Fall River
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04/20:
Fall River has fished well all winter, but trout are starting to feel the pressure, says Bob at Sunriver Fly Shop. Blue-winged olives, midge emergers, and streamers continue to catch trout. Fish are scattered throughout the river, and access is excellent due to the lack of snow on the banks.
Importance by half-month
Super 
Major 
Minor 
Slight 
None
Hatches are matched from Westfly's database of "standard" fly patterns.
Nymph
Emerger
Flats, runs, backeddies: standard dry fly
Dun
Flats, runs, backeddies: standard dry fly
► Watch the rise forms during a hatch of blue-wings. If you only see the dorsal and tailfins, the trout are probably taking emergers below the surface. In that case, a good choice is a size-18 emerger. If you see the nose, they're probably taking duns from the surface.
► Don't ignore spinner falls. They usually happen around 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 (daylight time). A size 18 Rusty Spinner is a good choice.
► There will be some sort of hatch nearly every day; it will last about an hour and start between noon and 2:00 (daylight time). Not all hatches will not be strong enough to interest trout. Temperatures near or below freezing will not produce a good hatch. The best hatches will be when the air temperature is in the mid-40s and it's drizzling just a bit. But if bad days bring out the bugs, nice days bring out the anglers, and the river gets pretty busy when the sun shines. Mid-week crowds are smaller.
Pupa
Adult
► When trout are midging, a Sprout Midge can work well, but a pupa pattern is always a good choice.
► Trout can be very picky about the size and color of the pupa. You may need to swap flies several times to find the right combination.
Trout
► Be prepared for fussy fish. They see lots of anglers all year, so you may need a 6X or 7X tippet, a 50-foot cast, and a downstream presentation when fishing a dry fly.
► If you don't see rising fish, forget the dry fly and use a small nymph, such as a size-18 Copper John or Pheasant Tail, drifted near the bottom.
► Small worm imitations, such a tan San Juan Worm, may pick up fish if drifted near the bottom--especially if there's an angler wading upstream from you.
► For most of the winter, trout have been stacked around the headwaters because the water is warmer. But as the temperatures warm up in the spring, trout will start to spread throughout the river.
General
► Fall River is open all year.
► Snow can still be an issue in April, especially early in the month. In this case, the hatchery and springs areas offer the best access. There are some turn-outs on the road between those two points, and you can hike down to the river from these.
► When checking the weather for Fall River, remember that it's 1,200 feet higher than Bend.
Confluence Fly Shop 541-678-5351
Fly and Field Outfitters 541-318-1616
The Fly Fisher's Place 541-549-3474
The Hook 541-593-2358
Sunriver Fly Shop 541-593-8814