Rockfish and Dory action on the Oregon coast

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

fly fishing the oregon coast in a pacific dory

Yup folks, it is offshore time again. After spending more days than I care to admit chasing the elusive spring Chinook, and earning not one single grab, I had the pleasure of going out through the surf with my friends Jack and John Harrell. The process of launching a Dory in the surf is enough to bring adrenaline and smiles to light any day, and Jack only took a short swim in the process of the launch. Secured his ball cap and glasses before they slipped completely off his head and never uttered a single not-printable word in spite of being soaked head to toe. First such swim I have witnessed, and honestly relieved that it was Jack instead of me.

catching rock fish fly fishing on the oregon coast

Pushed the Dory through the surf about 6:30 AM. By 7:40 we were towing the boat up the ramp, limits of Black Rocks in the fish box, and heading for scones and coffee. These fish are a lot of fun fishing 7-8 wt rods with sinking lines. On this trip, I fished an Air flo Ridge Striper T-7, a 7 wt. Echo 3 Saltwater fly rod, and an Echo ION 6/7. If I had planned on silvers or kings I would probably have reached for an 8 or 9 wt rod with an ION 8-10 reel.

JN

Posted in Fishing Reports | 4 Comments

Sticky Sculpin Fly Tying Video

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Bruce Berry of Pro Tube Fly Systems demonstrates how to tie really cool sculpin pattern on a Pro Tube Micro Tube.

Sticky Sculpin:
Hook: Pro Micro Tube Orange
Hook Guide: Small/Trout #6,#8, Large/Steelhead #2, #4
Weight: Bullet Weight Large/ Drop Weight 4mm
Body: U.V. Polar Chenille Olive/ 4 turns
Wing: Olive Variant Rabbit Strip/ Taper Cut
1st Collar: Olive Barred Brown Marabou/ 2 pieces
2nd Collar: Orange Dyed Guinea/ Oversized 2-3 turns
Pectoral Fins: Natural Partridge Feathers
Head: Olive Dyed Spinning Hair/ 1 medium clump spun and trimmed
Alternate colors: Purple, Red/Wine, Black, Tan

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies | Leave a comment

Tiger Hunting with Fly Rod

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Our friend Rick Bocko has been at it again. Pressing the edges of his trout fishing gear. Thanks for the report Rick, I look forward to showing you that 8wt and bite wire.

Tiger muskie

On a recent weekend camping trip to Mayfield Lake, WA, while fishing for stocked trout averaging 12-15″, I was shocked to hook into and eventually land a 44″ tiger muskie. The state of Washington stocks the lake with these muskies in order to keep trash fish under control. The lake is crystal clear and you can sight fish for these toothie monsters in the shallows. The fish watching can be as good as the catching, and a whole lot easier. In two evenings of fishing, I managed to cast to 12 fish, was able to hook four and land two. I guess I need to learn about steel tippets. Fish were hooked on black wooly bugger, 4″ black bunny leech, and a carey special. Trout fishing if great fun, but for a change of pace you might think about tiger hunting with that fly rod.

fly fishing for tiger muskie

Posted in Fishing Reports, Fly Fishing Travel | 3 Comments

“I Want a be Like Bill” Fishing Hard at 91

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

fly fishing the mckenzie river

My friend Bill has been Fly Fishing the McKenzie River for a long time. We had a fun day on the upper McKenzie River this past Monday despite some seriously wet weather. Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns and Small caddis were hatching. Dry fly fishing in fast water was better than I’d seen it all year. Bill fished hard all day, wet, cold, and spot on.  He did not lose a fly all day. No easy task when high water has you pitching at the banks on most presentations.

mckenzie river fly fishing

mckenzie river fly fishing

Mckenzie rainbow trout

Back to Bill. He has been a an Oregon resident much of his life and has fished around the state for trout primarily. He still makes annual trips to California’s Sacramento River and Idaho’s Henry’s Fork. Did I mention he’s 91.

