Metolius River

GAGE LOCATION

DAY/YEAR
GRAPHS

CURRENT
STAGE/FLOW

WHAT TIME

Metolius near Grandview

7 30 year

1.63 / 1860

4 pm

CITY

Sisters

NOAA

Accuweather

TWC

HATCH

NYMPH/
LARVA

PUPA/
EMERGER

DUN/
ADULT

EGG-
LAYER

Blue-winged olive

Golden stonefly

Midge

Snow can be an issue here. In winter, they plow the road from Camp Sherman to the hatchery. Beyond that, you're on your own. Parking areas can be tricky for 2WD vehicles due to piled up snow.

As usual, February offers good but difficult opportunities for fly anglers. Winter fishing is usually best on mild days when the temperature reaches the high 40s. In the upper part of the river, golden stoneflies are a major part of the biomass, so dead-drifting an imitation can be productive. A red Bubble Back Emerger, Serendipity, or CDC Bubble Emerger is a good fly to team with the golden stone nymph.

Blue-winged olive hatches should be on the upswing during the month. Sparkle Duns and Baetis Cripples are good choices during a hatch. The rest of the time, a size-18 nymph imitation, such as a Pheasant Tail, will pick up trout. Team the nymph with a big stonefly imitation and give the trout two choices.

Midge hatches are another occurrence on the river this month. Red Serendipities and other pupa/larva pattern should be in your box. Watch hatches carefully: what you may think is a blue-winged olive hatch may actually be midges. Carry some Griffiths Gnats as well as Sprout Midges for a dry fly option.

You should see some Cinygmula hatches this month. They may fade if cooler weather returns, but be prepared. Watch, too, for March browns if February's weather is mild. But before you tie on a March brown imitation, make sure the trout are actually taking them. Just because it's hatching, it doesn't mean the trout care.

The silver stripe caddis (think of an October caddis that hatches in spring) is often active in February. Trout are more responsive to a pupa patterns, such as the Bird of Prey (available at The Fly Fisher's Place), than to an adult.

Bull trout are a winter option on the Metolius, and this is probably the only river in the state where you don't have to feel guilty about fishing for this endangered species. Look for water that is at least three feet deep, is reasonably slow, and has structure (wood, rock, etc.). Swing and/or retrieve a large streamer--a VERY large streamer, like six inches or so. Bull trout are not spectacular fighters, but they're big and powerful.