Fly Fish Oregon Water Time Report

Clackamas River Report

2012-03-09T07:23:00.000-08:00

With snow in the lower hills surrounding the Clackamas basin, the water has been cold. Mount Hood has a fresh blanket of snow and we recently had snow on the river earlier in the week. As of this week in March the snow pack is at 99% of what we need for the season. Those are good things for the summer water flows and for our fish come summer and fall. It also means that our water has been very cold. That can make getting fish on the swing a bit tough.

Today was a good day on the Clack. It was a sunny day with air temps in the 60's! I wore a tee-shirt most of the day. How good it was to feel sun on my skin.

We ended up the day with 6 hookups and 2 fish on spey rods. One fish was our first summer steelhead of 2012! You can tell these chrome hot rockets are summer steelhead by the fin clippings. These hatchery origin fish have their adipose fin clipped as well as their right maxillary fin clipped.

Chrome bright wild fish in March

First summer steelhead for my boat in 2012.

Note the right maxillary clipping.

Good luck on the Water!

Rob Crandall

The Tug is the Drug

www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Bananas Can't Stop Coastal Steelhead

2012-03-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

With heavy rain to start the day off we launched the boat on one of our favorite March streams. With not one person around we wondered about our sanity as we floated down river. Why is no one here? Is this supposed to be a terrible storm and we missed the report? With heads down and our hoods up we slogged through the first few holes with out a single tug.

A slow morning start and driving rain the outlook was starting to seem as gray as the sky. Then Henry pulled out a morning snack. A BANANA of all things! Now as many may know there has long been a distinct animosity between fishing guides and banannas in the boat. Many urban legends talk of banannas effectively killing any bite. Many salmon fishing guides host "No Banana" stickers in their boat.

Imagine our dismay when we realized the bananna on board was killing our morning fishing in the wild, windy driving rain.

After eating that morning banana, things began to change. We started hooking fish, the sun came out, angels sang and we landed some dandy steelhead! So if you ever find a banana in your boat, quickly dispose of it, wash your hands and get back to fishing.

Henry learns about Bananna fishing legends

Kirk's biggest wild steelhead

Henry's big one!

Gabe's first steelhead!

Come join the fun.

Rob Crandall

The Tug is the drug.

www.watertimeoutfitters.com

March Special Dates Available Now

2012-03-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

Hello All,
I am offering some more dates for the special rate of 250$ in March. These trips are 6 hour trips for up to two people floating one or more of the several rivers in the North Coast area. We will either be in my 17' aluminum drift boat with level floors or in my 14' white water raft for the more adventurous souls. Last month's specials were simply fantastic for all who took advantage of them. We will fish the system that is producing the best results each day. Last month those rivers were the Kilchis, Trask and Nestucca Rivers. The Wilson River should really start to heat up in the coming days as well. All gear such as rods reels and flies are provided but you are welcome to bring your own. All you will need is waders, rain gear and plenty of energy to battle these super agressive hard fighting fish! We often experience some fantastic weather this time of year at the coast and it typically feels like spring has sprung in March around Tillamook. I expect to have pictures of chrome fish and anglers wearing summer shirts on at least a few of these dates. Come and join me in the quest for monster chrome steelhead this March.

Dates Available: March 12th through the 15th and 19th through the 22nd

A happy angler with his first chrome coastal steelhead. These dates are likely to fill up quickly. Contact me as soon as possible for the best availability at 541-419-7778.

Gil Muhleman
Water Time Outfitters
The Tug Is The Drug
http://www.watertimeoutfitters.com/
541-419-7778

February North Coast Steelhead

2012-03-02T11:43:00.001-08:00

What an amazing month February turned out to be! Today is just the second of March and March is my favorite time to fish the North Coast! I just finished 12 days in the Tillamook area. Unfortunately I was unable to get internet access at the place that I stay so here is a report for the entire trip.

I was fortunate to have many fantastic people fish with me during this trip and catch fish they did!

We found some large fish

We found several large chrome fish

Several of my guests landed their first steelhead!

Most fish were absolutely chrome and really hot upon getting a fly stuck in their face. Some fish were simply unlandable as they went deep into the backing on their first run and found debris near the shore. One particular fish must have jumped at least 2 feet out of the water 7 times during the fight. Many of the trips resulted in double digit hook ups in just 6 hours of fishing!

I will be posting a few more pictures and some more details from this past two weeks tomorrow evening. At this time I will be announcing another special for the month of March with the dates I still have available.
Tight lines,

Gil Muhleman
The Tug Is The Drug

The Tug is the Drug

2012-02-25T21:53:00.000-08:00

Water Time Outfitters is pleased to introduce a popular reflectionof our passion in our new DECAL and T-Shirt. For anglers everywhere the saying is so true-“The Tug is the Drug”. These items just new to the market have already been a big hit. Those who are addicted to steelhead fishinglike we are will have to own these great products. Click here for ordering info.

Decal is top quality waterproof material greatfor the fishing rig, boat, and thermos or rod tube. Approximate size is 4 X 6". Cost is $3.00

T-Shirts:

Made from Gildan’s 6.1 oz pre-shrunk 100%cotton these shirts are both comfortable and functional. Top quality printing process delivers a lookof quality on a shirt that has a fit and feel of comfort. WaterTime Outfitter logo is on the front left with Steelhead Flyfishing – TheTug is the Drug on the back.

Cost: $19.99Med, Large, XL $21.99 XXL

Back of the T-shirt

We love it and hope you will too! Great for a gift and excellent for the angler who thought they had it all. Click here for more info.

Oregon Winter Steelhead Fishing

2012-02-25T21:35:00.001-08:00

Winter Steelhead fishing has been excellent in the month of February on the North Coast streams in Oregon that Water Time Outfitter guides have been working. We have had excellent results on the Wilson, Trask, Kilches and North Fork Nehalem Rivers. Both wild and hatchery fish have been present in excellent numbers.

This year North Fork of the Nehalem is having a record year for hatchery steelhead. So far they have collected over 3800 fish in the hatchery trap. That is almost double an average year!

Here's a couple recent fish. Come join us! www.watertimeoutfitters.com

The TUG is the Drug!

Dam Removal - White Salmon and Elwha Rivers

2012-02-16T19:34:00.001-08:00

This is an amazing video showing the before and after on the White Salmon River and the Elwha river in Washington. Check out the amazing change from the before and after. Unleashing the river and opening water to wild salmon and steelhead to fulfill their natural place is a great thing.

Elwha and White Salmon Dam Removal Video

North Fork Nehalem Mid- February

2012-02-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

Fished the NF Nehalem, an Oregon Coastal stream, yesterday with the water low and clear. There are a lot of fish around and we saw plenty of fish hiding in the deep spots. A good amount of the fish we saw were darker fish but we did see a fair amount of chrome bright fish still. With water conditions so low and clear our approach had to be spot on. We enjoyed a beautiful day with clear skies, sun and some fun steelhead action. With conditions like this don't forget to scale down your fly size and use flourocarbon leaders.

An interesting thing happened yesterday as we prepared the raft to launch. A helicopter on a trailer pulled into the NF Nehelem hatchery. It then proceeded to fire up and take off from the hatchery. We later learned that the ODFW was operating an elk population study in the hills nearby. We guessed that with the dusting of snow on the mountains the elk would be much easier to spot.

Stack mending to a specific slot produced this fish on the edge of fast water.

Good luck on the water. Come join us some time www.watertimeoutfitters.com See our other NF Nehalem trips info Click here for more NF Nehalem info

Steelhead Fly Fishing: The Tug is the Drug

Glad to be Back on the Water

2012-02-13T21:07:00.000-08:00

After 5 days of the Sportsman Show it was nice to be back on the water today. After an afternoon spey casting lesson working the in's and out's of the double spey, single spey, c-cast, snap-t and others Wes had about 30 minutes left to focus on his fishing. The water temperature was 41-1/2 degrees with the water level hovering at 13' (at the Estacada gauge). Finally after a tough battle this beauty was landed. We were almost locked in at the park because this hard fighting wild fish did'nt want to give up! Rob Crandall. www.watertimeoutfitters.com Steelhead Fly Fishing: The Tug is the Drug!

