McKenzie River fly fishing guide specialists, fly fishing Oregon McKenzie River trout

  Red Alert!     Mid May, 2008.  Be on the look out. 
McKenzie River, Oregon.
We are expecting to see the large green McKenzie Caddis (Arctopsyche grandis) any time now.  The rainbows and cutthroat ARE looking for dry flies at such times.  The hatches can be brief,  or they can last for hours once the water warms and stays warm in mid May and June.  Casting wet flies and nymphs will catch plenty of trout when there's little or no surface action.

 
McKenzie River Fly Fishing Overview

In western Oregon we are blessed with a temperate climate year-round.  Barring the immediate effects of a winter or spring rainstorm, rainbow and cutthroat trout are available to be caught every single month of the year.

During a typical year our guides begin focusing on McKenzie River trout fishing in mid to late February.  Air temperatures throughout the fishing day usually range from the mid 40's to the mid 50's.  The water is high compared to that of late spring and summer, but if the water is clear fish can be caught.  And . . . it is unlikely that you will see another angler.

Nymph fishing is the most productive method through most of each winter and early spring day on the McKenzie.  Midges and minute Baetis mayflies can offer the dry fly angler a chance to fish floating patterns during an unpredictable, brief window each day.  During these hatches, the McKenzie River fly patterns may need to be quite exacting, and expertly presented.
   
As the winter progresses and the river temperature flirts with 47 or 48 degrees the famous McKenzie River March Brown mayfly hatch starts at the warmest part of the day, usually mid to late afternoon.  March Browns will predominate most of the dry fly action March and April. 
   
When the March Browns come on strong our fishing guides may suggest splitting the fishing day between the McKenzie and Willamette River.  The Willamette below the McKenzie provides some secluded, productive trout fishing in the spring.  Many of our clients like the two-river experience for a variety of scenery and fishing experience.

Caddisflies and Light Cahill-type mayflies predominate the surface as the March Browns wane.  But the astute, skilled angler will rely on nymphs most of the fishing day.

There are hundreds of Oregon fishing guides, many on the McKenzie River, our specialty, near Eugene.  All can get their clients into trout, salmon and steelhead when the fishing is easy.  Problem is: the fish are not always cooperative.  The lack of success can be especially magnified if your McKenzie River fishing guide specializes in fly fishing, and only one fly fishing method.  Weather and water levels can be unpredictable.  Yesterday’s willing trout is moody and sulking today.  Some flyfishing guides can adapt.  Many can’t.  Our McKenzie River fly fishing guides do: special McKenzie River fly patterns, precise leader rigs, effective presentations, moving to different holding-water locations as the fish move to new positions. 
                       
Using Oregon’s McKenzie River --- our local favorite --- as the example, we see many McKenzie River fishing guides and do-it-yourself anglers who restrict themselves to topwater strategies, using either dry flies or emerging wet fly patterns on, or near, the water’s surface.  In March and early April, when the March Brown mayflies are hatching, surface fishing can be effective, BUT usually for only a brief period of the day.  Often, this productive span lasts less than an hour.  If you are paying for an eight-hour fishing day, what do you do with the other seven hours?

As the water continues to warm on the McKenzie River into May and June, surface fishing with dry flies and soft hackle patterns becomes more consistent.

Our McKenzie River fly fishing guides love to get their clients into rising rainbows and cutthroat, or on any of the other trout streams we fish.  Watching the splashy grab of a dry fly is always a thrill.  (At risk of a heart attack, you may even raise a steelhead on a dry fly when the conditions and time of year are right on some of our rivers.)  Unfortunately, the fish are not always willing to take a dry fly or shallow-running wet fly.  That’s why OUR McKenzie River fly fishing guides have been schooled to become experts in nymph fishing. 

 Nymphing is the most difficult and least-understood of the fly fishing methods.  On the other hand, it is usually --- by far --- the single most effective fly fishing technique for taking trout . . . and steelhead.  Another appealing result of effective nymph fishing is that this method usually produces the larger fish.  If the popularly-used statistic that trout utilize aquatic insect nymphs for up to 90% of their daily diet is true, it is only common sense to add nymph fishing to your fly fishing strategies. Interestingly, we do not encounter many nymph anglers on the McKenzie River.

Whether we are guiding you on the McKenzie River, Siletz, Alsea, Willamette, South Santiam, or Rogue River, we will show you as much or as little as you want about fishing nymphs effectively.  Small details make a big difference: special McKenzie River flies, leader rigs, effective presentations, and detecting the subtle strike.  Our McKenzie River fly fishing guides can teach you this Fine Art, in addition to helping you fine tune your casting, presentation and line control for wet flies and dry flies.  All this as you ride high and dry in the comfort of a McKenzie River-style drift boat.  Wading is an optional activity on our McKenzie River guided fishing trip.  
More McKenzie River fishing guide trip details (click here)         Book a McKenzie River guided fly fishing trip (click here)
 

Contact Information

Telephone
541.207.4000

Postal address
Michael Gorman
330 NW Autumn Place, Corvallis OR 97330
Mckenzie River fly fishing guide & Fly fishing Oregon McKenzie River trout
EMail
To contact me please cut and paste the following email address to help prevent spam emails,
and please include the word "fishing" in the subject line of your email.  Many thanks.
Please cut and paste this email addressgorman_flyfishing@hotmail.comPlease include the word "fishing" somewhere in the Subject line of your email note

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