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| Kaufmann Streamborn Northwest Fishing Report |
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| OREGON |
Clackamas River - The Clack is holding steady through an oddly consistent second half of January and beginning to February. I'm not sure I would expect this to continue, but you never know…Northwest winter and all. Here's the thing. The Clack has been fishing really well. Water temperatures throughout the month have been in the low 40's and though there will be an occasional exception, the water temps won't decrease significantly again this winter. This is definite good news for steelheaders. Warmer temps indicate more active fish. Continue to keep an active eye out for situations which find the river on the drop after a rain, but as of now any day where the water is in shape should be a good day to get your lines wet. Swing and drift anglers should both experience good levels of success.
Eagle Creek is fishing well throughout for both styles of angling. It's important when the creek is clear to be stealthy out there. We had a bunch of anglers in this morning discussing the creek and it's obvious its seeing a good bit of traffic. Be crafty about finding your spots. As for the Clack…there really are fish spread throughout with 2 strains of hatchery fish in the water as well as wild chrome too. Get out, spread out and have a good time. Would love to see some good Clack pics!
Sandy River - The Sandy has actually been running at the mean or below it for most of the month. In a similar situation to the Clack, it has been fishing well, warmer than normal, and a good run of fish in the water. The Sandy is far more susceptible to fluctuations in color and flow, with the somewhat recent removal of Marmot Dam, than the Clackamas. There is a pile of angler access to the Sandy with Oxbow Park providing the lion's share of access in a wonderful stretch of holding water. Swingers and drifters will be awarded here, but at heart the Sandy is a swinging river for fly anglers, it's one of the rare rivers where you may truly cut loose with the big rod.
Deschutes River - All's well out here. A milder winter may not bode well long term for summer flows, but in the meantime trout fishing has been pretty swell. Mid-day Blue Wing Olives should be observed for sure and will continue in abundance through March or so. Be prepared. Otherwise, stick with the nymphing. A lot of things will work in winter, but a stable of Green Rock Worms, Pheasant Tails, Hare's Ear Soft Hackles, CDC Princes and colorful midges wouldn't be a bad bet.
Coastal Rivers – The big rivers are rolling out here right now, there are some nice rises and drops but you may want to either fish the high portions of the river or tribs to have much of a shot. Otherwise, trend toward the faster clearing, short rivers more notable for producing under these conditions. The North Fork Nehalem, Necanicum, Gnat and Big Creek are all fast clearers.
Coastal Set
Gnat and Big Creeks – As usual, the party is starting to wane here. Both Creeks are part of the "old-school" hatchery scene and will peter as the month goes on, but here's the decent news…so will the crowds. Big Creek can be a bit of a mess if there are a lot of people and you're only real choice is to drift here, be aware of private property boundaries as well. Gnat offers a lot more room to traipse. Angler effort will be concentrated in the water just below the hatchery. Consider a short stick for this piece of water, room for a two handed cast just doesn't happen.
Necanicum River - On the whole the Necanicum has fished well this winter. Always one of the early starters, traditionally the Necanicum continues on through the month of February with chrome fish. Conditions have been consistently good here with this river always one of the fastest to clear.
North Fork Nehalem – The North Fork has been pretty hot. Another quick-to-clear spot which boasts the chance to "take one home". As usual the best fishing has been by (and below) the hatchery. Things should continue to go well here through the month, but it's unquestionably on the wane. Also, there is some very nice water above the hatchery for what will only be an increasingly good fishery for nates. Switch rods are perfect for this water.
Kilchis River - Low and clear has been more the rule than the exception this winter, though currently the river is about on par with the norm. The Kilchis is starting to have a good concentration of fish however, you'll just need to adopt some stealthy tactics to get at them. There's lots of water to explore above the park if you don't have a boat to make a drift happen below the park.
Wilson River – The Wilson has been good as usual which only magnifies this centerpiece in the battle over the Tillamook State Forest. The Wilson has been far more volatile in the past due to heavy logging in its upper forks. The River is prone to becoming muddied with the slightest rains; however it is one of the most prolific steelhead fisheries on the North Coast. With miles of access, you're likely to see other anglers, but you're also likely to find some water to have all to yourself. This river deserves our attention both as anglers and as conservationists.
Trask River – The Trask is heating up and should be a consideration for small water anglers in the upper forks which will close at the end of March. There's lots of beautiful water for running beads and egg patterns. The lower section of the river is nearly an exclusive boat show and the water in the peninsula section should be navigated only by experienced oarsmen.
Nestucca River – The Nestucca has seen a lot of pressure this season. Always a consistent steelhead producer, this river is probably best left to the weekday angler. Not long ago I made a count of 19 trailers at one bridge in the early morning. Bumper boats.
Siletz River – The Siletz is on…now is the time to fish the lower stretches below Moonshine. The "town drift" has been producing. Often overlooked by Northern Oregon anglers, this river is a gem and will fish well for the next 6 weeks. Expect a mixture of hatchery and native fish. The Siletz is one of the top 4 producers on the coast.
Alsea River – The traditional runs on the Alsea have shifted and mid-winter has become the preferred time to fish this most southerly of North Coast rivers. If conditions are good, this river can be dynamite. Expect a mixture of hatchery and native fish. This is another of the top 4 on the coast.
Valley Set
North Fork Santiam – The Santiam system is coming into its own with a solid number of fish in the system. Fishing will remain good here when conditions permit through the beginning of April.
