Lower McKenzie Fishing Well mid-day

Lower McKenzie River Wild Rainbow Trout

Although I have remained focused on late run winter steelhead and lingcod in the coastal zone, I hear from the most reliable sources that the McKenzie has been fishing very well of late.

A quick conversation with Clay revealed some good info, which because I was using hands-free mode while driving, I then dictated the bare bones of a blog post to myself, as a reminder, so I could draft the post when I got home. Here is what I found on my computer, verbatim.

I quote:

Play entire efficient between harvest Lane and Hayden Bridge last week and in the middle of the day between 10 and four they found huge wrap some bluing dollars in the margins of the stream and big March Brown’s floating out in the middle River that excellent fishing all through the midday noontime time of day apparently. They used little bitten tiny cucumber peacock plasma  drive wise to use cat is soft tackles and then found many large brown soft tacos they also use purple Adams parachutes and size 14 and 16 and they used a some other March brown pattern that I will list when I draft the articles they had a great time the clients had a great time and I’m sorry I wasn’t there myself but this is the best I can do you can you should …….

End quote.

Ok, so much for auto spell correct.

Here is the real scoop on the McKenzie last week.

Clay and Ty did fish the McKenzie between harvest land and Hayden Bridge, and yes, there were huge rafts of BWOs (Blue Wing Olive mayflies) along the river margins with trout sipping these up while big hatches of March Browns went driving down the main current with trout taking sub surface and on top too. Guide clients were happy, as were the guides. Much activity from 10 AM to 4 PM pretty much non-stop. Varied selectivity on the part of the trout depending on whether fishing river margins and backwaters or main river riffles and runs.

Effective Flies:

#16 Peacock Caddis

#12-16 Hare’s Ear Soft Hackle

#12-16 Purple Adams Parachute

Spotlight March Brown Emerger

Spun Dun March Brown

Hi and Dry Western March Brown Parachute

BWO Cripple

Comparadun BWO

Hi Viz Parachute BWO

Nope, I wasn’t there, but if you have questions, please call the Shop and ask for the stories behind the stories. Far as I can tell, there were many trout caught and released, much fun had by all, and the river was teeming with bug and fish life.

Jay Nicholas for Clay, Ty, and the Caddis Fly Staff