There are some nice Bull's beng caught here. Obnoxiousness, large streamers are a fun way to catch these predators. Olive and white or combos of both are great color schemes, but really any big invader in their space just might get eaten. There have been fewer Kokanee around, but they are spawning and egg patterns and flesh patterns can get some looks. The rainbows can also be caught on the eggs, but look for BWO's, October caddis, fall drakes and midges to be on the diet plan.

There are quite a few bugs hatching here, so depending what time of day, where you are at and what type of water your fishing, you may see different things. The October Caddis are about and the BWO's are getting consistent. These are the two hatches that are fairly easy to figure out. The BWO's will be most prevalent from late morning to early afternoon, so those nice bankers hours. The October caddis seem to flutter about later, but fishing the pupa with a mayfly dropper under and indicator may produce throughout the day. The Kokanee should start spawning and dying off soon, so watch closely not to step on the spawning bedds. Look for the Big Bulls to feed actively on the dying salmon, so big white streamers are a good bet.

Hadn't been to the Met in a long time and I needed a break from the norm. Besides, wet wading in this icy spring creek is a great way to beat the August heat! We fished from above Camp Sherman all the way down to Bridge 99. There were very few anglers on the water, but plenty of tourists running around. The fish were surprisingly cooperative for this notoriously stingy river. Golden stones, various caddis, mayflies, and midges all provided surface action. I stuck with dry flies all day, only breaking out the indicator rig for one spot. Most fish were chunky rainbows in the 12" range with a few bigger and I even landed one brown trout. Capped the day off with beers at Three Creek Brewing in Sisters. Great day!

One report on the Metolius doesn't suffice the imminent desire to fish the gin clear water in August. And, the last report I reviewed dated July 22nd, the beginning of the Golden Stones. A little time has passed since an updated post on the Met and i'm here to give it to ya.

After shootin' the bull with a manager at the Camp Sherman shop, his focus seemed to be more on Rusty Spinners, PMD's, and Caddis rather than the elusive Golden Stone. My experience with the Golden Stone thus far this year has been fairly decent, rising three to five fish in two different outings to the canyon. Which, for all practical purposes, is highly strange considering I saw maybe five adults flying the entire afternoons spent scouring the banks. If you think the Metolius is the type of freestone river that urges anglers to wait until you see a rise to cast a dry, you may be in the wrong place. My experience has been with the hatch, when a large Green Drake or Golden Stone makes its first appearance dancing above the water I switch to that pattern immediately. And chances are, if your patience and placement all align, you just may find a strike that will surely suprise the hell out of you.

The Golden Stones are more prominent in the upper part of the river, above the confluence with Jack Creek, noting the slighest increase in water temperature above said confluence. The Golden Stones are a warm weather breed, waiting until the sun is beaming to make themselves be known. Above the Camp Sherman store, the numbers of Golden's were far superior than below Allingham and beyond. So try and concentrate your focus on this upper stretch of river if large flying Golden's are your preference. And the trout, with all their elusive spledor, may seem apprehensive to devour, but patience is the game. Present the offering with a lengthened leader, 10ft. plus, and cast upstream and into seams and where rocks and insects collect.

Golden Stone nymphs are producing as well. Drop a red serendipity or red copper john below the stone in the early morning hours. Bull trout are finding residency within the system as of lately so you may hook into a feisty Bull if you're lucky. Keep changing patterns if you are fishing a Golden adult, don't be set on a particular wing design or color, the variation is what really appeals to these redbands. Also, make sure you fish a lot of water, as is typical with most trout fishing on the Metolius. And by and large, enjoy your time spent on one of Oregon's natural splendors, the mighty Metolius.

The Golden Stone hatch is happening on this spring creek. This is a fun hatch, as the fish eat these big bugs with much aggression. Move quickly, casting into every likely pocket. This is a lot like hopper fishing, as casting close to banks, under trees and around structure is a great bet. Don't beat the water too much, as a few good casts should be all that's needed. In the clear waters, you can bet the fish saw your fly, so keep moving until you find a willing participant.