Fishing has been quite good on the Metolius River lately. There have been fish rising to smaller tan caddis #16, blue wing olives #18-20, PMD and cinygmula #16-18, midges #22 (or smaller…..if you dare) and a lot of productive times with nymphs! Eggs, micro mayfly nymphs, 2 bit hookers, tan caddis pupa (often the #1 nymph last week), october caddis pupa, golden stone nymphs, jig style 20 incher, and a wide variety of euro nymphs with olive, brown and purple perdigons being top picks.
Remember the upper river from the headwaters down to Allingham Bridge is closed until 5/22/27 so stick to the waters from Allingham to Gorge, the Canyon to the Hatchery, Wizard Falls to Bridge 99 and down to about Candle Creek CG. Tons of open and public waters here to explore and enjoy.
It has been fun for me to be in the fly shop more since guide season ended, and help customers with flies and listen to stories from some of them who had successes. My favorite success story was a young guy who always showed up in the store wearing his waders and boots. Mattias set him on the right path to his 1st ever bull trout, and he was stoked for that. I got a text last sunday from my friend Jason who landed a beast of a bull on the upper river near his family’s cabin on a perdigon.
Bull Trout are a great draw to the Metolius, and for good reason. They can be a mythical creature of the deep in what is already a mysterious river system to fish and learn. I’ve seen bull’s eat all kinds of things including a hummingbird one evening. Chipmunnks, ducklings and the 14 inch whitefish you’re reeling in. All of these things will leave you wide eyed and mouth agape. If you are headed to the river this week, add your streamer rod to the quiver and grab some of our trim-colored triple articulated streamers, white dolly llama’s, black headbangers and euro jig streamers.
Dry fly fishing is starting as early as 10:30 AM but is more likely to hit its stride from 11:30 to maybe 3, with mayflies getting the most attention. I say that, but do not overlook the caddis and midges. Trout are selective and can change their feeding from day to day, and even from one area of the river to a really specific run or eddy.