We met David Vernon this past year at Cedar Lodge. He enlightened us to the art of astrophotography. I know this isn’t really related to fishing but I thought I would share some of his incredible images taken this year in New Zealand. We have so little light pollution at Cedar Lodge we get some incredible star gazing opportunities during our summer season.
So here is the plan for Friday. Go into work early make sure it’s all handled and then head to the river around 11am! Today we have a bit of rain and overcast. The fish on the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers have been “thirsting” for this day. The trout on the lower McKenzie have been watching adult Pale Morning Duns, Green Caddis and Little Yellow Stones buzz by them upstream at 15 miles an hour in the hot sun for 3 weeks. Today the rain pelts them to the surface and slows their emergence. The fish will capitalize and be reckless. Swing pale colored soft hackles, skate CDC Green McKenzie Caddis and dead drift PMD patterns.
On the upper McKenzie river you will find Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns and smaller brown caddis. It’s likely to be one of those epic days where you realize how many fish there really are in a run because they will all be out feeding near the surface. You will see fish in water that you didn’t think they held in, and the largest fish of the year will most likely be available on the surface.
On the Middle Fork of the Willamette the bugs will be similar but, Green McKenzie Caddis and Green Drakes should be your focus. The river is in fantastic shape in terms of levels and clarity. It’s just been missing those warm spring rainy days. Well here we are. Get out there and enjoy!
On May 19, 20, and 21, I had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Mikhail Skopets on some of my home-waters, where we fished for spring chinook in Tillamook Bay and on the Nestucca – and for black rockfish in the Pacific Ocean.
Mikhail Skopets is – and I quote – “Author, professional scientist, Ph. D. in fish biology, and also a dedicated flyfisherman. Mikhail has written two sport-fishing books and over a hundred popular articles for the leading Russian sport fishing magazines. http://flyfishingrussia.com/
Mikhail is a man who speaks multiple languages fluently, but is not inclined to engage in idle chatter. His professional accomplishments are truly impressive: he has literally pioneered vast regions of the Russian Far East, cataloging new species of fish, and – get this – he has caught something barely under a hundred different fish species around the world on a fly! From my perspective of a fly angler who has been living in a paper bag for decades, pursuing our local stocks of salmon, trout, and steelhead – Mikhail’s adventures are the stuff of dreams and legends.
Mikhail described rivers like the Amur, where the ecological diversity of the basin is of epic proportion, fostering the evolution of more species than I recollect precisely (something like 120-plus species have been cataloged in the Amur, many by Mikhail’s professional work). The evolution of such vast species diversity is made possible because the environments in the huge river basin are hugely different from main stem to tributary reaches, with some areas that are very warm in the summer and others that are very very cold during the winter. Ecological diversity supports evolution of species diversity and places like the Amur are playgrounds for Mikhail, who related the fascinating life histories of species after species, while my mind drifted back to my local rivers where diversity between and among species is scant in comparison.
Anyway, Mikhail is currently engaged on one of his international fishing, exploration, and writing adventures, all of which are part of his personal quest to study fish around the world. One friend described Mikhail as a guy who can head out into the wilderness with a bag of salt, and a knife – and re-appear three months later. Forgive me if I bungled the description, but clearly this is a man who is at home fending for himself under the harshest wilderness physical conditions.
Our three days fishing consisted of two days fishing for springers and one morning fishing with John Harrell in his dory out of Pacific City. Springer fishing was hard work, often crowded, but we hooked an amazing leaper, that shortly broke off on a snag far from the boat. Mikhail got the in-air, hang-time photo for the memory book, and I was able to show Mikhail a photo of a spring chinook I had hooked on a different day, so he could see what we were fishing for.
Our Dory fishing was a different story altogether. The surf was down and Jack Harrell pushed us off the beach where John captained us out into the briny nearshore waters.
A five minute run put us on a big school of black rockfish, right where John had found fish congregating a few days earlier. John assessed the wind and current drift, cut the motor up-current from the school, and instructed us to begin our casting.
Our few hours on the ocean were a refreshing change from two full days chasing mostly lock-jawed spring chinook. Many rockfish hooked, many brought to hand, lots of fish lost, and several times when all three of us were hooked up with hard pulling fish.
We headed in to the beach as the wind began to pick up, another great morning on the ocean under our belts, and a full fish box to share with friends in Pacific City.
Thank you, Mikhail, for the opportunity of sharing my home waters, our local fishing culture, and our passion for fish and fishing. Come back soon, and we will take another shot at the elusive chinook salmon, and see if we can get out on the ocean again too.
Jay Nicholas, June 11, 2014
By now the state media has spread the word the ODFW Coastal Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) was approved. However, what was not in most press releases: The harvesting of winter steelhead in the Umpqua Basin was REMOVED from the plan! Hmmm? Wonder how it happened?
