Fall Summer Steelhead Report (with pics and video)

This past week I ran a steelhead trip with two anglers that were able to fish very well, and all of the planets lined up properly as far as "steelhead mojo" goes. The guys hooked up with fish throughout the trip, and fish were taking both swung flies and dead drifted egg patterns. The spring chinook are starting up their spawning now, and it will last for the next several weeks; so the eggs rolling down the river really draw the attention of the steelhead and resident trout (along with many other organisms out there). During this time, the light angles stay low in many of the spots; so the fish seem to be more aggressive and bite better than the weeks past when the hot weather and sunshine dominate.

Nice rose colored cheeks on this buck that decided to sprint 100 yards downstream

This day was the first really successful day where all of these conditions seemed to pan out for really good fishing. The morning temperature was in the upper 40s, and the fog was fallen into the river valley for most of the morning, and it burned off about noon-ish. The water level is super low now; so all of the "gear" anglers do not prefer to fish much anymore for the summer steelhead, and boating can be tough for novices. Many of the riffles are very rocky, and people who cannot run a boat in and out of rocks will bang hard, and that causes many to stay off the water. This day was a combo of anglers who could cast far, present the fly fast when needed, and fish that were into what we were offering to them.

Steelhead on with a tight line!!

By the time the sun burned through and the temperature warmed up, the fishing was still good until we hit the last couple of spots. By then it was obvious the sunshine was affecting the fish, and you can see them taking off upstream after our flies blindly swung into the spots. We ended up even seeing a few fish in the very last spot of the day, but we could not get any of them to budge into biting what we showed them.

Bombs Away!!! - Steelhead going kurplunk!

Paul and Derrick ended up getting into fish swinging flies blindly into probable spots, they got a fish blind nymphing into a spot after swinging it, they got into a fish sight swinging, and a couple sight nymphing with trout beads. They worked runs stepping down and swinging, they fished to sighted fish from the comfort of a driftboat, and we worked vast long runs with long swings and lots of back paddling. Switch rods were the choice of equipment used on this trip, and they worked excellent for the all around used mentioned. What a first good day of fall summer steelheading! I look forward to many more!

This fine Hen couldn't resist the swung black and cerise Motion Prawn

Enjoy the video of some of the days events out on Paul and Derrick's Steelheading trip:

More Information on Fly Fishing Class - "Steelhead Fly Fishing"

On October 9th, I will be conducting a class on steelhead fly fishing on the Clackamas River. I have gotten many emails about the class; so I am going to explain what the class is all about.

This will be a 4 hour "on the water" steelhead fly fishing class. It will not be a "fishing trip" and you will most likely not catch a steelhead during it (although it is possible); since the focus of it will be that it is a class. It will be about techniques and there will be demonstrations on the water. 6 people will be allowed into the class, and the main requirement is that you already know the basics of fly fishing. You can call this class a 301 Steelhead Fly Fishing Class; because in a 101 Fly Fishing you would be learning how to cast and tie knots. A 201 Fly Fishing Class would be some basic fly fishing techniques, and this 301 class is the next step after that.

For anyone who is interested in steelhead fly fishing, and wants to know about fishing techniques, equipment to use, tippet strengths, fly choices, when to do what, and what to do when; then this is the class for you. We are going to learn about swinging wet flies, skating dry flies, dead drifting flies, single handed rod uses, spey casting basics (and uses), switch rod basics (and uses), reading water, cracking the myths, etc, etc....The class is designed so you can go on your own to a steelhead fishery, and you will know what to do while you are out there to fish properly for steelhead with a fly rod.

I will be doing demonstrations, and I will be picking class members to participate in them. You will be both watching demonstrations, and you will be participating in them too. It is not a steelhead fishing trip, but you will be learning steelhead fly fishing techniques; so you can go out on your own and you can become a proficient steelhead fly fisher.

Class Will Meet At the Lower Boat Ramp at McIver State Park (Click for link)

-Class will run from 10am-2pm (meet at 9:45am to get waders on and get ready for class to start at 10am)

 -Class costs $100 per person

-Students will have to have their own waders, boots, sunglasses, license (appropriate tags), and rain jacket (if needed)

-I will supply equipment for the class, but I recommend that you bring a rod for steelhead fishing if you already have one. 

