Moose-
My in-laws live in Bend so you bet I’ll be back! I’ll definitely give you a shout in advance. One of the prettiest places I have ever seen.
Marty
Oh no kidding, well I hope you make it out soon and heck yeah, give me a shout!
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Went back up on the North Umpqua for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon and swung traditional steelhead/salmon patterns in size 4. I don’t think I felt any bumps that were other than trout/smolt but they were bumps. I did turn over what looked like a couple of src’s though but no hook ups. A few dinks here and there tried but couldn’t commit. Just as well. I switched to a #4 caddis dry and that created a stir but not from anything of any size. Maybe a 13 or 14" at best and I just take it away from those. Was hoping steel would be looking up.
I did see several good sized steelies move through though and I’m thinking I need to get way upriver very soon. Maybe tomorrow after the dump run. For today it’s perfect weather for smallies so I’ll go do that somewhere close by.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
How’s the fishing been for smallies around Roseburg?
Hello MrFishingToughGuy, pretty good for the bait guys and yesterday evening I met a fellow fly fisher that while we were tandem swinging a run for steel caught about a 1 lb. smallie. I haven’t had any luck yet though and I’ve been a number of times. I may not be holding my mouth right but I’m thinking ‘on the redds’ though real worms move them well. Small ones though. Are you coming out? There are some amazing stretches of water on the mainstem Umpqua. Yesterday evening I was in a position to hook steel or smallies in the same run. Life is good. I’ll planning on going again here shortly once the cable guy calls or comes by.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Din’t wind up going out last night but I went up to Steam Boat for a few hours today. I saw a couple of steelhead but din’t tag any. I switched to a #4 dry after my arm wore out and was able to raise a number of trout. Actually landed two nice approx. 14inchers, one a res cutt I’d say, the other a res trout according to my description to Joe at the Blue Heron Fly Shop in Idelyld. Picked up an 8/9 DTF spey line for 40% off while I was at it. Not much of a report but it sure was nice up on the river…believe this or not, no one at Steam Boat when I got there. Another fly fisherman showed up as I was finishing up and that one had been in the fly shop when I was. He hadn’t gotten any steel either. Ok, I think I’ll wait till I have bigger news about the North Fork Umpqua.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Well, I went up high on the N. Umpqua both Sunday and Monday. On Monday I had the distinct pleasure of fly fishing with our own Joe Valencic…now I have to say, Monday was a great day on the water for me ! Joe and his cousin Dale were great to fly fish with and we three had many of my favorite runs to ourselves. Trout were brought to hand and presumable steelhead ‘bumps’ were felt. No hookups in that arena though.
Sunday on my own, I did bring one small steelhead to hand…and a trout of about 13’'…a wild rainbow. Both came to the surface to smash a #4 October Caddis dry pattern.
Monday began with Joe and Dale arriving at the house about 730 ready to head upriver. During the course of the day we fished hard and except for a lunch break, nearly continuously. No one fell in and on this river, that’s a huge bonus. Oh and for those of you who know, Joe ties awesome flies. A #4 orange stimulator gifted to me by Joe will reside in my fly fishing memorabilia display cabinet along with those of other FAOL’ers I’ve had the pleasure of fly fishing with. Joe also gave me a semi-realistic stone nymph and that one I’ll use. I scrounged around in my meagre Perrine steelhead fly boxes and found something that though it din’t measure up, had caught many large trout. A gomphid (sp) looking arrangement of fly tying desk scraps and bathtub sized bead chain ‘eyes’.
The weather was hot…it turned out that it had gone to 99 Monday in town and anywhere we were in direct sunlight that but for the fact we were in the water would have been uncomfortable. We did see other fly fishers…some from several different states and a number of the locals who’s vehicles I recognize as being ‘regs’ up along the North Umpqua.
All in all it was a fantastic day for me to have a chance to fly fish alongside someone as accomplished at our sport as Joe obviously is. Any of you that were at the MI FI know this, I’m sure. Ok, I’ll stop now !
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
George,
Great Report!!! Thanks for taking Joe fishing!! The temp is coming down by the way!
Doug
You’re welcome and yep, sure is…still only 64 here going on 1pm !
Cheers,
MontanaMoose