Recent content by O. mykiss

Silver unicorn!

My son and I finally got out on a day when the river was in shape last Friday. We went 3/3 on natives and my son landed this monster! We knew it was a big fish by the way it was fighting but we had no clue it was this big until we brought it to hand. He measured 37” long with a girth of 19 5/8”...

They are cool looking fish, very common in Oregon along rocky areas. First one I filleted when I was a kid made my dad and I wonder if we should eat it or not 🤣

After a few gear failures led to 3 lost fall fish the last couple weekends, we finally punched some tags today! Took my son and wife out and we were rewarded for putting in our dues. We went 4/5 with all fish weighing from 15.5 up to 17.5lbs

Hagg lake is a popular fishery for bass and trout that’s not too far away

I’ve caught smallmouth out of the grande ronde in March and April when the river is at flood stage and all snow melt. They were feeding like crazy on outmigrating smolt

I bet it’s not a transplant. The willamette has them, all it takes is for the fish to swim up the McKenzie

My wife worked on a fish trap at the mouth of the grande ronde river in Washington trapping and tagging smolt. While she was there they fished a lot for smallmouth. The best bait was a swim bait that looked like an outmigrating smolt

I would say that is 100% a salmonid. It’s hard to say based on the state of digestion, but looks like a steelhead smolt. I can see small round spots near the dorsal like a rainbow

With how bright it is, it looks like a steelhead smolt.

It is tidally influenced well past mapleton. Paddling against the tide isn’t terrible, but I would plan your trip on a day with softer tides. Another consideration I haven’t seen mentioned is the wind factor. The wind can ruin a trip or even make it a capsizing issue. If it were me, I would...

The John day is always an option but with the snow pack and recent warm weather it’s likely unfishable. One to keep an eye on

There are a few areas up in cascade locks to fish, get online and find some spots

The Columbia, any parks along the river in the gorge have smallmouth

Check out farewell bend state park in Huntington.