Columbia Gorge Fishing Report November 30th

23.30 in 2015, 30th, Boat Plans, columbia, event, fishing, gorge, holiday, l, november, r, report, winston

Fishing Report

Thanksgiving marks another change in seasons here as the area anglers really start looking for early winter steelhead.  While it is mostly wishful thinking, there have been a few very bright, possibly winter steelhead reported in the Gorge and the coast.    

The coastal hatchery runs are generally the best bet right now for winter steelhead, as the strain of winter steelhead that are used in most systems are known for their tendency to return between Thanksgiving and the New Year.  I wouldn’t hesitate to hit up the North Fork Nehalem, West Fork Greys, and Wilson Rivers, Cowlitz or East Fork Lewis this week.  However, with low and clear water and no significant rain in the forecast, I would put my money on fishing the John Day for late summer steelhead if I really had to go steelheading.  Truly, I am more excited to swing streamers for Rainbow Trout on the Deschutes when the rivers haven’t seen a spike in water level in a while. 

The Klickitatcloses November 30 (today), so it is time to wrap it up for the year.  Another great season with plenty of fish on the swing is in the books.  June 1 is really just around the corner, although I always get so excited early season only to be reminded that fishing doesn’t get good until the fall. 

Rainbow trout fishing on the Deschuteshas been fabulous recently.  Pulling streamers has been very productive (egg-sucking sculpin), as well as nymphing BWOs, egg patterns, midges and small pheasant tails.  Trout fishing is going to be great throughout the winter as long as the rivers are low and clear.  Trout love a steady flow and insects hatch best when river levels and temperatures are consistent. 

Roland Lakeacross the river near Bingen was planted with 2300 Rainbow Trout on Black Friday and fishing has been good.  It is a fun spot to hang out and catch some trout, whether in a float tube or casting from shore. 

As always, we are happy to talk fishing any time.  Give us a call if you have any specific questions on local rivers, gear, and tactics, or if you just want some encouragement to get out of the office.  

Andrew Perrault

Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist

541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Read more

R L Winston 2015 Holiday Event

20.51 in 2015, Boat Plans, cyber, event, holiday, l, r, specials, weekend, winston

Winston 2015 Holiday Event

Purchase a new R. L. Winston Fly Rod between now and December 25th, 2015 and Winston would like to show you their appreciation with a $100 of Winston Merchandise. 

Anglers worldwide are recognizing a serious change on todays R. L. Winston Fly Rod Co. While Winston continues to build arguably some of the finest trout rods in the world such in the BIIIx Series as well as the BIII LS Series of fly rods you may have also noticed Winstons commitment to a serious all around arsenal of fly rods. The New BIII Plus fast action series introduced this year are smooth and powerful rods ready to tackle the demands of salt, streamer and predator anglers everywhere. On the Two Hand scene are some of the most revered BIIIx Spey and Switch steelhead rods on the river today and lets not forget the BIIIx Microspey opened the pathway for trout spey anglers with a legit two hand rod specifically designed for trout spey. The Nexus Series of rods show the serious commitment to the angling sport with an all graphite mid line 100% American built rod with a fit, finish and performance that can only be a Winston. If Bamboo is your passion youre not alone. Winston Bamboo is built by hand and pride in the same factory that all Winston Fly Rods are built. We believe in them so much that we stock our favorite Bamboo models.

The Rules!

Through December 25th, 2015 when you buy a new Winston fly rod from an authorized dealer, you can receive a free gift bag loaded with $100 of Winston merchandise. Simply send proof of rod purchase and the Event Certificate to Winston and They will ship you your free merchandise!
Offer valid only while supplies last.
Winston reserves the right to substitute gift items if necessary.
Offer only valid on new current models and is NOT extended to closeout rods

Happy Holidays from Gorge Fly Shop and Winston and thank you for your support.

"Fly Fish The World With Us"

Read more

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report 1 11 16

15.08 in 1, 11, 16, 2016, Boat Plans, changes, columbia, event, fishing, fly, for, g, gorge, loomis, nrx, report, rods, sales

Sam Sickles - Clackamas River

Fishing Report

For winter steelhead addicts, local rivers are back to low and clear conditions for the moment.  

