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Oregon Albacore - A
New Opportunity
As climate change information circulates through the world
media and salmon runs seem to diminish, a new opportunity
for fly anglers is arising. Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga)
are fast becoming one of the new challenging targets to
fly anglers. Averaging 15- 25 lbs., with some fish toward
the 50 lb. mark, this fast moving gamefish combines surface
action and 12-weight bending for those willing to tackle
the open Pacific. Just check out the pics...
I have gotten out twice over the last 10 days chasing
Pacific Albacore on the fly rod, with mixed success. The
first day had multiple hook-ups and almost non-stop action.
On our second we struggled to get fish in to the boat,
but still caught more fish than the gear-only partner
boat fishing with us. Both days were similar ocean and
weather conditions. These fish follow the bait available
and ocean currents. Typically this "blue-water"
seam is located 30-50 miles off of the Oregon Coast, although
it can be closer depending on wind and current relationships.
This is a world-class sustainable fishery without the
need for cross-country or international flight.
I have 5 more days of fishing scheduled off the Pacific
Coast between today and mid-September. If interested,
please contact Jad Donaldson at the Tigard shop (jad@kman.com)
for trip info, equipment, and costs involved. |
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The Clack is summarized.
Best fishing is early in the morning and later in the evening.
Hatchery fish are being recycled back downriver and in years
past the end of July has always marked a second push of fish
in the river. As with most Oregon waters, the steelhead migration
has been a few weeks behind and I would expect the Clack to
fit in with that trend this year.
Summer wets and dries, swung, skated or riffle hitched will
be the best method from now till fall. Opt for a Purple Peril,
Freight Train or Green Butt Skunk style of fly to start off
with. If you prefer to keep the fly down, use your clear intermediate,
this tip is often a winner on the Clack. Nymphing will produce
results as well. A Black Woolly Bugger or a red pheasant tail
can be deadly options here in the summer.
There's plenty of access here for wade anglers. The river
is low enough you can access a great deal of the river from
public access points. Be careful wading here however as the
Clack is notorious for its slippery rocks in the summer time.
Anyone not paying attention is ripe for a trip to Dunk City.
Boaters should be advised flows are at summer levels and the
Clack becomes a difficult run no matter what craft you're
using. Unless you want to drag your drift boat or put a hole
in it, find a raft. Please be especially aware of the Minefield
below Dog Creek, as well as sweepers within McIver. Best summer
fly fishing on the Clack is done either in the early morning
or later afternoon/evening, due to extreme spookiness of the
fish during the "rubber" hatch.
Trout fishing is now open on the Upper Clackamas. The Oak Grove
Fork of the Clackamas provides excellent small stream trout
fishing this time of year. The upper reaches of the river are
accessible and can be a great place to spend the day casting
dries for willing eaters.
Guide Info: Jad Donaldson. Call us at 503-639-6400 to book your
trip. |
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Coastal rivers
with summer steelhead are low, low, low. The Trask, Nestucca,
Siletz and Wilson Rivers have arrived at summer flows. Fishing
is still a possibility on these waters and in some cases a very
good option; however you should shift your tactics to accommodate
the fishery.
Decreased water flow will cause these summer fish to keg up
in holes. Best fishing is going to be found on the extreme sides
of the day. You can leave your sink tips at home for 90% of
the available water. Most fish will hang in the tailouts early
in the morning and later in the evening and with reduced flows
they'll cycle in and out of oxygenated water for relief
from the warm water and sun. Should you see rain in the forecast
and a spike on the gauges, it would be a good time to head west.
Smaller and unweighted flies will rule the day till fall.
There are better options than the coast for the most part right
now but should you find yourself out this way, don't ignore
it. Anglers should be advised, logging roads on the upper Siletz
have been closed until further notice due to fire danger. There
is a lot of cutty activity right now as well. August can be
a peaceful time of year to get out and look for sea-runs. Fish
slow moving swing water and also strip retrieve in the pools,
you might be surprised with the results...be advised to
release these fish gently and unharmed. |
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It's mid-summer on
the Deschutes; well almost anyway...the only thing preventing
us from fully fledged summer and caddis activity is water temperature.
