Caddis Fly Crew Visits Rajeff Sports, Distributors of Echo Fly Rods and Airflo Fly Lines

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Most of The Caddis Fly Staff headed up to Vancouver Washington this past Saturday to visit with Tim Rajeff and his crew at Rajeff Sports. The experienced team of Tim Rajeff, Katherine Hart, Jarod Black and Randy Stetzer gave us the tour of operations and then we got into the nitty-gritty of how and why Echo fly rods are doing so well in today’s market.

Continue reading →

Posted in Fly Fishing Gear Review, Fly Fishing Travel | 1 Comment

This smolt looks really … weird

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Caddisfly

Mckenzie River steelhead caught trout fishing

Earlier this week trout tagger extrordinaire Scott Kinney and I hit the lower Mckenzie trout population study area between Hendricks and Bellinger. It was the first time that I’ve fished the lower river since the high water levels of spring have subsided and the water clarity increased. It was good to actually see the new structure of the river’s bottom and know why fish are holding in these areas as opposed to just knowing they are and will eat. Continue reading →

Posted in Fishing Porn, Fishing Reports, McKenzie River, Oregon Conservation News, Summer Steelhead | 3 Comments

Local Trout Fishing Report: McKenzie and Willamette Rivers Fishing Well

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

middle fork of the willamette rainbow

The McKenzie and Middle Fork of the Willamette rivers have been fishing well of late. Water levels have remained stable for the past week and clarity has improved on both rivers. Despite good water conditions and some classic overcast and warmish afternoons, March Brown and Caddis hatches have seemed to sputter a bit of late. That doesn’t mean fish are not looking up towards the surface more though. Continue reading →

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

Upside Down Golden Stone Fly Tying Video

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

It won’t be long before Salmon Flies and Golden Stones are making their annual emergence on the Deschutes River. In this video Barrett demonstrates how to tie an Upside Down Golden Stone. When some of your favorite aren’t getting the job done during the hatch try something with a completely different look.

This pattern also works on the Metolius, McKenzie, Middle Fork of the Willamette and many other waters where Golden Stones reside.

Upside Down Golden Stone

Hook: TMC 200R 6-10 Daiichi 1270 6-10
Thread: Ultra Thread U140 Hopper Yellow
Tail: Med Round Rubber Dk. Golden Stone
Body: Thin Fly Foam 2mm Gold
UnderWing: Gold McFlylon
Overwing: Elk Hair
Legs: Med Round Rubber Dk. Golden Stone

Posted in Central Oregon Fishing Report, Eastern Oregon, Fly Tying, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing | 1 Comment

Terranasty Salmon Fly Tying Video

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Warmer temperatures in the Willamette Valley have brought out some Stoneflies of late. The McKenzie and Willamette do not get a concentrated “mega hatch” like the Deschutes and the Madison but we do get some Salmon Fly Adults bombing around in Spring and Early Summer. Continue reading →

Posted in Central Oregon Fishing Report, Fishing Reports, Fly Tying, McKenzie River, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing | 1 Comment

Winter Stonefly, Foam Body Caddis Style Fly Tying Video

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Is Winter over yet? It’s been a pretty tough Winter/Spring for consistent dry fly fishing. Many have simply given into their “bobber addiction” and have come to embrace “chasing bob” down the river. Who could blame them with high water and the success of the Mega Prince and Possie Bugger.

One of the first adult insects of the Winter Spring season of note is the Winter Stonefly. The small stone is about a size #14-18, has a black body and a light wing. If you fish the upper McKenzie this early season you may see a few remaining stones. Most of the Winter Stones have come and gone on the lower river but this pattern is so simple and so easily adapted to numerous Caddis patterns I felt like it was still a useful video. Successful variations include a Yellow foam body and light Elk Wing, Tan foam body and Elk wing and an Orange foam body with Dark Elk body for an October Caddis. –CD

foam elk hair caddis

Winter Stone/Black Foam Caddis

Hook: TMC 100 or 900BL #14-18
Thread: Ultra Thread 70 Denier Black
Rib: 5x Mono
Hackle: Black Saddle Hackle
Body: Black Evasote Foam
Wing: Deer Hair

Posted in Fly Tying, Lower Willamette, McKenzie River | 1 Comment

Bigtime bassin’ on the blog this year?

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Maybe unfinished business from my week in the south got into my brain. Maybe I’m feeling nostalgic for fifty fish days on the same ratty piece of chenille and wisp of marabou on a hook. My brother is firing up his new boat next week, getting out on the Great Lakes for the first time this year. The warmwater fisheries I grew up with are calling my name.

I actually spun deerhair and packed it for the first time since high school.

Bassin

Maybe it’s because I inherited a fifty-year old skiff that’s not good for much else. I may have lost my mind, but at least it will be good for the blog. How many posts do you need to read where we cleaned up on a possie bugger and mega-prince? Or we wound up on some great piece of steelhead water that we can’t say anything about? So keep your eyes peeled for me on the bass pro circuit. And if you have any recommendations or helpful hints on warmwater opportunities, pass ’em on.