McKenzie River & Middle Fork of the Willamette River – It's starting to be a little bit that time. Early trout anglers have good opportunities here on the McKenzie and the Middle Fork of the Willamette River
Umpqua River – The mainstem is still fishing to winter fish, though it won't be long till there's a push of a more salmony sort down this way. 1500 winter steelhead have popped over Winchester Dam which bodes well for action on the North Fork.
Southwest Washington
Kalama River – The Kalama has been fishing well. Nuff said on this small water.
Cowlitz River – Word is fishing has tapered off here. I would have to think however, some big swings through some of the runs a bit off the beaten path would result in some handshakes. Most angler effort continues to be concentrated in the 2 runs below Barrier and within about a 1/4 mile of the Blue Creek steelhead factory.
East Fork Lewis River - The East Fork would benefit greatly from some rain. A whole pile of it. Use caution drifting through here.
Central Trout
Crooked River – Rumor has it; the Crooked has had some good days lately. There are large trout lurking in the upper 10 miles and though there are still mega whitefish…all signs are pointing to this once awesome river to have a bounce-back. If you catch a floy-tagged fish here, make sure to record the #, length and area caught and send to ODFW via michael.r.harrington@state.or.us.
Metolius River – Some bull trouty times out here. Get your streamers out. Also if you're looking for a riser here and there, pack with blue wing olive's, especially emergent patterns you can run deep as well. Golden stones can be a good lead fly here as well as possie bugger/bird of prey flies in a 10 to 12. Definitely carry midges and in a variety of colors. March Browns are on their way.
Fall River – Typical winter fishing here. Small caddis, blue wing olives, midges and people.
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WASHINGTON
Olympic Peninsula - Where to go when it's Native Winter Steelie time, especially with the local Puget Sound tribs getting the ol' closure treatment. As there will be a few more kids plying for finite runs and holding water, ethics will be key to making free time pleasant for all. Of course, there's always the "venturing where most have never been" strategy, or at least trying. A little to a lot of extra leg-work has its own rewards…
Meanwhile, we're nearing the top of the bell-curve. The ensuing weeks will find more fish entering rivers with every bump in flows, as opposed to a mere trickle during low-and-clear episodes. And their numbers accumulate. Not bad.
Until they close, keep a close eye on the flows: (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/WA/nwis/current/?type=flow)
And take a weekend or a week whenever the window presents itself. Prime time starts now.
Yakima River - While the mountain snowpack slowly recedes, diminishing the threat of prolonged, out-of-control run-off, the entrenched milder weather has us at Skwala's. They are due to begin moving out of the river in earnest in a matter of days, so by the time of this reading, the event will likely be in-progress. #8-#10 2-3xl light-olive to olive-brown stonefly nymphs will fill the bill. In short time, the fish will begin recognizing the adults – so have the downwinged dries in the above sizes, in light olive to as dark as peacock. Size, shape, silhouette…
Short of any dramatic cool spell (what's that?), also fairly anticipate the onset of Spring's BWO's and March Browns coming a little earlier this year than recently. Look for the BWO's to be #16-#18 (with a few bigger ones) and the March Browns to come in at an honest #12, maybe even a #10.
It's shaping up to be a great Spring. Starting now!
Basin Lakes - Winter went easy on us. Winter went easy on the fish out east! Should be some well-to-do trout sporting a little belly a little sooner this year. Word is most the lakes are, if not mostly, completely ice-free, ready and waiting. On March 1st, the usual early bloodworm, leech, bugger, scud offerings will be in play. Any fish cruising the warming shallows will begin to recognize right away the abundance of small chironomids, small hyallela scuds and waterboatmen in the 5'-of-water-and-shallower margins. Otherwise, think low-and-slow with the aforementioned, while keeping the eyes peeled for any organized chironomid activity which shouldn't wait too long past the opener to begin.
Dusty, Lenore, Lenice et al will be more 'well behaved' this March 1st. Spring promises.
Desert days are just ahead.
Puget Sound Lowland Lakes - Pass, Lone, Cady and the other year-rounders on the Westside have been fishing in the fair-to-good category for a solid month, now, as Spring found us, while Winter's finding other victims this time around.
Chironomid emergences are set to become organized and routine in short order, the harbinger of progressively more reliable days ahead. In the brief interim, leeches, bloodworms, immature dragons and damsels, scuds and streamers (at Pass, as usual) will offer 'forage' to trout about as ready for the chironomids to start soon, as many of us surely are.. For good measure, stash a few waterboatmen in case shoreline cruisers patrolling warming shallows materialize. Often times, if not small chironomids and scuds, they'll begin noticing the shallow-margin inhabitants known as waterboatmen in such a scenario.
The time to go is now, already. Good luck!
Rocky Ford Creek - Things should really start happening now. While windy days could find you with lake anglers seeking refuge while "out there already anyways", the soon to be competing options will find the 'Ford relatively quieter than even some January Saturdays, at times.
While midges are a staple hatch (year-round), and worth dialing into as we speak, soon some mayflies will show up to liven things up further. BWO's should begin very, very soon – a reliable hatch on the 'Ford that will take us into May. Along the way, look for Callibaetis to insert themselves into the process. I've seen Callibaetis being gulped as early as February 17, one year, a 70 degree day. Normally, though, we can expect them to begin around early April, though it does pay to be prepared for the odd anomalous event!
Between important emergence episodes, bank on scuds, leeches, small dragons and good ol' white bunny leeches to keep the "skunk" off.
The piggy trout are waiting…
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