I am making a trip to the Owyhee in October for the first time. Will be camping with a buddy from Sweden. Any info on what to expect would be much appriciated. Thanks.
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I am making a trip to the Owyhee in October for the first time. Will be camping with a buddy from Sweden. Any info on what to expect would be much appriciated. Thanks.
check out Westfly and the search there.
If you go to Westfly I would recommend that you ask your questions to both the Oregon and the Idaho forum. I read a lot about Idahoans hitting the Owyhee.
Tim
Owayhee - however it is spelled -- in October should be good. It may be hunting season there but that shouldn't be a problem. If you go too late, you might get into some nasty weather including snow. The river is basically atail water type fishery below a dam. The water is always a little off color. The river itself isn't very deep so you can wade just about anywhere. The location of the river is in a desert canyon and I find it kind of pretty. Some days the wind really blows but like anything else, that comes with the territory
There are lots of primitive camp sites scatter along the river. Camping along the river is free. Plan on taking you water with you or going up the headquarters or park campground to get it. Along the river there a few porta-potties scatterer about. They are clean. There are also some large garbage bins to use.
There is a state campground up along t he lake and it has showers, water, etc. You drive up and over the dam and along the lake for about 5 miles. There is also a little store there for some essential; however, there are little farming communities close enough that you can drive there for the basics also. The road is narrow and shared with motor homes, people pulling boats, etc. As you drive up and over the dam, stop at the top and look way up the lake along the cliff to see if anyone is coming. If so, flash you lights or whatever to let them know -- the road is narrow and hangs on the cliff with not a lot of turn outs.
Below the dam there is a kind of headquarters. There are also about 6 camp sites with pit toilets there. Water is available there also. Also flush toilets across the road from the campground in the picnic area. They ask for a donation. We were run out of there one day during the summer because they wanted to water the lawn -- kind of hassle because we had to take down the tent and pack everything up--- one advantage to just camping on the river--but I guess we could have moved back in.
I was there two years ago deer hunting and after I shot my deer I spent the rest of the time fishing. Used both nymphs and dries -- some really small stuff like in the size 22 and 24 range--to catch fish up to 22 inches.
This is a place where you might not catch a lot of fish, but the fish you catch are well worth the effort. Mostly Browns.
Boise isn't too far away (1-1/2 hours) and there is another town about 45 minutes away in Idaho --can't recall the name right now--that had a fly shop or two.
Good luck, I'll be back there this summer.
2d thought - Google "Owyhee Reservoir". Lots of info.
Tim
I fished the tail waters about 6 years ago (was in Boise on business and skipped out one afternoon) in mid-September. I caught 2 browns in about 3 hours of fishing and they were both very nice healthy fish. The dry flies we used were mahogany duns (didn't catch any on them, though) with a nymph on a dropper. We used small prince nymphs and a bright silver, flashy one similar in shape to a hare's ear.
The size of the fish we caught made up for the quantity. I'd go back anytime. Enjoy your trip.