Seems like a few people sent the message to the ODFW commission in support of no harvest! The stack of public input (emails) at the meeting was about 1″ thick. A significant amount of the emails were in support of no harvest. Say what we wish about ODFW, they listened, and acted to the public outcry about harvesting winter steelhead on the Umpqua. So that’s the good news and now…the not so good news…
The ODFW will be seeking revenue to help close a projected $32 million dollar shortfall in the 2015-17 budgets.
All possible options are being evaluated from increasing license and tag fees, cutting staff, and asking for more money from the state general fund. The commission has a tough job ahead to implement the CMP plan while facing budgetary challenges.
One of the key presentations during the meeting was the request for the “monitoring budget” to be approved for the CMP plan. We shall see what lies ahead. Meanwhile, every time we release one those winter Umpqua steelhead, smile a little wider!
LV
This week Sage Fly Rod Company announced to dealers that they could discount remaining inventories of two outstanding rod series and one reel series. Excellent timing for those looking to upgrade or augment their fly rod collection as we move into the Summer fishing season.
The VXP fly rod series from Sage is a mix between incredibly popular Z-Axis and XP models. The VXP has a progressive fast action, ideal for an all around fly rod. We have numerous models in stock including a few two-handers. For example the Sage VXP 9ft 5wt is the perfect rod for any western trout situation, the 6129-4 or 12 foot 9 inch 6wt two hander has been one of our favorite all around spey rods for the Umpqua, Willamette and Deschutes. We have numerous other models in stock to fit any fishing situation.
Click here to shop: VXP ROD SALE
The Sage Xi3 Saltwater Series has been a proven winner for years. From 5-14 weights the Xi3 is built for fishing in Saltwater. The Xi3 series has saltwater anodized reel seats, over sized guides, fighting butts and a beautiful blue blank color. Fast action and exceedingly tough in terms of break strength and lifting power the Xi3 will not fail you on the flats or in the open ocean.
Click here to shop for Xi3 Rods: Sage Xi3 Sale
All of the sale rods discussed above come with factory tubes and warranty cards. They carry the same lifetime warranty as all Sage fly rods carry.
The Sage 3800 Carbon Fiber Series of reels has a sealed drag mechanism a full cage design and a lightweight carbon fiber spool. We have used these reels in fresh and saltwater with success. Favorites include the 3850 for five and six weight rods and the 3810 for an economical two handed rod reel match.
Shop for Sage 3800 Series fly reels on sale here: SALE 3800 SAGE REELS
Screening of the film, ‘DamNation’
Thursday, June 19 at Bijou Art Cinema (492 East 13th), 7 pm
Western Environmental Law Center and Save Our Wild Salmon with sponsorship from Mountain Rose Herbs is hosting a screening of the film ‘DamNation’ here in Eugene. It will be Thursday, June 19 at Bijou Art Cinema (492 East 13th) at 7:00pm. If you’re not familiar, it’s a film about the growing need and push for dam removal to restore wild fish runs and the ecosystems affected.
Summertime on the Fall
PMD hatches on the Metolius have been consistent and in good numbers over the past few weeks; however, we are starting to see some green drakes flying around below Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery. The Metolius Green Drake hatch presents a great opportunity to (actually!) catch fish on the Metolius. Drakes like cloudy, drizzly weather, so your best chances for fish on the surface will come on those sorts of days. Some of our favorite Green Drake dries in the shop are Quigley’s Film Critic and the Heavy Hackle Parachute Drake. Keep your eye on the forecast, and mark your calendars for the next overcast day. While the hatch is still in its preliminary stages, fishing Green Drake nymphs under an indicator can produce some awesome fishing. This beautiful brown ate a Hunchback green drake nymph below the hatchery.
Brownie ate the drake nymph
Early Summer fishing on the Fall River can be fantastic. This time of year, you can see hatches of caddis, various mayflies, and midges all in the same day. The three primary public access points are at the Falls, the fish hatchery, and the Fall River campground (moving upstream). Being ready for anything is the key to fishing the Fall, so make sure you have a good assortment of dry flies in your box before you head out there. Even though the fish can be picky at times, the parachute purple sparkle size 16 remains one of my favorite patterns to fish on the Fall. Also, don’t hesitate to throw a streamer in the deeper pools and around the logjams, as it is a great way to target the larger browns and ‘bows that hide down low.
Get out there and enjoy!
What If You Could Listen To Your Water Source?
On Saturday, June 7, 2014, “McKenzie River Stories,” an interactive multimedia exhibit will open at the Lane County Historical Museum in Eugene, OR. A family-friendly opening reception will take place from 4 – 6 p.m. The goal of the exhibit is to draw residents of the greater Eugene area into a closer relationship with their only water source, the McKenzie River, with the end goal of promoting stewardship of this unique and beautiful river.