-MS

Posted in Oregon Warmwater Fly Fishing | 11 Comments

Oregon House Attacks Fish …. Again.

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Caddisfly

Update: Your advocacy efforts are having their desired effect. HB 2873 was scheduled for a floor vote on Friday. That vote has been delayed until Monday. Let’s keep up the pressure and defeat this bill.

Please send an e-mail to your Oregon House Representative today urging him/her to oppose HB 2873, a bill that would roll back existing fish protection laws that currently apply to development of hydro power on manmade canals or diversion structures. The bill is coming to the floor for a vote today. To find your legislator click here. Please send your note to your state representative at the bottom of the list.

What House Bill 2873 does: HB 2873 prohibits the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife from requiring fish passage, screening or bypass devices when an “in-conduit” hydroelectric project is developed on manmade canal or diversion structure.

The development of hydroelectric facilities on existing manmade canals and diversion structures (otherwise known as in-conduit hydro) has long been allowed under Oregon law (ORS Chapter 543). In 2007, HB 2785 was adopted to allow an expedited process for the development this type of power. This new law allowed for a much quicker approval process—providing an incentive to develop this type of power – but only if key resource protections were in place. Fish passage and screening were contemplated from the outset as a minimum condition and were agreed to by the Oregon Water Resources Congress (the proponent of HB 2873), the Oregon Farm Bureau, conservation groups, state agencies, and others. This agreement was the basis for conservation groups to not oppose the 2007 bill.

If you are looking for a cut and paste message, this should work:

Please do not roll back existing fish protections, vote NO on HB 2873. HB 2873 is inconsistent with Oregon’s long-standing commitment to fish passage and screening across the state. HB 2873 undermines existing laws and policies intended to protect fish and allow energy development. Energy development is neither “green” nor “renewable” if it involves shortcuts that compromise existing protections for imperiled fish in Oregon.

Note: The development of inconduit hydro is not at issue in this bill. These projects are a viable source of power but provisions should remain to protect fish.

Continue reading →

Posted in Oregon Conservation News | 3 Comments

Middle Fork of the Willamette River Fly Fishing Report

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Out of the boat sir!

The Middle Fork of the Willamette has been running high this Spring and with a considerable snow pack the trend looks to continue. Despite high water when the Middle Fork has been looking it’s typical “green” it has been fishing well. Most of the action has been subsurface. Using a Thingamabobber, 4-7 feet of tippet and a Golden Stone Nymph coupled with a Mega Prince success can be had.

Middle Fork of the Willamette Fly Fishing

March Browns and Blue Winged Olives have been emerging. Warmer days have fish coming to the surface using Tan Sparkle Duns, and size #18 Parachute Adams.

Middle Fork Post Spawn Female

Nymph Box

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

Abaco Island; No Fishing Today!

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Caddisfly

I spoke with our guide JR last night and he said; “it is going to be a bit windy tomorrow are you guys sure you still want to go”? Using good judgment, I listened to our guide and said “what do suggest as an alternative”? JR suggested Wednesday and I fully agreed.

So, what else to do….hit the road and be the tourist verses the angler? We headed off to Hope Town. It takes about a 20 minute ferry ride to get there. The Hope Town Lighthouse (Elbow Key is the correct name) is one of only three Manual Lighthouses left in the World. It has a spring mechanism that has to be hand cranked every several hours to maintain the sequence of five white flashes every 15 seconds. The lamp burns kerosene with a wick and mantle.
The weather in Hope Town is very similar to that of South Florida. Hope Town and the surrounding islands of Abaco generally follow five weather patterns throughout the year. The winter cold fronts (or Canada Clippers) that pass down to south Florida also affect the Abacos, although occasionally some stall before getting to the Northern Bahamas. They are often over by the end of April (well almost over) and from that point, Hope Town’s temperature increases, staying warm until September. Staying warm is not a problem but a few heavy showers accompanied with thunder and lightning can make a quick exit off the flats. Somehow carrying around a graphite rod during a lighting storm may not be exercising good judgment.
We look forward to tomorrow and maybe the squalls will calm down…meanwhile 85 degrees isn’t bad! LV

Abaco Monday 035

Posted in Fly Fishing Travel | 2 Comments

Abaco Island, Bahamas

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Caddisfly

Abaco 008
One of the things I have had on my bucket list was to fish the Bahamas. After listening to Chris and some of the Caddis Fly Shop customers speak high in praise about Abaco and Abaco Palms House, and not to mention, after several decades of living in Oregon, the current spring weather; sucked! We needed some sun and I said let’s go for it!

I was able to have my wife and a couple of the Technical Men’s Council (old dawgs who have fished together for decades) and their spouses join us. After a couple of trips to Christmas Island, I was totally hooked on bonefish. I was warned well in advance about the bones of Abaco as being “well educated” and quiet wily. Guess what; I think the bones of Abaco have PhD’s! It’s been a real challenge (one bone broken off and many follows) but, we are making the most of it. Here is Marc with one fine bone caught no more than a quarter mile from the house. LV

Abaco 2
In the next few days we are headed out with the infamous Abaco Guide “JR” of JR’s Bonefishing trips. Stay tuned….

