Before writing this months Presidents message I looked at last years March Presidents message and can honestly say this year is starting out much better than last year!
This month marks two years as your club President. It’s been both interesting and challenging as fishing and everyday life is pretty much in a constant state of change. It’s more important than ever to be flexible.
Being flexible and adaptable to changing conditions has become “the new normal” these days. You’ll notice most of our Fish A Longs have “option 1 and option 2” these days so we can enjoy better fishing opportunities. For example, option 1 for the March 19th fish a long is to go back to the Crooked River, but if the water remains low and cold like last month we’ll shift gears and go to the Deschutes around Maupin. Both locations have good camping & restaurants nearby. I’ll get an email survey out the week before to see what everyone wants to do.
We’ll have a regular meeting on March 15th at High Rocks.
March signals the beginning of spring and many local fisheries begin to wake up and turn on. Trout in our local lakes will begin to get active as water temperatures rise from the low 40’s to the high 40’s. Central Oregon waters like the Deschutes & Crooked will have good fishing if water levels are stable & warming. Last but not least, March is the best month for trophy steelhead so don’t hang up your spey rod. Once the rivers drop back into shape it will be game on!
This months Fly Tying article will feature the V-rib Chironomid. This pattern is easy to tie in both regular & euro nymph styles plus it’s very effective in both lakes and streams.
For several years now we have been posting monthly fishing reports. Looking back on them is a fun way to get ideas for local fly-fishing opportunities currently happening or coming up. Type “March” or “April” and you’ll get all the past reports for that month.
Please remember our sponsors this, they are the lifeblood of the club. Stop by their shops and let them know your appreciate their support. Better yet buy something or book a trip. Good fishing!
Dave Kilhefner