A few fish trickled in late November, early December but steelheading was slow overall due to low water and frigid conditions. The rain dances were heard and answered with an overcompensating vengeance. A lot of rain and milder temperatures came mid-December that allowed some success around Christmas time and New Years, but high water made catching tough.
A greasy tailout on the lower Alsea
I spent most of my time on the Alsea before New Years. I love the Alsea river early season. It helps that I caught my first steelhead on a fly rod sixteen years ago in its maligned headwaters! I fish it sparingly after New Years to escape the crowds that arrive when the fish are really in. The Midwestern style combat fishing on its North Fork gives one of my favorite rivers a misunderstood reputation. The mainstem Alsea is a beautiful, varied stream with a classic Oregon Coast feel. It has many boat launches (some slides), creative bank access and a true early run of steelhead. In December, I usually see zero to three other boats per drift and maybe a couple more in the upper river on weekends. After New Years expect to see A LOT more traffic. Which is fine! Just not what I look for.
A lovely start to the season
Since the rain has halted this week I have switched to waters closer to Eugene. Steelhead fishing has been pretty steady with solid reports from myself and other anglers. Hopefully you were able to get out this last week as well!
Outlook:
The rain has halted for awhile, the next couple weeks are shaping up for a slow steady drop. From now onward most rivers will have fish in them. In January I find fish in pods rather than evenly distributed throughout a system; if you find one or a couple keep it to yourself and maybe fish that same zone again the next day. If you like to fish larger rivers like the North Umpqua, the next couple weeks will be very kind levels for swinging. Colder weather will turn “the bite” off intermittently but you can be confident that there are some around. Get out there!
Look at how chrome that one is!
I feel more confident in swung flies the warmer the water is in the winter. I used to trust that 47 was the cuttoff for bedrock lies (for fresh fish), but I swung an absolute chromer this past weekend out of bedrock bucket when the water was 46! I will swing the primo runs in all water temperatures. When swinging in colder water, look for shallower and gradual sloping runs. The runs that look like they are from a postcard about Olympic Peninsula not the Oregon Coast. In Oregon these runs usually occur near a corner in the river or above rapids and are usually contain smaller rock mixed in with some big boulders that fish can hide behind.
Some Tech & Preferred Products:
When the water gets cold the fish will move a lot less. Over the next couple weeks I would keep the unweighted flies in the box unless you want to put some shot in front of them. For our bedrock strewn, coastal streams my swung flies are tied with medium lead eyes or larger. I have caught a lot of winter steelhead on: Signature Intruder. Other killer flies from the shop:Guide Intruder, Loop Leech, Stu’s Metal Head Tube.
I like to color code my flies by the eyes. I use chartreuse for small (used sparingly in winter), orange for medium, pink for large, and purple for xl. That’s how much I think color matters, for identifying the weight of flies not for catching fish! These are the eyes that I like to use: Double Pupil Lead Eyes.
My usual Oregon Coast tip wallet is simple: t11, t14, and 5/5 tip are the mainstays. I use 10 footers on a switch and 12.5 footers on a full spey if I’m fishing a bigger river. On the Umpqua, I will use more t17. I use a 5/5 MOW Tip in either t11 or t14. In smaller to medium sized streams during normal to low water (what is on the forecast) it is a must. This tip is super versatile. Use it to fish classic “bobber water” with a slightly upstream cast and slack tosses of extra running line as it passes by. It works great for fishing shallower buckets with a straight across cast and a pullback mend. Lastly, use a 45 degree cast downstream for the shallow tailouts; all with the same 5/5 MOW tip! It is important to use a weighted fly with a true MOW tip (the 5/5s 2.5/7.5s). They were designed for fishing deep quickly, while not snagging, with slightly upstream or straight across casts.
I use RIO Elite Skagit Max Power Spey Head on most of my full spey rods in the winter. Due to the size of most rivers I fish my winter full speys are all 12’6”s. If you are fishing a 13 or 13’6” the RIO Elite Skagit Max Launch Spey Head is great. I have been demoing a 12’8” Scott Swing and love it with a 575 max launch and it does well with a 550 max power. This rod has a lot of soul and is a joy to cast all day. I just picked up the ultimate Umpqua stick: the Sage R8 8126. I can’t wait to break it in next week with a 625 max power as well as a RIO Elite Skagit Pickpocket Shooting Head 600gr. My go to head for my switch rods is the OPST commando head . I use the Echo SR or “Switch Rod” on smaller water in a 7wt or 8wt. I like 3-4ft of 12lb or 15lb Maxima Mono in the winter for swinging flies.
Of course I “indicator” fish and I have been loving the new mega XL Oros Strike Indicators. They can hold a lot of weight, their depth is easily adjustable and they float better than the larges do in turbulent currents. The Scientific Anglers Amplitude Anadro line is my favorite for indicator fishing. Use it true to size on single handers and size up two line weights on a switch. I have not played around with but have heard positive reviews of the SA Integrated Switch Line. This line is specialized for indicator fishing from the shore with lots of weight on a switch rod. It is the successor to my favorite, poorly named and sadly abandoned “Great Lakes Switch” line from SA.
Last spring the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced it had applied for over 260 new instream water rights in the Willamette River system to protect instream flows for native fish and wildlife in the North Willamette, Mid-Willamette, and South Willamette basins.
The final batch of 98 instream water right applications in the South Willamette are being considered now – including segments of the McKenzie River, Middle Fork and Coast Fork Willamette, Mohawk River, South Fork McKenzie, Blue River, Salt Creek, Row River, North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River, and others. The public comment period closes next Thursday, Jan. 16th, by 5 p.m.