The exhibit showcases the work of the River Stories team – a group of undergraduates participating in the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of Oregon, working in collaboration with Randy Dersham of the McKenzie River Drift Boat Museum and Lane County Historical Museum. Since January 2013, the River Stories team has interviewed, documented, and learned from residents living, working, and recreating in the McKenzie River watershed. The exhibit features stories of the original McKenzie River drift boat builders, stories and audio clips from current residents, vivid river photographs and video footage, and a white water boat made by Woodie Hindman for Prince Helfrich.
The team describes the many voices featured in the exhibit as similar to “one of the many springs and streams that converge in the McKenzie River; before we can hear the ripples echo, we must first step in.” In the exhibit, the River Stories team encourages visitors to think about their own connection to the McKenzie and how to sustain a conversation with their water source. Guests are also invited to share their own river story. The exhibit will be up through December 2014.
Supporting the main exhibit, the team will also install “River Stories” around town at water fountains and other locations where people interact with the McKenzie. These posters feature photography and quotes about the river and further the team’s goal of promoting awareness, connection, and stewardship of the McKenzie River. To hear these stories and for more information: https://sites.google.com/site/mckenzieriverstories2014/.
In typical agency fashion, ODFW is hosting a weekday event wherein working folks need to try to take a day off to support their interest in protecting wild fish in the Coastal Management Plan. There is a place for written public comments listed below, but if you’ve ever been through one of these, the thing that actually matters is in-person appeals.
So why attend? Although it’s not included in the Coastal Management Plan, we expect a large vocal contingent to attend requesting the plan be amended to include harvest of wild Umpqua winter steelhead. Here is some info from North Umpqua guide Mark Stangeland’s blog:
Please attend if you can to support the current no-kill regulation. If you can’t attend, please send an email odfw.commission@state.or.us or letter to the Commission opposing any harvest of wild steelhead on the Umpqua River.
Your message can be very simple. You can also include any of the following issues to support your position, but it’s important to get the basic message across: No harvest of wild steelhead in the Umpqua Basin.
1. This is the last, best wild steelhead run in the United States, a world-famous fishery characterized by uniquely large fish as recognized in the CMP. Sound management requires caution with such a resource.
2. ODFW relies on their 2004 Biological Assessment to support harvest. Based on admittedly sketchy data, they estimate a run of 30,000 – 35,000 wild steelhead with over half coming from mainstem Umpqua River tributaries. Neither ODFW nor BLM can identify the tributaries with sufficient high quality rearing habitat to produce the half-million smolts needed for this estimated return (and it likely doesn’t exist).
3. Pending Federal legislation would transfer management of O&C lands currently administered by BLM to state control, under the provisions of Oregon’s Forest Practices Act. This will result in additional deterioration of fish habitat in mainstem Umpqua River tributaries
4. Climate change will have a disproportionately high impact on the upper Umpqua Basin for both flow levels and temperatures. As the only Cascade Mountains rivers in the CMP, the Umpqua headwaters depend on snowpack for summer flows, and snowpack is diminishing – note the recent news articles about record low snowpack in Crater Lake, the source for much of the North Umpqua summertime flows.
5. Given the budgetary problems ODFW is facing, they cannot identify the current state of wild steelhead or adequately monitor impacts from harvest combined with these other factors. This isn’t the time to increase pressure on the best wild run in the US.
Meeting info below:
COASTAL MULTI-SPECIES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Commission Draft Coastal Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) was presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (OFWC) at its April 25, 2014 meeting in North Bend. Thank you to all who testified in that public hearing. The CMP and your input were favorably received by the OFWC.
The final draft CMP is being presented to the OFWC for approval on June 6, 2014 at ODFW Headquarters in Salem. Public testimony will again be heard as part of this agenda item, which we expect to be taken up most likely after 10:00 AM (please note that agenda items are subject to change and we cannot provide a time-certain). Details on this meeting can be found on the OFWC website. The final draft CMP and Executive Summary will also be posted by 5:00 PM on May 28 at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/CRP/coastal_multispecies.asp. In addition to testifying at the Commission meeting, written public comments can be submitted prior to the meeting to: ODFW.CoastalPlan@state.or.us, odfw.commission@state.or.us, or Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem, OR 97302.
The Middle Fork of the Willamette is flowing at ideal levels for trout and steelhead fishing.
