I am in a bit of a time warp right now. I left Buenos Aires, Argentina at 1 AM today, 19 hours late from the original rebooked flight after labor strikes and protests on Thursday grounded all the flights in and out of Argentina for the day. Friday’s rebooked flight at 5:45 AM was so screwed up from the get go the airline just canceled the morning flight and rescheduled later that night. Finally, it took off at 1 AM today, and landed in Santiago, Chile where I had ample time in the wee hours of the morning to walk around the airport to reach my 10, 000 step goal for the day.
Once here in the mountains of Chile I immediately reconnected to one of the greatest places on earth. This area is so beautiful, and on this visit I was able to see it in a different way. Today three of us took a helicopter to the lodge through seemingly endless mountains, hovering over thick linga tree forests and surrounded by thick glaciers I never knew were so extensive based on what I have seen from the ground on previous visits here.
I remember reading a story in the NY Times about the importance of having awe inspiring moments in your life and what awe does for your brain and your health. Right now I am working on two 2 hour naps taken on an Airbus over South America, and yet here I am inspired, awake enough to write a report and most of all happy to be here with good friends and a few people I am just getting to know upon arrival to the most beautiful fishing lodge in the world (my opinion).
I am sitting in my room with the glacial waters of the Rio Baker running below my open window, my good friend Chester Allen is lounged on his bed reading, and the massive San Rafael Glacier and Lago Bertrand are just upstream and glowing in the late afternoon summer sun.
Our fishing starts tomorrow, and we are all excited for the chance to see what gifts the river or lake might bring. Here and now there is not a person here that didn’t experience awe today, whether they saw it from the air, or from the road! Perhaps they finally felt it when they saw the view upriver from the deck here at the lodge for the 1st time.
Awe can happen anywhere. When you find it, accept it and feel it in your soul when you see your favorite river again in a different light. The old saying “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man”.
You’re inspired everywhere you go I hope, as I am today.

One place in Oregon that is easy to be inspired by is the Metolius River, and from the reports I got from Phil back home things have been great for him with the Euro Nymphing wand using Caddis Pupa and Eggs. He keeps going back to the improved Fat Ass Caddis Pupa with the most success.
One interesting report he gave to me last night was he spent hours in the water there yesterday and saw nary a bug in the air or coming off the water. Maybe today’s front which brought some good snows the Camp Sherman area had the hatches curtailed as the barometer was changing fast. That happens.
On most days this time of year look for #18-20 BWO’s, #14-16 cinygmula, October Caddis #8, Silver Stripe Sedge and Snow Sedge #12-14, various smaller caddis in Tan and Gray #12-16, midges #22-24 and a mix of small to mid-size stoneflies that probably make zero difference to the fish as dry hatches go, but need to be considered when choosing nymphs.
Add some Golden Stones, Tungsten 20″, Soft Hackle Jig PT, Perdigons, Walts Worms, Zebra Midges to the mix and go to it.

In the southern part of Deschutes County the elevation rises and the area of the Fall River got a lot more snow that the Camp Sherman area. Access to the Falls, Tubes, Camp Ground and Headwaters is all good, but roads are slicker so be prepared and slow down some to be safe.
Midges and Blue Wing Olives are the main hatches but don’t forget to add some Purple Hippie Stompers to the fly selection for the Fall River too.
Small Jig Streamers are often highly productive and an Olive or Black Slum Lord is one we go to a lot.
Perdigons, Scuds, Zebra Midges, Eggs and Pink Mops will be sound choices this week. Also, we have another warming trend coming soon, so I believe the roads will be bare of ice or snow in a few days.

The Crooked River is still awfully good, mostly with a myriad of perdigons, scuds, midges, skinny nelson and micro mayflies fished under a NZ Wool indicator or a XS Oros indicator.
Some of my friends have had really solid days on Soft Hackles, Eggs (I am not sure why, what is spawning now???) and small streamers like a Slum Lord.
We are approaching days to be more consistent with a BWO hatch and you can be prepared with dry flies to imitate cripples and emergers as well as duns, and don’t forget the small black midge hatches later afternoon most days.

Get out there and enjoy some fishing. This coming week has some good weather in the forecast and as it is the last week of February it is a special time to be on the water.

I am very sleepy and headed for bed.

Be well and talk to you soon.

Jeff