Instream Water Rights do not harm existing water rights, but do protect flows from new withdrawals going forward. Establishing protection for instream flows for fish is critical to maintaining healthy rivers in the face of climate change. There’s more at this ODFW StoryMap Overview document, and an ODFW Frequently Asked Questions page on instream water rights.
To express your support for ODFW’s full slate of 98 South Willamette instream applications, create a comment email with our pre-formatted form linked below. You can modify, change, or add remarks as you see fit for a more personal comment, or mention specific rivers or streams of interest to you and your family.
A beautiful male Clearwater-Eastern Cascades Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Generally when anglers imagine fishing for large Westslope Cutthroat it is on a winding freestone stream in Idaho or Montana, or maybe it is in the upper Columbia in BC or a river in Alberta. Generally, Oregon and Washington aren’t peoples’ first guess, but they both have small isolated populations of these beautiful fish. This article will discuss the former, but if you are interested on the unique Westslopes that Oregon has to offer click here to read an article from earlier this last summer.
My first trip to Washington for these fish was two years ago with Robbie. On a whim, we ran up North in search of Washington’s Westslope seldom spoken of. I did my research and had a large drainage I planned on exploring, in hindsight at the wrong time of year. It was mid July and extremely hot. The best fishing was isolated to the mornings and evenings, and although we caught plenty of what we were looking for, I left knowing this beautiful drainage had more to offer.
Fall brings salmon, colorful leaves, low wadable water, and cooler temps to the basin
There are several distinct subspecies of Westslope Cutthroat trout distributed all across the West. At one point, it was the most widely distributed Cutthroat in the world. The specific subspecies of Westslope present in Washington is the Clearwater-Eastern Cascades Cutthroat(CECWT). They are lumped in the same subspecies as the famous Westslopes from the Clearwater and Loscha rivers in Idaho. The range of this subspecies is disjunct and has one portion in Idaho and the other isolated in Central Washington on the East slope of the Cascades. There currently is not a conclusive explanation for the two distinct species. Some hypothesize that possibly it historically was one large population. Some think that Columbia Redbands moved in and outcompeted or hybridized with the cutthroat, and this created two separate populations of similar fish. Hopefully additional genetic testing will be done in the future that can tell us more about how this isolated pocket of Westslopes came to be.
Washington’s Westslopes look like your run of the mill Westslopes, but often with more spotting
The appearance of Washington’s Westslope is typical of many subspecies of Westslope. A beautiful golden backdrop decorated with dark spots mostly occurring above the lateral line. Generally the tail is heavily spotted and the back is a deep mustard-olive color, often slightly darker than the sides of the fish. The fish always have the tell-tale scarlet slashes on their jaw, males especially can be found with pink to red bellies, and they can sport red cheeks. Especially young fish will sport beautiful blue parr marks along the lateral line. The average size of fish will be from 6-12 inches, but I bumped into several over 20″. From my experience, this will largely be dependent on how hot it is. The Washington population of the Clearwater-Eastern Cascades Westslope Cutthroat Trout (CECWCT) is often more spotted than their Eastern relatives in Idaho.
Lower in elevation, the drainage closely resembles the Lower Deschutes with vegetation isolated in close proximity to the water.
The region in you can find these fish in Washington is vast. Unfortunately, I have only had the chance to explore a small portion of their home. The section I decided to focus on is the Yakima basin, however I plan to return in the future and explore further North into their range. The character of the drainage is unique, and appears different from our local rivers in the Willamette Valley. Things are dry here in the high desert; vegetation is isolated along side the rivers and creeks. The river in lower elevations looks reminiscent of the lower Deschutes River. As you move higher in elevation into the headwaters and tributaries, the shade of nearby mountains making up the Cascades allow for more lush growth; everything is much more green and more closely resembles the upper Deschutes or Metolous river. Because of the hot climate, I learned the hard way that the middle of the summer is not necessarily ideal to fish the area. Hot days and lack of shade lower in the system can make fishing slow, especially if you’re searching for large fish. The tributaries are cascading freestone streams that run cool. The water is crystal clear in the summer and fall, and as you move your way out of the valley floor, the scenery changes from arid desert to lush coniferous forest. Fall was an especially beautiful time of year to visit with the leaves changing and comfortable weather.
Excuse the poor quality, I put my phone camera subsurface to capture a large group of spawning Sockeye
The Westslopes share their home with other native species including: Whitefish, Columbia Basin Redband Trout, protected Bull trout, and various Sculpins and Dace. Many of the small creeks hold resident Westslopes. As they age many of them experience a fluvial life strategy, and they migrate downstream into the larger tribs, and eventually into the mainstem. As a rule you can seek out larger fish by looking at the corresponding size of the system you are on and imagining how much food may be available. There are several reservoirs in the basin and some large Westslopes exhibit an adfluvial life strategy, migrating to and from lakes. Several species of Salmon return to the drainage such as: Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, and Sockeye Salmon. I saw a few Chinook on my trips and bumped into hundreds of Sockeye high in the drainage in just one day. Bull trout are protected in the drainage and there are great efforts in the form of many projects in the works to aid in their habitat and spawning. Nonnatives, none of which I bumped into, include: Brook Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Carp, and Catfish.
This big male came up for a dry, what more could you want?