Despite high ambient temperatures, the water is still cool for
this time of year...something we can attribute to the continued
existence of snow at altitude. An increase in air temperature
will help and we'll start to see the full-fledged caddis
hatches we're used to around this time of year. Moral
of the story, be fully prepared for caddis from this day forward,
it's going to be a feeding fest when it gets strong. You'll
need larva, pupa and adults to be covered.
In the meantime if you're going to be fishing on the D,
there are a few items you need to be prepared with. Pale Morning
Duns and Pale Evening Duns continue to be a factor and feeding
can be especially good in the evening. Aquatic moths are out
as well and you'll need the Caddis equivalent of a Lt.
Cahill to mimic this. Craneflies are still working as well...be
prepared and keep your eyes peeled for what looks like light
mayflies with gangly legs.
Water levels are ideal with flows reading 3930 CFS on the Madras
gauge and temperatures have been hovering around 56-57 degrees.
Midday fishing will find most fish in the oxygenated riffles,
under trees, against steep banks and under ledges. With light
off the water, you'll find fish spread throughout the river.
When nymphing, skip the big stones for a bit and stick to smaller
flies, possibly a larger cased caddis if you're looking for
a large fly.
Here's a NEW list of can't miss Deschutes Flies:
Tool Nymphs: BH Cased Caddis, BH Black Stonefly
Nymphs, BH Prince Nymph, Pat's Rubber Legs Black, BH Pheasant
Tail, BH Hare's Ear.
Dropper Nymphs (size 14-18): BH Lightning Bug,
BH Bubble Back, BH CDC Prince, BH GR Hares Ear, BH CDC PT, Black
Biotic Nymph, Kaufmann's BH Rhyacophila, Morrish's Biotic
Nymph, Sparkle Pupa, Green Jelly Cord Caddis, Kaufmann's Mirage
Copper, BH Soft Hackle Orange, Yellow, Brown, Olive and Tan,
Bead Head WD-40.
Dry Flies: size 14-16 Pale Evening Dun's, size
14-18 PMD's, size 14-20 Midges, size 14-18, Tan, Brown &
Peacock Elk Hair Caddis, size 14 yellow Crane Flies, Size 10-12
Yellow Sally's.
Steelhead: It's time to head to the mouth of the D'
and get the swinging stick out. Steelhead have been caught for
a few weeks now, and currently the White River is not dumping
silt into the river, though this could change with some rain..
You will find the best concentration of fish from Macks Canyon
downriver. There's nothing better than swinging a "dressed"
size 6 TMC 7999 Max Canyon or Freight Train on a dryline, but
when conditions don't call for the traditional "Old
School" way, it will pay off to experiment. With murky
conditions we favor larger purple or black patterns. The MOAL,
Hickman's Fish Taco, and the Loop leach fished on a sinktip
are favored. When clarity is less of a factor, then dust off
your traditional Steelhead flies ala Kaufmann's Freight
Train, Max Canyon, and Purple Perils. Remember, skaters are
always an option on the D.
The lower miles can be infested with Jet boats during planned
sled days. Jet boat free days for this month are: August 7 -
10 and August 22 - 26. If you're planning to float
down to the mouth be aware. It should only be a couple weeks
before we see appreciable numbers of fish in the Maupin area,
but anglers are definitely getting into them around town already.
There is plenty of access for the walk and wade angler. Access
points on the East bank (BLM) are Warm Springs, Mecca Flats,
Trout Creek and South Junction. The only access point on the
West bank is Dry Creek. This is a great stretch of water to
fish as most anglers on foot seem to favor Mecca Flats and South
Junction. Also beware of private property at South Junction.
Bear in mind that there's a large spawning area in front of
Dry Creek. Please don't wade on this large redd. You can also
use your mountain bike (with a good suspension) to explore more
water. Again, we remind you, you must have a Tribal Permit in
this stretch.