Posted in Fly Fishing Travel | Leave a comment

Events reminder: Trout training tomorrow, Skagit Master Friday

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Trout Tagging
In order to participate in the McKenzie River Trout population study, you must attend just one of the formalized training sessions scheduled for Wednesday, April 27th, at both 3 PM and 6 PM. The training will be held at the ODFW Springfield Office (3150 E. Main St., Springfield; 541-726-3515). Kits will be distributed and the angling portion of the study beginning on April 29th. Tagging will continue until the end of June.

Sign up now for Scott Howell
Skagit Master and long time Steelhead Fly Fishing guide Scott Howell will be in town Friday night from 6-9pm for a fly tying class. Scott will demonstrate how to tie at least three of his steelhead patterns to six interested anglers. Cost of the class is $40

On Saturday Scott will conduct a Two Hand Steelhead Clinic. The clinic will include casting and fishing techniques as well as line choices, tackle discussion and more. Scott is planning to bring his sled and move folks to each side of the river, to maximize instruction. The Steelhead Clinic will be from 9am to 4pm, attendees will meet at the shop. Cost of the Class is $125 max number of Students 6.

If we get a big number of interested anglers Scott has agreed to stick around for a Saturday tying and Sunday Steelhead Clinic to be determined by interest. To hold your spot give the shop a call: 541-342-7005.

Posted in Classes and Instruction | Leave a comment

Fly Water Travel’s Louisiana redfish program needs some work

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

FYI: The fish photos in this post were caught with Captain Chris Callaway out of Venice, Louisiana — not with our Fly Water Guide. Read toward the bottom to hear more about his program.

redfish

The Fly Water Travel’s Louisiana redfish program needs some work. Here are my two main complaints:

Lack of experience. My guide hadn’t even been a guide a full year, and had only guided redfish for a few months. When the conditions were bad, he fell apart.

Too much set up and breakdown time. Guides picked us up at our hotel at 6:30 am, and we didn’t make our first cast until after 10am. Back at the dock by 4pm, and we wouldn’t be to our hotels until after 6pm. Clients stand around while guides fuel up, clean boats, chat on cell phones, etc.

On the first day of the trip, I knew we had a problem. “Yeah, these are my last four redfish days of the season,” our guide Doug said when he picked us up. “My tarpon season starts as soon as you guys are done. They’re already showing up in front of my beach house in Florida.”

Continue reading →

Posted in Fishing Porn, Fishing Reports, Fly Fishing Travel | 9 Comments

Skagit Master Scott Howell: Spey casting, fly tying lessons this weekend

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Skagit Master and long time Steelhead Fly Fishing guide Scott Howell will be in town Friday night from 6-9pm for a fly tying class. Scott will demonstrate how to tie at least three of his steelhead patterns to six interested anglers. Cost of the class is $40

On Saturday Scott will conduct a Two Hand Steelhead Clinic. The clinic will include casting and fishing techniques as well as line choices, tackle discussion and more. Scott is planning to bring his sled and move folks to each side of the river, to maximize instruction. The Steelhead Clinic will be from 9am to 4pm, attendees will meet at the shop. Cost of the Class is $125 max number of Students 6.

If we get a big number of interested anglers Scott has agreed to stick around for a Saturday tying and Sunday Steelhead Clinic to be determined by interest.

To hold your spot give the shop a call: 541-342-7005.

Posted in Classes and Instruction | Leave a comment

Get With the Mckenzie River Trout Population Study!

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Caddisfly

This year concerned anglers will again participate in establishing the size of the Mckenzie redside and coastal cutthroat population between Hendricks Bridge and Bellinger. (Sorry whitefish … but, if a certain unnamed individual’s data sheet is any indication, you are doing quite fine.) Last season, these five miles of our beautiful home waters were not stocked with hatchery trout for the first time in many years and will not be stocked this year either.

In order to participate in the McKenzie River Trout population study, you must attend just one of the formalized training sessions scheduled for Wednesday, April 27th, at both 3 PM and 6 PM. The training will be held at the ODFW Springfield Office (3150 E. Main St., Springfield; 541-726-3515). Kits will be distributed and the angling portion of the study beginning on April 29th. Tagging will continue until the end of June.

Last year, the study was held earlier in the season and there is a possibility that some of the rainbow were on their spring spawning run and were not residents of the study area. To foreclose that possibility, the study is being held post-spawn this year. The multi-year effort should establish a positive population trend as regulations become more friendly towards wild trout.

There is another new wrinkle: due to the generosity of certain local vendors there will be prizes awarded to highly productive anglers. The exact details remain to be ironed out but if you needed another reason to go fishing for beautiful, powerful, unique, native and wild trout, there you go. Also, if you have not floated this section of water this season, please note that this year’s high water events have wrought changes on the lower Mckenzie. The area above the canal confluence is particularly dynamic. Please exercise caution as you familiarize yourself with the changes in this area. Continue reading →

Posted in McKenzie River, Oregon Conservation News, Oregon Fly Fishing Clubs and Events, Uncategorized | 6 Comments