This most recent trip I made the trip up solo. I spent 3 days fishing up there and that was ample time to explore a lot more than last time. I spent the first day poking around a small tributary that I had read about, and ran into some gorgeous resident Cutthroat using my 3 wt. I headed to a larger trib and poked around some spots from the last trip and ended the day catching some larger fish during the evening hatch of October Caddis, BWO’s, and Mahoganies. The next day I poked around the mainstream Yakima and learned it is best fished out of a boat, but I did have some success. Instead of beating my head against a wall all day, I headed up to a reservoir looking for large advluvial Cutts. I did not find the large fish I was looking for, but I found hundreds, maybe over thousand paired up Sockeye cutting redds. It was an amazing sight, one that I never will forget. The last day I felt the pressure to find the 20 inch Westslope that I came up here for; after being broken off by two large fish, I knew they were around. I decided on a system I was familiar with and landed one large female in the morning on a nymph, a gorgeous colored up male with shoulders on a dry in the afternoon, and at last light I ended up with a huge Colombia Basin Redband, and plenty of other fish in between.
High in the system the difference in topography is apparent. Much more green and more bedrock in the stream.
This small tributary was full of small willing resident Cutts, perfect for the 3wt
On this trip my most used rod was a Winston Air 2 9″ 5wt, I paired this with a Sage Trout reel, and as always I was using a Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity Textured WF5F line. This rod did everything I asked and more. It provided ample reach on the larger systems, and had the backbone to turn large Westslopes that I hooked into. It also is sensitive enough to make fighting smaller fish enjoyable. On the smaller headwaters tribs, I used a Winston Air 2 8’6″ 3wt, with a Hardy Lightweight LRH, and Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity Textured WF3F line. This rod was my go to stick for the small streams, and is one of my favorite rods to use. It has enough backbone to throw dry dropper setups, but also can delicately present a fly to a picky fish. My streamer rod I brought was a Sage Sonic 9’6″ 6wt, and had a Sage Spectrum Lt 5/6 reel, and the line was a Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Sink Tip WF6S6. This setup searched every run and I just couldn’t get the fish to follow on a streamer like my first trip. It is my go to streamer setup otherwise and I will be going back for redemption. Other gear that made the trip easier was a good pair of boots and waders. I used the following: Patagonia Swiftcurrent Expedition, and Korkers River Ops with studded felt soles. Some areas are pretty slick in that drainage and a good pair of boots will keep you from taking a spill. As always I carried my rods in a Riversmith River Quiver 4- Banger Rod Vault. As someone without a boat, this makes my life a breeze as I can jump from spot to spot without breaking down my rods. I also do not have to worry about loose gear in my vehicle crushing my rods as I drive to the next spot. The net I carried is one of my favorites the Fishpond Mid-Length Nomad Net. It has a long handle and makes netting fish easy on your own, the big bag makes netting large fish easier too. With a Nomad End Cap the net can double as a walking/wading staff. Aside from the basics I carried SA mono and fluoro tippet from 2x-5x, Oros Indicators,Shimizaki Dry Shake, Loon Aquel floatant, Amadou Patch, and Fishpond Sunscreen.
There is plenty of access on foot throughout the entire basin
The CEWSCT of Central Washington are much closer than driving all the way to Idaho. The city of Yakima is 4 Hours and 45 minutes away making it much more doable for a short trip than the 10 hrs on the road to get to the Loscha or Clearwater. There are campgrounds littered throughout the drainage, but beware that many of them close in the fall. I intended to camp again this fall, but most of the campgrounds were closed. There are plenty of dispersed sites, but I opted to make my home base in the city of Yakima. There are plenty of hotels to stay at up there, and the town has everything you’d need. The lower Yak runs right through town and you can reach the tip top of it and its tribs in a little over an hour, so there is plenty of fishable water on that hour drive up.
As we know, some of the smaller fish are the most beautiful. This little guy has just about outgrown his parr marks.
I’m grateful for the experience of pursuing these native fish in their home. As time ticks on, these isolated subspecies of native trout face unprecedented challenges ahead of them. Please use proper handling techniques and show these fish the respect they deserve if you happen to make the pilgrimage there in search of them, or any isolated subspecies of native trout. We’re happy to outfit you for your trip North or help in any way we can, just swing in the shop or give us a ring. Central Washington will always have a special place in my heart, and the more I reminisce on a visit, the closer I am to planning another trip. After two visits up there, I still have a lot to explore in that drainage, not to mention heading further north into Washington’s Westslopes range.
-Simon
Big female from the morning of my 3rd day ate a big stone nymph in the tailout
A few of the great resources that I read, and that you may enjoy are below
Community tying nights will be taking place this winter at Falling Sky Brewing. Join us once a month for a night of tying, fun community, food, and beer. Stephen from Falling Sky, a fellow fly angler, has offered us space in the pub to gather and tie flies during the winter. The tying nights will happen the 2nd Tuesday at 6:30 pm of every month (unless stated otherwise) into the spring. Tuesday happens to be Falling Sky’s Pint Night, where proceeds of every pint bought go to local nonprofits. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your local fly fishing community and make a difference. They have delicious beer and some very talented chefs in the kitchen; the food is awesome!
Feel free to stop in and tie, just hang out and watch, or grab food and a drink. All levels of anglers and tiers are welcome! This is a great way to make new friends in the fly fishing community or get a little taste of fly tying. Tell all of your friends about it and share the news on social media! We love community events; they’re a great excuse to see each other outside of the shop or on the river. A big thank you to Stephen for hosting us, for everyone going have fun and clean up your trimmings! We’ll see you there.
Where: Falling Sky Brewing 1334 Oak Alley, Eugene OR
When: 2nd Tuesday of each month @6:30 (unless stated otherwise) through the spring.
What: Tying & Community Fly Night BYOV (Bring Your Own Vise) & Appetite
This week saw the U.S. Congress pass legislation that may do more for the future of trout fishing than anything that has happened before–and very few in the fly-fishing industry are talking about it.