The Warm Springs Tribe also reminds anglers not to step foot
on, or fish any island west of the main channel. Law enforcement
from the tribe is expected to be patrolling the entire reservation
in pickup trucks and boats alike. We remind you that there's
no access on the reservation side of the river of any kind from
Pelton Dam to Dry Creek. Same goes for the stretch between Trout
Creek to the Northern Boundary of the Reservation. (Approx river
mile 69/Dixon)
You can only fish and step foot on the reservation between Dry
Creek (94.5 mile marker) and Trout Creek (88.4 mile marker)
with a Tribal Permit. You must provide your state fishing license,
Tribal permit and picture identification when fishing this section.
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Whew boy...if
you're looking to get humbled head on out to the Metolius
this month. You'll want the following in your bag of ammo:
PMD's, Aquatic Moth's, Baetis, Olive Stone's,
and Golden Stones.
Look for rising fish in protected areas...Fish to them downstream
on light tippet for your best chance to hook up. Otherwise,
get high on the banks and try to find isolated fish feeding
on the bottom. Polarized glasses will greatly help you see the
white jaw line opening.
Bull Trout are on the move up from Billy Chinook to begin preparing
for the spawn.
There will be lots of hikers, birders and vacationers but you'll
find plenty of peace here on the water. |
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August is typically pretty
much the doldrums for the Sandy. There are plenty of fish in
the river and they'll hang closer to the banks, under
trees, closer to the riffles and anywhere where they can avoid
the vast amount of silt trickling down the river. Concentrate
on well oxygenated holding water where the fish will have an
opportunity to seek some relief from both the water temperatures,
prey and the fast flow. Best fishing will occur from early morning
till mid-day, the Sandy tends to lose visibility as the day
goes on during mid-summer. Without a doubt, the largest concentration
of fish will be found in the neighborhood of Cedar Creek.
Flows are still a touch higher than normal with current flow
at 728CFS.
Floating lines and small sink tips can be used, but more importantly
this is a time when either brightly colored or black flies can
be an asset during the dog days of glacial runoff.
Guide Info: Jad Donaldson. Call us at 503-639-6400 to book your
trip. |
The McKenzie has
hit summer doldrums, fishing in the early morning and late evening
is apt to be your only really productive times of the day. Caddis
are the main event here and a dry with a soft hackle dropper
or a two fly nymph rig culminating in a soft hackle are going
to be your best bets for picking up trout. During the day fish
will lay in the deeper runs off current seams, in oxygenated
water, and close to banks and potential cover.
Fishing will be better above Leaburg Dam. The water here is
colder and more turbid. A Stimulator, Chernobyl style ant or
Hopper with a dropper here is your best bet.
Steelhead fishing in the McKenzie can has slowed but there are
fish still hanging about. The closer you fish to Leaburg, the
better your chances. Fish to these fish on the extreme ends
of the day with dark flies...else indicator fishing for these
fish will be the route to take midday.
The McKenzie has a large hatchery trout program and hatchery
fish are planted just for a supplement to anglers. As a matter
of fact the stocking of these trout is one of the largest hatchery
projects in the nation. You are encouraged to retain the hatchery
fish (all wild fish must be released). Please study your 2008
fishing before going. The best fishing for hatchery fish is
from below Forest Glen Boat Ramp down to Hayden Bridge near
Springfield. There are 16 boat ramps in this section. Access
when floating is plentiful.
Other Trout Options:
The Coast - resident cutthroat are present and grabby
Middle Fork Willamette - a beautiful, productive stream
frequently shaded by the sun.
Upper Clackamas/Mt. Hood streams - there's still
cooler water flowing at higher elevations, get out the light
rod and enjoy catching some fish who don't have a lot
of time in the year to eat. |
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Lakes are open!
Chickahominy Reservoir - pretty decent reports on leeches and
ice cream cones!
Davis - Bass are your primary focus.
Crane Prairie - Fish deep, 10 - 15 feet deep with
chronomids.
Wickiup Reservoir - can be decent fishing in the channels,
but overall slowing down.
