the Baker River last winter and thought it was the best fishing lodge I’d ever been to and loved the fishing there. Chile and Argentina are gifts to the soul, especially when you see and absorb Patagonia for the 1st time. Or 2nd time. Or 20 something times like I have so far. When I return from Chile in March I will be one trip short of 30 fishing trips to Patagonia. Besides Oregon it is the finest place I know.
Ernest Hemingway once wrote “when a man feels at home outside of where he is born is where he is meant to be”. Thank you Ernest, I agree.

See you in the shop or on the water!

Jeff