The Metolius River is fishing well, and most days from here until the end of June you should expect to see a good emergence of Pale Morning Duns #16, Green Drakes #8 and 10, Blue Wing Olives #18-20 and I saw a fair number of a Mayfly I believe is a Nixe #16 in the Canyon a few days ago. That is a mahogany colored dun, but is distinguished from a paraleptophlebia but the fact the Nixe has 2 tails (para’s have 3) and Nixe is a spring hatch and paraleptophlebia’s are a autumn hatch. I used my trusty Purple Comparadun #16 to match, and I love that fly to match PMD’s too. I have no idea why a purple body fly works when Yellow is the hatch matching color? For the PMD’s you really want to fish the cycle, so a nymph, an emerger, a cripple, a dun and a rusty spinner will cover all of that. Same goes for the BWO’s, just downsize and change the colors.
With the evening warmth now, look for rusty spinner falls as the female mayflies are down laying eggs and dying on the water. The end of the cycle. Or is it the beginning of the next cycle?
Caddis will be more prolific at hatching in numbers that may get the fish more interested in emergers and dries, but searching with a Weiss’s Caddis, Iris Caddis, Orange Elk Hair, Corn Fed Caddis and Missing Link Caddis will be good choices for the dries and emergers. Pupa continue to be amazing. My new Improved Fat Ass Pupa is killing! We just ordered another 30 dozen Tan, and have 30 dozen Olive (a new addition) coming soon.
Golden Stone nymphs, Green Drake Nymphs, Perdigons, Walts, 2 bit hookers and Soft hackle PT’s will be good for your nymphing sessions.
Don’t leave the streamer rods behind, or try Euro Jig Streamers on your 3 or 4 weight Euro rods. The big streamers are working on Bull Trout.