McKenzie River Fall Trout Fishing Pics - Pre-Storm Fishing Session

This past Friday, I had the opportunity to go on a short float with my wife Nikki after a morning half day guide trip. There was a storm predicted to wallop the area from Friday afternoon on, and it was not predicted to cease until at least Tuesday or so. The rain was starting, but it did not appear too intimidating outside, plus I had to wait around to see what the weather was going to do for the trips that I had booked for the next several days. The storm was predicted to dump many inches of rain with winds over 40 mph. We decided to go for the fishing session, figuring we could at least push to the takeout rapidly if the rain started to pound down.

"On Tight" with a nice dry fly dropper/nymph two fish double

 Two Fish caught on one cast - October Caddis dry with rainbow trout & Possie Bugger Nymph with cutthroat trout

Fishing was semi slow at the start of our mini float, but Nikki did manage to hook up with a cool two species double, and the cutthroat was a nice one. Several nice cutthroats came to drill her dry, and a few rainbows also decided to play. The nasty weather was definitely encroaching, and we got the vibe that we were going to have to head towards the take out boat ramp soon enough. Towards the end of the float, I ended up getting into a really nice rainbow that tore me up nicely making several line ripping runs. The fish decided to gobble up the #12 Possie Bugger nymph dead drifted under a foam buoyant October Caddis dry. 

On tight in landing mode for a nice McKenzie River rainbow trout

This McKenzie River rainbow trout took a possie bugger nymph fished off an October Caddis dry fly

I decided to fish one more spot quickly before departing from the river before the storm hit. This is an old school spot that my friends and I always swing softhackled wet flies in for some potential hoggish rainbows. Nikki already tore up the fish rather well on this day, and my pride would be dented knowing she whooped me silly in regards to catching on this fishing session. She was cool with me fishing this spot; especially since she was satisfied catching lots of nice fish prior to this spot, while I only had caught a few. I had a wet fly swing get intercepted by some insane fish that screamed across the river  towards the bank like a rocket. I could not tell if I was into a steelhead, because several of the runs took my entire fly line which confused me even more about what I had on the end of my line. I never got to see anything breach the water, but every time I reeled it in close, it would burn the whole fly line out in one steady run. The fish finally budged into the landing net with lots patience and finesse on my end. It filled the net showing a healthy body with lots of girth, and its length came to 22 inches long! It was not my longest McKenzie River rainbow trout ever, but the hardest fighter I have ever experienced. 

Swinging a #14 yellow softhackle resulted in the hardest trout battle experience in years

This hefty McKenzie River rainbow trout filled the landing net and came to 22 inches

Posing with a top notch McKenzie River rainbow trout that took a #14 yellow softhackle

Rainbow trout fishing never seems to yield all of its prizes. Just when you think you have experienced and seen all that a fishery can offer you; you get humbled and go for a ride on your rod and reel that makes you appreciate why we all fly fish.

Tight Lines!!!

McKenzie River @ Springfield Gauge for 9/29/13

By the way, the storm was insane and the river rose up, but the wind driven rain was too crazy to be out fishing from Saturday thru the next several days. The fishing was really great right before the storm hit; so remember that for your future fly fishing endeavors. You can sense that the fish felt something was coming and they were feeding hard right before the storm hit; especially when the weather was stirring up.

The Hot Fall Trout Fishing Action Has Arrived

This last Monday (9/10/12) was the first day of solid clouds, cool weather, and even some misty spritz drizzle moments here and there. The fishing sure showed signs of the weather, as it was the first day it was utterly going off since the last weather like this back in late June and even early July. We fished huge dries with possie buggers dropped off of them, and that was the hot ticket on this day.  

On TIGHT to one of many fine wild native rainbows on this great day of fishing!

We also did very well swinging softhackled wet flies on a 45 degree down and across presentation. This especially worked well in the wide flats; where it looks probable just about everywhere. You could cover broad vast amounts of water swinging wets, and it is a great way to show your flies to lots of fish. They also typically cannot pass off a swung wet fly; since it looks like so many types of flies emerging in the surface film.

We measured this rainbow at 17 1/2 inches - Sweet!!

Every time the sun burned a hole in the clouds, the action would slow down, and when the cloud cover would thicken, the consistency of catching would pick back up. There was not really any significant bug hatch to speak of. We saw some pale morning duns and blue winged olives for the mayflies, with the occasional fall type of a large green drake looking fly out. No real caddis hatch, and no signs on the rocks of October caddis pupal husks yet, but that should change any moment now. I have heard people saying they have seen them, but I have not personally seen an official fall caddis yet. This day just had fish looking up, and they wanted to see something worth their while to eat on.

A fine rainbow trout on tight!

We had an awesome day of fall fishing; even though the calendar did not officially say it was fall yet. The weather was like the fall, and the fish were acting like it was fall for the first day after the summer heat. We have had more stable sunny weather as of late, but the light angles are lower, the heat only factors in at the peak of the day, and does not persist into the evening like it did a few weeks ago. Fall is basically here for fishing, and things will only get better and better. That is nice to think about being that the last few times I have been out have been really good. It excites me to think that it will only get better, and there will be more and more options to fish over the next few weeks.

Rainbows like this one were caught on large dry flies on this day

Discussing the good time we are having in between the hot spots

This was Jason's first time fly fishing, and he got to experience wild rainbows like this.