The “Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act” passed the House by voice vote, indicating near unanimous bipartisan support, on Tuesday. The effort was led by Representatives Celeste Maloy (R-UT) and Mary Peltola (D-AK). Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Jim Risch (R-ID) led the previous effort to have the bill pass the Senate on July 31, 2024. It now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
What this essentially does is create a pilot program that allows qualified and vetted conservation organizations (like Trout Unlimited) to undertake projects to clean up abandoned mine sites. Previously, these groups weren’t able to work on these sites because they would inherit risks of liability. This “you touch it, you own the problem” scenario effectively left many mine sites that were abandoned and supposedly capped years ago unfixed and leeching poisons like arsenic and cyanide into streams. This toxic legacy of “off-colored” rivers throughout the U.S. from Alaska to Colorado to Pennsylvania and elsewhere has made these streams hazards for humans and wildlife, some of which are completely devoid of life. There are over 30,000 of these sites nationwide, accounting for the leading causes of pollution on America’s public lands and headwater streams.
Now, there is hope that this program will eventually expand to clean up thousands of miles of the types of cold, clear streams that support trout and other species. In the context of viable fishable trout streams, it’s fair to say this has the potential of creating more habitat and access to fishable public water than any other legislation in our lifetime.
But it was Trout Unlimited that really led the vanguard and shouldered the load of this effort for many years to see it come to fruition.
“This was a classic TU win,” said TU president and CEO Chris Wood in a note to TU staff. “The path to our success was made possible by proving the concept that we can clean low risk abandoned mines. We can improve water quality. We can make our communities healthier.”
And TU will ultimately lead some of the boots-in-the-water projects that just might happen to make fishing better too.
It all flows downhill. Anglers of all walks, throughout the country, have legitimate reason to celebrate, be optimistic that good things can happen and be grateful.
Winter Stones aren’t the most famous Stonefly out there, but they are one of the ones most widely distributed across the country. The Winter Stone, Nemoura, Little Black Stone, Etc. refers to a family of small stoneflies with individual species numbering in the hundreds. Generally when speaking of Winter Stones, people are thinking between size 14 and 18. While certain Stonefly Species are more famous out West like Gold Stones and Salmonflies, the Nemouridae family is distributed across the world in the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Oregon, they rent particularly known to produce spectacular dry fly fishing, but their nymphs can produce some big eats. The nymph is not only a fantastic imitation for winter stones, but all juvenile stones. The fly fishes well in tailwaters as it is small and leggy making it a great searching nymph year-round. You certainly could tie it in yellow or yellow olive to imitate young Skwalas or Gold Stones. You also could size the fly up a tad, but this hooks shank length is best catered to smaller flies maxing out at size 12. If you tie some up tag us on Instagram, and send us the photos of fish they catch!
Abaco Island offers a wide range of bonefishing options from the very northern tip near Treasure Cay, all the way south to Sandy Point. Anglers can experience Abaco by going to one of the fishing specific lodges on the island, or DIY options. Beachside rentals are perfect for families who want a mix of fishing, snorkeling, relaxing and more.
I have been visiting Abaco Island most years since 1993. Two things keep me coming back, the average size of the bonefish is excellent, and the island vibe is super friendly.
We had mixed cloud cover, and steady wind during our stay. Challenging conditions were tempered, as daytime temperatures ranged from 77-85 degrees. When faced with wind and 85 degrees or wind and 65 degrees… you get the idea. We rented from our friend Kathy Heacock, owner of Abaco Palms, you can check out her beachside rentals here: https://www.abacopalms.com. All the Abaco Palms Rentals are nicely appointed, kitchens have most everything you need. Rental cars are available at the Marsh Harbor Airport, we used “Rental Wheels“.
Fishing was best on the dropping low, and bonefish quickly bailed for cover as the tide rose and pushed water at high speed into the mangroves. It seemed like the wind and the tide were working together to make the rising tide hyper speedy.
When the flats weren’t the ideal spot to be, we enjoyed some of our favorite spots on Abaco Island. Snappers Bar and Grill in Marsh Harbor, and Petes Pub in “Lil Harbor” are must dos. Abaco Big Bird Farm was a new discovery for us this year. Take away meals, a small but very well stocked store, and gas station can save a trip to town when supplies are running short. A quick visit to Abaco Neem for some natural remedies can be much needed when sun burns, and bug bites are part of your vacation.
If you are looking for an all-inclusive bonefish lodge experience our favorite spots are Abaco Lodge and Delphi Club. We visited both establishments this trip and both are looking great post hurricane Dorian. If you need info on booking these or general info on fishing Abaco please feel free to reach out to travel@caddisflyshop.com.
This fly Simon originally developed for a trip to the mighty McCloud river in Northern California. The section he was interested in is a tailwater, and Simon needed a small fly that would be enticing enough for a large fish to move. Leeches are often abundant in tailwater sections of rivers directly below dams. Leeches are okay swimmers, but generally not good enough to avoid being sucked down a dam. This makes them an easy food source in the river below. Simon has used this pattern in tailwaters all around the Northwest with great success. He also took this fly to the Driftless area. The spring creeks there contain leeches, and the water is low enough for them to survive and swim. The beauty of this fly is in slower spring creeks and lakes, it can be stripped in very short intervals much like a scud. The size can be adjusted, but Simon found that the smaller size works best and produces extremely large trout. The Fulling Mill 5125 Jig Force Short is a must with its wide gap, heavy wire, and ability to hold a large bead. The ostrich provides lots of movement, while still keeping the profile very small. Feel free to tie them in grey, brown, olive, etc. to fit your local needs. If you tie some up and fish them, tag us on instagram!
