Local waters continue to be at Summer low water levels. Fishing is not red hot for Trout and Steelhead but it is still worth getting out and enjoying some December/January fishing that most years we simply don’t get. Blue Winged Olives are emerging daily between 12pm and 4pm. Nymphing has been decent mid-day, small prince nymphs, Golden Stone nymphs, pheasant tails and midges. Yesterday we even caught fish on Half Down Golden Stones on the surface. Warmer temps should spur some activity before water levels jump.
Your best spots to fish are the Middle Fork of the Willamette near Oakridge, the Middle Willamette below Dexter Dam and the lower McKenzie. All of these rivers are incredibly low. The McKenzie’s water temps are quite a bit lower than the Willamette’s and generally speaking fishing has been better on the Willamette side.
Good Patterns for unique Winter fishing conditions include;
Parachute Exended Body Blue Winged Olive
Winter Steelhead fly fishing has been productive is some of the larger rivers, Siletz, Umpqua, Lower Alsea. Many of the smaller rivers simply haven’t had any water since November. Although some fish have found their way up Lake Creek, the North Fork of the Alsea, the Upper Siletz, the North Umpqua, the bulk of the run is yet to come and with some warmer, wetter weather this week we should see a push Winter Steelhead.
Swinging patterns include;
Nymphing patterns;
and then the rains came….