Water Time Outfitters 2016 Guiding Calendar

Come join us on an amazing adventure- Water Time Outfitters guides the best waters of Oregon helping anglers make the most of their precious time on the water.  Below is our season at a glance. Please contact us and find out how we can customize a tailormade trip for you.  See more at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com  or call Rob at: 503-704-6449.

Winter Steelhead caught on the spey rod.  Winter fishing from Jan-April.

Winter Steelhead- Jan, Feb, March, April: 
This is an incredible time of year in Oregon- so many of our rivers get both hatchery and wild steelhead in them.  With so many rivers less than 2 hours away from Portland (and some only minutes away) we have a lot of choices.  Those choices allow us to focus on the best fisheries with the best water conditions.  Don't kid yourself, this time of year is not for the faint of heart; rain is a standard and so are long underwear.  With proper clothing this time of year is a breeze!

For winter steelhead we guide these waters:  Clackamas, Sandy, Wilson, Trask, Nestucca, Nehalem and other secret spots.  Our focus on winter fishing starts Jan 1 and is often good through March.  On the Clackamas river near Portland the season lasts through April most years.

Spring trout fishing on the Deschutes River in central Oregon. 

Spring Trout Fishing- May, June
Trout Fishing on the world famous Deschutes river in central Oregon kicks off in May with the biggest bug hatch of the season- salmon flies!  These bugs are up to 3" long and are like a "big Mac" floating down the river for trout.  Aggressive surface action and busy nymph fishing are common this time of year.  We focus on multi-day float/camp trips this time of year to get you into the best waters and away from the busy areas of this world famous hatch.

Fly fishing for shad is a blast!

Shad Fishing Fun!  June
June is the month for rod bending fun- fly fishing for shad on Oregon's Willamette river.  Shad are great fighting fish and average 2-4 pounds ranging in size from 1-6 lbs making perfect sport for #5 weight fly rods.  This trip is more about catching than the "fishing" often averaging dozens of hookups per 4 hour session - fly fishing for shad is perfect for the beginner or the seasoned angler who just wants to have fun!  Trips leave from the dock in Oregon City, just minutes from Portland, OR.  We specialize in 4 hour sessions.

August steelhead in the lower 22 miles of the Deschutes are terrific fighters!

Deschutes -Spey Water Steelhead Camp -Jet Boat Season -August, September

Prime time guided fishing dates for the most pissed off aggressive steelhead of the season.  If you want a chance to see your backing, this is the time. Aggressive steelhead caught on swung fly are the hallmark of the Deschutes. This technique is thrilling and rewarding. Most of the season steelhead can be caught on floating lines. Steelhead migrating the Columbia basin drop into the Deschutes river in sometimes enourmous numbers as water temps in the Columbia soar the cool waters of the D are a magnate for salmon and steelhead alike!   Here we set up comfortable riverside camps- with our 14’x14’ canvas tents, hammocks where we can, shade canopy, shower and full kitchen.  Marty is generally keeping camp dialed in and doing our cooking.  We generally run up to 3-4 anglers in the jet boat per day.  

Fall steelhead camp on the Deschutes River.  

Wild Fall run steelhead on the Deschutes River- October.

Deschutes Steelhead Camp - October, November

This is one of our most cherished times of the year when the weather is amazing, the fishing incredible and the canyon beauty /wildlife is spectacular.  Time around the campfire is full of stories and reminecing with prime steelhead water only feet away.  This time of year we offer 3 and 4 day float trips in the wild and remote section of the Deschutes canyon with comfortable camps, great meals and some of the best spey water on the river.  Groups of 6 or 8 anglers are easily accomodated.

Chum salmon are tough fighters, fishing near Tillamook, OR.

Oregon Salmon - November

If there ever was a more feirce battle of dogged determination and deep throbbing- rod wrenching fun it is from the standoff between the fly angler and an angry fall salmon.  Fall chinook or the notorious Chum salmon both are known for their tackle testing brute power and are a blast to go after with the fly rod. Most fishing is done with a #8 or #9 weight rod but a #10 weight is not too heavy.  Flies are often bright and flashy and expect to be using deep sinking sink tips or other tricks to get the fly deep where bright chinook and chum salmon like to hang out.  Day trips out of Tillamook, OR.  

Come join us for Oregon fly fishing at it's finest!  Our experienced team of guides have been fishing Oregon our entire lives and we love to share cherished time on the water.  See more about our guides and our fishing trips on our website:  www.watertimeoutfitters.com 

Shad Fishing in Oregon

Flyfishing for Oregon Shad is an fly anglers dream come true!  We have a blast each year in June with American shad ranging from 1-5 pounds.  Using fly rods in the #5-6 weight range these members of the herring family fight like crazy!  Not 20 minutes from downtown Portland we find schools of the fish often referred to as the "Poor Man's Tarpon" willingly taking the fly.  This generally productive fishing is the effect of a huge run of fish often numbering 3-5 million fish over Bonneville dam on the Columbia system.

