John Day
Speaking of bass, the word from Jackson's Guide service is that the fishing has been UNREAL! Catch rates are near the 100+ mark and a variety of techniques are producing.

The water levels are extremely low; so use caution if you are going to attempt and unguided float trip. With the low water however, comes the best opportunity for the fly fisherman to experience the thrills of this warm water fishery. Buggers, leaches, muddlers and streamer patterns on sink tips or floating lines will produce some hot day time action. Rapalas, grubs and spinners are the top choices for the hardware guys.

Crane Prairie
Fly shops in the area are reporting some good catches from Crane - it' about time! Dave, from Deschutes River Outfitters nailed a 13+ pound rainbow, and according to the shop manager, he busted one off "that would eat his 13lber"! Dave is a midge fishing pro and to me, it is the most boring way in the world to fish... unless of course, double digit fish are in the mix! The trout are searching for cooler water near the creek mouths and channels.

Deschutes River
Summer-run steelies are trickling in to the Deschutes, most of the action has been near the mouth and a couple of miles up stream. While not on fire, some fish are in and angler pressure is light (for the Deschutes). Afternoon winds have made fly fishing difficult, but there has been some good action for those tossing spinners. Steelhead patterns for the Deschutes should include: Green-Butt Skunk, Purple Peril, Freight Train, and Skykomish Sunrise, in hook sizes 2-6. Number 4 Mepps and Blue Fox spinners in chartreuse are the standard for lure casters.

A bit farther up stream, the bite for Redside Rainbows has slowed down quite a bit, but persistence will pay off. The Rainbows will be in the back eddies or right along the shoreline. Fly selection for a trip up here should include Humpy, Elk Hair and Tent wing Caddis in sizes 8 -12 which will provide some good dry fly action.

Klamath/Agency Lakes
I am hoping to get down there in the next two weeks (vacation!). Start fishing near the mouths of the Wood, Williamson or the springs in Pelican Bay and Recreation Creek. Finding the fish is the key to success (duh!), so don't be afraid to move around the lake. I always start at Recreation Creek and move towards Fourmile Creek and if nothing is happening, a short hop to Agency Lake and check out the mouth of the Wood. This is the time of the year that truly HUGE trout (the largest native rainbow trout in the lower 48) begin searching for cooler water temperatures and start to stack up in these areas. Seal, Flash and Woolly Buggers in hook sizes 10-8 are the ticket for the fly fisherman, while Kastmasters and Rapalas can be productive for hardware tossers. Be advised: You can only keep ONE trout.

East Lake
There were some reports of great dry fly action with the overcast skies - and accompanying electrical storms, but the catches are still on the smallish side.

Davis
Still fishing fairly well. There are times when all that is missing are a few water cannons and a brass band to give the appearance of a huge celebration in the middle of New York Harbor! Mid week has been tolerable, but get away from the Odell channel for some solitude! Water temps are on the rise and the most productive areas have been near the creek inlets on the west side of the lake. Fish the hatches early and late and mid-day try a bead head woolly bugger on a type II full sink line and retrieve with six-inch pulls all the way back to the boat.

If you would like a personal report for an up coming trip, feel free to email me at - Oregonsportsman@cs.com.

Have a safe weekend and See you on the water!
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