Come See us at the Portland Show!

2012-02-08T06:12:00.000-08:00

Water Time Outfitters will be at the Portland Sportsman Show Feb 8-12, 2012. Stop by booth 1349 along the fly casting pond and say hello. We look forward to catching up with you and showing you some of the things we've been working on. You'll see our new decal and t-shirts as well as some great classes and schools we are providing for this coming year.

Hope to see you there!

Rob Crandall & Gil Muhleman

Here are some of the highlights we're offering that you'll see at the show:

Winter Steelhead Boot Camp - Special package during the heat of the season in March, stay on the Wilson river and fish the Tillamook area. Learn spey casting, presentation, rigging and much more!

Deschutes Steelhead Boot Camp- Special package is during the heat of the season in September, stay in our comfortable camp on the river and learn spey casting, presentation, rigging and much more!

Gil's February Special - Fish with Gil on the Oregon North Coast Feb 18-29 for only $250 per day for 2 people- see details. Wilson, Trask, Kilches or other rivers at prime time!

Check our our new Decal for your rig, boat, thermos, rod tube or fly box. This is a 4x6" oval heavy vinyl decal made for the outdoors with our favorite saying on it "The Tug is the Drug" You can be the proud owner of this decal: Click here for more info or to purchase.

This is our new T-shirt. It features the "Tug is the Drug" message with the same great fish as we show on the decal. Buy it now at the show for only $15.00 and get a decal free. Or you can order it online as well. Tug is the Drug T-shirt

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Clackamas 1/2 Day Special Winter Steelhead trips

2012-02-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

Today, a first for Royce- a winter steelhead on the fly rod! We offer 1/2 day float trips on the Clackamas River custom tailered to what you want to do. Today Royce wanted to learn to spey cast and try a few spots for steelhead. We worked on spey casting most of the morning and fished our way to the boat ramp.

This dandy wild fish gave him a run for his money and at that Royce was only out $125 for a 4 hour trip.

Get some friends together and enjoy this before work special or afternoon on the water for only $100 per person. $125 for a single.

Call Rob for details 503-704-6449

www.watertimeoutfitters.com Check out Steelhead Fly Fishing: "The Tug is the Drug"

Something A Little Different

2012-02-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

Greetings all,

Well with Super Bowl weekend Ally and I went to visit friends in Eastern Oregon. Knowing that there are still some Steelhead in the rivers that way I just happened to slip in a couple rods. I know that the weekend was a very busy one on the Coastal Streams and was pleasantly surprised to find several willing fish to the East without any other anglers! This is a reminder to us all that sometimes thinking outside the box results in an uncrowded experience and great times for all. The following are pictures from Saturdays outing with a couple of my great friends:

We ended the day hooking 10 fish and landing 8. Many of these fish were wild and when there was not a good place to quickly land and release them we focused on getting them back home without risking a picture.

Gil Muhleman

Water Time Outfitters

541-419-7778

THE TUG IS THE DRUG

North Coast Steelhead Special

2012-02-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

Greetings all,
I will be instructing another Winter Steelhead Workshop in Tillamook on Sunday February 19th. You can see results from the last class further down on this blog site. I currently have a little space for this class where I devulge many of my secrets. This information has taken me a lifetime to develop and it has proven successful for myself, those who fish with me and certainly for those who have taken this course previously.

Eric's First Winter Steelhead Ever Caught Last Week

If you are interested and have the opportunity to get out and experience this fantastic fishery please give me a call.

Remember to keep an eye on the blog as I will continue to update it with fishing reports and updates on other opportunities.

Gil Muhleman

Water Time Outfitters

541-419-7778

THE TUG IS THE DRUG

Winter Steelhead Fly Fishing Boot Camp

2012-02-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

Brought to you by Water Time Outfitters is the "Boot Camp" of Winter Steelhead Fly Fishing. Get started fly fishing for winter steelhead with the right tools and instruction for success. Great for beginners or advanced anglers who want to fine-tune their skills; or the summer steelhead angler who wants to learn what winter fishing is all about. This course covers spey casting, specific approaches to fishing techniques, rigging, reading water, fly selection, fly tying and much more!

This action packed special provides all your meals, lodging, equipment as needed, instruction and guided fishing. We'll have over 20 fly lines for you to fine tune your set-up or use ours. Waders and boots are available as well.

Our on river lodging gives us the prefect launching point for an itinerary packed with learning. Conveniently located right on the Wilson River we have the option of fishing five different rivers most only minutes away.

This action packed adventure is provided by full time guides Rob Crandall and Gil Muhleman, our years of instruction and guiding experience will be a breath of fresh air for those confused or intimidated by the complexities of fly fishing. We'll be eating, sleeping and breathing steelhead fly fishing giving you plenty of time to unravel the confusion and mystery of fly gear and techniques. Learn what the expression means when you hear "The Tug is the Drug" of steelhead fly fishing.

This boot camp timing is set for the peak of the winter run steelhead on the Oregon coast. Both wild and hatchery steelhead are available at this time of year. Learn what it takes to catch and land steelhead on the fly rod with this excellent class format.

Winter Steelhead Boot Camp 2012 cost is only $550

March 10 & 11

Space is very limited - reserve your spot now: 503-704-6449
www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Steelhead Fishing the Clackamas River

2012-02-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

Having grown up on the Clackamas River I have seen a lot of changes in the river. Over the years the run timings have changed, the pressure has changed and of course the river bed has changed. Many years ago I used to catch bass and bluegill in ponds that became the new river channel in the 1996 flood. As a river changes the angler needs to keep up to speed to be at best prepared for fishing success. Here is a current breakdown of important aspects about fishing the Clackamas River for steelhead.

The Clackamas River has both hatchery and wild steelhead. Various strains of steelhead are in the Clackamas River nearly year-round. For our winter steelhead runs we basically have 3 strains to pay attention to. First returning is the Eagle creek strain. These fish return to the Eagle creek hatchery a tributary of the Clackamas river. Prime time to catch these fish in the Clackamas river is from Dec 15th through January. Our other steehead in the Clackamas are our wild steelhead. These fish start into the river as early as December but are most prevalent in the months of Feb, Mar, April and into May. These fish spawn in upper basin tributaries and some are main stem spawners. Gravel reintroduction by PGE in 2012 should help restore some historic spawning areas that have had less than desirable gravel sizes for years. The third strain of fish found on the Clackamas system are the broodstock steelhead. These hardy fish are based off the wild run. Wild fish are trapped at the Casadero dam fish trap and some are used for this hatchery program. As it has been described to me by biologist Todd Alsbury these wild steelhead are live spawned and returned back into the river. The broodstock steelhead are released at various locations on the river.

(An early summer run from 2011- note maxillary clipping)

The other steelhead stock in the Clackamas system are our summer run fish. This strain is called the Skamania summer run. These are early returningsummer fish that often start showing up in March and then build into early June. These are aggressive strong fighting fish. They do not spawn until the following winter/spring and enter the river with a healthy layer of life sustaining fats.

The way we tell the difference in these stocks of fish is by the fin clippings. Broodstock steelhead are currently only adipose fin clipped. Hatchery summer steelhead are adipose and maxillary clipped and Eagle creek fish have an adipose and ventral fin clipped.

Clackamas River Video Clip: http://youtu.be/0kPfngl8zmk

For more information on fishing the Clackamas River visit our website: www.watertimeoutfitters.com or see other blog postings on this blog site. "The Tug is the Drug!"

