The Metolius River has been good overall, with a lot of reports from Phil S, Phil S, Gavin F (camp sherman dad) and Jesse B. Thanks to all of them for the contributions to the report.
To summarize the group there have been hatches, although spotty as to where you might find them and whether the fish are going to eat dry flies at all… Some days yes, somedays no.
We get drawn to these sunny and warm early spring days thinking this is it, the hatch is going to be on fire and I’ll fish a Sparkle Dun all afternoon. But often the case is the dry fly fishing in March and April is better on the stormier days and sometime in May and June when the PMD’s and the Green Drakes really pop the nice days are as good as any. Of course there is so much more to it than this, but it is something you can use to think about plans for the day, what flies to get in your boxes, what rods to bring and how you’ll approach the river on your day.
Every single person on the list above had had their best success on Caddis Pupa, and all report good hatches of Caddis, and pockets of BWO’s #20, and the 1st March Browns #14 and Cinygmula mayflies #14-16 this week. Also midges, but overwhelmingly the Fat Ass Caddis Pupa and October Caddis Pupa were the flies that produced the most fish.
Jesse got some fish on #20 BWO dries, and Gavin and Phil C both mentioned seeing a fair number of little stoneflies, both black (winter) stones and yellow sally’s. Spring Creeks are a trip!
Phil also got a Bull Trout yesterday on a Black Jig Streamer.
A few steelhead have been caught lately between the hatchery and bridge 99.
Olive and Brown Perdigons, Golden Stone Nymphs, Micro May’s in BWO and PMD sizes, Green Drake Jigs and 20 Incher’s, Zebra Midges in Red and Black and add a Croston’s Chironomid to the nymph box too. Last spring it accounted for a fair number of fish and I think it’s weird, but I like the weirdness about fly fishing.