Angler Wear- Just in Time for Christmas

We know you are addicted just like we are-that's why we make these crazy t-shirts!  If you are a hard-core angler we know you'll love these shirts.  Our company is made up of serious full time fishing guides who love the sport.  We think these shirts are almost as good as line peeling off the reel and we hope you do too.  Go ahead, get your limit!

Chinook Wear:

Are you the angler that can't think of anything else come springer season, upriver brights or fall chinook.  If so, then this shirt is for you! 

Made with Quality Gildan 100% pre-shrunk comfy cotton in full cut men's sizes.  Available in Medium, Large, XL, and XXL sizes. 

Available in these colors:  Black, Sport Grey, Orange

Only $19.99 +shipping/handling

See our entire line of T-shirts or to Order Now click here

Angler Wear Just in Time for Christmas!

We know you are addicted just like we are-that's why we make these crazy t-shirts!  If you are a hard-core angler we know you'll love these shirts.  Our company is made up of serious full time fishing guides who love the sport.  We think these shirts are almost as good as line peeling off the reel and we hope you do too.  Go ahead, get your limit!

Chinook Wear:

Are you the angler that can't think of anything else come springer season, upriver brights or fall chinook.  If so, then this shirt is for you!

Made with Quality Gildan 100% pre-shrunk comfy cotton in full cut men's sizes.  Available in Medium, Large, XL, and XXL sizes.

Available in these colors:  Black, Sport Grey, Orange

Only $19.99 +shipping/handling

See our entire line of T-shirts or to Order Now click here

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 

Fall Salmon Fishing and Busted Rods

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.

This season WTO guide Todd Rettmann is offering trips for catch & release chum salmon and trophy chinook fishing in the Tillamook area that is sure to test your tackle.  Come join Todd on Oregon's Tillamook area rivers.  Todd will be floating some of Oregon's best salmon rivers in a Clackacraft drift boat and can accomodate up to three anglers. Look for best dates from Nov 2-15.  

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 Todd has in the bag to get the fly deep where bright chinook and chums like to hang out.  

Guided trips consist of full day 8-9 hour float trip, flies and required tackle.  Two guests fee is $500 and three guests fee is $700.  

For available dates and to reserve your spot call 503-704-6449 or visit www.watertimeoutfitters.com .  

Big Surprise on the Small Rod

Mike O. lands a salmon on a 5 weight fly rod!

While fishing with Water Time Outfitters guide Gil Muhleman client Mike O. didn't expect to become a legend in one morning.  After working through a run with good success nymph fishing for rainbow trout on Oregon's Deschutes River Mike hooked what was noticeablly bigger than the average trout.  After a lengthy battle he landed a dandy - Chinook Salmon on his #5 weight fly rod!!

Congrats to Mike!

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  

Good News for Oregon Salmon

Record Runs of Fall salmon surge up the Columbia River.  Nearly 1,000,000 fish in the run!

Check out the related story at:  http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/09/fall_chinook_salmon_run_on_col.html

Clackamas River ODFW Survey and Fish Run Report

Clackamas River: The Clackamas River is one of those rivers where it is possible to catch hatchery salmon and steelhead almost every month of the year. Fishing for winter steelhead will begin to slow down moving into May.
Summer run steelhead will begin to increase in numbers through spring, and based on Willamette Falls counts anglers should prepare for a good return of summer steelhead to the Clackamas. The catch rates for summers were already on the increase the first week of April. The combination of good coho returns to the Clackamas and Willamette system the past couple of years, along with good winter and summer steelhead numbers to date at Willamette Falls, bodes well for anglers fishing the Clackamas from May through November.

Reports of spring chinook in the Clackamas are limited and anglers shouldn’t expect to see these fish in greater numbers until mid to late May depending on water conditions. With chinook passage over Willamette Falls increasing these fish will begin to move in as water in the Willamette slowly warms from the late winter cool down.

Anglers should anticipate a change in how spring chinook move through the lower Clackamas now that the acclimation ponds have been operating for over three years. The Clackamas has three acclimation ponds in the lower river designed to increase sport fishing harvest, and these management tools seem to be working. These sites are located along the Clackamas River and on Eagle Creek with the intention of slowing fish migration and holding the chinook in the lower river longer. The returning Clackamas River fish can be identified by an adipose fin/left maxillary fin clip while the Eagle Creek returners can be identified by an adipose fin/right maxillary fin clip. ODFW biologists welcome any reports of anglers catching these chinook as they continue to evaluate the success of this program.

If you are out on the Clackamas River this spring you might see ODFW crews working a research project on spring chinook, mainly from Barton down to Gladstone. These crews will be doing radio telemetry research on hatchery springers from May through late June. The fish will be caught by hook and line or nets, then tagged and released unharmed. Anglers who happen to catch one of these fish will be able to identify it by the wire tag hanging out of its mouth and all tagged fish must be released unharmed. ODFW would appreciate any information about the catch or the tag; they can call the number found printed on the tag or contact District Biologist Todd Alsbury at 971-673-6011.

Clackamas River Steelhead & Salmon to See Big Changes

Casadero Dam on the Clackamas River- Summer 2012

The Clackamas River is fish bearing stream about to see big changes. It is near the city of Portland, Oregon and flows through communities like, Oregon City, Gladstone, Estacada, Barton and Carver among others. Spring and fall Chinook salmon, coho, winter-spring and summer Steelhead run in it's waters. Flowing off the cool slopes of the Mt. Hood the Clackamas River is a complex system with a number of power generation projects interupting it's flow. PGE operates with-in the Clackamas basin and is up for relicensing it's current project. For relicensing PGE has been tasked with some major changes to the way business is done.

Warm water temperatures are death to salmon & steelhead juveniles as well as resident trout. The Clackamas river has been exceeding the maximum temperature requirements during summer months. PGE's solutions to lowering the water temperatures are big moves that in theory will improve the health of the river system.

North Fork Dam on the Clackamas River



First, adding spawning size gravel to the system below River Mill Dam is supposed to help the water run faster and cooler. Thousands of yards of gravel are expected to be added to the river. More water will be below the riverbed surface and under and around rocks gaurding it from the sun. This also mitigates for lack of spawning size gravel moving through the river system from upriver tributarys. The dams stop this movement of important sized gravel and over the years this is having a cumulative effect. Less spawning gravel for wild fish.

Fish Trap below Casadero Dam on the Clackamas River- Spring Chinook in the water



Second, Faraday lake on the Clackamas river system is a diverted portion of the river split apart at Casadero Dam. This water historically sat in the lake and then is run through power generation exiting back into the main river channel. This is also beleived to be a culprit of warmer water temperatures in the lower river during the summer months. The current plan calls for eliminating the lake and channelizing the water to the power generation facility.

Third, new fish trap facilities are planned to be state of the art and reduce fish handling. A new facility is being built near North Fork reservior. This new facility is promised to be much better than the old facility below Casadero Dam.

Fourth, new juvenile collection traps will be placed at the top of Rivermill and North Fork dams. Funneling fish into the newly updated bypass tube that takes downstream migrating fish from above NF all the way to below Rivermill dam.

Suffice it to say there are a lot of things going on with the Clackamas river system this year (2012). We'll see how these new changes impact our wild and hatchery steelhead runs.