General Info:
The Wallowa River is our "bread and butter" water. It begins as snow melt high in the Wallowa mountains and its flows through the upper and lower Wallowa valleys. From an incredible June golden-stone hatch, through ‘ October caddis madness, to solid winter and spring steelhead numbers this river does it all. The best part? The most productive water is all public access! Back down highway 82, approximately 30 miles (40 min) from Joseph is the stretch of water10 we lovingly call "The Canyon", and it is here where 18+ inch natives and 30+ fish days can be found stalking the boulder runs. In the canyon the river bank drops steeply and lends itself to great riffle and run fishing. Find a pull-out, start1 fishing.
New this year the Wallowa River is open for trout fishing "year-round!" This means no more hanging up your boots for the end of May to roll around. Also the Wallowa can be great fishing for larger than normal rainbows during the spring and early summer. Fishing will be best in the "structured" water with boulders - avoid the long shallow sections unless there is a slot or something near the bank. Try dead drifting stonefly, caddis, hare's ears, and prince nymphs. We often use two flies (more like a Euro nymph set up ) with a smaller bead-head dropper such as a copper john, soft hackle, or pheasant tail. Local fisherman and USA fly-fishing team member Devon Olson has written some great stuff about nymphing, and euro-nymphing in particular which you can check out on his blog The Tactical Fly Fisher.
Some of our favorite Wallowa River fly patterns:
Dries: Kaufman Stimulator sz. 8 -14 , Parachute Adams sz. 10- 16 , Purple Haze sz 10 -16, Foamulator sz. 6-12 , Caddis sz 8-16, Hoppers sz 6 - 12 , Yellow Sallies sz. 12 - 16
Nymphs: Princes sz. 6 - 14, Rubber Leg Squirrel sz. 8 - 14, Copper John sz. 12 - 18 , Lightning Bug sz. 14 - 18, Bead Head Hare's Ear sz 8 - 16, Wooly Bugger sz. 8 - 12, Kaufman Stone Nymph sz. 6 -12
Stream flow data: Wallowa River near Enterprise & Wallowa River at Water Canyon
Current Weather: Forecast
Wallowa River in “Canyon” - 25 miles down stream from wallowa lake, along hwy 82)
10/27/24: bait fisher caught 3 steelhead in the deep holes near the Minam State campground - so should be some pushing their way up from Troy (for those walking the tracks or floating Minam to Troy). May even be some in the Wallowa “canyon” along hwy 82.
10/23/24: nice cfs bump from recent rains - good trout fishing.
10/19/24: some recent reports of good trout fishing this past week - including a mix of some 16”+ trout in the mix. mostly all nymphing. sounds like a sz 16 - 18 euro rainbow warrior was a killer
10/16/24: Some rain last night and today in Joseph, but hope the mountains got more. Will watch river levels.
Great report from 3 euro nymphers in the canyon yesterday. 20 + nice trout including some large ones. no dry action.
10/6/24: Good fishing through the canyon for fat trout. Still a nymphing scene as far as I know.
10/2/24: Cooler temps have helped, but need rain. A few fly fishers in the canyon daily - nymph fishing is fair.
9/15/24: very good! just got the report we were waiting for. Euro nymph fisher caught approx 20 trout - several over 17”
9/14/24: apparently moss is still a problem. good numbers of October Caddis - but fish not targeting them yet. 277 cfs - floatable.
9/12/24: yup the rain really helped. the river flow is up and a guide from the Minam floor will be floating the canyon tomorrow. we will report any info we get.
9/11/24: good news - rain is forecast this week - possibly heavy showers at time. In addition to increasing flows, it will cool water temps. We will try to report new news throughout the week. Both steelhead snd trout will welcome this development.
9/3/24: chunks of moss in river starting mid canyon
8/31/24: Reports of river thru “canyon” being too warm to fish - with mostly small salmon fry hitting the flies. Early morning - use your own judgement, but please do not stress fish.
8/14/24: Yesterday temps in the canyon: 59 degrees at 7:00 am and 65 degrees at noon. So morning fishing appears ok for now. We will try to keep you posted.
8/13/24: Nice cool rain last night - river level up 160 cfs. We are now waiting new water temp/fishing reports today. Also cooler weather forecast this week - game changer? Will report asap.
8/3/24: As of now we believe this section of river is too warm to fish. Please consider the inlet to Wallowa Lake, the upper Imnaha, or the upper Lostine
7/6/24: Flows have dropped and continue to trend down. River can be crossed at places. Perfect level for fishing. Nymphing under strike indicator still the most productive - consider smaller euro flies sz 16 -18 with bh to get it down. Or try caddis dries in the am/pm.
6/28/24: new report of decent fishing in canyon. river is high so fish “flat water” with indicator and larger tungsten fly with sz 16 dropper - will probably hit small dropper. also some fish taken with sz 16 parachute adams.
6/26/24: the river bumped up the last couple of days. today the cfs is 850 and dropping. no reports today, but assume fish are being caught per the 6/24 report
6/24/24: Perfect conditions and good flyfishing. 475 cfs. Enough salmon/stone flies to consider an adult pattern as your strike indicator, (7.5’ 3x tappered leader) with a 4’ tippet to a weighted stone fly followed by a 2’ dropper to a sz 16 or 18 whatever (pheasant tail or euro nymph, etc) Or keep it simple and stay with a dry salmon fly pattern with a dropper. OR euro nymph. or fish small caddis flies in the evening. Some crazy big trout being caught.
6/19/24: Fish starting to bite dries (Golden Stone imitations) Water is still a little high but fishable good color. Heavier tungsten nymphs work great. Pats and Pheasant Tails are seeming to catch the majority.
6/4/24: still very colored today
6/3/24: has been fishable last two weeks, but heavy rain last night blew it out today
5/19/24: FWW - a fisher reported today the color was not bad - he thought it fishable in the “canyon” and even clearer below the confluence of the Minam River on the west bank.
5/15/24: Not good - high and colored. Snow melt has finally caught up with us. Could be a month or more (!) before the rivers are fishable again.
5/10/24: Good tout fishing this week. A Euro fisher caught a good number of trout in the “canyon” and below Minam a mile or two (wild fish fat and feisty). Did not see another fisher. FWW - His best fishing was on the Imnaha - a dozen fish in the fishing easement south of town. They all took a sz 16 frenchy weighted down by a heavier point fly.
2/21/24: Good steelhead fishing on the Wallowa above and below Minam reported this past week. One fisher had particular success over the weekend using the following setup on a fly rod. The key was a 6mm chartreuse plastic bead with a wide gapped hook 1” below the bead. He was fishing at fairly shallow depth (flows only 200 cfs) with a floating line. He used a bead head prince nymph 1’ above the bead for weight, but had no takes on the nymph.
There were six other bobber/jig fishers above and below him not having success. He hooked 6 steelhead and landed 5. We do not sell plastic beads, but locally they can be bought at the Sports Corral.
12/18/23: OH MY GOODNESS! LOOK WHAT SANTA BROUGHT. SOME GREAT TROUT/STEELHEAD FISHING ON THE WALLOWA TODAY.
A YOUNG FLYFISHER, NEW TO THE AREA, LANDED 8 TROUT TODAY. HER STORY WAS CONFIRMED BY BOTH HER PICTURES AND A PERSON IN THE SHOP FISHING THE HOLE UPSTREAM.
SHE STARTED FISHING AT 10:30, BUT THE FISHING “TURNED ON” AT 11:30, UNTIL 2:30. SHE CAUGHT 8 TROUT, INCLUDING A 20” CHROMER - PROBABLY A STEELHEAD. SHE ALSO ASKED ME TO CONFIRM THAT SHE HAD CAUGHT A BULL TROUT. THE PICTURE WAS OF A FAT, PRETTY, BRIGHT 20” BULL.
NOW, THIS IS CONFIDENTIAL - FOR OUR WEB SITE READERS ONLY. SHE WAS NYMPHING WITH A STRIKE INDICATOR (I THINK) USING A FAIRLY SMALL TAN/BROWN PAT’S RUBBER LEGS AND A PERIDON. SHE WAS FISHING UP CANYON ALONG THE ROAD, BUT SHE HEARD MORE STEELHEAD WERE BEING CAUGHT NEAR MINAM.
11/22/23: TIZ THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING AND A HANDFUL OF HARDY SOULS ARE FISHING THE WALLOWA ABOVE AND BELOW MINAM. ONE OF THEM JUST STOPPED BY TO SAY HE HAD A “FUN TIME” - LANDING TWO TROUT AND BREAKING OFF A STEELHEAD. THE TROUT ON A SMALL RED EURO NYMPH, AND THE STEELHEAD ON A SMALL YARN EGG PATTERN (NO TROUT TOUCHED THE EGG PATTERN). HE SAID HIS FEET FROZE, BUT THERE WAS “NO ICE IN THE GUIDES.”
ANOTHER INTERESTING REPORT WAS FROM A FISHER WHO LANDED 8 STEELHEAD AT TROY OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS (NOT UNUSUAL). HE WAS SWINGING FLIES IN RIFFLE WATER USING A FLOATING LINE AND FLOATING TIP (YES UNUSUAL ! FOR THESE TEMPS).