I have been guiding Bill on the McKenzie and Willamette for the past 23. He has a great attitude about fishing that one only gets with experience and knowledge. When I am 91 I want to be upfront casting all day for something.

lunch with bill

CD

Posted in Fishing Reports | 5 Comments

Mercer’s Micro Mayfly Nymph Fly Tying Video

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Mike Mercer’s Micro Mayfly Nymph has proven to be a deadly fly when fishing in clear water with selective fish. Try it tied off of a larger dry in bigger Western waters when fish are feeding in shallow runs. For smaller, slower water use more conventional nymph tactics scaled down to the size of your water.

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Mercer’s Micro Mayfly Nymph

Hook: TMC 2457 #14-18
Bead: Black Nickel to match hook size 5/64 3/32 are common
Thread: 95D Lagartun Olive
Tail: Ringneck Pheasant Tail
Rib: Ultra Wire Small
Abdomen: Goose Biots
Wing Case: Turkey Tail
Thorax: Peacock Herl
Legs: Pheasant Tail Fibers
Wing Case Topping: Clear Cure Goo Thick or Fleck

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies | Leave a comment

Wild Fish on the McKenzie Need Your Help

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

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Help support ODFW district bio Jeff Ziller’s proposal to limit bait fishing from Hendricks Bridge to Belinger landing by writing a letter of support. We need to protect wild fish throughout the McKenzie and bait fishing increases mortality. Not only does this section offer a few more miles of safety for our native stocks it’s also the section currently under study to create a population baseline for future management.

Write you letters to:

Rhine T. Messmer
Recreational Fisheries Program Manager
Fish Division, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
3406 Cherry Avenue NE
Salem, OR 97303

Letters need to be to the ODFW Salem office before the end of June. With a stack of letters and big attendance at the August 3rd meeting we have a great shot at helping sustain and improve a critical population of wild trout on the McKenzie River.

Posted in Oregon Conservation News | 2 Comments

Annual Pike Trip Underway

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

See you all in a week. -MS

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Posted in Fly Fishing Travel | 1 Comment

Shrimp Pink Steelhead Matuka Fly Tying Video

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

With little fanfare, this video offers a quick shot at Nicholas’ simplicity style of a very effective steelhead fly. This color hue is one that shows well in dark water, but I prefer to fish black in the lowest light and fish these shrimp pink flies in clearer water, colder water, or… You know the drill. Got to soak the fly in the river in order for Mr. Steelhead to bite these cuties.

A note on the absence of the tinsel wrap through the rabbit strip: by pulling the strip quite tight at the fore of the fly, and tying it in securely, the rabbit strip will stay just where it is supposed to be. Repeated chompage by fish will cause more damage to this fly than to the version in which one winds oval tinsel through the rabbit strip. But I find that I can tie these so much faster, and my ratio of loss to trees and rocks versus damage by fish (hope you followed that because I barely did) is such that I come out ahead by tying more of this simple version – – – – –

Jay Nicholas
February 2012

Shrimp Pink Steelhead Matuka fly

Shrimp Pink Steelhead Matuka Fly

Hook: TMC 7999 #3/0 – 4
Thread: Lagartun 150 D Black
Body: Speckled Crystal Chenille – Pearl/Fl. Orange
Topping/Tail: Tiger Barred Rabbit Strip – Hot Pink Brown stripe over Shrimp Pink
Hackle: American Saddle Clump – Kingfisher Pink Grizzly

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies, Summer Steelhead | Leave a comment

McKenzie and Willamette River Reports

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

McKenzie River Rainbow Trout

The McKenzie and Willamette Rivers have dropped considerably of late and are in fine shape for fishing. Warmer weather has brought about some excellent hatches and fishing has been good throughout both river systems. Nymphing has been consistently effective but dry fly fishing has really picked up.