Record Steelhead Run- NF Nehalem

2012-02-04T06:33:00.000-08:00

We've been catching a lot of fish this year, so we know its been good but now we know how good. The NF Nehalem hatchery is reporting a record run of winter steelhead for the 2011/2012 run. So far to the hatchery they have received 3060 steelhead. That is the all time best return for any year on the NF. Why is that such a great number? Remember the NF is a small body of water. Also, add in that there may have been at least half that number in harvested fish. I know we've harvested a good number this year.

NF Nehalem Video - 2012 http://youtu.be/mpu5V2kexHk

In addition to good returns to the hatchery, it appears that the wild steelhead run which tend to return later to the system have had a good early showing. Just recently there were 4 wild fish landed on the disabled platform at the hatchery. We have caught wild fish on nearly every trip as well. That bodes well for the later, prime time for wild fish.

We hope this record run translates to other steelhead returns on our other favorite rivers and often when its good for one batch of steelhead in the ocean, its good for the whole region.

For more info on fishing the NF Nehalem see our other blog posts or visit: www.watertimeoutfitters.com See our Steelhead fly fishing decal and T-shirt : The Tug is the Drug

2012 Winter Steelhead One For The Books?

2012-02-02T06:12:00.000-08:00

Hello fellow steelheaders,

What an amazing season of Winter Steelhead fishing thus far!!! December began with no rain and severely low clear water. I did my secret rain dance at the holidays and boy did I ever over shoot the goal. While there has been a lot of water this January there have been absolutely fantastic opportunities with possibly my best catch numbers ever. Remember that small streams like the Kilchis, NF Nehalem, Eagle Creek and others clear very quickly. These streams typically fish best when larger streams are still off color and too high to fish. For those of you wondering what to do this weekend, other than watch superbowl commercials, you may consider heading to the Oregon Coast. Rivers like the Wilson and Trask will be at fishable conditions. These rivers have rarely been fishable in January and are loaded full of chrome Steelhead right now!!!

Saturday I taught a Winter Steelhead class in Tillamook. Those who attended got a lot of great information about the area rivers and were shown a few of my favorite sweet spots. Two class participants joined me for a half day on Sunday. It is alway a treat for me to guide anglers into their first ever Winter Steelhead. Brett got things started with this beautiful chromer.

Not to be out done, Eric added a few more as we managed to hook 7 with 4 magnificent fish to hand.

For those of you who attended this class, all of these fish were caught on the Trask River in the area I told you was the transition zone.

Good luck to all and I look forward to fishing with you soon,

Gil Muhleman

Water Time Outfitters

541-419-7778

Flyfishing & Tying Journal - Spring issue

2012-01-31T21:55:00.000-08:00

Arriving in mailboxes today and on newsstands soon the Spring issue of Flyfishing & Tying Journal is one not to miss. This issue is packed with great stuff from small stream strategies, lake fishing tips, entomology and amazing fly tying sections. Check it out or better yet, subscribe! Click here for more info.

Nothing But Chrome- NF Nehalem Report

2012-01-31T21:31:00.000-08:00

The NF Nehalem continues to produce chrome bright hatchery fish like this one caught on Jan 27th. Water levels and clarity have been good. The hatchery reports good numbers of fish continuing to return back to the hatchery. Wild fish have been caught as well.

Enjoy the thrill of steelhead fly fishing on the NF Nehalem; as they say, "The Tug is the Drug! " Our favorite way to catch steelhead is on the swung fly. A few specific spots on the NF are custom made for this. However, most fly fishing is done with floating lines and strike indicators. Fly patterns are often simple egg patterns. Pink, cerise, white, orange, salmon egg, peach are all productive colors on the NF.

Only hatchery steelhead can be kept on the NF. Most years the limit is 2 fish per person. Here the successful anglers of the day show off their catch as well as the camera man's.

Come join us for a fun float on the NF Nehalem river! Click here for more info. www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Winter Steelhead Workshop Report

2012-01-31T21:14:00.000-08:00

Our Tillamook area Winter Steelhead Workshop instructed by Gil Muhleman had a beautiful day on Saturday. Not only did the normal Tillamook rain decide not to show up but the sun actually made an appearance.

Water Time Outfitters instructor Gil Muhleman did a great job sharing his intimate knowledge of the Wilson, Trask and Kilches rivers near Tillamook, OR.

Our morning strategy talk by Gil was detailed and comprehensive and the coffee wasn't that bad either. Casting and fishing strategies, lunch and a complete tour of fishable access points on the three rivers makes for a full day.

Thank you Gil for a great job!

If you'd like to learn more about Steelhead fly fishing or our steelhead workshops click on these links or visit our website at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com "The Tug is the Drug"

Good for the River- A New Recipe

2012-01-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

After a few days away on the Oregon coast slaying steelhead I came home tonight to a wonderful meal my bride prepared. This was an interesting new dish that I had never seen before. I loved it and think that you might like it as well. Its a very healthy dish and if you fish the Deschutes river with us, you might get to try it; better yet, try this recipe and enjoy it now!

Raw Vegetable Salad

1-1/2 cup of minced cauliflower
1/4 cup celery minced
2- green onion stalks minced
1- mini Red pepper minced
1- mini Orange pepper minced
1- cooked bacon strip chopped to small pieces
2- table spoons chopped dried cranberries
2-3 table spoons feta cheese

Dressing:
2- tablespoons olive oil
2-1/2 teaspoons Rasberry Balsamic Vinegar (substitute regular Balsamic vinegar)
1- minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon seasalt (or to taste)

Mix together and let flavors meld in a small serving dish for 1-2 hours

Enjoy!

NF Nehalem Report

2012-01-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

We've had our share of high water in the last week. The good news is when rivers drop into shape there should be lots of steelhead to catch. Todays hatchery report for the NF Nehalem reveals that they worked the trap yesterday to find 642 steelhead have arrived into the trap at the hatchery most with-in the last few days. 118 of those fish have been recycled downstream to run the river again.

As the water drops fishing should be very good!

www.watertimeoutfitters.com See our new Steelhead Decal and T-shirt: The Tug is the Drug

ISE Show - Sacramento California

2012-01-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

We're finally here after 10 hours driving in the snow! We stopped by at Spirit River Fly company's warehouse and headquarters in Roseburg on the way. Wow! That's a lot of fly materials. You should have seen Gil drooling.

Beginning Fly Fishing - Deschutes River with Water Time Outfitters

2012-01-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

Beginning Fly Fishing Class: Reserve your Spot Now! 503-704-6449

Start your fly fishing right with good fundamentals and fun! This is a great course for the beginner, a gift, or fun for the whole family. Learn how to rig, tie knots, terminology, fly selection, what bugs fish eat, fly casting and more. 2 hour classroom session is followed by 1 hour casting class and 6 hour on water class. Learn to read water, casting basics, and fishing techniques. Enjoy the passion and fun of fly fishing!

Fee: $130

Minimum Students: 3

Location: Class held at Royal Treatment Fly shop, Fly casting lesson on local water, on water fishing session-Deschutes River, Maupin – walk-n-wade.

April 6-8 pm Classroom April Deschutes River (specific dates to be determined)

Call to reserve your spot: 503-704-6449

Spey Casting Classes

2012-01-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

Learn spey casting on the Clackamas River with seasoned spey casting expert Rob Crandall. Spey casting is one of the best tools fly anglers have available to them today increasing their odds of success with quick and efficient delivery of the fly. This casting style works well on single hand rods too.