EAT WELL TOMORROW MY FRIENDS.
11/17/23: GOOD REPORTS. MORE STEELHEAD THAN NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR - UPSTREAM AND DOWN FROM MINAM.
11/12/23: FINALLY A GOOD, NEW, REPORT ON WALLOWA STEELHEAD AND TROUT. A SINGLE FISHER FISHED THE RIVER LAST FRIDAY (11/10) AND LANDED THREE STEELHEAD (FISH OVER 21”), 7 NICE TROUT, AND A VERY LARGE WHITEFISH THAT REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO MOVE. HE WAS NYMPHING WITH A STRIKE INDICATOR (FLY ?) EXCEPT FOR ONE FISH CAUGHT ON A SWUNG EGG SUCKING LEECH. WHEN ASKED IF HE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT THE RIVER TOO COLD FOR TROUT, HE ADDED THAT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WERE FAIRLY WARM - ONE OF THE REASONS HE DROVE FROM WALLA WALLA TO FISH.
10/20/23: SLOW. SEVERAL REPORTS FROM YESTERDAY SUGGEST FISHING HAS SLOWED - OR PERHAPS IT WAS THE DAY, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE, BRIGHT SUN, ETC.. A FEW SMALLER FISH TOOK SMALL BEADHEAD PRINCE NYMPHS, AND A FEW TOOK ORANGE STIMULATORS LATER IN THE DAY - MOSTLY ALONG THE BANK OR AROUND ROCKS. SEVERAL LARGER FISH SWIPPED AT THE ORANGE STRIKE INDICATOR. OCTOBER CADDIS WERE ABOUT, BUT THE FISH DID NOT SEEM TO TAKE TO THEM. WATER TEMPS WERE COLD (?) AND THE RIVER DIFFICULT TO WADE.
10/3/23: YESTERDAY A FISHER ON THE WALLOWA WHO USED A EURO ROD AND PERDIGON FLY CAUGHT “LOADS” OF TROUT. HE SAID AT AROUND 3;00 THE OCTOBER CADDIS BEGAIN TO COME OFF - SO, FOR THE FUN OF IT, HE SWITCHED TO A BIG FOAM DRY FLY WITH A SMALL DROPPER - THE ACTION CONTINUED (MOSTLY ON THE NYMPH).
10/2/23: NO NEW REPORTS ON WALLOWA TROUT FISHING, BUT A FAIR NUMBER OF FISHERS, SO I ASSUME IT IS STILL GOOD. CANNOT GET ODFW TO RETURN MY CALL REGARDING THE NEW TROUT TAGGING PROGRAM - BUGGERS. LOTS OF STEELHEAD GUIDES PUTTING IN AT MINAM.
9/30/23: GOOD, NEW, REPORT FROM YESTERDAY. APPROXIMATELY 25 FISH BROUGHT TO HAND BY A SINGLE FISHER. HE STARTED WITH EURO NYMPHING, BUT AS FISHING PICKED UP IN THE AFTERNOON HE WENT TO A DRY DROPPER. MOST FISH HIT THE NYMPH, WHICH WAS ONLY 2’ UNDER THE DRY FLY. SOME FISH HIT THE NYMPH AS SOON AS IT LANDED. FISH WERE IN THE RIFFLES AND TAIL OUTS - LIKE THEY WOULD BE IN MID SUMMER. FISH INCLUDED A 20” BOW.
9/29/23: ODFW JUST SHOCKED THE WALLOWA AND CONFIRMED WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW - SOME REALLY BIG TROUT. THEY ALSO TAGGED TROUT TO DETERMINE THE CATCH RATE. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT SURE HOW A FISHER REMOVES THE TAG AND TURNS IT IN (FOR A REWARD?). I LEFT A MESSAGE WITH ODFW TO CALL ME.
9/26/23: ANOTHER GOOD REPORT FROM YESTERDAY: “FISHED THE WALLOWA ABOUT DOWNSTREAM FROM SCALES - EURO FISHING. IN ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS, LANDED TEN TROUT, 8-12”, HAD ANOTHER FOUR OR FIVE ON, ALL ON A FRENCHIE (EURO NYMPH), SIZE 16. OF COURSE MISSED A FEW STRIKES. ******* BEST PART OF THE TRIP, HOOKED AND LANDED A 24” WILD STEELHEAD.”
9/17/23: IF YOU GET TIRED CATCHING TROUT ON THE WALLOWA, CHECK OUT OUR NEW STEELHEAD REPORT FOR TROY
9/17/23: And another good report from yesterday. “Lots of fat, feisty fish all day - 12” - 16”. Some were caught on the surface, but mostly on sz 14 - sz 16 bead head nymphs. Try a copper john - but don’t tell anyone.
9/16/23: And another report of success on sz 14 elk hair caddis - in the afternoon.
9/15/23: Actually, despite the 9/7 report, not everybody is catching fish. One fisher reported slow fishing using a large orange bodied stimulator - one of our standard, go to, flies. Then a second fisher, actually a guide in Colorado, said the fishing was “very good.” He was nymphing using a 14 hare’s ear with a size 18/20 bead head pheasant tail (or a 18/20 copper john) below it. The catch included some 15” + bows. ….. Two different techniques, two different results.
9/7/23: Wow - everybody is catching fish on the Wallowa. Nice, fat, feisty fish. Two fishers, fishing only dries, picked-up up good numbers in the morning, but smaller (8” - 10” fish). In the afternoon/evening the fish averaged 10” - 12”, with a handful of 14” - 16”. Pretty hard to beat a sz 12 orange bodied stimulator. But they also used a larger dark tan foam fly, and a size 14 attractor mayfly. Medium to large nymphs (Euro, etc) are like money in the bank. Remember to use a minimum of 4’+ of tippet, since nymphs don’t go straight to the bottom.
8/31/23: EVEN BETTER NEWS - A YOUNG MAN FROM SF PULLED OVER IN THE “CANYON” AND FISHED FOR 3-4 HRS. HE LANDED 15 FISH - WHICH RAN MOSTLY 12”. THREE WERE IN THE 15/16” RANGE. ALL CAUGHT ON LARGER NYMPHS (RIVER 2’ VISABILITY). HE WAS A BIT TRICKY IN THAT HE USED A 10’ TIPPET (UNDER A STRIKE INDICATOR) TO GET DOWN IN THE DEEPER POOLS (“WHERE THE FISH WERE”). ALSO SOME BIG WHITE FISH WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A BIT DOGGY. NO SURFACE ACTION, BUT REMEMBER THIS WAS MID DAY. EVENINGS?
8/29/23: GOOD NEWS - THE WALLOWA RIVER IS NOW DARK GREEN AND FISHABLE.
8/28/23: !!!!!! STILL DARK CHOCOLATE. DON’T KNOW WHICH TRIBUTARY IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. MAY TAKE SEVERAL DAYS OR MORE TO CLEAR. THE MINAM STORE ALSO IS AT A LOSS AS TO THE SORCE OF THE PROBLEM - ALTHOUGH THEY THINK IT HAS DROPPED AND POSSIBLY CLEARED (?) SLIGHTLY. ANY REPORTS AS TO THE SOURCE OR CLARITY WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
8/27/23: RED FLAG TODAY (SUNDAY) APPARENTLY THE HARD RAINS YESTERDAY TURNED THE RIVER TO CHOCOLATE TODAY. IN GENERAL, RECENT RAINS HAVE MADE FOR GOOD FISHING THIS PAST MONTH. WE LOOK FOREWARD TO A GREAT SEPT/OCT. THE SMALL TROUT OF SPRING HAVE GROWN THIS SUMMER AND ARE PRETTY FIESTY. ALSO THE RAINS WILL HELP OUR STEELHEAD SMELL THEIR WAY HOME.
8/6/23: GOOD, STILL GOOD. EXAMPLE: AS YOU ENTER THE “CANYON” FROM THE SE, THE FIRST BE TAIL OUT AFTER ROCK CREEK IS A NICE DEEP, FAIRLY FAST, SLOT. SEVERAL FISHERS YESTERDAY EURO NYMPHED IT AND PULLED OUT THREE 17” PLUS TROUT. AS THEY WORKED THEIR WAY DOWN STREAM TOWARD THE ISLAND, THEY CONTINUED TO CATCH TROUT - INCLUDING ON THE SURFACE. LOOK FOR WATER LIKE THESE RUNS. MATCH HATCHES FOR THE TIME OF DAY.
7/28/23: GREAT NEWS. THE WALLOWA HAS COOLED SOME AND CAN BE FISHED IN THE MORNINGS AND EVENINGS. CHECK OUT THIS REPORT: “FISHED THE CANYON TUESDAY EVENING WITH SOME SUCCESS USING A SIZE 20 BH PT, AND THE SMALL BH SOFT HACKLE I BOUGHT AT YOUR STORE.
