The Metolius is running at the perfect flow, 1400 today going in to LBC, and the river is fishing well from Allingham to Gorge CG on nymphs, and from the Idiot Hole to the Big Eddy on nymphs with some afternoon hatches of BWO’s #18-20, and any day now we should see the first emergences of Cinygmula for the spring. These Yellow Mayflies at about a #16, but sometimes #14’s will be a better match. Comparaduns, Parachutes and Soft Hackles (all yellow or yellowish tan) will do the trick.
Caddis hatches are pretty darn good for this time of year with a wild mix of October Caddis, Snow Sedge, Silver Stripe Sedge, Grey #14, Tan #16 and somedays other surprises show up too. The Pupa’s in a #10 orange and a #14-16 tan have been great nymphs for us most of the winter and they are still great going in to spring. Is 2024 the year of the caddis?
Bull Trout Fishing has been good on streamers and nymphs. It is cool how “trout” the bulls get late winter and how many are caught on small nymphs.
Speaking of small nymphs, have you tried the new Oros indicators in the small size yet. WOW, they are so perfect if you want to nymphs a perdigon up to a 3.5 tungsten bead for delicacy. Highly recommend these things in Small and Medium sizes.
Here is a tidbit that will blow your mind. One of the students in my class yesterday was on the Met 2 weeks ago and got a fish he was sure was a steelhead. After seeing the photos yesterday afternoon, I concur! Then, last night while browsing Instagram one of the good young anglers I follow (Trout Plug) showed a couple of impressive fish he was releasing from his net. One was a tagged Steelhead.
Certainly the Steelhead that are brought around LBC do end up in all the tributaries of that Reservoir, and I recall my friend Rod Bonacker showing some radio tag data a few years ago when there were 13 steelhead sitting in an area downstream of Bridge 99.
If you catch a steelhead, I would sure love to hear your story too.