Learn Skagit casting, Long belly lines and Scandi line casts. Try out a pile of different rods and over 40 fly lines. 4 hour class held on the Clackamas river. $60

Spey Casting Class- Feb 26 and through the season

Call for details. 503-704-6449

Fly Fishing Lakes Class by Water Time Outfitters

2012-01-13T07:50:00.000-08:00

Fly Fishing Lakes Class -Private Waters May, June,July 2012 9-5pm

Learn what it takes to catch trout in lakes with this one day well rounded, 8 hour, fly fishing school brought to you by Water Time Outfitters. There couldn’t be a much better place to get started in fly fishing than on the three private lakes at Rocky Ridge Ranch only 1 hour 45 minute drive from the Portland. Excellent populations of Rainbow trout thrive in these waters and our group will have all three lakes to ourselves as we cover fly fishing concepts. Rainbows 16-20 inches are common and some have been caught up to 30 inches! Get started fly fishing the right way or just advance your skills on some trophy trout waters. Come join the fun!
What’s Included:

· Beginners approach to fly fishing session- knots, terminology, rigging etc…

· Fly casting lesson- learn the basics of fly casting- overhead, roll cast, roll cast pickup, presentation casts and more

· Lake fly fishing techniques- dry fly, emerger, streamer and midge techniques

· Lake entomology lesson- learn what trout eat in lakes

· Guided fly fishing on a private trophy trout lake

· V-Boats and kick fins

· Big BBQ Lunch, soft drinks and water

Bring your lucky fishing hat and your camera you might catch the fish of a lifetime.

Our guarantee: We will work hard so you can learn as much as possible in this class on the great sport of fly fishing lakes. We will do our best to see that everyone catches fish and has an enjoyable day.

Fee per person: $195

Space is limited Reserve your spot today! Call 503-704-6449 www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Water Time Outfitters - Beginning Fly Fishing Class- Local

2012-01-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

Start your fly fishing right with good fundamentals and fun! This introduction to fly fishing is a great course for the beginner, a gift, or fun for the whole family. Professional guide of nearly 20 years and current editor of Flyfishing & Tying Journal - Rob Crandall shares his love of fly fishing instructing this starter course.

This one day session starts in the classroom at Royal Treatment Fly Shop in West Linn. After our introduction to fly fishing, knot tying, rigging and fish behavior we’ll head to our local water. There we’ll cover beginning fly casting, fly fishing techniques and strategies for trout. A get started class information packet is included.

This class covers:

Fly fishing terminology
Fly fishing knots
Proper rigging
Equipment
Fly selection
Fly casting
Entomology
On Water instruction

For this 6 hour course rods and reels are provided. Bring your waders/boots, fishing license, and lunch. This special class is being held: April 28, May and June 2012 – call for details.

Class Fee: Only $75.00

Class sizes are limited - please reserve your spot in advance.

Call 503-850-4397 or 503-704-6449

Water Time Outfitters Class/Seminar Schedule 2012

2012-01-12T15:56:00.000-08:00

It's January 2012 and we are looking forward to another great year. One of our true passions as fishing guides is introducing others to the sport that we love. Following is a class and activities schedule for 2012, tenative dates from January - May. These dates are subject to change. We look forward to helping you grow your skills or learn from the start the great sport of fly fishing.

January

Jan 14- Steelhead Fly fishing Seminar at Royal Treatment Fly shop
                         www.royaltreatmentflyfishing.com 503-850-4397

Jan 19,20,21,22 Come see us at the International Sportman Exposition in Sacramento We will be presenting on Jan 19 and 20

Jan 28 Winter Steelhead Workshop- Trask Wilson Kilches

February

Feb 4 Clackamas Chapter Trout Unlimited- On water presentation Clackamas River

Feb 8-12 Oloughlin Sport Show Portland

Feb 18 Winter Steelhead Seminar - Royal Treatment Fly Shop
                     www.royaltreatmentflyfishing.com 503-850-4397

Feb 19 Winter Steelhead Workshop Trask,Wilson,Kilches $100

Feb 25 Clackamas River Winter Steelhead Workshop- $100 call for details 503-704-6449

Feb 26 Spey Casting Class-4 hours on the water with Rob Crandall & Joel La Follette $60

Feb 28 Overlake Fly Club Presentation- Steelhead Fly Fishing Techniques - Bellview, WA
              contact: Dave Kuykendall 817-239-0795

March
Mar 3 Fly fishing Lakes Seminar - Royal Treatment Fly Shop 503-850-4397
            www.royaltreatmentflyfishing.com

Mar 10,11 Winter Steelhead Boot Camp - Wilson River House- Winter Steelhead fly fishing
                   call for details 503-704-6449

Mar 17 Clackamas River Steelhead Workshop $100 call for details 503-704-6449

Mar 25 Spey Casting Class held on the Clackamas River 4 Hours instruction $60
                  call for details 503-704-6449

April
Apr 8  Beginning Fly Casting Class 503-704-6449

Apr 14 Trout Fly Fishing Class Deschutes River $130 call for details

Apr 15 Lake Fly Fishing Class- Private Lakes $195 includes lunch call for details

Apr 28 Beginning Fly Fishing Class - class and on water 503-704-6449 $65

May
May 5 Lake Fly Fishing Class $195

May 6 Deschutes River Beginning Fly Fishing Class $130

May 12  Spring Fly fishing Presentation - Trout and Shad Royal Treatment Fly Shop

North Fork Nehalem Winter Steelhead Report

2012-01-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

The last 8 days has been very busy for Water Time Outfitters. Each day we've been working the emerald green waters of the NF Nehalem River. We fished our hearts out, enjoyed exciting whitewater rafting and then relaxed in the warm cabin each night right on the water. This week the stars have aligned, prayers have been answered and a few lucky anglers have been winning the "steelhead lotto". In other words fishing has been epic!

The river started out being muddy and high- 83" the week before. By Sunday the water was down around 56" and dropping. It was high but a nice green color. Monday the river was very busy with the New Years holiday crowd. Water level was around 50". Through the week we had levels from 44-50" with showers, clouds and rain. The sun even made an appearance on Sunday a week later when the water temp was at 44 degrees.

With the water high, dropping, clearing and warm combined with a lack of rain earlier in the month of December we had a pile of fish swimming by each day. The hatchery trap was full and you could see hundreds of steelhead which came into the trap the first few days of the year.

Fighting a chrome bright steelhead is a great way to start the year and this trip some of our begining anglers even got to tire their arms wrestling fish. A highlight for us was our group from Arizona with 7 year old Xeng landing 2 chrome steelhead. This kid was a "black belt" steelhead angler under 4' tall! The other fantastic thing we saw this week was a lot of wild fish being caught. That bodes well for our wild run which is strongest in Feb/Mar.

Here are a few pics of our fishing from the week. Special thanks to all our great customers who joined us on the NF.

If you'd like to see your face in a picture similar to the ones below call Rob or Gil at Water Time Outfitters. www.watertimeoutfitters.com 503-704-6449

John Huntsman with a dandy swung fly Steelhead he caught on his #5 weight spey rod with a 10' sink tip.

John Huntsman Pics

More Misc Pics

Warm and by the fire each night, great especially on those rainy days!

NF Nehalem and Alsea River 2012 Fish Tracking

2012-01-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

Anglers can keep radio-tagged steelhead on Alsea, North Fork Nehalem

As part of a study of winter steelhead on the Alsea and North Fork Nehalem rivers, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will allow anglers who catch a radio-tagged hatchery winter steelhead to keep the fish.

Statewide regulations prohibit the keeping of radio-tagged fish so that scientists can continue to collect data.

But Ryan Couture, the department’s manager at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center, said that the temporary rule change is designed to encourage anglers to turn in radio tags from any fish they catch.

While the temporary rule is aimed at the Alsea and the North Fork Nehalem rivers where tagging will occur, it also will apply to other streams in the Northwest Zone to allow anglers to catch and keep radio-tagged fish and for the department to recover tags from fish that may relocate into nearby basins.