On Tuesday, Dec. 3rd, the Redsides and Bluebacks (Corvallis) chapters of TU will be holding a happy hour at PublicHouse in Springfield from 5 – 6 p.m. We’ll be in ‘The Study’ room, which is adjacent to the Beer Hall.
Following the happy hour, we’ll migrate a few blocks to the Wildish Theatre on Main Street in Springfield to view the Deschutes River Alliance’s new film, The Last 100 Miles, which starts at 6:30 p.m. More information and tickets are available here.
On December 5th 2024 IF4 International Fly Fishing Festival
Please join us at the Wildish Theatre on December 5th at 7pm for the 2024 IF4 International Fly Fishing Festival! Nine captivating short films produced by talented filmmakers across the globe will be shown. You’ll have the opportunity cast your vote for your favorites at the event. Films will capture the passion, lifestyle, and culture of fly fishing and will showcase several different genres including: flats fishing, trout fishing, jungle fishing, trout fishing, sea run browns, trophy brookies, bass fishing, and much much more. There will be beer provided by Falling Sky Brewing. A raffle will take place with several prizes too. Proceeds will go towards the Fly Fishing Collaborative. Join us for a fun night of community, camaraderie, prizes, and film appreciation.
Some may know the mild mannered dry fly steelhead guru Todd Hirano. This article recently appeared in Swing Magazine, check it out. By Mitch Baker.
Meet Todd Hirano. In this installment of ICONS we talk with Todd about why he does what he does, and being a positive influence on the next generation of steelheaders.
You recently wrote a book with Jay Nicholas, titled “The Honest Flies of Todd Hirano.” What inspired that? Did you enjoy the process of writing a book?
The opportunity to write the book came about through my friend Jeff Hunter’s suggestion to Jay to have me featured in Jay’s Honest Flies series of books. Jay was wanting to give a voice to the stories of everyday fishermen, and I was honored and grateful to have the opportunity to put my crazy thoughts and ideas in print.
Even though the book is only 77 pages, it took a couple years to gather the photos and stories to present to Jay. A busy family life and fanatical fishing opportunities made for a drawn-out timeframe to getting the book done. Jay was patient, gracious, and encouraging throughout the process. His phenomenal fly photos and layout made for a humble yet satisfying outcome.
It was enjoyable to go through the process of writing the book. I love obsessing and writing about my favorite subject. I guess I have been a dry fly steelhead die-hard for long enough that I have formed a style, ideas, and philosophy that could lend encouragement to others who are new to the game of pursuing steelhead on the surface. I always enjoy the opportunity to help others take the leap of faith in fishing surface flies and then experiencing for themselves, the life-changing excitement of the steelhead surface attack!
Since the book went on the market, I have had some young anglers reach out to me for tips and advice in entering the strange reality of dry fly steelheading. It has been enlightening to be in a stage of my fishing life to be able to give back to the next generation of steelheaders who are taking on the challenge of chasing steelhead with methods that often yield lower percentage success rates, but big satisfaction when those glorious steelhead rises come.
You mention in your book that you’ve become addicted to 16′ – plus rods. When, and how did that happen? What’s been your experience — as an angler — with them thus far?
My current penchant for 16’+ rods began in 2021. A young man named Calem, who I became acquainted with through social media, was one who was constantly going through rods and lines in search of the magic bullet of casting ease and distance. He was buying and selling equipment more quickly than I could keep up with. He had run into David Wang on the river one day and David had suggested to Calem to have Steve Godshall build him a 16’ 7”, 7-weight. Calem stopped by my house to show me the gargantuan rod when he received it and I felt like the rod seemed outlandish, but who was I to judge?
A few weeks went by and Calem insisted on meeting me on the river to have me test cast the giant rod. When my schedule allowed, I met up with Calem and he handed me the telephone pole to try. I figured that Calem just wanted to show off his latest toy and to see if I could actually cast the thing. As I worked out casts, I was amazed at how easy it was to put 100’ of line out. I turned to Calem with a big smile on my face and acknowledged that, yes, I was impressed! As I handed the rod back to its owner, he then asks me “you wanna buy it?” Calem offered me the rod at a price I could not refuse, as he was off to buying the next greatest widget, and thus began my journey to the long side.
I soon became friends with the rod’s builder, Steve Godshall, and I found myself totally enamored with the beautiful aesthetics and feel of Steve’s artistic work. The handles that Steve builds are just pure ergonomic and visual magic, not to mention his beautiful wrappings and feather inlays. I had Steve build handles on several of my older rods, transforming them with new life.
As time went on, I realized that with casting longer lines, it is necessary to use lines with more mass, as weight must be distributed over a greater length. This would require using heavier rated lines, along with more powerful rods to cast those longer, heavier lines. The 16’7”, 7-weight Quantum is a wonderful rod, however, it lacks the power to cast those longer, heavier lines. A trip to Steve’s shop for brainstorming and scheming was in order.
I also acquired a 16’6”, 9/10-weight Bruce and Walker in 2022 from a Speypages member, and this rod casts beautifully with the Boss Long 9/10.
In fall 2022, discussions with Steve resulted in me acquiring an RB Meiser 17’, 10/11-weight CX loaner rod from Bob Meiser that no one else had interest in. Simultaneously, Steve was scheming the idea of extending a 15’, 7/8/9-weight CX blank to 17’+. The result was a blue themed 17’2” rod that casts 9/10 lines. This rod was later tweaked by Steve to extend the handle section by 5 inches for better balance, bringing the overall length to 17’7”. I have been casting a Ballistic Vector XL 10/11 (870gr @ 75’) line on the 17’, 10/11-weight CX and the Gaelforce Equilizer 83 9/10 (71’) line on the 17’7” extended CX. I am having a blast with these long rods and lines, and I also love how the heavier lines cut the wind.
