Summertime on the Fall
June is a great time to fish Central Oregon’s spring creeks. With both the Metolius and Fall rivers open to angling in certain sections year round, late Spring/early Summer remains one of my favorite times to fish the gin clear waters of Sisters and Sunriver.
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!
