Long time friend of the The Caddis Fly Analee Fuentes will be showing some of her paintings in Corvallis at the Fairbanks Hall Gallery through the month of October. There will be a reception on October 10th from 4:30-6pm. Please join us on the 10th or come by to view her beautiful work anytime in October.
You can contact Analee directly at: analeefuentes@msn.com or by phone at: 541 338-4862
The October Caddis is an evening hatch and is one of the most important insects for anglers chasing large trout in Oregon.
Fishing October Caddis Patterns like Morrish Foam Body October Caddis has been very good, but it never hurts to drop a pupae pattern off of one of the high floating dries, try a Possie Bugger, Prince, or October Phat Ass.
For those of you wanting to tie your own, check out our patterns:
Extended body October Caddis
Steelhead October Caddis Wet
October Caddis Pupae
Sea-run cuttrhoat October Caddis
Foam Hi-Vis October Caddis
No plans this weekend? Why not spend your Saturday building up some fishy mojo river karma and volunteer to take part in Willamette Riverkeeper’s 4th Annual Great Willamette Clean Up. Here’s the details;
Take part in this 187-mile effort to clean up the Willamette: A river that is essential to life in Oregon. Bring your family & friends. Earn enough river-karma to last a year! Meet other river-loving enthusiasts, have fun and get an awesome, FREE EVENT T-SHIRT!
-Clean Up takes place on-water (by boat) & on-land (by foot).
-14 different sites along river—from Eugene to Portland.
-Some sites offer seats on canoes/kayaks for only $12 (includes paddle & life vest)!
-Event sponsor or a student? No need to pay! Email us for your promo code.
-BYOB = Bring your own boat (& life vest).
-Please wear layers, non-cotton clothes, good shoes, water bottle & work gloves (if you have them)!
-We supply bags, plastic gloves, dumpster & a lead volunteer @ each site.
-After clean up celebration in Eugene- 1:00pm @ Maurie Jacobs Park for free lunch, giveaways & more by REI.
Sign up by heading over to the event page here.
In this video Tony demonstrates how to tie a classic wet fly with a twist. Designed for Rogue Steelhead and Sea Run Cutthroat Trout the Anadromous Coachman is a bit tougher and a bit heavier than the traditional feather wing Coachman. Trout anglers will want to tie it down to a #14. Swing it down and across with a short sink tip or a floating line.
Anadromous Royal Coachman
Thread: Veevus Red 12/0
Hook: TMC 7999 #8 or Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons #7 or 9
Tag: Lagartun Flat Silver Tinsel
Tail: Dyed Red Golden Pheasant Tippet
Body:Peacock Herl spun into chenille, Ultra-wire Brassie Red,
Hackle: Coachman Brown Hen Saddle
Wing: White Arctic Fox Tail
Topping (optional): Pearl Flat Braid combed out
Head: Clear Goo Hydro
Living River Film Festival: This October, the McKenzie River Trust invites you to enjoy a weekend of films and events that focus a lens on the amazing landscapes of Oregon, and beyond. These films cast a whole new light on the rivers in our own backyards, exploring and celebrating our relationship to the lands and rivers that surround us.
From historic local footage and family-friendly films, to cutting-edge digital time-lapse, documentaries and Hollywood features – the Living River Film Festival has something for everyone. To enhance the screenings, most films are paired with dynamic speakers. Throughout the weekend, you’ll hear from passionate filmmakers, local historians, and land conservationists in our region, all working to bring you the stories of our region’s land and waters.
Sea-run sockeye salmon returns to Metolius: Last week, a fish biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the first observed spawning sockeye in the Metolius River in over 45 years.
Mike Gauvin spotted the fish while conducting annual kokanee spawning surveys in the Metolius River near the town of Camp Sherman.
“I saw a flash of red color and was able to see the green tags that confirmed it was a sockeye,” he said. “I stayed very still so I would not disturb the fish and watched it swim over its redd; I snapped a few photos and was able to see the radio tag antenna trailing out of it mouth.”
According to Gauvin, this same sockeye had been captured earlier this summer at the fish trap located below the Pelton Round Butte Dam complex. It was given two green tags to help to identify it as an ocean-going sockeye salmon returning to freshwater to spawn and not a kokanee, a landlocked form of sockeye salmon. It was also given a radio tag so biologists could track its movements through Lake Billy Chinook and up the river. After tagging, the fish was release above the dams to continue its migration.
The fish is one of 85 sockeye released above the dam this year. These fish had spent one or two years in the ocean prior to making their return to the Deschutes River basin.
Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council hosts watershed restoration workshop: The public, watershed volunteers, forest managers, scout/youth leaders, and trout enthusiasts are invited to a workshop on log placement methods in small streams to be held at Aprovecho 80574 Hazelton Road, Cottage Grove, OR 97424 and is sponsored by the Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council. Register at Coastfork.org by October 10th. A $25 donation includes lunch. No prior experience or knowledge necessary.
Participants will learn about hands-on log placement practices that are very simple yet effective in improving the aquatic habitat of small streams for species like cutthroat trout. This workshop will provide an overview of the placement of logs to improve aquatic habitat, hands-on log placement into Calico Creek, as well as instruction on tree selection, permitting, and a special focus on how to maneuver material in a riparian zone WITHOUT the use of heavy equipment. Special thanks to Aprovecho, Kennedy Conservation Corps, Oregon Dept of Forestry, Oregon State Parks, Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife, and Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board who are all partners in this project.
See you in the creek!
-MS
From his wife’s IPAD the most polite man in the Fly Fishing Industry, our own Peter Cadigan reports on a recent Alaska Trip…
Caddis Fly friends recently spent a week fishing the Naknek River, King Salmon Alaska. Mid to late September is big Rainbow time in the Bristol Bay region where millions of salmon migrate up-river to spawn. Rainbows follow them to feast on eggs, and later on flesh. Swinging flesh flies and big articulated leech – type patterns proved effective as did an egg sucking leech.
High water restricted wading to some degree, but otherwise did not affect the fishing. One member of the party managed to catch at least one 30 plus inch rainbow, but the rest of the party failed to break that barrier, although a number of 24 to 29 inch fish were brought to the net. One member of the group took a few hours off one afternoon to successfully target Grayling with dry flies and a light line.
Temperatures ranged from the high 30’s to low 50’s, mostly overcast skies, a fair amount of rain, and one day of 50-60 mile an hour wind which kept everyone of the river. In other words, typical Alaskan weather. The Naknek is a great fishery, and one which offers a wide variety of fishing experiences.
Good fishing, good companions, and a good trip.
Peter Cadigan
Post Script: Peter and friends were so busy having a good time they neglected to shoot many photos.
That prompted an idea. SEND US YOUR BEST ALASKA PHOTOS OF A TRIP THIS SUMMER AND WE WILL POST THEM. AN INCREDIBLY DISCERNING JUDGE WILL DECIDE WHAT PHOTOS ARE THE BEST AND SEND THE WINNERS A DOZEN FLIES.
In this video Tony ties his Purple Slip knot articulated “mini intruder”. The fly is tied on a 25mm Senyo’s Intruder Shank but can be tied larger depending upon your water conditions and time of the year. Add barbell eyes and a hot spot of color on the fly and you have a Winter Intruder as well. We have fished this pattern locally for Summer Steelhead with consistent success.
Purple Slip Knot
Thread: White Ultra 140 and Ultra Thread U140 Fl Fire Orange
Hook: Senyo Articulated Shank—25mm Blue, Senyo Intruder Wire—Blue, Gamakatsu Octopus Hook, Size 2
Body: Purple STS Trilobal Dub
Hackle: Purple Senyo Wacko Hackle spun in loop, Black Marabou
Wing: Purple Eumer Finn Raccoon
Collar: Purple Guinea
Head Cement: Clear Cure Goo Hydro
Three spots remain at B.C. West July 6th-13th 2013. We will be swinging flies to fresh from the tide Steelhead and Chinook in one of the most spectacular settings that North America has to offer.
The Dean River has a reputation throughout the fly fishing community as being a “bucket list” destination for any avid Steelhead angler. Imagine swinging flies in runs that are within view of the Dean Channel, over fish that surfed in on that tide. Steelhead and Chinook that were pushing saltwater through their gills, while you were eating breakfast.
B.C. West has an exceptional fishing program and is geared toward optimizing time on the water. Breakfast/Coffee at 5:15 a.m. fishing from 6-noon. Lunch (main meal of day) is served around 12:30. After lunch guests usually take a short siesta before the evening session of fishing from 4-8. Then it’s back to the clubhouse for dinner at 8:30. The food is off the charts. This schedule ensures that you will be swinging your fly during the most productive hours of the day.
The river is divided into an upper and lower, with a treacherous canyon section separating the two. With B.C. West being the only lodge that offers fishing on both sections, I am absolutely convinced that they offer the most diverse and rewarding Dean River fly fishing experience. On the lower river you are fishing via a jet boat piloted by exceptional guides. With the canyon only being a 1 1/2 mile from the salt, all of the fish caught on the lower river are as fresh as can be. Most are sea lice ridden. The upper river is self-guided, using ATV’s to access the prime runs.
