This week has been a bit tough on local anglers seeking the March Brown hatch. Tuesday I sat on a riffle in the lower McKenzie for 3 hours in hopes of a hatch that I had seen in the same spot over the weekend, no dice. We are hearing the same thing from anglers on the lower Willamette and upper Willamette near Oakridge. Hatches Thurs-Sat of this past weekend were excellent and if we can get air temps close to 60 degrees again things should improve.
Water levels have remained high but fishable.
I really don’t mind high water as long as it is reasonably clear. But the up and down spikes we have been experiencing over the past two weeks can’t be helping. Steady flows, or dropping flows are ideal for this time of year.
Despite some less than ideal conditions anglers are still catching fish. Adult March Brown patterns like March Brown Comparadun and Western March Brown have been working when the hatch does materialize. Steady success has been with the faithfull Mega Prince dead drift under a Thingamabobber. Swinging wets during the warmest part of the day has also worked, try March Brown Beadhead Emerger and March Brown Wets.–CD