The Lower McKenzie and into the lower Willamette has been seeing Pale Morning Dun’s Little Yellow Stones, small Caddis, Pink Ladies, and even some March Browns still hanging around. Best fly patterns include: Pale Morning Dun Klinkhammer, Tup’s Indispensable, Sparkle Dun PMD, CDC Green McKenzie Caddis, Peacock Caddis, Parachute March Brown, Yellow Soft Hackles and Quigley’s Sparkle Flag in PMD and Pink.

The Middle McKenzie Blue River to Leaburg Dam has seen a decent Golden Stone emergence as well as good numbers of Green McKenzie Caddis and Green Drakes. Best Patterns include: CDC Green McKenzie Caddis, Half Down Golden Stoneflies, Parachute Adams, Quigley’s Victory Green Drakes and Possie Buggers.

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The Upper McKenzie from Ollalie Creek to Blue River remains cold but fish in that part of the river are used to it. Green Drakes, Golden Stones and small caddis are the predominant bugs. Best patterns include: Half Down Golden Stones, Parachute Adams, Colorado Green Drake, Double Bead Peacock Nymphs, Possie Buggers, and Elk Hair Caddis Brown and Tan.

The Middle Fork of the Willamette has come down nicely of late as well. It seems as though some of the tributaries are starting to see consistent flow reduction. Golden Stones, Little Yellow Stones, Pale Morning Duns and Caddis are all present on the Middle fork: Best Patterns include: McKees Rubber Legged Stone, Mega Prince, Half Down Golden, Parachute Purple Rooster, PMD Klinkhammer and Silvey’s Yellow Sally.

Posted in Fishing Reports, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing | Leave a comment

Memorial Day Deschutes Report

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

deschutes boating

Memorial Day weekend on the Deschutes was the usual crowded affair, but the weather was great, there were bugs everywhere, and the fishing couldn’t have been better. This trip has become an annual event and it seems like every year there’s more cheap beer and expensive scotch that comes along for the float from Trout Creek to Harpham Flat. The long weekend seems to bring out the rafting crowd and while there were quite a few anglers on the water as well, we didn’t have much trouble finding fishy spots.

deschutes trip photos

Once again, the Chubby Chernobyl in size 8 or 10 proved to be the fly of choice, as did newcomer the Chubby Norman in size 10. Greasing the wing with some Gink or Loon’s Aquel did the trick, leaving the dubbed body and foam to ride low in the water. I fished a 7.5 foot 2X tapered leader, but others were having just as much success with a straight 8 foot section of 10lbs Maxima. These fish aren’t terribly picky and their takes on the Chernobyl look like toilet bowl flushes.

fly fishing the deschutes

Most of the fish we found were within 10 feet of the bank, hanging out below trees or near grass waiting for goldens or salmonflies to fall into the river. The crowds during mid-week are surely going to be smaller than last weekend, so if you’ve got a few free days, swing by the shop, grab some Chubbies, and get over there!

Posted in Eastern Oregon, Fishing Reports | Leave a comment

Tup’s Indispensable Fly Tying Video

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Mike Brooks demonstrates how to tie classic wet fly that fishes well during a variety of Mayfly Hatches. We like to swing it on a dry line and long leader during low light conditions. The Tup’s is deadly on the lower McKenzie right now.

Tups Indispensable

Tup’s Indispensable

Hook: TMC 3769 #14-18
Thread: Danville 6/0 Lt. Cahill
Tail: Coq de Leon Hackle fibers
Body: same as working thread
Thorax: Mix of Yellow and Red Hareline Dub
Hackle: Dun, Brown or Cream Hen Hackle

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies | Leave a comment

Mining and salmon don’t mix

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Great article in the Oregonian about recreational miners and suction-dredge operations that are ripping up rivers and streams all across the state. “The 1872 Mining Law prevents the government from collecting royalties for minerals extracted from public land while sticking U.S. taxpayers with the tab for cleaning up the mess.”