Rain is in the forecast, but how much is questionable.  At least it is warmer outside than it has been for most of the past month.  Warming conditions should cause fish to be a little more active than they have been.  My advice is to invest in an intermediate Skagithead as long as the water is low.  Yes, even in low and clear conditions, especially in low and clear conditions, an intermediate head is an advantage.  It moves slower through the water than a floating head, allowing your fly to be presented in front of fish for a longer period of time, as well as assuring that you are probing the depths of the run.  In low, clear and cold water, fish will hug the bottom of runs in the middle of the river, whereas they will hang in softer water closer to the banks in higher water conditions and do not require ultra-deep presentations. 

Choose intermediate heads about 30-60 grains lighter than your floating Skagit head, as they are harder to get moving quickly.  My intermediate Skagit head is the same grain weight as my Scandi head. 

All of the rivers that are accessible within a day of Hood Riverare low and clear, but they all have fish in them, so pick one and hit it while you have the chance.  Ryan, Jon and I floated the Clackamas on Friday and did not touch a fish, and apart from seeing one bait plunker pull one in, we didn’t hear of much action from other anglers.  A beautiful day on the river with good friends and great scenery, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. 

Clackamas River

Rainbow trout fishing on the Deschutesshould be great as the air and water temperatures are increasing.  Increasing air and water temperatures can trigger hatches of midges and Blue Wing Olives.  Barr’s BWO emergers, zebra midges, #18-20 flashback pheasant tails and hare’s ear are all good choices, while doubling up with a bigger nymph like a March Brown Mayfly nymph (Anato May or Posse Bugger) is also not a bad bet.  If you are going to go bigger, I would also look at a Skwala pattern like a #8 peacock rubber leg.  Skwalas should be on the move now.  They hatch in January through February and into March, and the March Browns usually start during warmer days in February and go through early April, but nymphs can start moving as early as late January.  Skwalas hatch at night in fairly low numbers and is not considered a productive hatch for dry fly action, although it is possible to hit it right.  Most anglers and trout focus on the nymphs. 

The Crooked Riveris also a good winter trout fishery when the air temps warm near or above freezing.  It is a tailwater, so water temperatures are fairly constant as long as it is warm enough for fisherman to be comfortable.  For best results, fish small flies under an indicator on the Crooked.  I’d start with a #20 zebra midge and a #20 pheasant tail and change flies often until you find a good combo.

As always, we are happy to talk fishing any time.  Give us a call if you have any specific questions on local rivers, gear, and tactics, or if you just want some encouragement to get out of the office.  

Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Read more

Fly Tying Roundtable Event

02.36 in Boat Plans, color, does, event, floating, fly, it, line, matter, roundtable, tying

Winter Steelhead Fly Tying Roundtable

Fly-tying Roundtable

At the Gorge Fly Shop

201 Oak St. Hood River, Oregon 97031

Jan 27, 2015

6:00-7:30 pm
Event Host:
Andrew Perrault

541.386.6977

info@gorgeflyshop.com

The Rundown:

Tying Winter Steelhead Flies: tips and tricks.

A gathering of local tiers of all levels to share tips, tricks and patterns for successful winter steelhead flies. This is an open forum for all tiers or people interested in tying winter flies.

Details:
Bring a vise if you have one. We will provide a couple of them for those that dont have one. Bring materials to tie your favorite fly. We will discuss how to tie shanks, using wire vs braid, how to build a bulky profile without using too much material, what type trailer hooks to use and some tips on tying with tubes. We will also discuss our favorite patterns and techniques.


Store will be open for any after hours purchases.

Snacks and beverages provided...

"Fly Ty the World with Us"

Read more

The Slump by Andrew Perrault

20.10 in andrew, Boat Plans, by, event, fly, perrault, roundtable, slump, the, tying

"True Grit"

I’ve been in a steelhead slump for some time now. Its not that I haven’t put in a lot of time fishing this winter; there has already been countless early mornings and long weekends, and I haven’t even touched a fish. My friends are catching them; I have seen people in front and behind me catching them. I just have not caught one or even come close in months. To say that it’s frustrating is quite the understatement. It is a test of patience, determination, and some would even use the phrase “grit”.

I have been contemplating just hanging it up and pick up some golf clubs. Ok, maybe not that extreme, but it seems like everyone who catches one is instantly an expert on why I haven’t hooked one yet. I know that I am doing everything right. I am a good caster, I can read water well, and I know where they lie, what they take and how to present a good fly correctly to a fish. It’s purely just a matter of luck, and I have to keep telling myself that. Luck has just never been in my blood. For example, I have applied for permits for the Middle Fork Salmon River, Selway and Main Salmon every year going on ten years now without being drawn while I know several people that have drawn permits multiple times in that period… Time is my only hope at this point.

The last steelhead I landed was on the Deschutes in early November; November 6 to be exact. I did put a spanking on that river that day though. By my calculations, I average on the conservative side 15 hours per week fishing. It has been 9 weeks since I landed that last fish. That is 135 hours fishing minimum. I average 40 casts per hour, and that means that I have made a minimum of 5000 casts since I last landed a steelhead. Yet I keep going out twice a week before work, and two days a week all day, every week. I keep watching people catch fish, and on every single cast, I whole-heartedly believe that I will hook one on this cast. When that cast reaches the end, I become completely focused and know that this next cast is going to produce that big chrome winter steelhead that haunts my dreams.

I know that the trout fishing on the Deschutes is great during the winter. I would love to get out there and rail on some redbands, but I am in a steelhead deficit right now. I couldn’t possibly give up now after thousands of unanswered casts, weeks of early mornings, and hundreds of miles driven just to catch nothing. If I went trout fishing now, it would be admitting defeat of some kind. I would let the steelhead win my personal battle.

The next problem is that if I catch one tomorrow, I will feel that I need to get three or four to catch up with the effort I have put in so far this winter before I could go trout fishing. This vicious cycle goes right into springtime when, hopefully, I get a couple of great days in and then I can go trout fishing for a month or two. Then one day in June, I will decide to go summer steelheading on the Klickitat, and then the cycle starts all over until it peaks out again in November…

This happens to me every year… Last year’s slump was the worst of my life. I landed my last fish on the swing on October 8. Then I did not land another one (on the swing) until March 5, 2014; and I put in more time per week than I have so far this year. That is somewhere in the far north of 10,000 empty casts. Let’s hope that this year’s slump ends much more quickly than last year’s. I know I can pull out the bobber rod and nymph one up almost any day, but I am sticking with the swing, as the reward is so much greater when you have to make ten thousand casts between fish… right?



................
UPDATE!
................

I did manage to land a steelhead finally, although it took writing an article about my struggles before I got one.

Caught on my new Echo Glass 7129-4, 12’9” 7wt.

 






Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Read more

G Loomis NRX Fly Rods Sales Event Changes for 2016

21.33 in 1, 16, 2016, 4, Boat Plans, changes, columbia, event, fishing, fly, for, g, gorge, loomis, nrx, report, rods, sales

Its a good time to be a G.Loomis fan.

Never before has there been a sale on NRX Fly and Spey rods. 

View Sale Items!

Since conception the G. Loomis NRX is one serious rod to contend with! Other manufacturers scrambled to come up with a design to match the performance and durability of the NRX and most contenders have yet to equal the abilities of this Nano Resin creation.

NRX Fly and Spey Rods

The original color Stealth Matte Black with Blue wraps identified with the bold power the NRX is capable of while the next year came the second color of Evergreen with Green wraps which defines the gentle forgiving nature of the Nano Resin Technology.

Both colors deserve the right to adorn the NRX. Countless inquiries about what one color is the proper choice only led all discussion into a stalemate stance.

So what is the right color choice? Sometimes the obvious answer is not in our own opinions but better matched to the environment in which we place the subject in. Since the NRX line of rods spans the anglers needs from lite presentation trout streams to the explosive power of unforgiving saltwater beast such as tarpon and Permit it was concluded that no one color could properly identify across the board spectrum.

For 2016 the choice was made to establish color identification to the NRX family of fly rods. The NRX Trout, Trout LP, Trout Nymph, Salmon/Steelhead and Two Hand Spey will acquire the Evergreen color while the Saltwater and Saltwater Pro-1 NRX fly rods with be identified with Matte Black / Blue Wraps.

We believe a wise choice has come about that in the end helps everyone. The angler will better understand the thought behind each individual rod, the dealer will see improved availability and G.Loomis will see a more streamline manufacturing that will allow time for future innovations.

With this change comes some inventory that needs to be cleared. Here is a list of models and colors that are affected...

• NRX Lite Presentation - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Trout - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Nymph - All Matte Black wBlue Wraps
• NRX Salmon / Steelhead - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Two Hand Spey - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Salt - All Evergreen w/Green Wraps
• NRX Salt Pro 1 - All Evergreen w/Green Wraps

View our Inventory!

Read more