Fly anglers have some decent weather coming for this three day holiday weekend. The following areas should bring good fishing:
Deschutes River: The stone fly hatch is well underway with bugs all the way to Trout Creek. Dry fly patterns working well have been the Clark Stone, Norm Woods, CDC Salmon Fly, Half Down Golden, and Rubber Leg Stimulator. Nymphs are still producing with the following: Moab Stone, Tungsten Trout Retriever, and Prince Nymphs.
Mckenzie River: Fishing below Leaburg Dam is producing Steelhead. Proven patterns are Moal Leeches in Black/Purple, Purple/Pink,Black, and Black/Orange. Trout fishing has been good on both the upper and lower sections of the river. Mega Princes, Possie Buggers, Prince Nymphs, and Tungsten Ice Prince Nymphs have producing. On the dry fly side of things; Green Caddis, Peacock Caddis, and Sedge Hammer Caddis are producing.
Diamond Lake:The weather is shaping up nicely for the Cascades Lakes. Diamond is producing well with Chironomids, ice cream cones, Thin Mints, Carrie Specials Peacock, and various bugger patterns like Peacock Bugger and the Cascade Bugger.
Willamette Middle Fork; The Middle Fork has been running high but fishing well. The standard nymph patterns such as Mega Prince, Possie Bugger, Prince Nymphs, and Tungsten Prince Nymphs. Look for larger stoneflies to increase in activity as well, fish golden stone nymphs such as Carnazzo’s Stepping Golden Stone, Beldars Double Bead Stone and Stonefly Nymph Double Bead Golden sub surface and Half Down Golden, Golden Stone Rolling Stone, and Aane’s Mo Joe Golden Stone. Dry flies such as Green Caddis, Peacock Caddis and PMD patterns should produce results.
Metolius Consistent Pale Morning Dun hatches, Golden Stone nymphs, Green Drake Nymphs, Green Drake Adults and small caddis patterns are the order for the Metolius.
Gold Lake Last we checked, late this week the road was still closed. Of course many anglers will walk in from the Waldo side with tubes and small rafts. Gold is best early with leech patterns and streamers like Mickey Finn, Spruce, Bead Head Mini Leeches and Bead Head Sparkle Leeches fished on sinking lines have worked during the early season in years past.
I too have the blood lust for Diamond Lake. I plan to fish Chironomids over the south end weed beds.
What colors are best in the spring? Olive, black? size 12?
Cheers, Stevie
I walked into Gold Tuesday. Waldo road is still blocked, so you must walk up to the trail. (1 mile)
Ton’s of fiesty brookies.
Steve
I fished the Deschutes with stimulators near Maupin Firday and the fishing was dynamite in the evening, despite the fact that I saw no fish rising until I started fishing. My buddy chose to go up near Warm Springs cause the rumor was the salmon flies were much heavier up there………What he found was the angling pressure was much heavier as well haha. He ended up turning around and meeting me at Oak Springs to fish in the evening. Just a little heads up for those of you who don’t like holding hands with the dude next to you while you cast.