The scenic Oregon City Falls on the Willamette River is a historic area.

Fishing on the Willamette River is varied through the year with different species of fish.  During June you will find Shad, Chinook Salmon, Sturgeon, Steelhead and Small mouth bass.  Large sturgeon (6-10' long!) are often spotted as they jump or roll on the surface.  In addition Lamprey Eel are also migrating at this time.  Occasionally one of our shad anglers will hook a different species than shad.  

Small mouth bass

Spring Chinook caught on a shad fly!

A good day shad fishing is often determined by how many "doubles" you have!

Visiting Portland and want to experience some rod bending fun?  Our shad fishing trips are 4 hours long and always an adventure!  We pick you up at the dock and all you need is a fishing license.  Hop in the boat and lets fish!  Whether you are new to fly fishing or a seasoned expert, Shad are a blast! Trips are $225 for one angler, $325 for 2 anglers and $450 for 3 anglers.  Soda and waters are provided.   For more information on fly fishing fun around the Portland area with Water Time Outfitters call owner Rob Crandall at 503-704-6449.  Visit our website: www.watertimeoutfitters.com  

Shad Fishing Report - June

Shad fishing has started on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.  Here is a blog post from Water Time Outfitters supported Clackamas Fly Fishers Club.  Member Kevin Brooks fished with Rob Crandall of WTO on the Willamette in June.  Here is his recap on the fishing.  Check it out:

http://blogs.clackamasflyfishers.org/2014/06/04/mini-tarpon-fishing-with-cff-sponsor-rob-crandall-of-watertime-outfitters/

Fly Fishing for Shad - Portland, Oregon Fishing!

With the arrival of June fly fishing for shad is off and running on the Willamette River just a few miles from Portland, Oregon.  Shad are tough fighters, ranging from 1-6 lbs and good tackle testers for #5 and #6 weight fly rods.  Shad runs are known to reach over 4 million fish on the nearby Columbia River.  With no counting mechanism on the Willamette river shad little is known on how many actually arrive each year but counts at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia are good indicator of when fish are arriving on the Willamette.  As of today that count is over 600,000 fish and rising fast with 94,000+ fish crossing the dam just yesterday!  What we know is there are plenty of fish!  Water Time Outfitters is the only fly fishing company offering guided trips fly fishing for shad that we know of.  Come join the fun and catch some great fish!  See more about Water Time Outfitters fishing expeditions around Oregon at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com 

Water Time Outfitters 2013 Highlights of the Year

It has been a great year with fantastic clients like you!  We just wanted to thank you for your participation in our 2013 season with Water Time Outfitters.  It has been busy with some amazing highlights.  We are glad that you could be a part of it.  We look forward to spending time on the water with you in 2014.  Here are a few of the many highlights from the year.

The first one of the day.

The BIG ONE!

Clive Furrows of San Diego with several amazing wild fish from one exceptional day on the N. Oregon coast.  After many years fishing BC and around the world Clive landed his biggest steelhead ever on a #7 weight spey rod.  By the measurements this fish         easily went 23.3lbs. Congrats Clive!

Congrats to Adam Straw who landed his first steelhead on the fly rod this year on the Clackamas River.  He was swinging a marabou spey pattern with a sink tip and hooked two in one morning.  Adam had that smile on his face for at least a week!

Jim Drew (photo to right) snuck this dandy chromer out of the run right behind a fly fishing legend.  He did it so non-chalantly that I had to give him mega credit.  His friend and fly fishing guru wanted Jim’s fly after the dust settled from the camera shutters. 

New guide in training- my son Tanner at the tiller on the jet sled.  Oh yeah, he landed a steelhead that day too!

Happy New Year!

 Fly fishing for shad in June was a definite highlight- what a blast!  We did ½ day trips morning and evening for shad and averaged 40 hook ups each 4 hours.  We had many doubles, saw huge sturgeon jump right in front of us and even caught some dandy smallmouth bass. 

 Tanner Crandall got in on the action and hauled in this whopper shad. (Left)




Jon Hill worked over the shad pretty good but was surprised when he brought in this red eyed devil- a      hard fighting Smallmouth Bass.

Deschutes River Trout fishing was good this year.  We had so much fun!  A favorite trip was hanging out in one camp for three days.  There were so many caddis in July- the word blizzard comes close to describing it!