With approx 810 cubic feet per second being released out of Hills Creek dam the Middle Fork near Oakridge is very “wadable” and “boatable”. Salt Creek, Salmon Creek and the North Fork of the Willamette have all settled in terms of run off and the river is in fine shape overall. Trout Fishing has been very good despite some bright and windy conditions of late. Best fly patterns include CDC Green McKenzie Caddis, Parachute Adams, Pale Morning Duns, Little Yellow Stonefly patterns and larger Golden Stone fly patterns. Look for mornings and evenings to produce best on the surface and then go deeper with Jigged Possie Buggers, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns and smaller Stonefly Nymphs.
Steelhead numbers in the Willamette River are similar to what we had last year, approx 6600 fish over Willamette Falls at the end of May. While this number is half of the May 2012 count, water conditions on the Willamette are much better this year, allowing anglers to catch more fish to date. From Dexter Dam all the way into “The Town Run” water conditions are low and give boating and wading anglers a chance to give the water “full coverage”. Best flies for the Willamette are Moal Leeches, Reverse Marabou Leech, Versi Tube and Green Butt Silver Hilton.
Get out there and enjoy!
Blog reader and freelance photographer Joshua Rainey sent us a writeup of his recent Deschutes Salmon Fly Trip:
We floated Warm Springs to Trout Creek on Friday/Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. The fishing started off really good with a few fish to hand over 18”. By noon a pretty big storm rolled in and we were battling heavy winds and a strong rain. The fishing completely died during the rain. We set up camp during the storm and then tried to fish it out but only picked up one fish. We ended up waiting out the storm for a few hours and it eventually let up. After things cleared the fishing turned on. Big fish were looking up and we had a bunch of success on darker colored chubbies. Brought in plenty of fish that evening and had a ton of fun fishing dries. The next day was really slow but we didn’t mind so much after the great fishing on day 1. Picked up a few fish on a 16 red copper john and some chubbies. Not much surface activity all day long on Saturday and didn’t see nearly as many bugs on the grass in the lower section of that float. All in all a great trip on an awesome river!
Check out more of Josh’s salmonfly photos here.
The Stellaria Building
150 Shelton Mcmurphey Blvd., Eugene, OR 97401
Large community room
Monday June 2nd at 6PM, The McKenzie-Upper Willamette Chapter of Trout Unlimited will hold its monthly board meeting in the small community Room of the Stellaria Building, 150 Shelton Mcmurphey Blvd.,Eugene, OR 97401.
At 7PM, there will be a presentation entitled “Trout Unlimited in Oregon: Partnerships with the US Forest Service to preserve native trout habitat.” presented by Dean Finnerty, SW Oregon Organizer for TU. This meeting will be in the large community room of the Stellaria Building. The public is welcome to attend.
See you there!
Salmon biologist, conservationist and author Jim Lichatowich will be speaking in Eugene tonight, reading from his new book Salmon, People and Place.
Here is a great quote from Lichatowich in a recent interview:
By relying more and more on hatcheries we’re creating a charade of sorts where the river that can’t support a salmon becomes a stage prop where fishermen and fish play out their respective roles, reenacting something, an important part of our past, that now is sort of a hollow empty memory of it.
The event tonight is hosted by the Western Environmental Law Center at Cozmic Pizza in Eugene, 6pm. You can find more event details on Facebook.
Why not just do one Clouser Minnow and call it good? Because sometimes you can pick up different ideas, materials, color combinations and other inspiration. What you get with this pattern is Fishient Fish Scale and a subtle color pattern, something like a Pacific Sand Lance.
Subtle Saltwater Clouser Minnow w/ Fishient Fish Scale
Overall Length = 3.5”
Thread: 210 D Danville’s Green Chartreuse
Hook: #2 Mustad 3407
Lower Body: Fish Scale White
Upper body: FishScale Aquamarine over Olive
Eyes: Medium Plated Lead
Cure Goo: Hydro
If you are curious about how “Citizen Scientists” can make a difference and you would like to hear the latest on The McKenzie River Trout Study please attend the Wrap Up Meeting on June 10th from 6-7pm at Springfield City Hall (225 5th st.) in the Council Meeting Room near the Library.
Dave Thomas, Scott Kinney and Arlen Thomason will have the written reports and go over the results for the the 2013 sampling season. The meeting will also summarize the entire study as it has ended.
Arlen Thomason describes the studies success below.
We think that this study has been an important success, from several points of view. First, the results confirm that when a management regime is implemented that optimizes conditions for native wild fish on a river like the McKenzie, the wild fish population responds and the quality of the fishery improves. Second, it has demonstrated that concerned citizens, working together with government fish and wildlife professionals, can generate high quality results and have a big impact on fishery management. We have been told that the scale, persistence and caliber of this study’s effort has set a new standard for ODFW-sponsored citizen science across the state. You, the volunteers, made that happen. It is the results of your dedication that we will discuss on June 10.
Hope to see you there!
If you are unable to make the meeting the results will be posted to the study website: http://www.mckenzietroutstudy.org/
CD
