JAWallace
08-21-2012, 11:13 AM
Just returned from a week in Oregon, fished 8/14-8/17. Not very encouraging.
Fall River: The Fall is loaded with planted trout that will take dries. They are not large overall but plentiful, and did see one large (20" ish) Brown taken.
Upper Deschutes: Fishing pretty well around Sheep's Bridge. Couple of smaller Browns on a drifted Hare's Ear. Running pretty strong and lots of good uncrowded pocket water.
Big Lava Lake: Reports have been good but guys on the lake said they were phony reports and it's been slow all year. Normally Big Lava can kick out some nice 18" - 22" trout from fingerling plants, but this year they've all been small. I caught more chubs than trout. WT was 72 deg which is very high for Lava.
Craine Prairie: READ CAREFULLY. Didn't fish it, because I didn't have a Forest Service pass and there are no vendors around except in Bend or LaPine. The pass is $80 per year, $5 per day, or $10 lifetime if you're 62. The lifetime pass covers entrance to National Parks, Forest Service, and BLM lands. Got one, but too late to go back and fish. Heard it was pretty slow and mostly indicator fishing.
Hosmer Lake: The fly shop told me that the canoe and kayak hatch was so strong fishing was more irritating than productive. I'm tired of Hosmer anyway as it's pretty much Atlantics this time of year and they don't fight much but take dries and everyone should get a few for fun. Their idea of crowds is different than ours here though, but I didn't go there this time. Hosmer can be great during the Fall for Brookies, good ones too.
East Lake: Didn't fish it, same reason as above, and a couple of guys on Big Lava told me it was dead with the heat wave, despite the excellent preceeding months. It was 95 in the Cascades when was there! That's very unusual.
Heard the Lower D was fishing fairly well for trout (not steelies yet) AM and PM and the Metolious too. Didn't make it to either.
Wait a few weeks until the Wx cools, my opinion. Any specifics needed for spots, PM me.
John
Fall River: The Fall is loaded with planted trout that will take dries. They are not large overall but plentiful, and did see one large (20" ish) Brown taken.
Upper Deschutes: Fishing pretty well around Sheep's Bridge. Couple of smaller Browns on a drifted Hare's Ear. Running pretty strong and lots of good uncrowded pocket water.
Big Lava Lake: Reports have been good but guys on the lake said they were phony reports and it's been slow all year. Normally Big Lava can kick out some nice 18" - 22" trout from fingerling plants, but this year they've all been small. I caught more chubs than trout. WT was 72 deg which is very high for Lava.
Craine Prairie: READ CAREFULLY. Didn't fish it, because I didn't have a Forest Service pass and there are no vendors around except in Bend or LaPine. The pass is $80 per year, $5 per day, or $10 lifetime if you're 62. The lifetime pass covers entrance to National Parks, Forest Service, and BLM lands. Got one, but too late to go back and fish. Heard it was pretty slow and mostly indicator fishing.
Hosmer Lake: The fly shop told me that the canoe and kayak hatch was so strong fishing was more irritating than productive. I'm tired of Hosmer anyway as it's pretty much Atlantics this time of year and they don't fight much but take dries and everyone should get a few for fun. Their idea of crowds is different than ours here though, but I didn't go there this time. Hosmer can be great during the Fall for Brookies, good ones too.
East Lake: Didn't fish it, same reason as above, and a couple of guys on Big Lava told me it was dead with the heat wave, despite the excellent preceeding months. It was 95 in the Cascades when was there! That's very unusual.
Heard the Lower D was fishing fairly well for trout (not steelies yet) AM and PM and the Metolious too. Didn't make it to either.
Wait a few weeks until the Wx cools, my opinion. Any specifics needed for spots, PM me.
John