“A key piece of information we hope to collect is where the fish was caught,” Couture said. “Once we have that information, the tag is no longer useful in that fish. We can, however, reuse that radio tag ...”

The fish are easily identified by a 6-inch long antenna coming out of the mouth.
Anglers who catch a radio-tagged fish should record the date and location of the catch and call one of the following Fish and Wildlife offices to record that data and arrange to return the tag:
•Oregon Hatchery Research Center (541) 487-5510

•Alsea Hatchery (541) 487-7240

•Nehalem Hatchery (503) 368-5670
•Fish and Wildlife’s Newport Office (541) 265-8306
•The department office in Tillamook (503) 842-2741.

The radio tags are being used to trace the movement and timing of adult winter steelhead returning to the Alsea and North Fork Nehalem.

Beginning early this winter, and continuing through spring 2012, the location and behavior of the radio-tagged fish will be tracked using several fixed and handheld receivers along the river.
The data collected will help determine if a new strategy for releasing hatchery steelhead smolts is working to help make returning adult fish more available to anglers.

“Hatchery steelhead on the Alsea River have a reputation for moving very quickly up the river directly to the hatchery,” Couture said. “We want to see if releasing the smolts lower in the river will help slow them down and give anglers a better chance to catch them.”

Fish and Wildlife also is looking for volunteers to help catch the fish to be tagged on the Alsea.

To volunteer, contact Ryan Couture at (541) 487-5510.

In order to encourage anglers to return tags to ODFW, two sport groups are sponsoring drawings that will award prizes to anglers who return tags.

The Alsea Sportsman’s Association will award two $50 gift certificates to a local sporting goods stores to two anglers whose names are drawn from Alsea River tag returns.

Angler’s returning radio tags from the North Fork Nehalem will be eligible to win one of the popular fish prints from the Association of Northwest Steelheaders.

“The idea is not to target tagged fished, but to help ODFW recover some expensive radio tags that could be reused,” said Ty Wyatt of the association.

Swung Flies for TROUT- Spey Casts Too!

2011-12-31T21:16:00.000-08:00

This is a great video illustrating how versatile spey casting applications are. Here you can see how easy it is to catch dandy trout on the swung fly when you are a beautiful girl...

check it out:

http://vimeo.com/33438698

Great video, great adaption for spey casting- it's not only for steelhead!

Swung Fly - Winter Steelhead -Audio Interview

2011-12-31T12:37:00.000-08:00

Rob Crandall editor of Flyfishing & Tying Journal magazine and owner of Water Time Outfitters is interviewed on swinging flies for winter steelhead. Listen to this great info on the swung fly!

http://www.west-fly-fishing.com/feature-article/1201/feature_1091.php

Drift Boat School- Rowing Safety

2011-12-30T15:11:00.000-08:00

Do you have a new boat that your itching to get out on the water?

Learn to manage your new boat with safety and confidence. Pro guide Rob Crandall has rowed a Clackacraft drift boat for nearly 20 years and can teach you how to safely navigate NW waters with your boat.

Learn the basics of drift boat safety, balance and rowing technique with a special 4 hour course specifically designed for you. Learn about boat handling, anchoring safely, trailering, launching and loading safety.

Rob teaches this info packed session on the nearby Clackamas River. Learn from his years of rowing and fishing experience. Save yourself frustration and difficulties and learn from the pro.

Four hour class session is only $125 per person

Call Rob Crandall to schedule your session today: 503-704-6449

www.watertimeoutfitters.com

www.clacka.com

Before Work Special- 1/2 Day Guide Trips

2011-12-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

Water Time Outfitters offers a special package for those intrepid anglers who aren't scared to show up a bit late for work. We call it the BEFORE WORK SPECIAL. This is a special rate on a 1/2 day float trip mid-week on the Clackamas River.

This 4 hour session is on key peices of good water on the Clackamas river. Water that we catch fish in on a consistent basis. Your session is custom fit to your needs. This can be a spey casting lesson, a casting tune up, a basic class teaching you where to start and how to read water. It can be an indicator fishing strategy class or just a guided fishing trip, what ever you want it to be. This is for you!

We are offering this special week days only and through the winter season on the Clackamas River. Dates are limited and first come first serve. We are offering morning and afternoon sessions.

What a great way to start your year and stay tuned up on your casting!

Fee for 4 hour float is $125 for 1 angler or $100 per person for 2 or more. (Up to 3 anglers per session)
Call Rob Crandall 503-704-6449 to reserve your spot.

www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Oregon Coast Steelhead

2011-12-26T15:57:00.000-08:00

With a bit of rain we'll be full on for winter steelhead in Oregon. From now through March winter steelhead fisheries put out their best in Oregon. Some of our favoritie rivers on the Oregon Coast are the Trask, Wilson, Kilches, and the Northfork Nehalem. The variety of rivers available for Oregon coast steelhead give the angler plenty of options.

Check out this video from a day on the Trask River with guide Gil Muhleman:

http://youtu.be/4R59YxRjV9Y

Good luck to your time on the water from Water Time Outfitters- www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Clackamas Low and Cold

2011-12-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

It's been almost 2 weeks with out any rain to speak of. Cold and clear or foggy days with-out rain for extended periods in December seem a bit strange. The forecast calls for an extended lack of rain for another week or so. This means we must adapt our approach for steelhead success.

Water is low and clear and fish are hanging close to the bottom. Fish migration is slow at best in these conditions with water temps around 34 degrees. Fish your fly deep, smaller and darker patterns tend to work best. Flourocarbon can be helpful.

Eagle creek strain hatchery steelhead are showing in the Clackamas now. Some wild chromers are also being caught.

Look for the action to get better with a warm rain.

Good luck on the water!

Winter Steelhead Workshops Expanded

2011-12-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

Want to catch steelhead on the Trask, Wilson, Clackamas, NF Nehalem, Neccanicum River or Eagle Creek?

These workshops are designed to get walk in fly anglers comfortable with a variety of spots and techniques that will put them into fish on the Oregon's best coastal rivers.

Here is how it works. We start at the crack of 9:00 am at a designated location near the water with coffee and donuts. We’ll review maps that will give you at least a dozen productive steelhead runs that you can drive and walk to often these are spots we personally fish. With coffee in hand we’ll discuss the maps in detail.

Then when we’ve reached proper caffeine level we’ll grab a bunch of gear and head out to fish a few spots. At this time we cover: fishing techniques, fishing strategy, fly selection and more. This is also time to talk about lines, rods and rigging. We’ll have plenty of spey rods and nearly 20 fly lines for you to try out and get a feel for different systems. We will have ½ dozen spey rods and switch rods for you to try out and different lines to try on your own rod. If you need some basic spey casting lessons there is usually time for that as well. On the smaller water river classes (NF and Neccanicum) the single hand and switch rods will be the center of attention.

If we actually catch a fish it will be by accident. The purpose of this workshop is to give you the tools you need to find, read, and properly fish good steelhead water the actual fishing will be secondary.

Around 1pm we’ll break for a hungry man’s lunch and then head on to some more spots with steelhead water you’ll want to drool on!

Classes offered:

Dec 17th - Clackamas and Eagle creek - meeting site Royal Treatment Fly Shop

Jan 6th -NF Nehalem River and Neccanicum R- meets at our river cabin

ALSO:

Jan 8th- NF Nehalem River and Neccanicum R- Meets at river cabin

Jan 28 - Trask, Wilson and Kilches River class - meeting site to be determined

February 19 Trask, Wilson and Kilches River Winter Steelhead Workshop

February 25- Clackamas Steelhead Workshop- meets at Royal Treatment Fly shop

Need flies? Royal Treatment Fly shop has a special package of winter steelhead flies for you:
Click here to see a recommeded selection of flies for the Clackamas River.
Workshop cost is $100 including meals and is limited to 8 anglers. Call 503-704-6449 to reserve your spot.

