SWEETERMAN FLY FISHING REPORT

October 2023 Report

Chilly nights and mild sunny days awaken the trout from their summer haze.

The consistent summer sun and heat are suddenly in the rearview. Rain and cloudy days are back, which translates to my favorite time of year, (subject to change) for chasing trout and summer steelhead! The aforementioned cool night brings a new buffet of bugs, the clouds provide a renewed level of comfort for the trout to move to those bugs and pack on some calories as the water drops in temps. As for what we see especially on the McKenzie for the fall hatches are:

October Caddis
Blue blue-winged olives (Baetis)
Shortwing or Nocturnal Stone
Assorted Caddis
Grey Drakes
Mahogany Duns.

I recommend relying on the warmer hours of the day for the bite to be the hottest. The afternoon and evenings have been the most productive times for dry fly presentations. An orange stimulator followed by a size 16 Caddis has been a great combo, take the time to explore what gets the most looks like switching out the Caddis between a #16 tan or possibly a #12 October Caddis pattern. Another great rig is the dry-dropper. A big stimulator to a beaded pheasant tale, 3 or 4 feet below, or a #12 stonefly like a prince should get their attention.

This can also be a great time of year for getting fish on the swing (Spey). Try a soft hackle Caddis pupa, especially with some orange in there, a soft hackle pheasant, or even a simple gold ribbed hare ear are all solid patterns this time of year.

Again this is my favorite time of year for lobbing flies at fish, with the colorful lined banks and hungry trout, also bursting with color, what more could you ask for? Except perhaps a guide, geared up and stoked to show you exactly where the fish are lined up! If so, definitely hit us up!

I recommend the full or half-day float for this time of year. Either way, I hope you get out there, and don’t forget your raincoat!

September 2023 Report

The dog days of summer are starting to give way to cooler nights and mornings which is a welcomed relief for the fish, and fishermen for that matter. However, it’s impossible not to mention Oregon‘s new season; smoke season. If there is anything positive about this it’s the added shade from the consistent full sun days we have here in Oregon. That being said it’s still the early mornings and late evenings for optimal fishing. This is when the fish are most likely to move for your offering.

McKenzie River:

Smoke has been a major factor (again) throughout August, so I would recommend checking air quality before heading out.

The trout are still plentiful however the bigger red sides seem to be hunkered down when the sun is high so fishing a nymph rig that gets down deep will increase your odds greatly. Look for the ledges and pocket water as well, trout like the cover and will be holding in these spots. Also, check the riffles land your cast up top where the water is oxygenated, and let your flies drop into the fish zone. Often there will be a nice fish holding right below the rocks and ready to eat your fly.