-a notepad and pen can be helpful for taking notes

-Class is limited to 6 Students (email or call to sign up - don't assume it is filled up -plenty of spaces available)

Clackamas River Steelhead Taken on swung articulated leech pattern

If you are interesting in signing up for this class, email me at fish@mckenzieangler.com or call me at (541)232-6360. You can also sign up at the Orvis Shop at Bridgeport Village (7495 SW Bridgeport Road Tigard, OR 97224 - Phone: 503-598-7680) if that is more convenient for you.

Deschutes Winds and Dust....... Chromers in Between the Wind Gusts....ASp

Spey Casting in 40+ MPH Wind Gusts during a Dust Storm on the Deschutes

 The past couple of days on the lower Deschutes was nothing short of WINDY. We got blown around, our casts were diverted to targets not planned on, and the dust filled the air at times. Was it fun.....? Somehow yes..... At times, it was downright miserable though. Try casting into the wind when it is coming at you, then coming upstream, then downstream, then behind you. Try floating your boat down in the river in it also. Try to pick up your buddy downriver from you only 15 yards, but the winds are ripping so hard where you simply can't. My arms are soar, and from just keeping the oars planted into the current to keep the boat tracking. Casting was nearly impossible at times, and it was not a matter of snap T's and double speys. It was about somehow getting it out there, and making the fly swing across the current. At times the fly would not swing because the upstream wind was so stiff where it caused the surface current to blow upstream also. We then simply put on the Thingamabobbers then; so we could get some form of a presentation.

Displaying a nice hatchery Deschutes River Steelhead

 The fishing was slow the first day for us, but I did manage to get a very memorable fish that absolutely torched me, and literally went about 150 feet into my backing on the second run. It was literally only about 4 pounds too, and wild as can be. There are lots of small wild fish out there right now, and also many fish with gill net marks on them.

Tight Line on a steelhead during the sunshine

 The second day was filled with so much wind; to the point where we fished less hard than the day before.  It was simply too annoying at times to challenge yourself to cast with the swirling extreme winds, and dust blowing around. We did run into two friends on the river, and we hung out and fished a run that produced for us very well. Between my buddies Jim and Brian, they hooked several chromers all withing a short while; indicating a slug of fish was moving through the spot. All in all a fun trip, but the wind was a horror, and I will have to get back out there to get a less windy session in.

Summer Steelhead Numbers Are There!

The summer steelhead counts for the Willamette Valley are happening right now. Many people ask me often, "when is is time to go for steelhead?" Well now is the time! Water levels are a bit high, but with the trends we have this year so far; you just have to get out there and go fishing. The counts was last updated on the 18th of May is it was 5,134 summer steelhead over the fall fish counter. There are a number of fish that pass over the falls and do not get counted, and there are the same indicated numbers going up the Clackamas River too. You can use the counts as an indicator for what the trends are, and not there is heavy anadramous fish passage going over each day (including spring chinook, summer steelhead, and winter steelhead). Also the water temperature at Oregon at Willamette Falls is in the perfect zone where it is running in the low 50s. Once the temperature hits about 52-53 degrees the fish start really coming over in good numbers; so the trend should stay similar until about the 4th of July. Then the counts can slow up due to warmer temperatures.

Hopefully water levels will drop, but I would still recommend going fishing for these summer steelhead. As the time passes while you are waiting for water levels to drop, you are missing out on the fishing possibilities. Fish are fish, and they live in water; so they do not really care about higher water levels. We anglers need to adapt in years like this; when the water levels are up and seemingly not going to lower down anytime fast. You just have to fish with heavier lines, and adjust your tactics to be more like winter steelheading. The hitch is that summer steelhead are super aggressive and they will move far for a swung fly. So you are going to have to adapt to more winter steelhead like techniques, but you are fishing for aggressive summer fish. It will pay off with big rewards!

As of late the water levels are dropping slowly, but gradually.....Lets hope that trend continues....... 

Some seriously good fly fishing opportunities exist all around Oregon now!