Hello from FFP World HQ, its early in the morning here and I just woke up and have a lot to share about fishing in Central Oregon with so many waters waking up for spring, or becoming accessible early because of the mild winter.

The Metolius River still has a small area of seasonal closure from the Headwaters through Camp Sherman down to Allingham Bridge. This is closed to protect important spawning areas for redband trout and opens on May 22nd with a lot of celebrations.
From Allingham Bridge to Lake Billy Chinook is open year round and this gives you beats like Allingham to Gorge, Canyon Creek to Wizard Falls, the Hatchery to the Powerline, Pioneer Ford to Bridge 99, and Lower Bridge CG to Candle Creek. All of these sections have game now, but with some different expectations and different flies for upper areas compared to lower areas.
In the Upper River from Allingham to Gorge just like the rest of the river we have seen most consistent fishing using nymphs. Golden Stones, Tan Fat Ass Caddis, Soft Hackle PT, CDC Hares Ear, Perdigons, 2 Bit Hookers to imitate PMD and BWO nymphs and Eggs. When hatches have been occurring it is 40/60 if the fish rise much or not. I wish I knew why. Oh to be in the mind of a trout. Many of the mayfly hatches are mid day after lunch, but keep an eye on evening with the warmer days and also hope to be on the river with a good early evening caddis hatch. Tuck some Corn Fed Caddis and Iris Caddis in for now, and if you get the opportunity that is great, but for sure in the next 5 months around Central Oregon from the Metolius and beyond those are 2 kick-butt caddis you need to add to your fly box whether you tie them yourself or if you come to FFP and buy a few.
In the Middle and Lower River areas add Green Drake Nymphs and absolutely add a Sparkle Dun and Film Critic Green Drake in #8-10 this week. The “hatch” is still 2 or 3 weeks from being called a hatch, but now in isolated pools you truly have the opportunity to see some early drake soldiers take flight and usually the fish always notice! A Peacock TJ Hooker and Jig 20 Incher nymph are the 2 to have for GD nymphs. Absolutely great patterns and if you read my reports over the years you also may connect the dots that they are newer discoveries. That is always fun to find new flies, and in the case of these 2, they match the criteria of size, shape and color, but neither fly was invented as a green drake nymph. That said, the magic is strong.
PMD hatches are increasing in hatch intensity and as we move to May I think we can expect to see it better and better until about early July. Fishing is good with PMD mayflies from the nymph, to emerger, cripples, duns and rusty spinners. When we get hot days and warm nights the rusty spinners usually come back to the water to lay eggs at dusk, this is called the spinner fall, but at this time of the year in the early PMD hatch the spinner fall could be at any time, including coincidendly at the same time as today’s hatch. Observation to what they are feeding on is not easy, but it is important.
There are a few October Caddis left but it seems to be petering out now. We will see them in August again.
Quite a few little stoneflies including little olive stones and yellow sally’s have been on the water lately. This doesn’t always mean the fish care, but they could so a Henryville and a Yellow Sally adult should be in your dry fly box.

The Lower Deschutes opened a few days ago and it was a cold, wet and windy opener down there on the Warm Springs to Trout Creek float for our crew. On the water there were not many hatches of any kind to report from the day, but down below the fish were wanting to eat Stonefly nymphs and Jig Napoleon’s.
I think we will see the stonefly hatch in pretty full swing by Mother’s Day in Maupin and probably up to Trout Creek by the weekend of the 16th.
After the 14th our guide team is very busy, but between now and May 13th we have good availability to go with Troy, Steve, Michael, Sequoia, Gavin and Mattias.
While March Brown mayflies seen to be fading off until next season, PMD’s and Pale Evening Duns are increasing, and Caddis are certainly ready to take off for the rest of the spring and summer months. Nymphs and Pupa to match mayflies and caddis are essential flies to take. On the Lower Deschutes we have always relied on Pheasant Tail Soft Hackles, Yellow Soft Hackles and Sparkle Pupas. These are staples. Add new cool stuff like Split Case Emergers, Perdigons, Jig Napoleon’s, Fat Ass Caddis, TJ Hooker (brown is the D color), CDC Hares Ear and Orange Psycho Prince. Our guide Troy always loves his Copper John’s down there too.

The Middle Deschutes has no confirmed Salmonfly hatch yet, but my feeling is if you were down near Steelhead Falls this weekend you’re going to see the 1st of the juicy bugs, at least hanging on the stream side vegetation. By this time next week it should be in full swing.
What is happening is PMD and Pale Evening Dun Mayflies (depending on time of day) in the afternoon and evening, and quite a few tan caddis that a #14 or 16 X Caddis or Elk Hair Caddis or Corn Fed does the trick to match when that hatch is on.
Renegades, smaller Stimulators and Purple Haze are fun attractors that get the job done on the Middle D and of course there are brilliant moments of nymphing and using small streamers either on a tight line leader set up or stripped on a floater or even a light sink tip.

