The fishing on the Metolius has remained steady, and is a good option if you are looking to spend some time on one of the area’s more technical waters. A multi-fly nymph rig will provide the best opportunity for success. We recommend leading with a large, heavy fly to get down in the water column and attract attention. Deep october pupa, jimmy legs, and golden stone patterns in sizes 6-10 should pick up a few fish while helping to get your flies down. Trail these flies with a cdc pheasant tail, black copper john, two bit hooker, or micro mayfly in size 16-20. You may also see success fishing a caddis larva or pupa pattern in sizes 14-18. When fishing any sort of caddis pupa let your flies swing at the end of the drift, you may be surprised at the numbers of fish that will move to your fly as it comes up and across the water column.
As always, the Metolius is the place to find Bull Trout in the area. These fish are not pushovers, but do provide an exciting opportunity to sight fish or swing streamers in the hopes of finding something heavy on the end of your line. Olive and white continue to be good colors for streamers, the dolly llama is a good go-to pattern. For those who tie their own flies, get creative and put together your own unique combination of rabbit strips, marabou, and your favorite flash. Sometimes something the fish haven’t seen before is the key to provoking a strike!