Steve Godshall loves doing these “frankenstein” builds and in addition to the above rods, Steve built me an extended 15’, 6/7/8-weight CX that measures out to 17’11” and an extended 15’, 7/8/9-weight (CX2) blank that measures out to 18’ 5”. These rods cast 8/9 lines and I love the Ballistic Vector XL 8/9 and Gaelforce Equilizer 83 8/9 lines on these rods. Sadly, with Steve’s impending retirement from rod building, these are the last rods that Steve has built for me. All of Steve’s rods will be forever treasured along with Steve’s friendship which has been characterized by his kind, generous spirit.
I have been finding much joy in casting and fishing these long rods and lines. I have found them to be a lot more versatile than one may imagine. They really shine on big water as can be expected, but they also work well on some smaller rivers as well. I regularly bring these rods to the North Umpqua where being able to cover lies on the far bank with a steeper angle can be an advantage. My home water is the Middle Fork/Upper Willamette, and the long rods are right at home here, where covering large swaths of water on broad runs is pure pleasure.
I have no aspirations to become a champion distance caster so I am happy with the modest casts I am able to make where I am still able to see my obnoxious skating flies. Casting and fishing the long setups have added another dimension to my fishing where the ongoing pursuit of the perfect cast is an elusive prize worth chasing for its own sake. This makes for satisfying days on the river even when the steelhead could care less what my casting looks like.
Who do you credit as your mentor or inspiration in flyfishing?
I have been blessed to have Bill McMillan as my mentor and inspiration since my beginnings as a steelhead fly fisherman starting in the late 80’s. The book Dry Line Steelhead formed the foundations of my ethics, perspective and style as a steelheader. Bill’s descriptions of the methods and thrills of surface fishing for steelhead created visions of angling in a way that I wished to emulate.
It has been an honor to become friends with Bill over the years. I first reached out to Bill in 1995 after experiencing my inaugural dry fly steelhead encounters on the Bulkley River in British Columbia. Bill was so gracious in taking the time to respond to a young angler with a budding obsession for dry fly steelhead. I most recently visited with him this fall as my friend Mike Bell and I traveled to BC and he shared memorable stories of great times with dry fly steelheading. This included an episode when he fished the Thompson River in the 80s and getting into a large hen on a bomber after battling blustery winds all day.
When I have thanked Bill for the profound influence he has had on me as an angler, he humbly states that he is simply a conduit of the influence Rodrick Haig-Brown has had on him. In a sense, things have come full circle, where I am at an age where I have been at the dry fly steelheading game long enough that I have been able to pass along Bill’s influence to younger anglers. I absolutely love giving encouragement to others to keep the faith in the surface fly though Bill’s inspiration.
What is it about dry fly winter steelheading that you find the most rewarding?
Fishing the dry fly for steelhead can seem like a longshot for many anglers to begin with, so spending time surface fishing for winter steelhead can seem like insanity. From the time I was a young angler, I somehow developed a sense of playing the game in a way that went against the odds. I remember when I was a 14-year-old in Hawaii and decided to pursue giant trevally using 15-lb line and succeeding in landing a 41.5lb “ulua” with the light tackle.
Surface fishing for winter steelhead is definitely a game of very small odds, but the rare successes are satisfying. Sometimes I just find entertainment in doing things that most everyone else considers a hopeless waste of time. This is definitely not a healthy mindset for those wishing to maintain their mental health.
When you are fishing on your own, which river do you consider to be your “Home River” (or rivers)?
The upper Willamette/Middle Fork Willamette that runs through Springfield and Eugene has been my home river since I moved back to Oregon in 2009. The “town run” of hatchery summer steelhead has provided convenient opportunities to swing dry flies within minutes of my home and work. This convenience has allowed me to become very familiar with many local steelhead runs and I have been able to make regular visits to these places in pursuit of dry fly steelhead encounters. My home water is not exactly a world class steelhead destination with its urban setting and hatchery steelhead returns, but it has provided me the opportunity to continually learn about dry fly steelhead holding water and conditions.
The North Umpqua would be my secondary home water as it is within a two hour drive of my home. It is a legendary place that one can spend a lifetime learning. It is such a beautiful river with rich traditions and history that makes even my skunkings enjoyable. Through fishing this river since 2008, I have become familiar with its layout and legendary named runs, but there are always secrets to uncover with every visit.
Which river that you have never fished before would you most like to try?
I would love to fish the Dean River someday. I have read amazing stories about the Dean over the years. I also watched Dec Hogan’s spey casting video repeatedly and the beauty of the Dean River backdrop. The insanely hard-fighting steelhead leaves a strong impression.
Descriptions of the Dean in classic steelhead literature like Trey Combs’ Steelhead Fly Fishing were enough to get me longing to experience such a special place. Several folks who have purchased steelhead dry flies from me have sent me pictures and stories of their dry fly steelhead success on the Dean and it looks like a dreamy place to visit. At least some of my dry flies have made their way to Dean!
What is your favorite fly?
I would say that my Bivisi Bomber has become my favorite fly because it is a pattern that is easy to see and stays on the surface reliably. After having had good success with the Little Wang (also known as the Purely Functional Skater) which I developed in 2012, I sought to come up with a surface pattern using all natural materials, thanks to Adrian Cortes’s influence, and the Bivisi Bomber is what I devised in 2019. The fanned cow elk wing makes the bivisi-bomber the most visible dry fly in my arsenal and visibility tends to give me confidence.
What is your favorite two-hand rod, and what line do you most like to use with it?