The Fall River is a consistent and good place to head this week, with some good hatches of 2 small mayflies including 18-20 BWO’s and #16 Pale Morning Duns. Fish emergers, cripples and duns with fish rising during the hatch and match your nymphs to the pre-hatch activity you can’t see, but you know it’s happening by watching fish behavior. Are they moving around a bit suspended above the bottom? Are they making little moves to the right or left or slightly upwards? Can you see them “wink”? Wait, what is a wink? In trout terms this has to do with their mouths and an observant angler watching trout feed on nymphs will notice their white mouth open quickly and close quickly. A wink of sorts. Sometimes in clear water you can actually see the fish kind of chew the nymph they just ate too. God I love trout.
Besides mayflies, Ants and Beetles are good choices and there are some caddis coming off, plenty of tiny black midges, a few small stoneflies and a lot of solid nymphing action with eggs, perdigons, 2 bit’s, zebra midges, MOP’s, PT’s, slum lords and other micro jig streamers like the Croston’s Minnow and Daniels Mini Gulp. Stripping a Zonker or small streamer on a sink tip is a fun way to explore the river and you have the opportunity to move fish that might ignore other offerings. Call it the meat sweats, but meat moves them.

The Crooked River is ramping up for the big Mother’s Day Caddis hatch, so it is time to make sure you have tan and olive pupa in a #16, Olive Soft Hackles, Peacock Soft Hackles, X Caddis and Elk Hair Caddis and Peacock Caddis and Henryville’s in a #16.
Scuds are another major staple now, and PMD Nymphs like a Split Case, Micro May, Brown Jig Napoleon and Brown 2 Bit Hooker will impress the fish I’m sure.
There are still a fair number of Blue Wing Olive hatches to be found, but this will dwindle as we move in to May and be overtaken by Caddis and then PMD’s for summer.

The McKenzie Wooden Boat Festival is today, so if you have time to head to Eagle Rock this morning or afternoon to look at the display of Wooden Boats you will not be sorry. Jason Hayes is my favorite modern builder, and to go over and find a classic Keith Steele or Ray’s River Dory in all its glory is honoring a history on this river like no other.
While you are over there look over the river and there are a few spots that offer roadside bank wading opportunities, but overall going down in a drift boat (wood or not) is the best way to enjoy good fishing on the Mckenzie.
Our guide team has been having a lot of good days here, a lot of it coming on little jig streamers and nymphs with some decent bites on Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulators, Chubby’s, Parachute Adams. We have good openings to get on the McKenzie for the next 2 weeks.

LAKES

I am SO EXCITED about some of the things I get to write today here about the lakes!

On Wednesday 4/29/26 the Deschutes County Road Dept will unlock the gates to Paulina and East. I know a couple of guys who have gone up the back side from China Hat and already are enjoying the action on Paulina. There is snow there, so be prepared for that. I would wait for the road to open in 4 days instead of the backside adventure. USFS already has the boat dock in at Little Crater and the most exciting news is the new permanent dock is going in at Paulina Lake CG on 5/4/26! WOW, what a gift to get this year and for years to come. Thanks to Dawn Stender at USFS Bend Fort Rock Ranger District for her work on this at Paulina, Cultus, Wickiup and Crane Prairie.

Early season at Paulina Lake for me has often been best with 2 chironomids; a #18 olive, and #14 hanging with my chromies in a darker shade grey. Balanced Leeches in Vampire, Bruised with Orange Bead, Brown and Watermelon are great choices, and also stripping leeches on a full sinking line up to a Type 5, but type 3 or clear camo is your most likely sweet spot.

East Lake will be an interesting opener since ice off occurred quite a while ago. I can remember having 1st guide trips there in May and finding water temps still in the high 30’s at the start of the day, and warning to mid-40’s later. I imagine as it opens up this week water temps are already in the 40’s and I would be looking for good chironomid bites along the edges in less than 12 feet of depth. Balanced Leeches and also stripping Brown or Black Leeches on a Camo Intermediate is a great bet.
One thing about early season East Lake is the rainbows will be spawning (successful or not) especially near the NE side and I encourage people to leave the fish alone that are in that active pattern. They just get picky, and skinny and need to get through this phase and spread out and start feeding to regain health in order for us to enjoy their company in a fair way. Again, there will be no boat docks installed at East Lake at USFS sites, so the private dock at the Resort will be my go to for launching the bigger boat. We will see water levels, but I am sure it is going to be LOW, and it might be a drift boat year for me East, especially later in the season.