Can't Wait for Winter Steelies!

2011-11-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

This picture pretty much says it all. Can't wait for winter steelhead to show up. If you want to learn how to catch these amazing creatures give us a call or check out one of our many classes and seminars coming up this winter. www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Oregon Winter Steelhead Lodge

2011-11-15T06:47:00.000-08:00

See our website

The NF Nehalem is a gem among NW rivers. It flows out of the wild and rugged Oregon Coast range mountains into the main Nehalem river. The NF gets one of the strongest hatchery steelhead runs on the Oregon coast along with a good dose of big wild steelhead as well. Floating the river is an inspiring experience on it own. Over 26 waterfalls cascade into the NF canyon during our float. We float this section of river in rafts and start at the uppermost target for migrating steelhead - the hatchery.

The NF boast choppy riffles and many small pools ideal for the indicator strategy. Some sections swing a fly very well also. Each day fresh arriving steelhead ride the tides into the lower river. A mix of chrome bright fish to brightly colored fish may be found through the season.

Winter steelhead time is rain time in Oregon and having a nice warm place to dry out at the end of the day before a long drive home is a good part to any angler's fishing dream. Warming the toes by the fire and enjoying a drink next to the fire really puts a great cap to a day on the water. That is just what we are offering this year in January on the NF Nehalem river. Water Time Outfitters has secured riverside lodging right on a key peice of water on the NF Nehalem river.

Come join us for a winter steelhead fishing adventure and relax at comfortable convenient lodging at the end of the day. Special packages for our traveling anglers available. Peak time on the NF is around the first week of January. The run starts mid-December and runs through the first part of February.

Guided float trips on the NF include: Experienced guide and oarsman, flies, tippet, leaders as needed, rod/reel/lines as needed, shuttle back to your vehicle at the end of the day, hot lunch, soft drinks and waters. $425 for 2 anglers. (2 anglers per boat max.)

Stay one night at our riverside lodge with guided fishing day-meals include: dinner, breakfast and lunch for only $550 for 2 anglers. Space is very limited. Only open dates for lodging are Jan 2,3,4,5,6,& 7th 50% deposit is required to reserve your spot. Call now to save your date: 503-704-6449.

Fall Season Pics- Water Time on the Deschutes

2011-11-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

Save your spot for 2012 NOW!

www.WaterTimeOutfitters.com

Fall Chinook salmon ate the Vaccumn Cleaner fly presented on a floating line!

Fall Season Steelhead 2011

2011-10-31T17:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a great season! Thank you to all our great customers who return each year to our favorite river of the fall season. It was a pleasure meeting some of you for the first time as well. Following is a video that captures some of the great elements of the multi-day float trip on the Deschutes. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzwvDa_nG7c

Fall Colors

2011-10-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

It's mid October and fall is full swing in the Deschutes canyon. The leaves are changing colors and the canyon beauty is spectacular. The days are getting shorter now and the sun is staying lower in the sky, the pure scenic qualities of this special place invite the cameras use more and more often.

Fishing has been excellent and we've been catching fish every day. Sitting around the evening campfire reflecting in the glow of steelhead fishing tales is one of lifes special treasures and expecially nice when Marty pulls out a fresh batch of hot chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.

Our last trip was especially great with our friends from Nevada and Alaska joining us. We shared some great sightings in the canyon. Deer, otter, mink, osprey, golden eagles, heron, big horn sheep and of course lots of steelhead were all seen on this trip. www.watertimeoutfitters.com

October Steelhead

2011-10-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jeff who landed his "October" steelhead in the first 10 minutes of light. Jeff has been fishing with Water Time Outfitters this year working on a modest goal: to catch a steelhead on the swung fly each month of the year in Oregon. So far Jeff is doing great and is 100% for each month. Good luck in November and December Jeff we look forward to your success!

Fishing is full swing on the Deschutes right now if you have a steelhead goal. Let us know how we can help. www.watertimeoutfitters.com

New Shooting Head Line- Perfect for Switch Rods

2011-09-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

This line is all the "Rage" and it's been a blast to cast. The new Rage Compact Floating line by Airflow was designed to perform for switch rods as an excellent "in-between" line. This line is between a Skagit head and a Scandanavian head in regards to it's taper. I first got a sample at the Fly Tackle Dealer show in New Orleans this August. It casts and performs smoothly. I have yet to try a sink tip on it but the 420 grain head has been rocking out the line with my Sage Z-Axis-11' #7 switch rod.

Winter Steelhead Workshops

2011-09-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

Want to catch steelhead on the Trask, Wilson, Clackamas, NF Nehalem, Neccanicum River or Eagle Creek?

These workshops are designed to get walk in fly anglers comfortable with a variety of spots and techniques that will put them into fish on the Oregon's best coastal rivers.

Around 1pm we’ll break for a hungry man’s lunch and then head on to some more spots with steelhead water you’ll want to drool on!

Classes offered:

Dec 17th - Clackamas and Eagle creek - meeting site Royal Treatment Fly Shop

Jan 6th -NF Nehalem River and Neccanicum R- meets at our river cabin

Jan 28 - Trask, Wilson and Kilches River class - meeting site to be determined

Need flies? Royal Treatment Fly shop has a special package of winter steelhead flies for you:
Click here to see a recommeded selection of flies
Workshop cost is $100 including meals and is limited to 8 anglers. Call 503-704-6449 to reserve your spot.

Steelhead Prime Time!

2011-09-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is it, Deschutes River Steelhead prime time! This is the season of the year that really gets the drag screaming on your fly reel and fly anglers blood pumping. Fishing has been excellent this fall with both trout and steelhead fishing going very well. Come join the fun: www.watertimeoutfitters.com

We have been catching good numbers of steelhead on the swung fly strategy both with a floating line and sink tips. Sinking tip lines have been especially effective mid day. Steelhead are moving aggressively to the standard fare of fly patterns. Contact Royal Treatment Fly shop for a great selection of hot patterns- 503-850-4397.

Trout fishing has been excellent as well with some cooler days and great caddis action. This time of year trout are in prime condition. We've been seeing the backing with our 5 weights lately landing some dandy fat trout.

Fires on the river this year caused by lightning strikes have changed the look of the river in many places. See pic below taken near North Junction.

Steelhead Workshops on the Deschutes River

2011-09-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

We've completed our scheduled steelhead fly fishing workshops on the Deschutes River. Thank you to all who attended. Best of luck on the water trying out your new information and polished skills.

We will be offering more steelhead workshops in the future and hope you attend. Visit: www.watertimeoutfitters.com or email: crandalls3@ccwebster.net for current info.

Good fishing!

Deschutes Chromers

2011-09-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

Steelhead fishing is full swing on the Deschutes river and the fishing has been great. Each day on the water is a fresh new opportunity to find more steelhead and getting a steelhead to take the swung fly is one of the best fly fishing experiences there is! If you haven't done it you certainly must try.

Steelhead are spread out in the entire lower river. Water conditions have been stable with good flows and clarity.

Thank you to all the particpants of our Deschutes river steelhead workshops this season. You guys were great! We plan to offer more sessions next year.

Wild fires have created a lot of smoke in the canyon earlier in September and the lightning storms of late August really started a lot of fires. The Razorback Fire was quite destructive upriver from Maupin. Most of the fires are out now and we are still discovering new areas that have burned.

Be safe on the water and experience the "swung fly Steelhead"!

Lower Deschutes Steelhead

2011-08-25T12:22:00.001-07:00

Right now fishing is great! The lower Deschutes is running cooler now and good numbers of fish are in the entire lower river. Fishing has been great on the swung fly and even mid day with sink tips. If you are not there, you are missing out!

See you on the water.