I CAUGHT TEN 10” - 16” RAINBOWS AND HALF A DOZEN BIG WHITEFISH. LOST AT LEAST THAT MANY TROUT. I CAUGHT THIS 22” BEAST ON THE SMALL PT ….. WITH 5X TIPPET.” SOMEHOW MUSCLED IT IN … QUICKLY DUE TO THE WARM WATER.”
THE MESSAGE INCLUDED A PICTURE
7/18/23: THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WALLOWA WAS 68 DEGREES AT 11;00 AM YESTERDAY. WITH CONTINUED HOT WEATHER PREDICTED, WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT FISHING EARLY MORNINGS AND EVENINGS.
HAVING SAID THAT A GOOD, YOUNG FLY FISHER STARTED FISHING IN THE CANYON AT 7:00 PM AND CAUGHT EIGHT 8” - 13” BOWS - USING ONLY SZ 14 TO 12 STIMULATORS.
7/13/23: JUST RECEIVED A NUMBER OF REPORTS OF GOOD FISHING. MOSTLY NYMPHS, BUT DRY DROPPER (FOAM CADDIS WITH EURO NYMPH - EXAMPLE). SIMMS REP SUGGESTED 4’ TO THE DROPPER SINCE TROUT ARE TRYING TO STAY DEEP IN TAIL-OUTS. BUT TROUT ALSO HITTING IN 2’ RIFFLES. WATER STILL HAS A BIT OF COLOR, SO USE 7.5’ 4X LEADERS FOR THE LARGE TROUT AND BIG WHITE-FISH. BETTER DRY FLY FISHING IN EVENING.
7/3/23: THE WALLOWA IS WADEABLE - WE NEED A CURRENT REPORT ON HATCHES THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
6/30/23: THE WALLOWA PEAKED YESTERDAY AND IS DROPPING FAIRLY RAPIDLY (A FISHER WAS SPOTTED THIS MORNING STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER FISHING BACK TO THE BANK). NOW THE FUN BEGINS AS WE SEE WHAT HATCHES COME OUT DUE TO THE HOT TEMPERATURES. WILL THE ADULT STONE FLIES COME BACK, ETC. STAY TUNED.
6/27/23: HEAVY RAINS IN THE VALLEY LAST NIGHT AND TODAY WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT FISHING ON THE WALLOWA, GRAND RONDE, AND THE SOUTH END OF WALLOWA LAKE - FOR AT LEAST A FEW DAYS (HIGH WATER, COLORED WATER, COLD WATER, FEWER HATCHES). FORCAST CALLS FOR SUNNY SKIES AND WARM TEMPERATURES, STARTING THURSDAY, FORE AN EXTENDED PERIOD.
6/24/23: LATEST REPORT IS GOLDEN STONEFLIE HATCH PEAKS IN LATE AFTERNOON.
6/23/23: SURPRISED ME, BUT A FISHER THIS MORNING SAID THE RIVER HAD DROPPED ENOUGH HE COULD WADE THE RIVER AND FISH BACK TO THE BANK - EVEN CROSS THE RIVER. HE WAS USING SMALL MAYFLY DRIES, BUT CATCHING MOSTLY SMALLER 6” - 7” FISH (PROBABLY STEELHEAD SMOLTS). PERHAPS HE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER WITH LARGE STONEFLY PATTERNS OR NYMPHS.
6/18/23: ONCE AGAIN - BREAKING NEWS. A NICE YOUNG COUPLE REPORTED THICK CONCENTRATIONS OF ADULT GOLDEN STORES MATING ON THE BANKS OF THE WALLOWA TODAY.
6/17/23: BREAKING NEWS - fish are on the bite - all over. guides floating downstream from Minam (wallowa and grande ronde rivers) had two good days of dry fly (salmon fly) action (had pictures of some large , beautiful/bright silver trout) caught on big foam chubby chernobles. the flies were not on the bank bushes, but were caught along the bank in “pockets.”
And the “all over” bite includes good evening dry fly action at Kinney Lake, and even trout hitting purple chernobles and some other large large dries at the south end of Wallowa Lake at the river inlet.
Stay tuned for Wallowa River Salmon fly reports - any day
6/16/23: still way too high to wade, but continues to fish well in soft pockets/slicks right along bank. euro nymph with heavy tungsten flies or use weight to get down. large fish taking both black pats rubber legs and the small euro nymph second fly. a few golden stones around, but even the boats floating to Troy are using nymph versions. Water still too cold for adult bank action, but nymphs look close so i will try to report any adult action over the next several weeks. reports welcome
5/20/23: SURPRISE! WE EXPECTED THE RIVER BETWEEN WALLOWA AND MINAM TO BE “BLOWN-OUT” FROM SNOW MELT THIS MONTH. BUT A FRIEND OF MINE FISHED A COUPLE OF “SOFT SPOTS/SLICKS” ALONG THE HIGHWAY TWO DAYS AGO. HE CAUGHT HALF A DOZEN TROUT INCLUDING A COUPLE NICE 16” BOWS. HE IS A GOOD EURO NYMPHER AND USED A MALL BLACK STONEFLY PATTERN (BLACK PEACOCK BUGGER WITH RED BAND AT BACK),WITH A SMALL EURO NYMPH BEHIND. NOTHING RISING NOR STONE FLIES ON THE BANKS.
4/18/23: THE SHOP IS NOW OPEN FOR THE SEASON - 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM. WITH CONTINUED SNOW AND RAIN, WE EXPECT OUR RIVERS TO BE TOO HIGH OR COLORED TO FISH MOST OF THE REST OF THIS SPRING. HOWEVER, WE WILL REPORT ANY SUCESSFUL FISHING REPORTS WE RECEIVE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL SNOW PACK IN THE WALLOWA MTS, WHICH MAY MEAN DELAYED WADING ON THE WALLOWA WELL INTO JULY.
OUR BEST FISHING OPPORTUNITIES AT THIS TIME (AND WHILE THE RIVERS ARE TOO HIGH TO FISH) ARE KINNEY LAKE AND WALLOWA LAKE - BOTH OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN STOCKED WITH SOME NICE BOWS.
1/24/23: SHOP HAS BEEN CLOSED, BUT FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH….. WHILE DRIVING INTO THE VALLEY LAST SATURDAY, 1/22/23, I COUNTED 11 CARS PARKED/FISHING IN THE CANYON UPSTREAM FROM MINAM. WATER LOOKED GOOD AND ONE MUST ASSUME STEELHEAD ARE BEING CAUGHT.
11/16/22: SORRY, I HAVE NO NEW NEWS, BUT IT SHOULD BE FAIR FOR TROUT STEELHEAD?
11/4/22: STEELHEAD CAUGHT IN THE WALLOWA. Two young fishermen braved some spotty weather yesterday to fish the Wallowa in the canyon. One was fishing conventional gear (a plastic bead with a drop hook) and he hooked three steelhead and landed two (the third was a big boy, but got off using a log). The fly fisher caught two 10” - 12” trout on a zebra midge, of all things. The water was crystal clear.
10/27/22: STILL FISHING WELL FOR TROUT. I have been out of town this past week, but noticed two fly fishers as I drove along the Wallowa on my way home (the only ones). They later came in the shop while I was checking messages and reported catching a fair number of nice fish (10” - 14” and no small fish).
One was using a foam fly as a strike indicator (although there are no longer October Caddis) and a single dropper with a rubber legged copper john. Despite the very cold water he was fishing from the center of the river and caught all six trout within a foot of the bank. The other fisher was fishing a tungsten nymph on the bottom of deep water and picked up two nice trout.
10/13/22: I didn’t realize there was still a guide floating the Wallowa this fall. Travis Smith of Eastern Oregon River Outfitters (541-786-4373) guided the river from a 13’ raft five times this past week. He used an old trick I used to use guiding the Wallowa in low water - he walks the boat a lot (something most guides refuse to do). Travis (541-805-5983) knows the water as well as anyone, and has been getting his clients into some nice size fish. However, he says at 260 cfs, unless we get some rain, or more water is released, even he will have to hang it up. Of course bank fishing still remains a good option.
10/11/22: It just keeps going! Beautiful weather. Beautiful Rainbows. Lots of October Caddis, so the rigging of choice is a fairly large chubby Chernobyl with a tungston perdigon dropper. Most fish will take the dropper, with the occasional outrageous strike on the Chernobyl. Or be a “purist” for the afternoon and stick to dries. Bon appetit.
10/3/22: OH MY. What can I say: Simply one of the best falls for rainbow fishing on the Wallowa River in the “canyon” (along hwy 82 between Minam and Wallowa) in memorary. LOTS OF FISH, BIG FISH, FIESTY FISH.
9/10/22: WOW! CHECK THIS OUT! A FLYFISHER CAME IN FROM BEND - HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE VALLEY. HE STOPPED TO FISH ALONG THE RIVER/ROAD BETWEEN MINAM AND WALLOWA. THE RESULTS (PHOTO VERIFIED): 6 FAT/FIESTY TROUT “OVER 16 INCHES” (OR 7 TROUT OVER 15” - HE ADDED) AND NUMEROUS SMALLER.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY AN EXPERT EURO NYMPHER, AND FOUND THE BIG FISH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TROUGHS (IN WHAT IS OTHERWISE A VERY SHALLOW RIVER RIGHT NOW).