My family and I were fortunate enough to experience the Dean this past July 7-14th, and the experience we had is beyond words. This is the first week that fishing takes place on the upper, and lower river. It is also one of the few weeks where fresh Steelhead and Chinook are available on the lower river. Stepping through a run with the opportunity to hook either a shiny Steelhead or Chinook doesn’t exist too many places.
What’s included?
Helicopter/Float Plane transportation to and from Bella Coola, B.C.
6 1/2 days fishing
7 nights at B.C. West, with amazing food, wine and beer.
Flies and tackle if needed.
Cost is $6250+HST
Space is limited reserve your spot now.
Questions? Call the shop (541) 342-7005
TH
Just wanted to share a few favorite images on this quiet day. Have a good one and be well. JN Autumn 2013
Let’s start near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers where cooler days and more shade has the native Cutthroat and Rainbow trout looking up for small caddis patterns, Parachute Adams, and even some large Stonefly Patterns like the Chubby Chernobyl in Tan and Golden. Currently the lower Willamette is dropping and will fish great this fall until the river blows out with high cold water due to rain.
As we move up the Willamette into the “Town Run” from Island Park in Springfield down to Division Ave, just above the confluence of the McKenzie Steelhead fishing has really picked up of late. Swinging Hartwick’s Hoser, Miles Davis and Reverse Marabou Steelhead flies has been very good.
From Island Park up to Dexter Dam Steelhead fishing with similar swing tactics has been productive. Anglers should also consider nymphing this stretch with October Caddis Pupae imitations as we head into later fall. Trout fishing in this section has been really good in the Jasper down section as well. Try a large October Caddis Dry with a size 12 Prince Nymph hung underneath it. This time of year you will find fish moving into shallow water riffles and cut banks.
Moving up to the Willamette above Lookout Point Reservoir (the Middle Fork between Hills Creek and Lookout river) levels have come up and fishing has improved greatly over the last week. Hopper dropper set ups have been working really well. Chubby Chernobyls, October Caddis, Half Down Golden’s in Orange all with Possie Buggers or Princes dropped below them have been very productive.
Closer to the top of the system the section of the Middle Fork above Hills Creek dam is also fishing well. Angling pressure has dropped tremendously. If you have the time to drive up and around to the Upper Middle Fork you will find some good fishing. The river is small up in this zone and offers some of the best wading opportunities around in the Fall months. Try hopper dropper rigs in the deeper runs and pools, small dries in shallower riffles.
There is some great fishing to be had this time of year, ENJOY!
Rio Products Update for 2013
Chris Daughters, Caddis Fly Shop
Each year, come fall, I meet with a flurry of Fly Industry Sales Reps, listen to their pitches, and make decisions about how many of thousands of fly fishing products to order for the Shop, and when to have them delivered. Times have changed. When I was a wee lad, we had but a half-dozen fly lines on the shelf. Not so today. After looking through the Rio Dealer workbook, I counted something over a hundred different varieties of lines, leaders, tippets, sink-tips and so on. That’s a lot of choices facing me, as a fly shop owner, and the customer, who is trying to figure out what to wind on his or her fly reel.
Confusion factor aside, I wanted to share my thoughts on a few of the RIO products that caught my attention, old and new, as both a Retailer and a fly angler. This is not full review of Rio Products, jus a few impressions I wanted to share. You may find some of these lines, leaders, or tippets of interest. Brace yourselves: Rio has introduced all NEW boxes and packaging for 2013. Expect to see some differences between 2012 and 2013 boxes and bags until the existing inventory is gone.
Overall, Rio has executed an amazing feat of combining across-the-board branding coupled with product evolution and new line and leader introductions. Rio has made already great floating lines float higher and shoot slicker, added loops to both ends of many lines, introuduced specialty tapers that really ARE different, spiced up the Spey game with new lines and T-17 MOW tips, added some cool Saltwater Specialty fly lines and leaders, and offered the lake trout fishing specialist an all-you-can-eat menu of the slowest to the fastest sinking trout lines we have ever seen.
Downsides? Re-working our internet catalog has been – for the time – dominated by Rio’s 2013 Dealer Work-book. One complaint. The naming of the AFS Spey Outound line is unfortunate, because this line is COMPLETELY different from the other Outbound lines, and if you read on, you will find out how so. Common fellas, how about consulting with us more before you hang a confusing name on a great fly line?