Deschutes Steelhead Fly Favorite- The Vacuum Cleaner

2011-08-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

This is one of Rob Crandall's patterns called the Vacuum Cleaner. It's first run years ago in the Deschutes River was with one of Rob's clients, Terry. Terry reports that she fished the fly behind an excellent angler while working some prime water around South Junction with guide Al Bagley. After catching multiple fish with a floating line in the sun behind the accomplished angler Terry began to feel guilty. The competitive angler was getting frustrated. When she hooked yet another fish in water he had already fished he yelled to Al, "Get that Vacuum Cleaner off the river!" Thus the Vacuum cleaner fly pattern was born.

Vacuum Cleaner Recipe:

Hook: Tiemco 7999 or 700 size 2 or 4

Thread: black or purple 6/0
Tag: silver flat tinsel large
Hot butt Tag: Cerise(hot pink) Edge bright wrapped over silver tinsel
Body: Medium Purple Chenille wrapped with med oval tinsel silver
Collar: Willies Sparkling fly material purple 2 wraps or bright tinsel dubbing purple
Hackle: Purple saddle hackle
Wing: First layer on Pearlescent Mylar Flashabou strands 6-8, purple crystal flash, purple flashabou and
white wing of Arctic fox Fur

Sockeye on the Deschutes River

2011-07-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

Last year nearly 50,000 sockeye smolt were passed down stream from Pelton Dam on the Deschutes river. This year that number is approaching 100,000 smolt. What will we see in 2012 for a Sockeye return on our favorite river?

See the entire article on this link: Sockeye on the Deschutes

Deschutes River Spring Chinook - A New Era

2011-07-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

With the relicensing of the hydro project on the Deschutes river new things have been happening. A new revolutionary tower built in front of Pelton dam is now selecting water from different temperature layers of the lake and improving downstream fish migration.

Here is an interesting clip from a PGE biologist on the NEW ERA of upstream migration in the Deschutes basin.

http://www.deschutespassage.com/news/?p=79

Big Trout and Hoppers Looming

2011-07-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

It's trout time on our private water stretch of river. Fishing has been good as the water has dropped into more normal summer flows. This year there are a ton of fish in the 6-12” range. They are a lot of fun on dry flies and have been taking caddis on the surface fairly well. With the scenery, wildlife and complete lack of other anglers that makes for a fun trip. The icing on the cake is there are much bigger fish. Yesterday a lucky angler from Sacramento landed an enormous rainbow in the 6-7 lb range. These big trophy fish are tough to get and aren’t easy to find but they are there. These are the fish that eat sculpin flies fished on sink tips.

We've also been seeing more hoppers. They are getting bigger and more active near the banks. A good sign for the weeks to come. www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Fly Fishing Lakes Class Report

2011-07-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you to those who attended our fly fishing lakes class. We all caught fish and had a great time. Fishing was a mixed bag with rainbows eating damsel nymphs, callibaetis nymphs and leeches. The weather cooperated wonderfully for us and everyone had a good time. Dave Neels even caught a rainbow on a damsel dry fly!

Join us next year for our lake fly fishing sessions at Rocky Ridge Ranch. We look forward to seeing you there! Find out more about us at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Here is Chad with one of his biggest fly rod trout ever!

Private Waters Report

2011-07-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

Fishing on our private waters has heated up! The water levels are finally now into summer flows and at good fishable levels. Fish are active and hitting caddis on the surface and eating sculpins. New snags and cover from last years flooding are the perfect habitat for big rainbows and this section has plenty of hidey holes.

The good news is we've already seen hoppers on the water. Hopper season is almost here!

Caddis Fly Hatch on the Deschutes

2011-07-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

The Caddis hatch action on the Deschutes is heating up as we are getting warmer weather. The end of June and first part of July have been excellent fishing as the weather is finally cooperating. For best success on caddis fish the edges near grassy banks and trees. See the photo above. Larry K from Florida found this dandy rainbow sipping caddis just inches from a grassy overhang.

Larry and wife Brenda doubled up on this combo by nymphing a riffle in early morning. Before the dry fly action gets going nymph fishing a riffle like this with a green rock worm and a sparkle pupa can yeild good results.

Summer Steelhead Workshop

2011-06-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

Deschutes River Summer Steelhead Workshop August 6 or 20th.

This workshop is designed to get walk in fly anglers comfortable with a variety of spots and techniques that will put them into fish on the Deschutes River above and below the town of Maupin.

Here is how it works. We start at the crack of 9:00 am at the ranch house (located just 2 miles from Sherars Falls) with coffee and donuts. We’ll review maps that will give you at least 24 productive steelhead runs that you can drive and walk to often these are spots we personally fish. With coffee in hand we’ll discuss the maps in detail.

Around 1pm we’ll break for a hungry man’s lunch and then head on to some more spots with steelhead water you’ll want to drool on!

At 4:30 we head back to the ranch house again for 5:30 dinner and re-cap of what we’ve learned and if time allows tie a few of our favorite patterns.

Workshop cost is $99 including meals and is limited to 6 anglers. Call 541-419-7778 or 503-704-6449 to reserve your spot.

Learn to Fly Fish with Water Time Outfitters

2011-06-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing Lakes Class

Private Waters

July 10 9-5pm

What’s Included:

· Beginners approach to fly fishing session- knots, terminology, rigging etc…

· Fly casting lesson- learn the basics of fly casting- overhead, roll cast, roll cast pickup, presentation casts and more

· Lake fly fishing techniques- dry fly, emerger, streamer and midge techniques

· Lake entomology lesson- learn what trout eat in lakes

· Guided fly fishing on a private trophy trout lake

· V-Boats and kick fins

· Big BBQ Lunch, soft drinks and water

Bring your lucky fishing hat and your camera you might catch the fish of a lifetime.

Fee per person: $195

Space is limited Reserve your spot today! Call today 503-704-6449.

Trout Like Steelhead

2011-06-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Deschutes Fishing Report, June 12

I don't mean that trout are "friends" with steelhead, what I am talking about are top conditioned, bully of the school, 20" range trout that fight and battle it out like a steelhead. Hang on to that five weight! Right now that type of fish is in his element feeding on his favorite gut stretching morsel of the year- Salmon flies and Golden Stones. With the hatch full swing and soon to be waning in the upper section of the lower 100 miles of the emerald green waters of the Deschutes these big bullies are packing it on and are in full stuff it mode.

Check out this fish caught June 12th.

Winter in Summer- Steelhead and High Water

2011-06-08T21:50:00.000-07:00

Winter water levels are still persisting on the Clackamas river here in June! It has been a high water year all season and so far our summer steelhead fishery is no exception. High waters around the state and in the mid-west have created dismal conditions for many fisheries. Fortunately the Clackamas water clarity has been fishable much more than many other drainages.

This dandy chrome bright summer steelhead was hooked on a 8 weight Z- Axis switch rod with a 10' sink tip. Our silent approach with the drift boat allowed Jeff to easily swing the fly into position for a rod wrenching take. Line sizzled off his Nautalis reel as this fish kicked it into high gear throwing water spray everywhere.

Water temp today was 53 degrees. If you want to catch a steelhead on the swing in the Clackamas, this is perhaps one of the very best times to do it.

Good luck on the water!

Deschutes Trout- June 6

2011-06-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

Salmon Flies are still the main ticket for trout on the Warm Springs to Trout Creek section. The big bugs are most prolific from White Horse rapids on upriver. With cooler weather the bugs have been hunkered down. The dead drift presentation and Moorish Still Stones have been the good producers along with the Chubby Chernobyl.

Today's water level was running around 5710 cfs at Madras. SLOWLY the river is dropping.

Good fishin!

FYI- watch for Rattlers, a fair amount of the buzzworms were out today on the west side above Trout Creek!