Crane Prairie was very good this week after opener on Chironomids. Access with the new permanent dock at Crane Prairie is great! And also the Quinn River ramp (never a dock there) is open too.
Balanced Leeches, Damsel Nymphs and Balanced Minnows, plus Black Double Down CDC Nymphs and Red PT’s will be good choices this week.

Hosmer Lake has been accessed by a couple of people I know, but it is still snowy in the lot and not quite ready for prime time for the average angler going to the lake. Give it a week or so for more normal access and launch conditions. Chironomids and Callibaetis nymphs, Leeches and even some streamers like a Soccer Mom, Zonker and Sculpzilla.

Docks are in at Lava Lake but the gate is closed until the concessionaire is ready to open the camp ground on may 15th at Lava Lake.
Have any of you made it to Little Lava yet?

Ochocco Reservoir has been fishing quite well for trout, and also my friends have reported some amazing Crappie from time to time. Olive Chironomids have been the best fly from reports from Bob and Doug and a few other folks, and also good action on Vampire Leeches and Bruised with Orange Bead Balanced Leeches.

Haystack is always a good option this time of year, especially as early season conditions on the mountain lakes can change for the worst with a storm, so if its cold and snowy in the volcano, or white capping at CP, the “stack” is a great back up. Before the main Cascade Lakes open Haystack is one of our only options, but it gets forgotten later, but keep in mind this also coincides with water levels which can drop dramatically in May, and also water temps warm by June on this desert reservoir making trout action not so great. BUT, now, it is, and there is a lot going on with Leeches, Chironomids, Blobs, Damsel Nymphs and Callibaetis.

Lake Billy Chinook is always on the minds of anglers in the spring to hunt the hunters. Big Bull Trout are a draw for many, and who doesn’t like to try to fool a trophy like that? All the arms offer something special, with the Metolius Arm always considered to be the #1 place for Bulls, but that is not necessarily true. Stripping streamers on sink tips and full sinking lines, and also dangling heavy streamers or using balanced and bead heads under an indicator, usually close to the banks will be effective ways to catch all kinds of fish, from Bulls to Bass to Browns.

TRAVEL

Our dates for Argentina are set now. Esteban from Southern Loops Fly Fishing  will be here in Mid-May and we will be having a free event at the Community Room at the Sisters Library on May 15th from 1 to 3. Thanks to the friends who have already signed up to attend, and please let me know by email to greendrakehatch@gmail.com to let me know if you want us to hold you a spot too.
Our dates for Hosted Trips to San Martin de Los Andes are:
December 5-12, 2026
January 9-16, 2027
January 16-23, 2027
And we can offer you and your partner a booking any week from Mid-November to early April through the Argentina fishing season if my hosted trips don’t fit your times. I believe I add a good value to the trip as the host in Buenos Aires and in San Martin de Los Andes as I know so much about both places and have a lot of fun with outings, tours and meals with you while we are together! 
We added an amazing new hotel in Buenos Aires that will knock the socks off any traveler and is especially great for couples enjoying the trips together. 
I also have an addition to talk to you about at the Los Helechos Lodge with private stream access, lake fishing, horseback riding and beauty beyond compare. It can be added on to any of the weeks either before or after the Southern Loops program, but after allows us to have more fun together in BA before the fishing. Chris and Marisa are amazing people with a very special offering to make your trip to Patagonia last longer with more experiences and lakeside perfection. 
In Chile we have the lodges reserved for February 20-27 at the Patagonia Baker Lodge and February 27 to March 3rd at the Magic Waters Lodge. 
Patagonia Baker is the finest fishing lodge I’ve ever seen. From there we fish the Rio Baker leaving from the lodge to the boats is about 30 steps! Easy. Lago Bertrand has a couple of access areas one as close as 10 minutes up the road from the lodge. Lake General Carrera is 45 minutes away. Lago Brown is 2 hours away and is my favorite as it is such a pretty drive and amazingly beautiful lake. They have some other waters but these are the ones we focus on mostly. 
At Magic Waters Lodge near Coyhaique there are about 60!!! different areas to fish near the lodge. it is insane what is there. Spring Creeks, lakes and rivers galore.

I am so excited to show Esteban the Metolius and Paulina when he is here and let him catch some good Pacific NW trout. I think he is going to like what our area has to offer as it is so similar to his back home in Patagonia. Although, there is nothing quite like the Metolius!

SHOP

Make sure to check out our sale rack of rods and the table with some great wading boots. Incredible deals on Simms, T&T, Sage, Redington and others from 30% to 50% off retail prices depending on the item.

It is time for me to hop in the shower, make a quick breakfast and head to the shop. If you’re in sisters today I will see you there.
Tomorrow I pick up the boat from Sculpin Marine and go to my friend Gary’s house to work on the rod holders and then the boat will be ready to go for the 2026 season and my 1st guide day in next sunday. And so it begins.

All the best!

Jeff