Here are a few of the highlights I gleaned after a MONTH of sweating over the new Rio Line, Leader, and Tippet offerings.
iFlight Skagit Shooting Head: New Spey Line. The Skagit iFlight has an intermediate leading 8 ft of the Skagit Head, and this can accomplish two things, (1) achieving deeper swing when using heavy MOW Tips; and (2) achieving just-subsurface presentations when fished with Intermediate tips in complex currents.
Scandi Short Shooting Head Lines: New Product – designed to fish dry or damp flies on shorter Spey rods ,using tapered or Versileaders.
Switch Spey full Fly Line: Under recognized fly line. This is a full fly line that can be fished with Spey style or overhead style on sub-12 ft rods. Not the line of choice for heavy sink tips but great for tapered leaders, and modest Rio Versileaders. Capable of Indicator fishing in a pinch.
Spey Versitip Kits: Rio offers both the Skagit Flight and the Scandi Short Spey Heads in Versitip Kits, allowing an angler easy means to carry and fish the most effective range of floating and sink tip options in a Rio tip wallet at a cost savings.
If you haven’t seen it yet, head over to Saturday’s Oregonian and read the editorial submitted by Governor Kitzhaber in which he announced his commitment to opening a stakeholder dialogue to recover wild salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin.
The state of Oregon is ready to come to the table with other key parties and work toward a lasting agreement that avoids litigation and that provides a stable environmental and economic foundation for our hydro system, one where thriving salmon runs coexist with reliable and affordable electric power.
With Kitzhaber’s support, this is an exciting time for fisheries conservation in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Please take a minute to send a thank you to Governor Kitzhaber for his commitment to recovering steelhead and salmon in the Columbia Basin. Our friends at Save Our Wild Salmon have you covered with a form letter that only takes a second to fill out.
Chad Helms and Greg Taylor of our local Corps of Engineers office bring us this report from the South Coast.
Greg Taylor and I spent 3 days last weekend fishing out of Bandon. The bar conditions were perfect and we were able to get out to the ocean every day. Each morning we ran out past the bar and fished for Rock fish. The first day, we saw a huge school of black Rock fish on the surface and they were actually jumping out of the water. It was absolutely crazy!!! The fishing was red hot. It seemed like every cast caught a fish. It didn’t matter what fly you used.
Greg was fishing with a floating line and a popper and caught a ton of fish. I was using an Rio Outbound WF8I/S8 with a Clouser Minnow pattern. After a couple of hours of non stop black Rock Fish action each day we headed back in across the bar and spent the rest of the day fishing for salmon. The Chinook fishing was slow, but we managed to put 5 in the boat over the 3 days. The weather was awesome and we had a great trip.
Tony demonstrates how to tie his modern version of the classic Sea Run Cutthroat fly “The Blue Boy”. In days of old around the shop there was a hunt for the perfect blue Danville chenille. Often small samples of an already pale/faded blue would float around in an attempt to match the blue for the pattern. We think the Mini Flat braid lights up much better, the fly sinks better and catches more fish.
Use the fly on a clear sinking line or Poly Leader swung and stripped in early morning hours. It’s a perfect time to fish Sea Runs in the Pacific Northwest!
Blue Boy Sea Run Cutthroat Fly Pattern
Thread: White Veevus 12/0, Red Veevus 12/0 after body completed
Hook: TMC 7999 #8 or Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron-Nickel #7 or 9
Tail: Dyed Red Golden Pheasant Tippet
Rib: Lagartun Medium Oval Silver Tinsel
Underbody: White Ultra 140 Thread
Body: Lagartun Fl. Blue Mini Flat Braid
Hackle: Black Strung Chinese Saddle Hackle
Wing: White Arctic Fox Tail
Head: Clear Goo Hydro
Our friend Rick Bocko sends along this report about Hosmer Lake. Rick Thanks for some great insights and techniques about one of Oregon’s most beautiful spots. There is still time to head up to Hosmer this Fall!
At an elevation of 4966 feet, Hosmer Lake is high up on my list of places to fish. The Atlantic “Salmon” are really trout, and the Brook “Trout” are really from the Char family. Add to the suspicious names the fact that the fish are not from this area and are extremely wary of any fly offerings… I suspect them to be part of a fish witness protection program. Just a random thought, perhaps too many hours on the lake.
I see many fly fishers trying their luck at Hosmer, with limited success. I come back to Eugene to see the white board at The Caddis Fly reporting poor fishing at Hosmer, after I have had a very successful trip. A fellow fisherman suggested I share the techniques that have been working for me with others, so here I go. No doubt there are many ways to catch fish at Hosmer. If you are having success with your methods, great! If you are not, here is what has been working for me for the last several years during trips to the lake in August and September. I tend to fish in the narrow channel between the two main bodies of the lake. Continue reading