Clackamas River Steelhead- Westfly Interview with Rob Crandall

2011-05-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Click on the link below to hear Scott Richmond's interview of Rob Crandall on the Clackamas River. (MP3 format 8:20 long.) Scott Richmond is the founder of http://www.westfly.com/ . Scott gets some good info from Clackamas river guide and editor of Flyfishing & Tying Journal, Rob Crandall.

http://www.west-fly-fishing.com/feature-article/1105/feature_1073.php

Once you have clicked through to the page there is a gray bar with a play button. Press the play button to hear the interview (it may take a few seconds to load).

Good luck on the water!

Deschutes Salmonflies May 25

2011-05-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

The salmon fly hatch has progressed all the way to Warm Springs on the Deschutes river and trout are taking them off the surface. Our guides are fishing from Warm Springs to Maupin. The weather has been rainy and cool keeping the bugs hunkered down on the shoreline foliage. When the sun comes out and warms things up the bugs get active and are on the water. The river level has been high, yesterday near Madras the level was at 6240 cfs.

Yesterday between the rain showers fishing was good along the edges. We saw salmon flies and golden stones on the water, pmd's hatching, blue wing olives and a few green drakes hatching. In the morning a mass of hovering midges were on the menu. Our mid-morning midge pattern worked for a few fish that didn't want anything else.

We are on for another 3 day trip today. Stay tuned for more river reports. http://www.watertimeoutfitters.com/

The Goose, Eagle and Uncle Fuzzy's Steelhead

2011-05-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

The Goose, the Eagle and Uncle Fuzzy’s Steelhead

A fine morning on the Clackamas River with Uncle Fuzzy started with so much sun that we decided to go west instead of east as we headed out from the boat ramp. The morning glare and sheen on the water was too much for our NW rain adjusted pupils. As we say in Oregon, “We don’t tan, we rust .“ Our quest was two-fold; to chase steelhead with the swung fly and test run the brand new jet sled.

The boat handled nicely and performed well. Each bend and turn in the river presented a new challenge to the newly crowned captain. Uncle Fuzzy (aka Scott Richmond-founder of Westfly.com) learned quickly as we maneuvered the slots and riffles of the Clackamas. Learning a new river at 30 miles an hour is a precise game and being in the right slot is imperative. Intricate river knowledge of each gravel bar and turn make learning the new transportation mode much safer. Still the process of learning at these speeds is not for the faint of heart.

The morning sun warmed us as we worked our way through the run. It’s been a long, wet, cold spring here in Oregon and today’s sun was just what the doctor ordered. We were fishing with spey rods, the “long rods” of European origin. Double handed 13-1/2’ long sticks that easily launch large flies and sink tips for NW steelhead. Type 8 sink tips 13’ long and short leaders with tandem tube flies were the recipe we employed for seducing chrome steelies.

The fish we were after are the summers of spring, summer steelhead that arrive in the spring months. These fish are hatchery origin and of the Skamania strain. They live in the river for nearly a year and have added fat packed on to survive their long stay in freshwater. This added fat is like steroids for fish and often only a few short seconds after a hook up to one of these beauties anglers are left standing in jaw dropped amazement of what just happened.

The second run we fished Uncle Fuzzy found his fish. “Fish on!” I heard as I worked the run below. Looking upriver I saw Uncle Fuzzy was fast into a fish and a hot one at that. His rod thumped aggressively as furious head shaking ripped line off the reel. Several short runs and then the first jump- an aerial display of steelhead strength. Four feet in the air the chrome steelhead twisted and turned. As it hit the water spray went flying. Then it was over just as quickly as it had started.

Uncle Fuzzy stood there trying to collect himself replaying the moments of his encounter over in his mind when another encounter happened all at once. A shadow passed across me, it was an immature bald eagle immense at only 30 yards away and diving at the water. It all happened so fast, I didn’t know what it was after, I assumed a fish. A large boil thrashed the water just before the eagle hit the water it’s razor sharp talons extended. The eagle veered off to the trees and disappeared. My assumption that the big predator was after a fish was wrong as we watched a goose emerge from the scene. It had apparently dove under water at the last second to avoid the eagle.

Now the goose apparently dazed a bit flapped its wings and started to fly. It’s eyes must have been crossed as it flew a bee-line escape right into Uncle Fuzzy’s brand new boat. Feathers and flopping, honking and thrashing about on the edge of the boat commenced as Uncle Fuzzy and I watched in amazement. The goose finally bobbled off and flew away the eagle hidden in the trees and Uncle Fuzzy’s boat with a brand new dent.

You might survive a ride in a fast boat with a new captain on the Clackamas River just watch out for the geese!

Deschutes River Evening Hatch

2011-05-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

Evening Hatch Guide Trip- Deschutes River PRIME TIME!

Fish the prime time when most other guides are done for the day. This is as good as it gets on the Deschutes. The evening hatch is often the most prolific hatch of the day and usually gets trout boiling more than any other time. Join us for prime time with our local guides who live here on the water.

This 5 hour guided adventure starts at around 4:30 pm and eeks out every last bit of legal fishing hours as the frenzy of the hatch rises into the darkness of night. Big trout know the deal, most other anglers are done by now. If you want to experience the best the Deschutes has to offer join us for an evening hatch float trip. It's worth staying up for!

Trip includes guided float trip or walk-n-wade. Flies, equipment if needed and scheduled in advance and soft drinks, water and snacks.

$275 for 2 anglers

$375 for 3 anglers

For more info call Gil 541-419-7778 or visit http://www.watertimeoutfitters.com/

Get Started Fly Fishing!

2011-05-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Fly fishing can be a fun and rewarding life long passion. Get started and don't miss out with this fun and easy class!

This introduction to fly fishing on the Clackamas River is a great course for the beginner, a gift, or fun for the whole family. Professional guide of nearly 20 years and current editor of Flyfishing & Tying Journal - Rob Crandall shares his love of fly fishing in this starter course.

This one day session held close to Portland, OR at McIver Park on the Clackamas River gets you started. This class includes: where to start, how to rig, fly casting lesson, knot tying, on water bug study-what do fish eat, fly fishing techniques and on water fishing for trout. A get started class information packet is included.

This class covers:

Fly fishing terminology
Fly fishing knots
Proper rigging
Equipment
Fly selection
Fly casting
Entomology
On Water Fishing instruction

For this 6 hour course rods and reels are provided. Bring your waders/boots, fishing license, lunch and park entry fee.

This special class is only being held: June 17 and July 9

Class Fee: Only $75.00

Class sizes are limited please reserve your spot in advance.
Call 503-704-6449

Spring Time in Oregon

2011-05-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year here in Oregon where there is so much to do. Trout fishing opportunities are really starting to ramp up and steelhead fishing has some interesting things going on as well. Living in Oregon sure has its perks and its this time of year that I am reminded how fortunate we are to live in such a great part of the world.

Trout fishing opportunities are vast this time of year. One of the big ones that comes to mind is the Salmon fly hatch on the Deschutes river. This is a world class river that has some truly great fly fishing opportunities. Add to that equation a bug almost 3" long and you've got a great combo. Salmon flies are like "Big Mac's" for trout. As the hatch gains momentum expect rainbows to greedily gorge on these big bugs. Add in the many opportunities of lakes and small streams around the state and you've got some good stuff going on.

One of my favorite fisheries for this time of year is the spring steelhead we get on the Willamette Valley streams. Better known as summer steelhead these silvery rockets come into our rivers in the spring and stay in the river for nearly a year. These fish are a Skamania strain fish of hatchery origin. The Clackamas river has these fish returning every year around this time. This years run are identified by a clipped adipose fin and a maxilary fin clipping. Once hooked they are ballistic rockets and some fish are simply unlandable!

I hope you are getting out on the water and experiencing some of the fantastic opportunities we have here in Oregon.

Good fishin!

Rob