It’s tough to pick a single favorite two-hand rod, but I have been most strongly drawn lately, to the last custom rod that Steve Godshall built for me: the 18’5”, 8/9-weight built from an extended 15’ CX2 blank. It is amazingly light and responsive even at its outrageous length and I had Steve build it in a “Night Dancer” themed color blend with black, purple and red which is pleasing to the eye. Nick Moses did the amazing feather inlay on the rod, all making for a very special build. The Gaelforce Equilzer 83 8/9 weight line is dreamy to cast with this rod and the extra rod length makes laying out the long belly almost effortless. I can fish this combo all day long.
What is your favorite memory from your times on the water?
My first visit to British Columbia in late September 1995 probably stands out as the most profound memory in my time as a steelhead fly fisher. I experienced raising, hooking, and landing my first steelhead on a dry fly during that trip along with several others that came to the surface over the course of that week. I had never hooked a steelhead by any other fly fishing method prior to experiencing those inaugural surface encounters and this probably led to instilling a stubborn dedication to surface fishing that persists to this day.
The beauty of the Bulkley river and the thrills of steelhead rising to the surface left a lasting imprint on my outlook to steelhead fly fishing where I am willing to forgo chances at encountering greater numbers of steelhead with more effective methods.
You’ve had a long list of contributions to steelheading and two-hand casting. Is there one you’re particularly proud of?
I have had the honor of being told by some folks that dry fly steelhead stories I have written have generated some interest and curiosity in taking the leap of faith in trying surface flies for steelhead, then later hearing their stories of getting into their first steelhead on a dry fly. I am always thrilled when my passion rubs off on others through my stories, my flies, and when I have the opportunity to lend encouragement through direct communication with fellow fly fishers. I often speak to younger anglers who are new to the steelhead dry fly game, but at other times it is veteran anglers who have spent most of their angling life using more effective, proven subsurface methods who want a new challenge. In any case, I value opportunities to make the reality of dry fly steelhead thrills relatable to those who have a budding interest in coming to the dark side.
What is it going to take to save wild fish?
I think fishing dry flies will save wild steelhead! Seriously, surface fishing for steelhead is a low impact method, however being mindful of our impacts should be a priority. On some rivers and during certain times, large numbers of wild steelhead are caught and released numerous times and not necessarily handled well, along with the damage caused by barbed hooks where they are allowed. When fishing is good and I encounter the rare, loaded run, I have been as guilty as anyone of wanting to hook into as many steelhead as conditions allow, but how many steelhead do I need to hook into to make whatever point I think I am trying to prove?
I also feel that barbless hook regulations should be in place wherever wild steelhead populations exist and that hatchery plants should also be reduced or eliminated on rivers with viable wild populations. Continuing to take out dams will contribute to bolstering steelhead populations as well.
What are your plans for the next five years?
My 5-year plan is to keep on fishing! There will always be visions, obsessing and planning to fill my year-round fishing schedule. With this year, 2024, being the last year that hatchery smolts are being released in the upper Willamette watershed, the last returns of hatchery summer steelhead up my way will be in 2026, so I will sadly be losing my convenient dry fly steelhead run. After that I still see myself returning to familiar runs on the Willamette for casting practice and the remote chance of encountering one of the few naturalized, feral summer steelhead that may continue to return.
I see myself continuing to pursue consistency in my casting with the long rods and lines. Gaining proficiency in getting line out even in adverse conditions is always an ongoing challenge.
I hope to continue with opportunities to fish coastal Oregon rivers in winter and spring and rivers ranging from northern BC to northern California in summer and fall. I would finally like the opportunity to fish the Copper River (without it being blown out!) whenever I travel north. A trip to the Dean would be great too…
Stillwater Guide Adison Rook details his strategies for winter stillwater preparations. Check out his previous post on local stillwater opportunities.
The peak of fall stillwater action is over for this season here in the Pacific Northwest. We had a pretty good fall season, with a typical boom bust cycle on our venues. That’s typical for fall fishing, and you take what you can get.
We can choose when we go, but we can’t choose the weather! With the season at its end, those dedicated to stillwater fly fishing look at the coming winter and can’t wait for spring. Some tie flies and wait for spring. But there is work we can do to hone our stillwater game this winter. Let’s talk about a few options we have while we wait for more favorable conditions next spring. I encourage anyone new to stillwater to PRACTICE CASTING! Even if it’s just a 20-minute session on a local field, you stand to gain a ton from practice. And don’t just go if it’s nice outside, go in the rain, go in the wind. You don’t need great distance when indicator fishing, but sinking lines often require distance casting. The longer you can cast, the more fish you present to.
If you live in the valley, your familiar with the annual drawdown of our local reservoirs. Often this makes launching a boat impossible. The ramps get slick with mud and can be sketchy. But you can still run” recon” at these reservoirs. In years past I’ve walked the reservoir bottom and located fishy features I can fish during full pool. These might be flats, rock rip rap, channels, drop offs, etc.. Becoming familiar with these features has increased my success substantially during full pool.
If you can, go fishing! Conditions are far from prime, but sometimes you’d be surprised how good the fishing can be, especially when the rivers are blown out. You can get familiar with new lines, flies and techniques during winter stillwater fishing. Maybe you got a new boat, or float tube, or line. Maybe you have some new patterns you want to develop confidence in. Even though our local reservoirs are at low pool, you can still fish from the bank.
You can iron out your new float tube, boat, flies or lines at one of our many natural coastal lakes. I encourage you to go down to the caddis fly this winter and start getting ready for spring season NOW! Talk to the shop and get that float tube, or personal watercraft you’ve been checking out, and get familiar with it this winter. Get a new fly line you haven’t used and put in some reps on it before the spring equinox rolls around. Pick out some new flies, or patterns to tie and get them ready for spring. The folks at the shop have everything you need to improve your stillwater game this winter. If you put in the work now, you’ll be ready to go when the stars align next spring.