TWO OTHER FISHERS FROM BEND, EARLIER IN THE WEEK, CAUGHT 40 TROUT IN TWO DAYS - MOSTLY 7” TO 13”.
A FEW OCTOBER CADDIS FLYING ABOUT, BUT LIMITED DRY FLY FISHING.
9/3/22: YES! FINALLY: GOOD TEMPS/FLOWS/FISHING. Cooler weather, light rain - all good for now. We expect good fall fishing and a good steelhead run - stay tuned.
9/1/22: NOPE - TOO LOW AND TWO WARM FOR NOW. LEAVE THOSE POOR TROUT ALONE. But. there will eventually be some great fall trout fishing, when: Irrigation season wraps up (if the irrigation district releases some more water from the lake - they don’t have to); or the hot weather breaks and we have cooler temps; or we start to get some fall rain showers.
Current flows are 190 cfs. Three days ago we had some rain, and flows jumped to 215 cfs - enough to allow several days of fishing. We need more of that.
Will report any temp changes that might permit early morning or late evening fishing.
8/7/22: Just got good temperature readings in the canyon, from two different sources: 7:00 AM - 65 degrees F; noon 67: 2:00 PM - 72. So it is alright to fish until mid/late morning. Only 100 cfs, so fish oxygenated water and try fishing a caddis - swinging it accross the current downstream. Yup, you read that right.
8/1/22: GETTING PRETTY LOW AND WARM - BEST TO FISH EARLY IN THE MORNING UNTIL DAY TEMPS COOL. AND/OR CHECK WATER TEMPS - ANYTHING APPROACHING 70 DEGREES - GIVE THOSE FISH A BREAK!!!
7/27/22: good report on fishing sz 14 hare’s ears in riffles.
7/23/22: Still dropping like a rock (251 cfs) and fly fishers are wading to the middle and across rthe river in places. Good fishing with hopper/dropper, stimulators and the normal nymphs and/or euro tunsten nymphs.
7/22/22: Good report on two 20” trout being fought on large dry stonefly patterns near Minam (one landed and one broke 4X).
7/20/22: The river is dropping like a rock (1100 cfs last week, now 450 cfs) Wading is still somewhat limited. In the evening, lots of smaller rainbows (5”- 8” can be caught along bank and some 9’- 12”). As we know the 20+ inch trout are in there, if they decide to feed. Foam dries with a small dropper can be very productive - with 2/3 of the fish hitting the dropper, but some fish slamming the dry. Stone flies have been slow to move upstream from Minam - but be prepaired. Trout continue to hang along grass banks - and white fish can be found in slower pockets and eddy seams. Will try and post drops in river levels for those of you who like to wade.
7/7/22: sorry for late report - was away from shop. Still high and somewhat colored in Canyon section - but producing fish along bank in pockets. Stone flies starting to show up around Minam. Just spoke to a fisher who caught numerous smaller trout/smolt using nymphs in slack pockets, BUT also some large trout using big stonefly dries in similar pockets. Our local rivers seem to be trending down, but high temps next week may increase snow melt (?). In any event we are on the cusp of a great summer of good flows and great fishing.
6/22/22: Still higher than heck - and may be headed higher with this warm weather. Stone flies should show up soon - they have been on the Imnaha for three weeks. Because these bugs crawl out onto the bank, and breed near the bank, big fish can be found in small pockets along the bank - even in high water. Hike upriver looking for these pockets behind rocks, logs, etc. Then flick a big dry upstream, perhaps only 15’, and control your line for a quick hook-set. Good luck when they head out into the heavy current.
6/1/22: Spring “blow-out” season - some flooding. Will try to report when the river becomes fishable again - and when the salmon/golden stone flies show up along the banks. In the mean time consider fly fishing Kinney or Wallowa Lakes.
3/28/22: PS to below. Those big bows the Wallowa is famous for have also been active all spring. Next up the salmon fly/golden stone hatch in June.
3/28/22: We are back in the shop, and will try to update reports.
The Wallowa River has been a great steelhead fishery this past month - the best in the Snake River Basin with three hatchery fish limits. However, the public access between the town of Wallowa and downstream from Minam will probably “color and “blow-out” from snow melt anyday (the Grand Ronde cfs at Troy is already 5000 CFS - perfect rafting level). Steelhead are flooding the two hateries at this time.
12/1/21: Can you believe it - Dec and the Wallowa continues to fish well for nice trout and whitefish. Kegged-up a bit: nine out of one hole and a second angler caught 10 out of another hole. And a few steelhead (shhh - bur five out of one hole a ways below Minam, on flies).
10/25/21: The Wallowa is still kicking out some nice big bows - try swinging a decent size streamer with a trailing nymph. I am also attaching the last GR report from Troy to give you an idea of the variety of fish in the GR/Wallowa system: 10/25/21:
Although steelhead hrs/fish near Troy slipped to 16.6 hrs/fish, overall fishing wasn’t bad: “Steelhead anglers also caught and released 18 wild rainbow, 5 hatchery rainbow, 14 bull trout (!), 2 fall chinook, 1 coho, and 1 coho jack”
10/15/21: No new trout reports for the Wallowa the last few days - but assume it is still good. BUT, YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK OUT THE NEW GR STEELHEAD REPORT.
10/03/21: Wallowa trout fishing is still very good for large trout and fish numbers. Lots of October Caddis around, and some large mayflies. Morning fishing is apparently best after the sun hits the water. Not sure when evening fishing shuts off - 5:30 - 6;00 or ?
9/30/21: ODFW STEELHEAD UPDATE (for Grande Ronde/Imnaha/Wallowa Rivers).
The above rivers are expected to have a steelhead return equal to about 40% of the 10 year average - not bad considering other NW streams. As such, ODFW expects to keep these streams open to steelhead, with a daily 3 hatchery fish limit (whereas the Clearwater and Snake, and, I believe, the Salmon (?) will have one fish limits). So far 18000 hatchery steelhead, about half the expected return, have crossed Lower Granite Dam.
There will also be a two fish Coho limit on the Grande Ronde (apparently, however, they aren’t too keen on taking flies).
9/24/21: The Wallowa River has been fishing great for trout. Nymph during the bright days - simulator - dropper on cloudy days (consider small orange or red band euro nymphs.) A longtime guide from bend hooked-up on his third cast - a very thick fiesty 21” bow on a sz 18 cdc pheasant tail. He said the best action was when he was lifting his fly.
9/24/21: ODFW STEELHEAD REPORT: The following report is very detailed, so you may want to just read the initial summary. The Oregon ODFW Creel Checker for the Grande Ronde reported zero steelhead for the past week. A fisher swinging black muddlers did well for trout.
