The Metolius River offered a lot of good days again this past week, with Eggs, Caddis Pupa, Jig Napoleon and Green Drake Nymphs absolutely top producers. Part of the mystery of the Met is hatches. Why in the world are they not more consistent? But I will go back to the report I wrote 5 or 6 weeks ago and the expectation of a good hatch because the spring weather is good. It just doesn’t align like that, so I would put a buck on the fact that this week with the fronts coming through, cloudy days and even some spitting snow and rain showers we will indeed see better dry fly action.
For dry flies this week #18-20 BWO Film Critics, Sparkle Dun, Parachutes, #16-18 Purple Comparaduns, #14-16 Yellow Sparkle Duns, Soft Hackles, Drymerger, Softmerger, Comparaduns. Keep an eye on Caddis and a Tan Iris #16, Corn Fed #16, Henryville #16-18 and a Big Orange pattern in a #8-12 ought to cover you. That’s 10 or 11 dries or emergers that will match anything you might run into if the fish rise between noon and 6PM. Hmmmm, is the 6PM comment a clue. Perhaps. Look for Cinygmula hatches to be important as we slide into the 4th month later in the day, maybe around dinner time near Allingham Bridge.
Bull Trout fishing is quite good on larger jig streamers nymphed, or articulated streamers swung or stripped. This is an 8 weight game with those larger streamers and for the respect of the fish to battle them safely to the net and back to the river.