Now is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Oregonians to weigh in on the public investments YOU want our state to make to build resilience for salmon, steelhead, and trout in the face of a changing climate.
Currently, ODFW is conducting a survey to gauge the public’s support for investing public funds to update its ailing state hatchery facilities. Under various alternatives, the state would need over $200 million to consolidate the hatchery system, fix crumbling infrastructure, expand facilities, and add climate change adaptation technologies like solar panels and water chillers. The majority of these hatchery facilities release fish into free-flowing coastal rivers – the very places where we should be prioritizing wild fish.
We believe that fish and Oregonians would be much better off by investing more of these funds in nature, not concrete. By removing culverts not adding pellets. By investing in healthy forests and shade, not chillers.
Join us for the Lane County premiere of a new documentary about the majesty and challenges of the lower Deschutes River, The Last 100 Miles: The Fight for the lower Deschutes.
Richard E. Wildish Community Theater, 630 Main Street, Springfield, OR 97477
Nothing quite beats the beauty of fall fishing … as long as its not dumping rain
Fall is here in full swing. For us here that means rain, and generally lots of it. The first atmospheric rivers of the year have brought substantial rains which have bumped river flows. Water levels fluctuate as rain comes and goes. Right now flows are high, but with time will drop back into shape Keep an eye on water flows here or through USGS and your weather apps. As for fishing, it has been productive as long as you are changing your tactics correspondingly as river conditions change.
October Caddis are the last hurrah for “Big Bugs” until next year
Hatches
Current insect hatches are sparse and most insects are small. The only outlier that you may see is an October Caddis that was late to the show. The large bulk of insect hatches are Baetis Sp. commonly known as BWO’s or Blue Winged Olives. These hatches will be isolated to the middle of the day when it is warmest. These insects like to emerge in slower, glassier sections of water where it is safer on cloudy days especially. Look for fish sipping emerging duns (emerged adults) and cripples towards the tailouts of runs. You may also see a few lingering Mahogany Duns, but their days are numbered as the nights get colder. We’ve seen a few, but as things cool off even more we will start seeing small winter stones as well.
These small winter stones don’t get as much surface action as other bugs locally, but fish do seem to key in on the nymphs
The fish are already starting to have their winter colors on
Nymphing
Nymphing will be your most effective strategy as of late. With water levels that are prone to fluctuating due to fall precipitation, nymping is always your best bet. If you are a new angler fishing through the winter, this is the time of year that you’ll get good at nymphing whether you like it or not. I like to choose my nymphs in the winter loosely based on insect hatches, and more based on utility. When I choose a nymph out of my box, I ask: “what can this fly do for me”. Fish in the winter can be holding very deep, and running a #18 BWO nymph might just not cut it to get down. For winter nymphing as long as the river isn’t totally blown out, I like to fish a larger heavier fly with a smaller one tagged behind. When the water is up I like to choose larger, heavier nymphs with a large profile so that fish can notice them in higher, off-color water. Some larger, heavy nymphs follow: Lex’s Improved Rubberleg Stonefly Nymph, Mega Prince, Stone Fly Double Bead, or a T.J Hooker Nymph. For smaller flies imitating BWO’s Mahoganies, Winter Stones, and other juvenile nymphs these work great: Olsen’s Blowtorch, Roza’s Colored Water Fly Jig, Montana Fly Company Jigged Perdigon, or Yardley’s Low Hole Jig.
Overcast days like this you want to make sure you have your BWO box
Swinging Flies
Swinging streamers can be productive in high water. As the rivers blow out, smaller fish are blown downstream disoriented. Large fish key in on this and place themselves in ambush zones where they can easily intercept these fish. I like to strip a small fly downstream or strip and swing one through a pool. Here are some of my favorites: Tactical Jig Zonker, Tungsten Thin Mint, or a Conehead Slump Buster. Swinging soft hackles is a great way to fish in the winter during a BWO hatch. Pre hatch swinging a small soft hackle through holding water can result in some explosive takes. I like to use weighted flies, or tag a unweighted soft hackle behind a weighted nymph. During the hatch try swinging an unweighted one right under the surface. Searching with an October Caddis pupa can still produce some eats. These are some great fall wet fly swinging patterns: Bird’s Swinging October Caddis, Anderson’s Tungsten Bird of Prey October Caddis, Soft Emerger, Harrop’s Soft Hackle Thorax Bead, or a Spectre Soft Hackle.
If things blow out real bad here in the valley, the Metolious offers beautiful yet challenging fishing and does not blow out as often as our local rivers.
When water is high or even blown out there are still fish to be caught. You must exercise caution and be on your toes wading in high water, but fishing can be fantastic. Fish will not want to work hard and hold in fast water all day. You’ll find fish much closer to the bank or holding in backeddies during high water events. This generally means you don’t have to wade as deep in that fast water. Fish pockets of “soft” water where you can find it. If fish aren’t pushed close to the bank, they will be holding on the bottom. Right on the bottom of the river, the water is actually fairly slow. This is perfect holding water for fish to conserve their energy in. Look for rocks and logs that can break the current as well. Make your indicator rigs deep to account for where fish are holding, and the fast water. Fishing heavy flies with large silhouettes help your presentation stand out in quick water.
One of the last few Mahoganies of the season
Swing by the shop if you need anything or more advice. Feel free to call the shop, or shoot our Instagram account a message as well if you need any other tips and can’t stop in. We are more than happy to help however we can.
-Simon
Here a few local nymph patterns that are worth tying up for the next few weeks in case you missed them.