It’s been a while since I’ve provided an update and I know there’s a lot of questions out there about steelhead salmon and some of our fisheries through the summer. I’m going to address as much as I can here fully admitting I’m a bit late on some of this stuff and it’s probably too much for one email. *Drought* I’d like to circle back on the discussion of the drought and “hoot owl” regulations from July (two updates down). I ended up foregoing the hoot owl regulation on the Wallowa. After monitoring temps and angler effort, it was pretty clear there wasn’t a lot of people fishing in the afternoons when there may have been the potential to have population level problems. There was some effort by local anglers and guides to get the word out about ethics of fishing in hot conditions, which I very much appreciated. I’d much rather see self-regulation of anglers and a culture within the angling community that protects the resource. I’ll be working to put some efforts in place in the future when poor conditions arise to nurture those efforts. I certainly learned a lot this year and will be more prepared for similar conditions in the future. I also appreciate the feedback I heard from you folks out there witnessing the fishery. *Steelhead* This is where most of the questions have been coming from recently and what I’m sure most of you are eager to hear. There is a lot of gloom and doom out there about the steelhead run this year and much of it is warranted. Passage at Bonneville Dam (BON) has been very poor. I’ve been keeping a very close eye on this, developing projections for the Grande Ronde and Imnaha, and developing fisheries recommendations. While this year is certainly a bad year, there is some spots that are not as poor as you may think, though I wouldn’t categorize them as bright spots. We’re pretty lucky in the Snake Basin to have a lot of research and information on steelhead returns which gives us the ability to forecast and get a pretty good idea what we might see. When I’m trying to structure fisheries, I’m looking at both wild and hatchery fish, and each component will have different implications for the fisheries. - I’ve provided a long explanation below, but if you’re not into that kind of thing here’s the short summary: I’m predicting wild steelhead numbers to the Grande Ronde and Imnaha basins will be similar to 17-18, 18-19, and 19-20 run years. This means that wild steelhead will be double the abundance where we’re required by our permit to curtail fisheries (CAT). I’m not currently concerned about fishery impacts on wild fish. Typical impacts in our fisheries are very low and I wouldn’t expect them to fall outside the normal range, nor put the wild population at risk. For hatchery fish, we’re projecting enough fish to make broodstock in both basins, even with normal harvest. Based on current projections, I’m not planning on changing the fisheries from permanent rule in the GR nor IMN. We’ll continue to monitor the return as fish make their way over LGD and make any changes as necessary. To sum it all up, it’s not good, but it’s similar to years we’ve seen recently. The nitty gritty details: - *Grande Ronde* - For wild fish, I’m looking at fish crossing BON and expanding based on previous years to see what we’ll see at Lower Granite Dam (LGD). This involves a variety of metrics that include the worst and best case scenarios. Currently, I’m estimating that somewhere between 1,521 and 3,805 wild fish will cross LGD and be bound for the Grande Ronde with 2,200 fish being the average estimate. Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) has developed their own estimate and expects about 2,600 fish to head for the GR. If you look at Figure 1 below, you’ll see that the range of projections is within the range of recent years. Additionally, with curtailment of fisheries in the mainstem Columbia and Snake and what seems to be a bit of a late run, I’m expecting the run to come in on the higher end of the range. What does this mean for fisheries? Given that we’re within the range of the recent past, and assuming the projections continue to hold, I’m not planning on curtailing the fishery in the GR based on wild fish numbers. Our federal fisheries permits do not require us to curtail fisheries until runs fall below the Critical Abundance Threshold (CAT) which is denoted by the dashed line in Figure 1 (1,200). Typical impacts in our fisheries are very low and I wouldn’t expect them to fall outside the normal range, nor put the wild population at risk. Figure 1. Approx. wild steelhead abundance at LGD for the Grande Ronde River MPG from the 12-13 to 20-21 run years with the projected 21-22 run year Note that error bars represent the range of projections. - For hatchery fish, my primary concern is weather or not we’re going to get enough fish back to the hatcheries to make the next generation of fish. Through similar means as projecting wild fish, I’ve been working to develop projections to inform fisheries structure. Currently I’m projecting between 1,343 and 1,533 hatchery fish to make it to Wallowa Hatchery facilities after hypothetical harvest under normal fishery rules. For Wallowa hatchery programs we need 452 fish to meet broodstock goals. So, based on our estimates we’ll have no problem achieving broodstock goals. Additionally, projections indicate we’ll be within the range or recent years (Figure 2). Similar to the situation with wild fish, I’m not currently planning to curtail fisheries based on hatchery returns. Figure 2. Hatchery steelhead returns at LGD for the Imnaha and Grande Ronde (Oregon only) hatchery programs with projection for the 21-22 run year. - *Imnaha* - For wild fish, I’ve projected runs under the same methods as the GR. I’m currently predicting between 441 and 1,072 wild fish to pass LGD with the average estimate being 697. IDFG has also provided and estimate of 748 fish to the Imnaha. Again, these estimates fall near the range for recent years, and similarly to the GR, I expect the run to be skewed toward the higher end of the expected range as fishery curtailment in the mainstem Columbia and Snake are not considered here. Similarly to the GR, I’m not planning on curtailing the Imnaha fishery based on wild fish numbers. For the Imnaha, our federal fisheries permit doesn’t require us to curtail fisheries until runs fall below CAT which is 300 wild fish. Figure 3. Approx. wild steelhead abundance at LGD for the Imnaha River MPG from the 12-13 to 20-21 run years with the projected 21-22 run year. Note that error bars represent the range of projections. - The story for Imnaha hatchery fish is similar to the GR. Current projections are for 635 to 682 hatchery fish to arrive at the facility on Little Sheep Creek after hypothetical harvest under normal fishery rules. To meet broodstock collection goals, the facility needs 134 leaving about 515 fish as surplus. Again, I don’t believe the hatchery fish return to the Imnaha warrants curtailment of the fishery. - *Hells Canyon* - Current estimates from IDFG for hatchery fish returning to the Hell’s Canyon trap are boarding on the needs for broodstock collection. Therefore we have reduced bag limits to hopefully give us a bit of breathing room in those collections if the run comes in a bit low. Given participation in this fishery is fairly limited for Oregon anglers, most of the savings in harvest are expected to come from Idaho anglers mostly north of the Oregon border. - *Bag Limits* - You’ll remember in recent years we’ve implemented some bag limit restrictions due to poor returns. Through the electronic licensing system (ELS) and anglers tagging their fish electronically, I’ve been able to conduct some preliminary evaluations on the effectiveness of bag limits in the GR and IMN. The short story is that there is no indication that standard bag limits will result in falling short of broodstock collection goals given the predicted run in the GR and IMN. But what about Hells Canyon? Hell’s Canyon predictions are indicating making broodstock collections are a bit tighter. Additionally, much of the harvest of Hells Canyon fish comes in the ID/WA section of the Snake River and the same evaluation of bag limits is unavailable. Myself and Idaho agreed that a bag limit reduction here was appropriate for broodstock collection purposes. - *ELS* - This is where I’ll make my shameless plug for anglers in the area to give electronic licensing a try. While there are some caveats to using the information that streams in, I have been able to get a much better real-time sense of the fisheries over the last year based on harvest submissions. This allows me to make better decisions on fishery structure, provide better updates on how good or bad the fishing is, and to make more informed changes where needed. If you run into me on the river I’d be glad to show you on my phone if you’d like. - *Projections* - Please note that these projections are subject to change. When I develop these projections there is always an element of uncertainty and I do my best to capture the worst case scenario, assess the likelihood we’ll see that scenario, and manage appropriately. I’ll continue to update these projections as we move through the season and make any adjustments if needed with respect to conservation and hatchery production needs. I’ll also do my best to keep folks updated. *Coho Salmon* A bright spot in the world of anadromous fish this year has been Coho. The ocean and Columbia River fisheries were very good and we expect to see a good return to the Snake River basin. The Lostine fish should make their best showing yet and I’m planning on opening the Grande Ronde for harvest of Coho again this year. Currently we expect somewhere around 4,000 Lostine River Coho to make their way past LGD. Expect the fishery announcement to be forthcoming and I’ll provide some more information here once the run progresses a bit further. *Fall Chinook* Fall Chinook season is open in Hells Canyon and a few fish should be around for harvest at this time. Overall this fishery is pretty underutilized by Oregon anglers so I’d encourage you to get out there and give this one a try. The fishery will be open until the end of October and you can keep up to 3 adult Chinook per day regardless of fin clip status. Remember that barbless hooks are required. This fishery will be enshrined in permanent rule starting next year. I apologize for the massive dump of information here but I know many of you will find it relevant and interesting. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to give me a call at the number below. Feel free to share this email and let me know if you’d like to be removed from the list or if you know someone that would like to be added. Tight lines. Kyle Bratcher 9/20/21: OH BOY KIDS. Since our last report the Wallowa has continued fishing well - although, at times dependant on weather systems passing through. For example, a husband and wife called me yesterday to report that on Saturday, starting at 9:30 with a green chernobyl/like fly, they caught approx . 75 fish (mostly 10”- 12” range, but several 16” fish).
Two other elderly gentlemen FLOATED the Wallowa with a Guide and each caught a dozen or so fish. Another fisher reported he was surprised at the big trout he caught. He had a picture of a 20+”
Swing by our shop, we will loan you a flyrod and will point you in the right direction!
9/6/21: VERY INTERESTING: After several weeks of pretty marginal fishing (low flows/dog days of summer) conditions, the fish suddenly came out for Labor Day festivities. Both the Wallowa and the Imnaha reported some very good fishing this weekend. No particular hatches, but fish were coming to the surface for stimulators (with droppers). One fisher on the Wallowa reported catching 30 fish near Water Canyon, and a second fisher walked down two miles from minam and caught some big trout with buggers in slow water.
8/21/21: I returned to cooler weather/rain, increased flows and some pretty good fishing. Now, you will just have to survey the river to find where the fish are holding.
8/4/21: NO ONLINE REPORTS FOR A WHILE (Rob will be out of the shop until Aug. 20th). PLEASE CALL THE SHOP AT: 541-432-4343. THANKS
7/30/21: High temps this week have driven Wallowa temps over 70 in the afternoon, so limit fishing to morning - until outside temperatures cool later this week.
Also, Kyle, the local fisheries biologist, said he has seen flows this low on three different occasions over the last 15 years. Apparantly the Wallowa River does not have mandated minimum flows for fish, but the Lostine and Grand Ronde do - which helps put a floor under Wallowa flows.
7/28/21: CFS is 105 - the lowest I have seen it in 30 yrs. Surprisingly afternoon temps remain mid-sixties (per my latest report ?) and fishing for trout is fair to good for pan-size fish). I welcome all reports to my email.
7/21/21: A bit hard to call right now. Fishing well and the temps appear to stay below 70 degrees in the afternoon (?). The cfs is low, but up 10 cfs the last few days (rain in the mountains/more irrigation water in the river )(?). No hoot-owl restrictions yet from ODFW.