Don Lewis and Henry M. had a productive trip on the lower D. this year in early September.  Don commented: “What is wrong, I can’t get this one in”… that’s because it’s a big strong steelie in it’s prime Don!

Jeff Evershed hit it just right this fall on the lower Deschutes; one of those rare days when it is overcast and a bit rainy.  We stopped counting after he had 10 hookups on steelhead.  Fish were rolling everywhere! 

  

An epic morning on the Deschutes(right), we watched 30 bighorn sheep across the river, had deer 15 yards away and landed this dandy steelhead and lost one the first stop of the day!

Thanks again for all the wonderful days on the water this year.  There are so many, many more stories and pics that are also highlights.  

All the very best to you and yours for 2014!

From the Crew at Water Time Outfitters: Rob Crandall, Gil Muhleman, Marty Smith and Kenny Kiley  

Fly Fishing For Shad- Portland Oregon

The excitement and thrill of a hard fighting Shad is fun for anglers of all skill levels and ages.  Water Time Outfitters offers a unique half-day fly fishing trip in Oregon City - just minutes south of Portland, Oregon on the Willamette River for Shad.  Cast flies from the platform of a steady jet boat and tease the strike of one of thousands of shad swimming up river.

Each spring in the month of June the Willamette and Columbia Rivers are flush with American Shad. American Shad were introduced into the Sacramento River system in California in the 1800s. Shad have spread throughout many river systems on the West Coast of North America. There is currently a large shad population in the Columbia River. In recent years, shad counts at Bonneville dam on the Columbia River east of Portland have ranged from over two million to over five million fish per year. Spawning shad return to the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in May and June. Unlike many introduced species, it has not been confirmed that American Shad have serious negative effects on the environment or other native fish species in the Columbia.

Fly anglers love to catch Shad; they are often called the "poor man's Tarpon" because they are strong fighters and exhibit thrashing jumps like a giant Tarpon.  Shad typically weigh 3-5 pounds but have been caught up to around 8 pounds.  They are known for their aggressive takes and spirited fight.  While some find Shad a delicacy most in the NW practice catch and release or use Shad for Crab bait.

Light tackle is best for Shad and when water conditions allow- use of a 5 weight rod maximizes the fight. Floating lines with sinking tips are the norm but with high water some heavier sinking lines might be required.
Most days fly fishing action is consistent if not brisk.  Some 4 hour sessions experienced anglers can expect to hook 10-30 fish per person.

Fly selection is usually quite simple; being in the herring family and primarily a Plankton eater, flies should be small.  Bright flash and varied colors from orange, red, pink, chartruese, yellow, white among others work well.

                                                   Doubles while Shad fishing is common!

To see for yourself what it is all about come join Water Time Outfitters on the Willamette River for a fun 4- hour session fly fishing for Shad in June.  All the gear is provided and waters and soft drinks are in the boat. If your just learning this is a fun way to get started.  Anglers of all levels enjoy the battle of the shad.

Four Hour Fly Fishing Session:

1- angler  $200
2- anglers $300
3- anglers $375

To book your spot today call Rob Crandall at: 503-704-6449

See the other great fisheries that Water Time Outfitters guides visit:  www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Fly Fishing for Shad - the Oregon Tarpon

Millions of shad migrate in from the Pacific Ocean each year in May and June to ascend big NW rivers like the Columbia and the Willamette river. The Willamette River and the Columbia River both flow through the city of Portland, Oregon with fish running through them nearly year round. In June scenic views of Mt. Hood, the Rose Garden, Floral parade and much more await the traveling angler visiting Portland.  It has been said, "When it is sunny and warm in Portland there isn't a prettier place."  The other bit of scenery that many Oregon visitors never see and even many of the locals miss is a close up view of the Willamette Falls.  Willamette Falls is a natural waterfall between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon in the United States.  It is the largest waterfall in the American Pacific Northwest by volume, and the seventeenth widest in the world. Horseshoe in shape, it is 1,500 feet (460 m) wide and 40 feet (12 m) high and located 26 miles upriver from the Willamette's mouth and is the upstream barrier for Shad migrating up the Willamette River is the falls.

Shad are fun fish to catch and our favorite method is to fly fish for Shad.  This is done with fly rods that are 9' long and rated for #5 or #6 fly lines.  Our best lines are sink tip lines that sink the fly down to the fish.  Our favorite flies are flies that are small and flashy.

Want to try fly fishing for shad?  Come join Water Time Outfitters in our comfortable jet sled casting for hard fighting shad on the Willamette River in Oregon City, OR.  Find our contact info at:  www.watertimeoutfitters.com