Fly Fishing Challenge

May 2020 Fishing Reports

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The Corona virus situation made getting out and going fishing a bit confusing this month and many of us could not figure out what access points & waters were open or closed. Still, some folks managed to crack the code, get out and catch a few fish plus some 2020 Fly Fishing Challenges were met.

Here are their reports. As always, pictures first with the report below.

From Darryl Huff: May delivered fabulous fishing on the Deschutes! Most were taken on the dropper below a stonefly dry; occasionally the fish would key on the surface fly. Camped on the river when the big thunderstorm blew thru, the river got off color but the fishing was OK until the river got really ugly.

From Michael Longacre: Drove to Timothy Lake on May 29th. The Campgrounds were supposed to be open but they were not. I left around 1 PM and the gates were still closed. Trucks and Trailers were lined up to get in. I parked at a day use area and carried my boat in. The morning was wind free and warm and the lake had an algae bloom. Fish were jumping every where but I didn’t get any bites. Saw a bank angler catch a 13 inch rainbow on power bait.

From Richard Harvey: Been relegated to OFC properties due to all the closures but they haven’t disappointed. Been catching lots of big trout, bass, and bluegills.  The fish are starting to take bigger flies this month.

From George Coutts and Dave Kilhefner: we fished the Oregon Fishing Club ponds several times. Fishing was hit and miss as the water got very warm on the hot days. Chironomids and streamers seemed to be the best producers.

March 2020 CFF Fishing Reports

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Hi Everyone, the Coronavirus lockdown has most of us staying home to remain safe and healthy. During the month of March some CFF members ventured out on the water, kept their distance and enjoyed good fishing. Here are their stories with the pictures on top and the report below:

From Darryl Huff: All of the steelhead I landed in the month of March were wild. The one I’m holding surely made my top three best fighters for a winter steelhead. I found great success in my trips to the Deschutes after being introduced to the idea of fishing golden stones this time of year. In a discussion with an employee at the Deschutes Angler, I learned that the golden stone is carnivorous. Being on the move hunting for food they are more available to the fish than the salmon fly stone at this time. 

From Frank Day: Fishing down at the coast was very good (in early March). After having good success on natives on some of the small streams, I ventured to the Wilson River and got a limit of hatchery steelhead.

From Greg O’Brien: Some friends and I went to the OP.  We fished the Clearwater, Humptulips, Queets and Hoh.  Fish were played and lost (me), and fish were caught and landed (not me). Timothy and I fished Puget Sound for Sea Run Cutts and brought some nice fish to hand.

From Richard Harvey: The Oregon Fishing Club properties have been warming up this month.  Matching the hatches has been the key.

Also, congrats to Richard on completing the 2019 Fly Fishing Challenge! (We were late getting his certificate out to him)

From Phil Bartsh: All 3 goldfish are doing just fine. Thanks for asking.

From Lane Hoffman:  The Crooked River trip had 5 members attending. The river was crowded but fishing was good. Most fish were caught using the Euro nymph method & emergers as we had a midge & BWO hatch. Rainbows & Whitefish. (No photo’s, sorry!)

Next day Ken Baker & I went to Chickahominy Res. Conditions were perfect but we didn’t do well. A couple using power bait caught fish, nice hard fighting rainbows to 20 inches.

I went on to the Owyhee. Perfect day warm overcast expecting a BWO hatch. Didn’t happen. They were raising the water level as the Res. is going to fill. Did manage to catch a few but they were nice Browns to 22 inches.

Pictures are Rainbow’s from Rocky Ford Spring Creek near Ephrata WA. I was by myself & couldn’t get good pics! The bigger fish was 5 pounds! 2nd week in March!

Chris from Semper Fli Guide Service guided his client into this McKenzie river hog in early March.

CFF’s 2019 Flyfishing Challenge

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Complete any three (3) of the four (4) elements below:

1. Catch one (1) or more Salmonid within fifty (50) miles of residence;

2. Catch one (1) or more non-Salmonid on a fly;

3. Attend and fish two (2) or more CFF Fish-alongs;

4. “Take someone fishing” –

  • Participate in a”shared outing” with one (1) or more other persons
  • Fish for any variety of gamefish
  • At lease one (1) fish caught by any group member
  • Any CFF Fish-along does not qualify

2019 awards: Certificate and –

  • CFF patch: 1st award winners
  • Green salmon pin: 2nd award
  • Blue salmon pin: 3rd award

**Note: the 2017 and 2018 Challenges will not be repeated in 2019.

CFF July 21st Fish-A-Long

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This months the fish-a-long will be at Harriet Lake. This is a small impoundment on the Oak Grove Fork of the Clackamas River.

We will meet on Saturday morning about 8am in the main parking area. Coffee & donuts plus a sandwich lunch will be provided. There is a $5 fee per car for using the park so you may wish to look at carpooling with other members.

The lake is 22 acres and contains rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout. There is a very long dock along the north bank but it is best fished from a floating devise such as a float tube. If you do not have a float tube the club now has a small fleet that you can use, so don’t use that as an excuse to not get out and fish!

The best fishing is at the top of the lake close to the inlet. It is probably best to use an intermediate lake line. As for flies a leach pattern works best….callibaetis nymph, seal bugger, woolly bugger, and chironomids fished sub surface with an indicator.  As the lake has just been stocked a glo-bug colored dark with a felt pen looks a lot like a pellet. Below overhanging trees, ants will fall into the water and temp cruising trout.

The lake is due to be stocked with 3,000 legal size trout this week so fishing should be good. Also, along the way is the upper Clackamas River, which has trout and whitefish and the Oak Grove Fork is nearby too and has good numbers of cutthroat trout; these opportunities perfectly dovetail with the CFF Fly Fishing Challenge!

Last weekend I checked out several possible areas for our Fish-A-Long. Trillium is very beautiful but also extremely crowded on the weekends this time of year. The water was very low at Clear Lake and the restrooms needed some attention—yuck! Timothy Lake had potential but it was pretty crowded too so we will probably go there later in the year.

If you plan on coming please contact Dave Kilhefner or Paul Brewer so we know how much food to bring. Also, if you need a float tube we need to hear from you.  All questions are welcome too!