Hello from a breezy and cooler Central Oregon weekend. It is nice to break out of the heat, I appreciate it, but I know the trout will really appreciate it over the coming days. real relief is in sight on the 7 day forecast and early September may feel like fall for a few days they say. Time will tell, but personally I am ready for it, and some of our waters need to get stabilized to a temp regime that is safe for fishing (C&R) all day long and not just the morning.
I had 3 shortened days on the lakes last week due to the water getting to 67-68 after lunch. But we had good morning fishing for sure, and I have many good reports to share with you today from me, and my friends, guides, fishing pals and info that should make your upcoming week easy to plan for some good days on the water.

The Metolius is good on all sections of the river, with the upper river mostly Golden Stones, tan caddis and PMD’s.
The Middle River from Canyon Creek to Bridge 99 is seeing a lot more diverse hatches including massive Micro Caddis hatches most evenings, rusty spinners at dusk, BWO’s early evening, ameletus mayflies mid afternoon, plus a lot of tan and grey caddis in the 14-16 range, and if you can believe it, usually the last week of August is when we see the 1st pop of October Caddis and we are entering the last week of August. I remember an evening with my friend Jeff C fishing an eddy I call EZ Dunk and arriving expecting to fish small caddis and rusty spinners for the evening session and the fish were slashing october caddis emerging pupa one after another. I’ll never go to the Met on a late summer evening without a fly to match that now.
Below Bridge 99 is more of the same, with a better chance of also seeing golden stone adults, cascade stones in small numbers and some salmon fly’s along with increasing numbers of little olive stones.
Bull Trout numbers are good and fishing is good for them, if not really good for them….but, watch some of the areas for spawning activity from these exceptionally important fish. Most bull’s spawn in the tributaries, but some spawn in the Metolius main stem and places like the Meat Hole right now you should not be fishing for about 2 weeks. Places where you might wade need to scrutinized for redds before you step in to eliminate the chance of stepping on eggs.
A lot of the FFP crew has been fishing the metolius on a regular basis, and finding fish on PMD’s, caddis pupa (mattias said my improved fat ass caddis with the pink bead has been great), walt’s worm, split case PMD perdigon, Iris caddis, white jig streamers, henryville caddis and soft hackle PT’s. I think it’s cool how they are using streamers, nymphs and dries and fishing the river in so many ways. You know me, I am such a dry fly guy there I don’t often break that code but I should.
And in the category of ya never know when it comes form the Met….(Chinook)

The Lower Deschutes for trout was very good for our guides last week, and I saw on my friend Chesters instagram he was also having good dry fly action in the evenings to dark, mostly on caddis, including the small micro caddis that are common this time of year. During the day Gavin Jr had what he called an “epic day” on red 2 bits and olive jig leeches.
Stonefly nymphs in black #8, golden #8-10 and peacock #6-12, caddis pupa in tan #16 and olive #16 and charcoal #18, zebra midges #20, brown perdigons #12-18, split case pmd #16-18, squirrel leech #12, purple haze #14-18, spent caddis, x caddis, fin fetcher caddis, iris caddis and weiss’s caddis are solid choices in a #16 mostly. There are still some PMD and PED around but not strong, however a sparkle dun or parachute in yellow in a 14 to 18 is good to have in your box on any western river this time of year.
Steelhead fishing remains closed until the numbers of fish passing the dams in the Columbia increases. I hope to see a season in October and November and December and if so, we will offer our fall special guide trips in November again. This week over the bonneville dam each day was over a 1000 steelhead passing the counting window, so there is some migration happening, although still quite low.

The Upper Deschutes headwaters is a wonderful choice this week and take all your toys to enjoy it. Euro nymphing is one of the best ways to approach the river here, and a dry-dropper rig is fun usually with a terrestrial or chubby and a small bead head nymph trailed behind, but don’t forget how effective streamers are up here, relying on the small jig style streamers mostly, but the smaller sculpzilla type patterns are pretty darn good too.
The floatable section below Wickiup from Tenino to Bull Bend is good and if we do get that push of fall weather coming next week I expect it to be wonderful at that time. There are good hatches of PMD and BWO now, we should add some Trico’s in the morning and some Mahogany Duns in September, and I love fishing hoppers and ants in this area. Streamers are great, with some big articulated flies getting the attention of the bigger browns.

Crooked River is still flowing at a surprising level, pretty normal for summer conditions. I just hope there is water left in the reservoir for winter flows to stay somewhat healthy.
Micheal has been guiding out here this week and reported the afternoon PMD hatch gets a good start around mid-day and while the fish are not super keyed in on dry PMD’s, the nymph fishing get rolling really good then. His go to flies have been spanish bullets, 2 bits, soft hackle PT and jig Napoleon.
Split Case PMD, Scuds, Ray Charles, Winkers and Zebra midges are great nymphs to add to the collection, and for dries bring some Purple Comparaduns and Purple Haze , Film Critic, CDC Parachute and Extended Body Cut Wing PMD, Tan X Caddis and small Hoppers.

