Category Archives: Lower Willamette

Summer Fly Spotlight: Fulling Mill’s Burkus’ Bareback Rider Gold Stone

Golden Stoneflies are one of the most important large insects that hatch here in the Western US. This bug is responsible for big, explosive dry fly eats in the summer. It is also partially responsible for the adoption of large … Continue reading

Posted in Aquatic Insect Hatches, Entomology, Fly Spotlight, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Proven Summer Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Summer Fly Spotlight: Fulling Mill’s Tactical Light Cahill Parachute

There are a few insects that are synonymous with summer dry fly fishing in the west. If we narrow it down to the insect order of Ephemeroptera, which envelops our beloved mayflies, there is one that stands out. Of the … Continue reading

Posted in Aquatic Insect Hatches, Entomology, Fishing Porn, Fishing Reports, Fly Spotlight, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, North Umpqua River Fishing Reports, Oregon Fly Fishing Tips, Proven Summer Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Driftless Cricket V2 Dry Fly Tying Tutorial

Crickets are an often overlooked insect under the more broad “terrestrial” umbrella of insects. When people thing of terrestrial season, hoppers are typically the first insect that comes to mind. Grasshoppers are typically followed by beetles and ants in terms … Continue reading

Posted in Entomology, Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Fly Tying Tutorials, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Oregon Fly Fishing Tips, Patterns By, Proven Summer Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Extended Body Golden Stonefly: Fly Tying Tutorial

Golden Stoneflies are arguably the most important summer stonefly in the Western United States. This large insect hatches consistently across much of the West, and provides steady fishing with large attractors for most of the summer. In the Western United … Continue reading

Posted in Aquatic Insect Hatches, Entomology, Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Oregon Fly Fishing Tips, Proven Summer Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Early July Fishing Report

Despite our subpar winter, we have made it through several popular weekends without any serious local fire flare ups. We have our fingers crossed that we can make it through this holiday weekend without any new fires. Fishing has been … Continue reading

Posted in Fishing Reports, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Proven Summer Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

USACE ANNOUNCES OPERATIONAL UPDATES FOR WILLAMETTE VALLEY DAMS

From: Native Fish Society June 2026 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District, posted a press release on Tuesday outlining its plan for operating Willamette Valley Dams. Immediate actions include a deep drawdown for Detroit Reservoir as well … Continue reading

Posted in Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Oregon Conservation News, Oregon fly fishing links, Oregon Fly Fishing Tips | Leave a comment

Simple and Effective Jigged Yellow Sally Nymph for your Summer Dry-Dropper Setup

Yellow Sallies are a small, yet important summer bug in the Western US. They are often overlooked as other warm weather stoneflies are much larger like Salmonflies, Skwalas, Gold Stones, Shortwing Stones, Etc. These bugs come in a yellow, more … Continue reading

Posted in Aquatic Insect Hatches, Entomology, Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Fly Tying Tutorials, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Proven Summer Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Egg Laying Snowshoe Grannom Caddis

Fishing dry flies for the grannom caddis hatch can be a lesson in patience. Some would say it is a fool’s errand entirely. If you know what to look for, and can time it right it can be extremely rewarding. … Continue reading

Posted in Aquatic Insect Hatches, Entomology, Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Fly Tying Tutorials, Lower Willamette, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Oregon Fly Fishing Tips, Patterns By, Proven Spring Fly Patterns, Proven Spring Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Articulated Jigged Salmonfly Nymph Fly Tying Tutorial

Every spring, giant insects make their emergence from our rivers that they called home for the last 3-4 years. Many know these insects for their winged adult form, which brings fantastic dry fly fishing each spring. This hatch typically kicks … Continue reading

Posted in Aquatic Insect Hatches, Central Oregon Fishing Report, Eastern Oregon, Entomology, Fly Spotlight, Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Fly Tying Tutorials, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Proven Spring Fly Patterns, Proven Spring Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Our McKenzie Green Caddis Makes Its Spring Appearance

Author of “Bugwater“, long time shop customer, and member of Mckenzie River Fly Fishers, Arlen Thomason, wrote a fantastic update on one of his favorite hatches: The McKenzie Green Caddis. “For those who might not have noticed, one of my … Continue reading

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Jigged Grannom Caddis Pupa

In this video, Simon ties a productive Jigged Grannom Caddis pattern. This fly will work fantastic on a euro rig, indicator rig, or a dry dropper setup under a large chubby. The Grannom or Mother’s Day Caddis hatch can be … Continue reading

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Fly Tying Tutorials, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Proven Spring Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Late April Valley Fly Fishing Report

Our long strange winter has come to pass and things are feeling a bit more on time. Flows are stabilizing, insects are hatching, flowers & trees are blooming, and trout are rising once again. Despite a seriously low tide in … Continue reading

Posted in Fishing Reports, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Oregon fly fishing links, Oregon Fly Fishing Tips, Proven Spring Fly Patterns, Proven Spring Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

March Brown CDC Bubble Back Cripple

We are still seeing phenomenal hatches of March Browns into April, which isn’t too uncommon. On especially overcast days, March Brown Duns can be found emerging in longer pools with fish sipping them in the tailouts. When these hatches are … Continue reading

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Fly Tying Tutorials, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Proven Spring Fly Patterns, Proven Spring Trout Patterns, Trout Patterns By Season, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fly Spotlight: Fulling Mill’s Tactical Western March Brown Parachute

The March Brown hatch is known around the whole world, anglers and trout alike want patiently for the first large insect hatch of the year. Locally, in our Willamette Valley, that hatch can be prolific with fish carefully choosing which … Continue reading

Posted in Fishing Porn, Fly Fishing Gear Review, Fly Spotlight, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Oregon Fly Fishing Tips, Proven Spring Fly Patterns, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Jigged Dinnerplate March Brown Tying Tutorial

Our weird winter and correspondingly strange spring have thrown our hatches off big time. We are full swing in the March Brown hatch; strange enough, the bugs seem a little late to the party. A few days ago, I was … Continue reading

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Fly Tying Tutorials, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment