Oregon Coast Steelhead

N Umpqua River (near Roseburg, OR)

I spent the week of March 1 in search of winter run steelhead coming in on the Northwest Oregon Coast - the Nehalem, Wilson, and even the N. Umpqua River.  Not a single bite, but a great week on the water nonetheless.  If anything, I learned the area and that steelhead like a bit or rain and dreariness.  Oregon had seen almost 2 weeks of sun when I arrived, and it stayed that way through the week.  Water levels were down and fish were tucked away.  I at least managed a few trout here and there, but could not find the elusive steelhead.  Maybe next time.  Remaining patient...and perserverant.

Fraser River

This is the view you will have for the first 20 minutes when making the trek to the Fraser River.  There are closer access points if you park in the hills above and scramble down into the canyon.  But this is the walk from the small town of Tabernash, CO where parking is a piece of cake.

Crosby Toyama Fly Fishing Blog

This blog is where I keep photos, notes, and a record of my fly fishing destinations and experiences.   

Deckers

Anyone that's picked up a fly rod and is local to Denver knows Deckers.  It's a stretch of the South Platte River that is less than an hour from the metro area.  The fishing here is incredible despite the fact that it sees a lot of pressure.  Not to mention, in the summer you will undoubtedly battle a steady parade of kids tubing down the river.  Don't let it discourage you though.  I caught the fish shown above just after a group of tubers passed over it.  It was a summer day in August.  It was hot and nobody was catching anything in the afternoon.  After working the deep runs with RS2's and a variety of midges, I decided to move into the shallows.  I typically always run a dry dropper rig in late summer because of the terrestrial activity.  My favorite is a size 10 or 12 Amy's Ant because it mimics a couple of different bugs, is highly visible, and very buoyant.  Sometimes the trout just can't ignore a meal like this.  Luckily, that was the case here as this trout was drawn up when there appeared to be no surface activity otherwise. 

The only time I can recall having a stretch of the river completely to myself was mid-day during a weekday in December with snow on the ground (see photo below).  The fish were moving and feeding low.  I tried a variety of usual midges (Black Beauty, Mercury Midge, etc) which typically produce in the winter.  No dice.  I decided to completely change my approach and tied on a Pat's Rubber Legs stonefly imitation.  I was sight fishing to a specific trout.  The first time I ran it past him, there was no resisting it.  I went on to catch the fish above in a deeper pool. 

Deckers Flybox

• Amy's Ant
• Parachute Adams
• Elk Hair Caddis
• Craven's Two Bit Hooker
• RS2
• Black Beauty (normal and Mercury)
• Mercury Midge
• Zebra Midge