7/14/21: Good report for the Wallowa River in the Canyon between towns of Wallowa and Minam - from yesterday. Temperature at 8:00 AM was 58 degrees and at 11:00, 65 degrees. Trout were actively feeding and fishing good. Soft Hackles seemed to be the fly of the morning. Avoid fishing after 2:00 PM. Thanks
7/12/21: Also check the great report for fishing the south end of Wallowa Lake.
7/11/21: cfs down to 190!!!! I do not have mid-afternoon water temps - PLEASE REPORT THEM TO MY EMAIL. ODFW has not sent me a notice of “hoot-owl” mid-day fishing restrictions as of today. But surely they are coming. Please fish early and late. Thanks
7/2/21: CFS down to 500 - a good level to fish and start to wade. Use what evher tools you have - Euro Nynph (flies the usual euro suspects); dry fly (stimulators, chubbies, royal wulffs, etc); strike indicator nymph (princes, hare’s ears, black stonefly patterns or wooly buggers); trout spey with big streamers (dali lamas, etc).
NOTE; NO HOOTOWL RESTRICTIONS IN THE NORTHEAST ZONE - YET. WILL POST IF I GET INFO.
6/27/21: River levels falling fast (now 800 cfs). Should be wadable in places. This next few weeks MAY be some of the better fishing of the summer. Stone flies, hoppers, caddis, good evening fishing. Please email me with any reports, including water temps. THANKS!
6/20/21: SALMON FLIES AND GOLDEN STONES ARE THICK ON THE WALLOWA -FROM EARLY MORNING, THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ONE FISHER SAID HIS WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH THEM AT 2:00 PM AS HE APPROACHED THE TOWN OF WALLOWA. OF COURSE, THE BIG BOWS ARE LESS CAUTIOUS IN THE SHADE OF EVENING.
DO NOT MISS THIS HATCH. PERIOD!!
6/19/21: CHECK THIS OUT: So - two friends of mine were fishing the Wallowa yesterday (over the past week the river dropped back to 1000cfs from 1700 cfs a week ago). My friends caught a few, but a lady floating the river was killing them - she floated the “canyon” three times because of the action.
She was using a chubby as an indicator, a nymph with a red tail as her dropper, AND she was constantly jigging her flies. I am told there are a fair number of people fishing the Wallowa along the road today
6/10/21: Keep an eye on the river level linked above - heavy rains, new snow in the mountains and eighty degree temps forecast may MAY blow the river out???
6/9/21: Just spoke with a great local guide, Paul from Fly Side Angling. He floated the Wallowa yesterday, and although it is running 1000 cfs (down from 3000 last week) he expects good fishing in the near future. A few Stone Flies are showing up, so fish the banks. Will try to post information as it comes in.
5/28/21: Well I’ll be darned. Friday of Memorial Day weekend and the Wallowa is low enough and clear enough to fish! Higher temps later this week may blow it out, be who knows in this strange water year?
Stone Fly Alert. Moving up near Rondowa, so should be on the Wallowa sone. You can fish these from the bank at small bank pockets even in high water.
4/25/21: Running high from snowmelt - so don’t drive across town to fish it. Having said that it has been “almost” fishable recently. Check trending flows for clue to color.
4/15/21: Snow melt may color and “blow-out” the river at some point soon. However, as of yesterday, a few steelhead fishers were still fishing it. We will try to post changes but may have limited information. Please email us with any reports.
3/31/21: YIKES! Two fly fishers yesterday, under blue skies, hooked 10 steelhead and landed 7 - above and below Minam (plenty of pictures to prove it). On heavy black stonefly patterns, on the bottom.
3/11/21: WOW SOME HOT, HOT STEELHEAD FISHING ON THE WALLOWA THIS WEEK (UNTIL NOON WHEN THE RIVER STARTS TO COLOR). A FLYFISHER FRIEND HAS BEEN HOOKING FIVE AN OUTING. ODFW CREEL CHECKER SAID HE CHECKED 8 GEAR GUYS AND EVERYONE HAD HOOKED OR LANDED A STEELHEAD. BUT !!!! AS WEATHER CONTINUES TO WARM THIS WEEK WE WILL HAVE TO SEE IF WATER STAYS IN SHAPE.
3/9/21: Normally closed/traveling this time of year, but looks like we will be in the shop until the end of March (waiting for second vaccination) - so the shop will be open (but I may be outside working on my horse corral) whew.
BUT HAD A GOOD REPORT ON THE WALLOWA THIS MORNING. A GENTLEMAN FISHED THE CANYON AND HOOKED STEELHEAD ON TWO OF HIS FIRST THREE CAST - AND ALSO CAUGHT NICE TROUT.
BIG SNOWPACK, BUT SO FAR COLD NIGHTS HAVE LIMITED MELT AND THE RIVER REMAINS IN GOOD SHAPE. THIS MAY CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME - UNTIL EVENTUALLY THE BIG SPRING BLOW-OUT.
1/2/21: Happy New Year Friends. Finally got some reports, and it appears the Wallowa has fished pretty well for rainbows, bull trout and steelhead the last few weeks - unless prolonged low temps increase icing.
12/28/20: low/clear. no reports
12/21/20: Muddy today
12/17/20: READ THIS! A good friend (and an avid fisher) read where I needed reports. So here you go:
“Fished the Wallowa in the Canyon above Minam12/16, 9AM - 2PM. It was cloudy temps between 30-40 F. There was no ice along the river and the water level seemed very low. Fishing was good. Caught around 8 rainbows 2 over 20 with the average size 14 inches. Landed a 20+ inch bull trout, and lost a steelhead right at my feet. In short the fishing is good!” THANKS JOSH.
12/8/20: Ice along banks, but fishable. Several people reported fishing it over the weekend without success.
11/18/20: Sorry. no new info. The recent spike in flows from snow melt should have moved a few more steelhead upstream.
10/28/20: Damn I hate to post this until I have time to fish. Two good friends, fishing alone, had two very similar reports - one this morning and one yesterday.
They both caught five or six fish out of one (but different) runs -all in the 16” - 20” range. One was euro-nymphing with a large tungsten black pat’s rubber legs, and the other on a large conehead black woolly bugger - both fishing on the bottom. Some large white fish and one bull trout (the bull probably following steelhead for their eggs). After reading this, please delete it and zip your lips - until i have a chance to fish.
10/21/20; Good report yesterday. Activity picked-up mid day for trout - hitting both the purple chubby on top and the tungston dropper. Fish were mostly in the 10” - 12” range.
10/19/20: Just got a very good report from a couple euro nymphing on the Wallowa, in the rain yesterday. One caught 20 fish including some nice ones, and the other 6 fish including a 20+” trout that finally broke-off.
10/14/20: Not many reports this past week, but the cfs did bump from last weeks rains from 275 cfs to 330 cfs. It has leveled and should start dropping by this weekend, moving steelhead and improving trout fishing. NEED MORE REPORTS PLEASE.
10/6/20: Not many reports these past few days, but top water fishing appears to remain good during these beautiful Indian Summer days. Good hatches of October Caddis and other caddis and Mayfly hatches. One fisher reported catching two nice trout on a Purple Peral before losing the fly. More reports about how spread out the fish are, and nymph action, would be appreciated.
10/1/20: Great top water fishing this past week. Rains spiked the river on 9/26 to 350cfs, before it dropped to 325 cfs yesterday (still 25 cfs higher than two weeks ago). This plus, full moon, plus October caddis, plus fall feeding for winter, plus trout dropping down from the upper valley (now that irrigation is finished), plus (?) - has made for some of the best fishing this year. Before nymphing put on a big stimulator, or drag a streamer just below the surface. Remember to DEAD DRIFT your dries, and be prepared for an 18” plus trout or even an early steelhead (one caught on the Wallowa last week). Guides from around the state say Wallowa River trout, pound for pound, may be the hottest in the state!
9/28/20: Still fishing fair to good - more fishers hitting the river (but that is very relative compared to most good trout streams.
9/20/20; Rain last night. But even before the rain, trout fishing on the Wallowa was good to very good. Both nymphs and dries.
9/20/20: HOT OFF THE PRESS - STEELHEAD!!!!!!
Just spoke to a fisher that fished Troy to Bogans for trout yesterday (Friday the 19th) - he did well with hoppers. BUT, HE ALSO RAN INTO A FISHER WITH A SPEY ROD SWINGING FOR STEELHEAD. HE HAD LANDED TWO STEELHEAD NEAR TROY THAT DAY.
UP 40% FROM LAST YEAR !!!!!! THE OUTLOOK FOR THIS YEAR’S STEELHEAD RUNS ON THE RHONDE/WALLOWA/INHAHA ARE LOOKING UP - BOTH HATCHERY AND WILD FISH UP 40% FROM LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO ODFW, OUR STEELHEAD ARE 95% OVER BONNIVILLE, BUT ARE JUST STARTING TO CROSS OUR LAST DAM ON THE SNAKE - LOWER GRANITE.
9/10/20: Not much surface action - a few October Caddis, and some size 12 caddis in the evenings. Some Euro nymphers doing well in their favorite runs, but strike indicator nymphing a bit low, occasionally punctuated by a thick, fiesty 12” - 14” trout, a large white fish, or even large airborn suckers.