Fall River is going to be a fun place to choose this week, especially for those that are willing to work a little harder to #1) avoid going to the hatchery mid-morning to mid-afternoon, #2) will go at dawn or after 4 PM to dark #3) is willing to go explore other areas from pull outs past the hatchery on the way up to the camp ground that don’t get the same amount of pressure as the hatchery, camp ground and headwaters. It’s out there, and surely there is nothing wrong with the hatchery other than an abundance of anglers.
There have been good hatches going, with PMD;s and BWO’s, olive caddis, black caddis, midges, ants, beetles, small hoppers, and possibly some yellow sally’s mixed in and then rusty spinners at dusk.
The little jig streamers like a squirrel leech, sir sticks a lot, slum lord and olive mini gulp will produce well, and balanced leeches and balance minnow can also be used well under an indicator if you want.
Nymphing with a Baby Got Bead as a point will get you in the zone with a dropper of an perdigon, egg, zebra, 2 bit, split case PMD, rainbow warrior and scuds.

The McKenzie River is fishing well as per reports from our guide Michael Dooley. He said he’s been fishing Chubby’s (tan, red and purple) and running a dropper of a frenchie or PT with good success.
Water is low, but he, Troy, Eric and Gavin are all running trips there.

Lakes Report

On East Lake I was pleased to see the callibaetis hatch going very strong this week around lunch time. I am still concerned about water temps and usually quitting about 2 because it’s 67 or higher.
Beetles and ant and hoppers in the morning before the mayfly hatches. Nymphing in 5 to 12 feet of water with callibaetis nymphs from 9 AM until the hatch. Under the bobber or on an emerger tip line, hover or intermediate.
Red Jig PT and Callibaetis Cate are 2 great ones, and the Croston’s is super good if you want to use his drop back bung indicator. I like that indicator and his fly on the bottom and my CB Cate as the dropper.
Decent action with chironomids.
I am having a hard time getting the fish on the deep dangle this year. They are down there in droves at 30 feet and deeper as seen on my live scope fish finder….But the takes are not like they were last year when it was a hammer fest! Maybe tomorrow… That’s fishing.
The water is dropping fast. Like whoa fast. I don’t know how much longer I can launch the 18′ boat at the resort.
I was in the store at the resort and heard the guys talking about the dock removal. Neither knew if they had a date, but my guess is they will take it out early due to low demand and dropping water levels.

I fished Paulina Lake mostly this week due to water temps. Even Paulina has dropped a lot this month, it really shows on the rocks and also you’ll notice it at the dock.
Morning dry fly action has been wonderful.
I finally had to cut off the trip at 2 PM thursday due to high water temps, but the other days I fished later.
This week beetles were best, but there were flying ants out, hoppers clicking on the banks and cliffs, a few callibaetis and some weird diptera hatching that the fish were going wild for. The fly that ended up working best was kind of like a tiny black elk hair caddis, but entirely all black. I like the Aero Red Legs for the diptera called Bibio’s, but these are not bibio’s this week. I have seen this hatch before and collected samples and sent to the entomologist Rick Hafele for ID, but several years have passed and I can’t remember the name of them. They look kind of like house flies, and the pupa is creamy colored. Look for this through the upcoming week.
We also had some decent chironomid sessions under an indicator in 15 to 19′ of water. Black with Silver was the best color, but olive is good too. Both in the #16 range and add a #12 red/copper assassin.

Three Creek Lake has been a highlight this week, with my friends Rod and Rob (unknown to each other but only a consonant apart) reported wonderful fishing out there, and another Rob with Purple Chubbies.
Here is Rod B said: Just came down from the lake and had an interesting day.   WE hung out at the big beach because we were with kids and dogs, not intending any serious fishing.  About 1000, the water along the drop off there began to boil with splashy rises. I assumed calibaetis spinners but could see nothing on the water.  Started with a spinner, and fished through the nymph – soft hackle – emerger – spinner progression.  Finally started to catch fish on anything with an upright wing in sizes #18-20.  Color didn’t matter but the wing did.  We left about 4, fish were still rising like crazy, I’d fished off and on for a total of maybe 3 hours, and hooked in excess of 50 fish, up to 18-19″, all but one were brookies.
Water temp there was 60-62 on the surface from the two little creeks that come in there, warmer on the flats.  
Rob was doing his best on Ants. You should try a sunken ant too. We have a cool little bead head version good for a dropper or on its own.
As always, Beetles and Hippie Stompers. Lots of callibatis and black caddis hatching.
Balanced Leeches, Chironomids, CB Cate, Red PT, Sheep Creek, Wooly Buggers and Poxyback CB nymphs.

For me, in Central Oregon this week I would stick to these 3. Hopefully next week we can add some info on Little Lava, Crane and others. Absolutely you can find cold water in CP, so if you know it, you know the chironomids and leeches to use and will know where to go.

Shop

Thank you to all of you who’ve been supporting the T&T sale. We still have lot’s of good ones left in trout sizes from 3’s, 4’s, 5’s and 6’s, and some dynamite saltwater rods too, all at 40% off.

Travel

We have Argentina dates for December 5-12 and January 9-16. $5500. I will be there with you! Join me for this special trip.

Belize dates May 1-7 are starting to fill. Get your name on the list for next may’s trip with me. This is also a great couple trip.

I started writing this as the sun was coming up from home this morning. Now it”s 4:20 (whoa dude) and putting the finishing touches on before hitting send.
Thanks as always for your amazing support and friendships.

JP