Also — things are looking pretty good for the opponents of the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay. According to the AP: The possible failure of a dam holding waste from a large-scale mine near the headwaters of one of the world’s premier salmon fisheries in Alaska could wipe out or degrade rivers and streams in the region for decades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in a draft watershed assessment released Friday.

If you have been living under a rock for the past couple years, you may want to start with Red Gold video (above) as a primer. The Chum has the most detailed analysis of the situation:

The Pebble Mine cannot cheaply or safely dispose of their tailings. So avoid them as an investment. News reports this week talk of tailings dams as big and as long as the Great Wall of China. This is a good analogy. And one day those dams will fail and wipe out the salmon industry, regardless of what you say.

-MS

Posted in Oregon Conservation News | Leave a comment

Foam Extended Body March Brown Fly Tying Video

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

This years March Brown Hatch has been a scattered and inconsistent at best. High, cold and fluctuating water are to blame for the lackluster fishing. While we are cursing the rain and water today we will be loving it in August and September when the threat of low and warm water will be non-existent.

In the video above Barrett completes an extended body March Brown Pattern. Check out the video below for the how to on creating extended bodies. Pale Morning Duns and Green Drakes are still coming this Summer and the J:Son foam Selections and detached body pins will allow you to tie some killer extended body patterns.


Extended Foam Bodied March Brown

Hook: Daiichi 1160 Klinkhamer Hook
Thread: Ultra Thread 70D Tan
Ext. Body: J Son Detached Body Pins, J Son Colored Foam Selection, Hareline Tinted Mayfly Tails.
Wing: Comparadun Deer Hair
Thorax: Micro Fine Dubbing Tan

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies | Leave a comment

Pale Morning Dun Cripple Fly Tying Video

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

A knock down, challenged, cripple, emerging style Pale Morning Dun fly pattern from Mike Brooks. We like this fly late Spring and Summer all over the West.

Pmd criple

Pale Morning Dun Cripple

Hook: TMC 100 #16-20
Thread: Danville 6/0 lt. Cahill
Tail: Ice Fur Orangutan Rust
Body: Superfine dub Pale Morning dun
Throax: Superfine dub Sulphur Orange
Post: Cream Antron and Wood Duck
Hackle: Lt. Brown, Cream, Badger or Cream

Posted in Fly Tying, Fly Tying Materials and Supplies | Leave a comment

June 23, 2012 Selway River Trip Sale

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

selway river

SOAR Northwest River Co. is offering a discount to readers of this blog on the June 23 Selway river trip. The trip launches on June 23 and ends on the 28th, but you will want to fly into Missoula on the 22nd for an orientation. The trip normally runs for $2400 per person and is on sale for $1800 if you mention that you read about it on OregonFlyFishingBlog.com.

selway river fishing

selway river trout

Fishing usually becomes a focus for these trips later in the season when the water normally is a little lower (those later trips are booked for this year). This means that SOAR will be running larger boats on this trip, which of course also means the time on the water is mostly at a downriver pace; you probably won’t be fishing from the boat, and the boats probably won’t be stopping too much while en route. That said, there are usually hours of down time in camp for you to fish to your heart’s content, and many of the camps SOAR uses are near trail access that runs the length of the river. This gives you the opportunity to walk back up to the nice water you silently noted on the way down as the guides stay back to manage the camp and kitchen. And you’ll still have a blast on some legendary whitewater. This year there have already been a few significant run-off episodes, some of which is happening now. The upshot is that there really should be some great opportunities for some great fish in gorgeous water running through an absolutely pristine wilderness. Truly one of America’s great rivers.

selway river whitewater

Please give Ari a call or email to book or to get more information: 208-709-8033. He can also offer some discount on your Missoula accommodation if you book through him. SOAR’s website has more information, logistical details, testimonials, guide profiles, phots and descriptions as well: http://www.northwestriver.com/index.php

Don’t forget to mention OregonFlyFishingBlog.com! This is a great deal, people, you know you want to….

HNT

Posted in Fly Fishing Travel, Shop Sales and Specials | 1 Comment