Closer to our Central Oregon home waters I had good reports this week from Phil at the shop who fished the Metolius River with good success with a Bird of Prey Pupa. Not a surprise with how many October Caddis are hatching. We have several good October Caddis Pupa from the Bird of Prey to my improved Fat Caddis in the large orange version that compliments the original Tan and Olive versions we introduced through Dreamcast Flies last season.
Besides Caddis Pupa mayflies are of daily importance with a pretty decent chance of seeing a fishable afternoon hatch of mostly Blue Wing Olive’s #18. I would make darn sure to tuck a few #16 yellow comparaduns and sparkle duns in the box and a yellow softmerger that you can grease up with Aquel and fish dry, or swing as a soft hackle or fish dead drifted as a dropper tag fly with a heavy bead nymph on the point. Mayfly nymphs are very important and a 2 Bit Hooker, Micro May and small Olive or Purple Perdigon are tops in my book. Go #16 to 20 on these and fish them on a light tippet for best success.
Over the winter Midges in the larval stage are in the drift often and because of the sheer numbers of them and the constant presence they don’t really have a “slow time” where a lot of the mayflies are in tiny or small early in-star as nymphs and not as available in the frequent biological drift that will ramp up later in the winter when the mayflies mature and we get closer to next spring. While winter seems long, things happen quick when the days start getting longer later this month and especially noticeable by February with more mature nymphs in the drift.
Stonefly Nymphs are a top producer on the Met, especially Golden Stones. Also carry some Peacock ones like the fly called a 20 Incher which during Green Drake time we recommend as a Drake nymphs too!
2 other winter nymphs to never be without on the river in December (and January and February) include a Blue Psycho Prince and an Orange Egg.
And you bet the Bull Trout action is good now. It is still more of a streamer show than a nymph game, but as we go into January add some Red Ice Cream Cones and Red Lightning Bugs to the nymph selection, especially if you hope to catch Bulls.