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.

Dead Drifting Trout Beads Behind Spawning Spring Chinook Produces Large Rainbows on McKenzie River

One of the first landed rainbows that hit the 18" mark caught on a 6mm trout bead

 Last Wednesday, I was booked with two regular clients that are always game for a good fly fishing opportunity. Well during late September and into early October, the spring Chinook salmon do their spawning on the shallow cobbles of many of the river's edges and tailouts. Not many people think of fishing egg pattens behind the redds, but I have seen large rainbows holding around spawning salmon for years now.

Rainbows feeding on salmon spawn have really good food energy for good health

 In the past, I have dead drifted trout beads on the McKenzie behind spawning salmon, and I have had some success doing it. I have not tried it too much beyond some sampling though; so I decided to give it an honest go for a few days on the river. It was working well, and I had seen some huge rainbows here and there, and wanted to see them on the end of the line now that I knew the fish were keyed into spawn.

This McKenzie River "Redside" has some really beautiful colors......

 This past Wednesday, Rose and Dave were totally game to see how the "trout beads" would work; so we decided to do a float where there are lots of spawning redds to give it a whirl. Right off the bat, Rose got into a slab of a rainbow that tore off almost a whole fly line, before she brought in the over-sized rainbow. It was of course on the "trout bead".

Another fine McKenzie Rainbow caught on a 6mm trout bead (natural roe)

We ended up catching fish at every salmon redd, and they were all rather nice sized fish. We also caught every single fish on a 6mm trout bead while fishing around the spawning redds, and we did not catch any trout on any standard trout flies until we were significantly down river from any spawning redds. It was rather amazing to see how keyed in the big wild trout were on drifting eggs, and how much they really like to hang out around the redds when the salmon are actively spawning. 

Rose proudly displaying one of her several large McKenzie River rainbows

What is really amazing is that now it is basically too late to do this anymore for this season. The spring Chinook have basically completed their spawning, and are mostly dead now. Like many fly fishing opportunities, it is something that only lasts for a few days, and then it is over. If you want to try dead drifting egg patterns for trout on the McKenzie, it is too late, and you will have to try it out next year. Who says you cannot apply this technique to some other fisheries like sea run cutthroats, or other places that will have spawning fish soon. Enjoy your fall fishing, and remember to think outside of the box when it comes to fly fishing and success.

Tight Lines......

A nice healthy salmon egg fed McKenzie River rainbow trout

Enjoy the video from this past Wednesday: