Spring Hatch Report

This spring has brought chaotic weather and water conditions.  Cooler than average weather has kept our rivers from warming until the past few days. Cold water and persistent cloud cover has retarded the hatch cycle. The salmonfly hatch may be a week or two later than average, but the big nymphs are migrating toward the shore on the Yakima and Deschutes. In some places flying adults are already out. In spite of the late spring, hatches are coming off as they have for millions of years...at their own discretion.  Several species of

stoneflies and mayflies are the main fare on most rivers in the Pacific Northwest, which provides great spring fisheries.  The big  golden stones and salmonflies get the most attention and anglers often over-look the smaller olive stones and hatches of mahogany duns and pale morning duns.  It's understandable. You can fish the river any way you want to.  Fishing trout during the salmon fly hatch has got to be one of the most visually exciting piscatorial pursuits.  The flies are huge. You can see them.  The trout come to the surface with real aggression.  The take of your fly

often throws water in the air.  Salmonflies are the biggest insects that our trout feed on.  It takes force from most fish to bring them down!  Salmon flies  hatch en masse.  The streamside vegetation gets covered with resting , crawling, mating, giant, harmless insects.  All of the spring hatches of stoneflies crawl out of the water onto a solid surface and then shed their nymphal skin while at the same time becoming air-breathing. This huge population of insects is condensed at the waters edge in a vertical layer, from the grass to the tree tops. In some ways a day on the Deschutes River is like a journey in a time-machine in which you are transported to the "coal age" 200-million years ago.  There were stone flies then like the ones that Redside trout find so tasty now.  According to out scientists, there were salmonflies long before there were trout to eat them.  It can be somewhat humbling to realize that you may be participating in the 200-millionth annual salmonfly

hatch. There may have been more than 199.95-million hatches that happened before man took notice of them.  Fishing the salmonfly hatch is eye-opening when you consider the scope of it.  Yet, you and the trout and the salmonflies are caught up in the wonder of it all, the continuum.  During the salmon fly hatch you will experience a combination of bird sounds unavailable at any other time.  This is because our avian friends also cherish the wealth of protein made available by this bounty that emerges from the river.  It is nesting and feeding time.  It is spring.  The border

of the river is covered with lush vegetation. The air ranges from rain and wind, interspersed with moments of intense heat and humidity as the sun breaks through holes in the clouds.  The air itself is charged with the scent of billions of large insect bodies breathing.  The salmonfly hatch on this river has its own distinctive odor. It is most apparent in the late morning as the sun climbs over the canyon walls, but before morning breezes.  At this time air is soft and heavy, yet invigorating.  As the sunlight reaches the canyon floor and the air temperature rises, the big stoneflies; salmonflies and golden stones begin their activity of mating and laying eggs.  Some land on the water.  Others simply fall on the water.  The trout know this cycle.  They too have been involved for millions of years.  It is breakfast time.  You see the first splashy rise of the day and begin your stalk; watching and waiting and getting

We Have Rods (hundreds of them in stock).
At The Fly Fishing Shop, we stock several hundred fly fishing rods from such renowned makers as Sage, Winston, G. Loomis, Thomas & Thomas, C.F. Burkheimer, Echo, Beulah and Temple Fork Outfitters.  Rod sizes vary from 00-weights for catching tiny pan fish & trout to 16-weights for landing monster fish that live in the world's oceans. This rod selection was built on customer demand. The companies represented here, not only build high-performance rods, but also take care of business after the sale with high-speed warrantee systems.  This way you are assured of competent & quick repair-work if you need it. The rods are warehoused for immediate delivery to you anywhere in the world.  Pictured in the rod store-room is Roger Shearer, who is always glad to help you select the right rod for your needs, and then ship it to you in the quickest & most economical way possible. We ship to anywhere in; North America, South America, Europe, Asia,  Australia, New Zealand and Africa.
Feel free to make your selection now: Fly Fishing Rods