9/7/20: We continue to get good reports - at least from the more skilled fly fishers. For example, although the Wallowa River was “relatively” crowded (8-10 cars in the 8 mile Canyon section?), one friend, on Sunday, nymphed in pools AND tail-outs and landed a 20” and two 13” / 14” trout and numerous smaller fish. His friend stuck to hoppers and also had a fairly active day. Today is overcast and should be good. Irrigation should stop shortly and fish will begin to feed up for the winter.
9/1/20: Looks like a good fall fishery. Cool evenings have cooled the water and fish will start to feed before the snow flies. Some of the biggest fish are still being caught in the deeper, oxygenated slots. Still no October caddis, but a smattering of hatches during the day - BWO and various size and color caddis.
8/20/20: Getting some interesting reports. This morning, mid morning, a good fisher did well - a 17”, a 20”, a few small smolt and numerous 8”-10” fish. He was Euro nymphing in the lower canyon.
Two other separate fishers did well fishing the Wallowa in the upper Valley (on private land - but it never hurts to ask). Trout tend to run upstream looking for cooler water. The recent cool nights have kept the river in the mid sixties in the morning. Try to avoid fishing in the afternoon if the river temp hits 70.
8/15/20: Sorry for the delayed report (been playing the last couple of weeks - pack horses in the Eagle Cap, motor cycle in the curvy John Day country.
Wallowa River report is interesting. No hatches to speak of until evening (small brown and black caddis, mayfly spinners) - but even then not many fish rising. So dry fly fishing during these hot sunny days is tough. Try a chubby chernobyl - tan or purple - with a dropper.
Now for the interesting part: in the last ten days we have three reports of 17” - 23” big/fiesty bows being caught - backed-up by photos. A fisher today caught four of these in 45 min yesterday - including a leaping cartwheeling 23” fish that jumped 8 or 10 times. These fish are being caught in the deepest, fast water, “troughs” in the Wallowa. Mostly big Stone Fly nymphs and heavy steelhead type leeches - but also large/med chubby chernobyls and and big salmon fly dries.
7/29/20: Very hot, sunny weather, and a rapidly dropping river, combined with no hatches until 8:00 PM means slow dry fly fishing. Better for nymphing. River has dropped to the point you can wade across (with booted cleats) in many places. In fact you will want to avoid fishing these long shallow sections.
7/16/20: Opps, river still dropping and people ARE starting to wet wade and wader wade. AND fishing is reported to be good. Stay tuned, and come visit our shop in Joseph.
7/14/20: FINALLY: THE WALLOWA IS STARTING TO DROP - BUT STILL TOO HIGH TO WADE. HOWEVER,(SECRET) those steelhead size trout are coming up for dries (big stimulators) - best in late evening. Fish the slack pools. This is probably the best time of year to catch these 20”+ size trout - out of the high water. Use 3x tippets and pray the fish don’t head downstream without looking back.
6/27/20: Sorry for the late report - was out of town this past week. The river is still high, bit quite a few people fishing it. Golden stones are starting to dwindle on the Ronde and on the Wallowa, but the good fishers are still picking them up on dries (another week + ?).
Not to worry, however, they are being replaced by good caddis hatches AND/OR nymph (or Euro nymph - stop by our shop for the best rods) the BOTTOM of the deep holes and eddies for the big 20”+ bows the Wallow River is becoming known for throughout the Northwest. OR let us show you our selection of trout spey rods and big streamers - also popular on the Wallowa for the big bows.
Rain forecast for the next four days. Could be awhile before you are wading across the Wallowa - mid July (?). Stay tuned.
6/12/20: Things are happening - but tough to forecast. Salmon flies/Golden Stones are out in pretty good numbers n the “Canyon” upstream from Minam. However. the river is running high, with rain forecast the next few days. We did have a fisher report they had pretty steady action on the Wallowa yesterday - including an 18”trout. However, and rise in cfs or coloration will shut down fishing.
The snow pack appeared to be coming off quickly, but the caretaker at Anaroid Lake said there is still 2-3’ of snow there, so the Lake Basin is still covered and runoff may keep local streams high thru the end of the month (?).
We will try to report changes as we receive reports - during this time of transition.
6/1/20: Good day. We finally crawled out of hibernation. It is going to be a perfect year to social distance in a trout stream.
But, of course, all of our rivers are “blown-out” from snow melt - for now. We finished up the winter with about an eighty percent snow pack, so with our hot weather we may be able to wade the Wallowa in the later part of June. Heavy spring rains have filled the lake, and with limited irrigation this spring, lake water should be available into the fall.
We are watching for adult Stone Flies to move up the Grande Ronde into the Wallowa. Before the heavy water, stone fly nymphs were picking up fish along the banks. We will try to stay on top of this hatch for you. Last year we caught some beautiful, large trout by flicking large foam dries upstream along the bank - in high water. Stone flies have started moving up the Imnaha, so they should be around before too long.
11/11/19: Oops. The weather turned nice this past week and guess what - trout fishing was pretty fair on the Wallowa this last weekend. A friend of mine Euro nymphed (almost cheating) and picked up some large trout and whitefish.
10/30/19: feel like bending your rod? Check out the report for Kinney Lake
10/26/19: Sorry, I am a little late getting this report out. Trout fishing on the Wallowa has all but stopped - we rate it as “poor.” It is probably a combination of cold water temps (it is 44 degrees and the trout bite starts to shut down around 42 degrees or so); low clear water (try fishing upstream to avoid spooking the fish; limited hatches, and frontal systems constantly moving thru the area. A few steelhead have been caught, so if you need to fish the Wallowa rig for steelhead.
10/14/19: I just got back from an overseas trip to find the Wallowa was fishing great. Very few fishers, but large trout and/or steelhead being hooked daily. A friend sent me a picture of a hog of a 23” trout, and another landed two steelhead (or steelhead sized trout (?). Euro nymphing seems to be particularly effective. Two other friends from Portland landed a dozen 11”-16” trout on - get this - mayfly spinners. So, after a poor summer of trout fishing, the Wallowa has come back in spades!!!!
9/30/19: The rain has brought the water level up, but still easy to wade. I caught two dinks and then hooked a 18 to 20 incher, and employed my famous long release technique. Raining again today, but hopefully it will clear into Indian summer. October caddis hatching, some stretches heavy hatch.
9/13/19: More reports of big rainbows. Cool nights are evidently making the trout feel like eating. October caddis cases in the rivers, so it won’t be long until they hatch.
9/8/19: Soaking rain today. Fishing has been good, and the rain might bring the steelhead up from the Snake, if there are some waiting to come up to spawn.
9/5/19: Two reports of 20 inch plus rainbows in the canyon section. Smaller fish in the Minam. All caught on hoppers. Cooler nights having an effect.
8/29/19: Cooler nights are helping the fishing. Steelhead smolt are growing up a little, to nine inches. Wading is easy. As he weather cools fishing should pick up.
8/16/19: The Wallowa remains pretty low and warm. Some caddis and mayflies in the evenings, but fishers are still working pretty hard for mostly smaller fish.
8/1/19: Remains fair to poor for med - larger trout. But consider the Imnaha River (“good” for trout and bull trout) - see Imnaha Report.
7/29/19: Several more reports have come in regarding the fishing yesterday. Two experienced fishers reported working fairly hard for there fish on Sunday.
The weather was hot and there was a breeze in the evening. Water levels were perfect. One fished in the morning and one in the evening. Both reported virtually no hatches - a few #14/16 tan caddis in the evening; a couple small mayflies #18; and a few large hoppers. Several techniques were tried: swinging minnow patterns on sink tips; standard nymphing under strike indicators; and dry flies when shade was on the water. each technique produced at least one fish in the 8” - 12” range (four in all), and perhaps 10 or more fish in the 6” - 7” range.
7/29/19: The river has dropped dramatically in the last two weeks. It can be waded across in many places, BUT IT IS VERY SLIPPERY AND CLEATED BOOTS AND/OR A STAFF IS RECOMMENDED. Stone flies have given way to caddis, a variety of may flies, and hoppers. Try dries if fish are rising, or go straight to nymphs (with or without a strike indicator, Euro nymphed, or strip streamers). Fishing has been generally good - especially in the evening.
7/10/19: Fishing remains fair to good. The river is too high to wade across, but fishers with cleats and/or wading staffs are making it to a few islands, and wading along the bank. Salmon flies are starting to wane, but still plenty of caddis, green drakes, etc. Fish both pockets and riffles. A prince nymph with a small dropper will generally produce fish.
6/29/19: Some crazy big fish being caught on the Wallowa - salmon/golden stones/yellow sallys. Check out the comments below.
6/29/19: copy email: saw green and yellow Sallies, I think. Green were bigger than what I had with me, maybe a 12 or 14. Yellows more like 16. I had more fish on the sally on Tuesday. Monday was all Goldens, all dry, mostly in heavy water close to the bank. The biggest fish would have been big in Missoula and really big in Maupin. I wish I’d taken pics. It’s a first-class stream.