Billy Chinook - recent changes in the regs. Kokanee are included
in the total of 5 trout allowed, Bull trout are active.
Timothy - one of Hood's largest lakes and the site
of the Clackamas headwaters, a solid producer due to its size.
Harriet - great smaller lake with a large stocking program.
Laurance - mornings and evenings will be best fishing.
Rock Creek - still fishing well
Pine Hollow - a good place to pull out the poppers.
Gorge Lakes - ditto
Clear - this lake can get slow when the weather gets hot.
Hosmer -fishing here is slowing down...go early for
best results
Lost - early mornings and late in the day....still
remaining Hex's.
Little Lava - now fishing better than its larger cousin.
Lava - fishing has been slow.
Trillium - this gorgeous lake is a good float tube fishery.
Frog - a great little lake on Hood.
Twin - a short hike but worth it.
Merrill - Hexagenia!
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Still running predictably
high for seasonal irrigation demands, to the tune of the usual
4000 cfs below the Cle Elum, and for the most part, things are
still a boat show. The upper river above the Cle Elum does offer
(albeit) limited wading, due to limited access combined with
a lot of private property. Fortunately, once August bleeds into
September, we can anticipate the whole system to drop down in
earnest, opening up extensive wading opportunities by way of
Hwy 10 and the Canyon Road.
Most holding water for the trout right now is going to be tight-to
and beneath bankside vegetation and structure. By now, Hoppers,
Ants and Beetles will be recognized and welcome to the trout.
There are also Short-Winged Summer Stones (tannish-bottomed
brown adults #8-10), Yellow Sallies and PMD's around,
with the latter two due to lighten up and peter out over the
coming weeks. The Short-Winged Summer Stones, however, will
be around well into September, overlapping somewhat with the
appearance of early October Caddis (middle of Sept).
Particularly on warmer days, the evening caddis activity is
also well worth being prepared for - pupa, emergers (viz.,
x-caddis) adults/ovipositors (viz., elk hairs & hot-butts)
and divers (bead-thorax soft-hackles). While you'll continue
to be confronted by varying size/color species depending on
day and locale, the Big event to watch out for is Microcaddis
(#20-#24). You may not be able to visually id these, or for
that matter the offering. Save it to say that at this time of
year, that "mystery" rise as the light begins to
fade is normally these Micros (or midges!). To help compensate
for the visual challenge, try fishing the Micro as a trailer,
or use a tiny bit of Biostrike on your tippet knot. Nothin'
wrong with a flurry of activity to cap a long summer's
day! |
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It's full on floating
line time here, but if you want to strap on a type 3 in a deeper
run during midday I wouldn't call you crazy. All your
traditional wets are in play here and in some spots a skater
might not be a bad idea. Additionally you may want to try "troutier"
style flies like a Steelhead Bugger or Muddler.
As the water continues to lower and fish are relocating to deeper
water and hiding behind rocks, indicator style fishing is going
to become steadily more effective. |
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SW Washington Rivers are
fishing well. The Steelhead runs have been great in Columbia
tributaries and there are even a few random pinks and sockeyes
out there to add some diversity. Water levels are good.
The Cowlitz, Kalama and Lewis are Steelhead factories and the
promise of chrome summer fish should be enough to get you out
this way if you're looking for a fix. Spring Chinook are
fully into the tomato stage and should be left alone.
Cedar River: Good (Forecast: Low but Good)
Down and wadeable, there's only a month to go! Bigger
fish are around, mostly falling to the bigger bugs (sculpins,
stones), although caddis, PMD's and smaller nymphs (PT's,
Cooper Johns, Lightning Bugs, SuperHeros) have had their moments.
Logjam pools are a smart spot to offer up beetles and ants (as
well as all other holding water) as well.
Cloudy, cool days and earlier/later in the day will be the best
times to avert splashers and tubers. Look for fish to be nymphing
early (sculpins, too), with caddis and stone adults important
in the evening. If graced with cloud-cover by day, be on the
look-out for PMD's. And be ready to tangle with a no-messin-around
bruiser! |
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