06/29/19: copy email: Cought these this morning all along the hwy. Lots of golden stones and a few salmonflies around. The biggest one is 27" and probably 7 lbs. What a fantastic morning. I lost a few real big ones also and landed several between 12" and 19".
06/24/19: copy email: Ive enjoyed your reports for a long time, and thought I’d share: definitely some golden stones on the Wallowa, along the road. Sallies, too. Fish were tuned into both bugs, yesterday and today, during the hottest part of the day. Monday was crazy. I can’t believe how good the river is. I can’t believe it took so long for me to get there. Outstanding!
06/26/19: Things are happening quickly now. Just had a report of approx 6 boats on the Wallowa Sunday. Stone flies were active and plentiful during the day and, according to one angler, big fish were being caught and were seen rolling on naturals. Each year we catch some of our biggest trout out of the high water. AND, just in: this morning a flyfisher caught two 17”-18” bows fishing a somewhat shallow rifle using a black Kaufman stone (or use a pat’s rubber leg or large prince). He was fishing 7:00 - 10:00 am and the stones weren’t hatching that early.
06/24/19: Finally, some trout are being caught on Wallowa! The following is an email I got this morning re the evening of 6/24: “Fished the canyon 4-6 pm windy 70 degrees. Water conditions - green color but clearing, fast and cold. The fish are hungry, aggressive takes if you can find the right seam. Standard dry/dropper summer rig. I caught 8 or 10 and broke off a quality 12”+ fish trying to land it without a net (when will I learn).
There should salmon flies and/or golden stones on the bank. We have had numerous reports of then on the Ronde not far from the Wallowa. Would like a report to confirm this.
06/01/19: Hola, Hola. Yes we are still in business - just a little late getting our fishing reports online. But it really doesn’t matter - we had a 140% snow pack and the rivers will be blown-out for some time. A few stone flies are starting to show-up, so I will let you know when the river is clear enough to walk the bank casting big foam patterns. I caught some of the biggest rainbows of the year last year (16” - 20”) doing just that in June.
Otherwise Kinney and Wallowa Lake are fishing well if the wind isn’t blowing.
I will be gone 6/1 - 6/9. You can call the shop, but the next report will be made when get back. Thanks, Rob
10/09/18: The Wallowa River in the canyon has continued to fish good this past week - dries if you prefer. It rained all night last night and is snowing in Joseph today. So, we will have to watch water levels this week.
10/5/18: Finally - got back from my motorcycle trip over the Himalayas. The good news is the Wallowa is fishing well - and there are very few fishers. Oct caddis are out in full force. Try dry droppers, double nymph set-ups, or streamers. Look for the big bows (is that a big Wallowa trout or an early steelhead ????).
9/5/18: DURING SEPTEMBER CALL THE SHOP FOR CURRENT REPORT: 541-432-4343
9/1/18: Good fall fishing!
8/29/18: Cool nights, a few rains to raise and cool the rive, seventy degree temps, October
8/20/18: Some nice cool rains the last couple of days has only improved the fishing. Fish rapids, riffles, and shaded holes under trees. Biggest fish being caught on small nymphs on the bottom. However, dry fly fishing has also been good throughout the day - both mayfly and caddis hatches (just look around when you reach the river). Hopper droppers also good.
8/8/18: Actually ---- the Wallowa is fishing pretty well. I caught four trout on a dry fly yesterday in about half an hour - riding down the river and fishing from my horse. Trout are concentrated in riffles, rapids and shady areas under trees.
8/1/18: NEW REPORT! Cooler temps and an effort to divert more water into the Wallowa River has helped cool water temps. So, feel free to fish early morning, or late evening, or if water temps stay below 70 degrees during the day, fish all day. Fish are confined to deeper, oxygenated water. Make sure to land and release fish quickly - to avoid stress.
7/26/18: Awfully low - about as low as we have seen for this time of year. We do not have a water temp, but has to be pushing 70 mid day. We recommend fishing only in the morning and evening to avoid stress on the trout. Trout are in the riffles and fast water looking for oxygen. They seem reluctant to take dries, so bh prince nymphs, etc seem to be working best. ODFW says it is doubtful they will close the river due to temps - thanks to most fishers being mindful of daytime water temps.
7/21/18 Wait a minute. Have had a couple good reports of trout fishing on the Wallowa last two days. Need someone to take the the water temperature late afternoon. Perhaps our cool night time temps (upper forties) and reasonable daily highs (upper seventies/lower eighties are holding water temps for now. Will report when river temps near seventies. Best to fish early AM, late PM.
7/20/18: ALERT. The river has dropped about two feet since the last report. I would rate fishing during the day as poor. The deepest pools are mostly less than three feet deep - where do the fish go (?) - upstream, downstream, hide under trees and don't feed. Best fishing is early morning and late evening. Still plenty of caddis and mayfly hatches, and hoppers coming on. We will start having to monitor stream temps to see if the river is too warm - will stress the fish too much. Come in and we will try to send you to some mountain streams where you can target small bows and brook trout.
7/12/18: The Wallowa continues to drop and is at perfect levels for fishing AND careful wadding (it's a very slippery river - use cleats and a wadding staff). The trout success rate seems to depend partly on the skill of the flyfisher. Everyone seems to be catching the smaller fish (6" - 9"), some are catching a few more over 10", and the best are still finding some of the big boys (15"+). Try a dry fly (foam ?) with a sz 16 dropper. Lots of caddis (swarms at times), BWO and other mayflies, and, strangely, still some golden stones.
7/4/18: The Wallowa has dropped sharply the last few days. A flyfisher reported crossing the river a number of times in the canyon. He also had pictures of two thick fish in the 18" range - nymphing with a big stone and a size 16 dropper. He claims to have lost a trout over 20".
6/29/18: Speaking with a guide today, he said that the warm weather yesterday afternoon resulted in bugs everywhere: golden stones, caddis, BWO and other smaller mayflies. As the weather continues to warm this week expect good fishing. The surprise is that the river remains so high - too high to wade except along the bank. Expect it to drop soon, followed by great July fishing
6/27/18 Went fishing yesterday evening - it was slow and nobody was fishing. Water is as high as two weeks ago and the only wading is right along bank. Stone flies are gone, replaced with a good mid-afternoon dark brown sz 12 caddis hatch. The trout showed little interest in them. We caught a variety of small trout in the 6" - 11" range, but had to work for them even with dropper nymphs. A couple guides floating the river also reported slow fishing - none of the big fish we caught on salmon flies a couple weeks ago. Watch for a drop in cfs. We will try to report any improvements.
6/19/18: Another good afternoon on the water: four fish 14" - 18" on salmon flies plus 8" - 12" fish. Storm moved in and I didn't see salmon flies on the water/bushes. It seemed pretty slow after 4:30, but another angler said he did pretty good on a 14 prince to 6:30. Hope the river continues to drop and day temps warm to encourage more hatches. Could be a good weekend.
6/18/18: Wow - perhaps some of the best dry fly action for big fish (15" to 20" thick hogs) I have had on the Wallow in years. Not a lot of fish, but I was wading upstream along grass banks casting 15' upstream within 3' of the bank. I walked a fair distance between small holding pockets. You can double your catch by dropping a sz 16/14 15" under your big foam salmon fly pattern. No stinkin rattlesnakes or crowds needed for premier salmon fly fishing.
6/16/18: ALERT!!!!! Everyone that has driven by the Wallowa in the Canyon this past week has assured me that recent rains have left the river too high to fish. Until yesterday - a friend and excellent flyfisher from Bend, gave it a try. With salmon flies/golden stones plentiful, he tied on an orange crystal stimulator and ..... had a great evening of fishing. Being the Deschutes Salmon Fly expert he is, he cast upstream within 3 feet of the bank and dead drifted the fly back down stream. Besides catching a number of Wallowa "hogs," he caught a nice range of trout - 12" - 16" and 8" - 10". He commented on how feisty the fish were. He fished from about 5:00 to 7:00 in the evening. More rain is expected tomorrow, but .... PS I was just told that the above report was probably good timing in that the river had dropped and cleared after last weeks rains.
6/6/18: Yawn .... Sorry kids, we were a little late crawling out of our cave this spring. But, up to now, the Wallowa has been raging - pretty normal for this time of year. However, the mountain tributaries have dropped quickly the last few weeks. The high country trails are starting to open up to hikers.
A few fly fishers are starting to pick away at the banks of the Wallowa with nymphs. In a week (or better, two weeks) float fishing or fishing from the bank should pick-up. It will probably be July before you can wade across the river.
Salmon flies and Golden Stonesare moving quickly up the Grand Ronde and should hit the Wallowa before long. However, Wallowa trout seem to be slow to feed on them. All the same, a stimulator with a touch of orange is probably the number one dry fly year-round.
Still, the best way to trick a Wallowa trout is with a BH prince nymph, with a sz 16 dropper, below a strike indicator. Trout on the Wallowa can reach 20". This high water is a good time to find them. Consider using a sx 2-4 black bh woolly bugger with green crystal flash, or even a dali llama.