Fly fishing along 395 (Northern Cal - Western Idaho - Oregon - WA)

[webhak]

I have a road trip coming up at the end of May and figured I'd throw my fly fishing gear in the car and see what waters I can explore. I'm new to fly fishing and haven't driven this route before so I figured I'd check in and see if anyone has recommended bodies of water to check out.

Everything I've found so far is south of Reno, and I ain't going that way.

I'm not looking for anyone's magical spots. Just anything worth checking out. I'll be on 395 from Reno to Richland, WA (going through Northern California, Oregon, and southern Washington.

 

[RockAndSage]

Don't know anything about fly fishing, but Pyramid Lake just east of Reno, and Eagle Lake just NW of Susanville, both have unique trout.

 

[chemist]

How much of a detour are you looking to take? Northeast Oregon has some beautiful country with trout rivers. The area around Wallowa OR is worth checking out if you have the time. But at that time of year, many of those rivers will be running high with snow melt.

If you are just looking to wet a line, the grande ronde is not far out of your way, but the lower stretches are nicer.

Richland has three rivers with decent fishing but they are not what I typically think of for fly fishing water.

 

[steelheadmike]

Honestly, the 395 corridor doesn't have a ton of options. If you really want to get into some good water, I'd drive past 395 and take 44 out of Susanville. Take that to 89, then hit I-5 for about 10 miles, then take 97 well into Oregon through Bend, then 197 into Maupin and all the the way to The Dalles, then 84 east to Richland.

You'd be able to hit Hat Creek, McCloud, Pit River, Upper Sac, Upper Klamath, Upper Deschutes, Lower Deschutes, and countless other lesser known spots.

If you go anytime in the next month, all you need is a box of big salmon flies.

 

[WRO]

Chiwaucan out of paisley about 25 minutes off of 395 needs to be on your list, the John day has lots of bass in it as well.


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[IdahoBeav]

Go I80-95-I84 instead and hit the Owyhee tailwater- near Adrian, OR.

 

[johnw3474]

I came to post essentially what @steelheadmike said.

 

[Bachto]

I agree ^^^^, at a minimum I would look at detouring to the Bend area and hitting the Deschutes.

 

[webhak]

Thanks all! This gives me a great starting point.

 

[TaperPin]

Don’t overlook small creeks you might pass over two feet wide. Many browns grow pretty big eating little trout in these. Sometimes a tiny stream is so full of little trout that are quick to take anything that it’s fun to crawl on hands and knees close enough to simply set the fly on the surface. Enjoy practicing your casts in different conditions even if it’s frustrating. Some brush lined creeks can only be fished with tiny roll casts or by pulling the fly back and shooting it a short distance like a bow and arrow (archer cast).

A great companion to a fly rod for brush lined creeks and big or swift rivers is a small spinning rod with a small casting bubble 5’ leader and black wooleybuger or other leach imitation. If there is a big rock in a river I get excited since first cast hookups are so common. You’ll see the biggest trout come out of hiding to eat this big juicy morsel. Don’t overlook the casting bubble and a nondescript fly like an Adam’s or PMD retrieved quickly like a wet fly for areas with a lot of little stockers. It seems to work better than it should.

You’ll cross some big fast deep rivers that are hard to fish - don’t overlook opportunities for adding significant split shot to a streamer or big nymph to get it down in deep pockets near shore. Some water that looks like rapids on the surface has pockets of calm water in front of or behind big rocks down deep. Guys that joy this kind of fishing pull out some big fish that others don’t even try to fish. On a fly rod it doesn’t resemble fly casting, and on a spinning rod it’s more like fishing lead heads.

Unfamiliar water is generally just an excuse to stop and doesn’t produce much without local knowledge, but mixed in with dashed hopes and unfulfilled day dreams, some of my most memorable afternoons were spent experimenting in oddball spots near the highway that hid fish others ignored.

 

[SDHNTR]

Honestly, the 395 corridor doesn't have a ton of options. If you really want to get into some good water, I'd drive past 395 and take 44 out of Susanville. Take that to 89, then hit I-5 for about 10 miles, then take 97 well into Oregon through Bend, then 197 into Maupin and all the the way to The Dalles, then 84 east to Richland.

You'd be able to hit Hat Creek, McCloud, Pit River, Upper Sac, Upper Klamath, Upper Deschutes, Lower Deschutes, and countless other lesser known spots.

If you go anytime in the next month, all you need is a box of big salmon flies.

Say what? Hogwash!

Upper Owens. Hot Creek. East Walker. Kirman Lake. West Walker. Carson River, Truckee river. Pyramid. Susan river. Eagle lake. Just to name a few. Plus a multitude of smaller creeks and streams that virtually all hold fish. Get off the beaten path and you’ll see limited pressure.

 

[Sandhills]

I grew up in that general area of California. Get up north of susanville theres some lakes out in the desert like Dodge reservoir or West Valley that have some good fishing. North of Alturas and up in the Warners there's a bunch of little creeks. The pit river and goose lake are have their own strains of redbands

 

[SDHNTR]

Honestly, the 395 corridor doesn't have a ton of options. If you really want to get into some good water, I'd drive past 395 and take 44 out of Susanville. Take that to 89, then hit I-5 for about 10 miles, then take 97 well into Oregon through Bend, then 197 into Maupin and all the the way to The Dalles, then 84 east to Richland.

You'd be able to hit Hat Creek, McCloud, Pit River, Upper Sac, Upper Klamath, Upper Deschutes, Lower Deschutes, and countless other lesser known spots.

If you go anytime in the next month, all you need is a box of big salmon flies.

Say what? Hogwash!

Upper Owens. Hot Creek. East Walker. Kirman Lake. West Walker. Carson River, Truckee river. Pyramid. Susan river. Eagle lake. Just to name a few. Plus a multitude of smaller creeks and streams that virtually all hold fish. Get off the beaten path and you’ll see limited pressure.

 

[TaperPin]

. . . and don’t forget to stop in all the fly shops along your trip - they not only have the best information, but sometimes a specialized fly or certain size has proven to produce more.

 

[Sandhills]

I should say that if you take a side tour down 70 and then up 89 and back over to 395 at Susanville you'll fish some pretty country along through there. The middle fork of the Feather has trout and smallies, largemouth in the calmer spots, Spanish Creek has trout and some big ones to boot as doe greenhorn creek but the good fishing is largely private property. A little further out of the way is Bucks lake. Almanor is off 89 and 36 back down to Susanville has numerous lakes and creeks. Stop in Susanville at Idaho grocery for a sammich and a pack of their Basque chorizo. Hit the Brass Rail in Alturas and/or Louis' Basque Corner in Reno for some good food. If you're coming from the South and go through Gardnerville you got to eat at the J&T. Order a picon

 

[RockAndSage]

Stop in Susanville at Idaho grocery for a sammich and a pack of their Basque chorizo

Oh, man, there is some killer Basque food between Elko and Susanville...

 

[Sandhills]

Oh, man, there is some killer Basque food between Elko and Susanville...

Elko you got the Star, I suppose you can say Toki Ona but I've never been impressed with them, Winnemucca has the Martin, Reno Has Louis', got a couple in Carson I've never been to and you got J&T in Gardnerville. Then it's a dry run to Alturas for the Brass Rail. Then you got Jordan Valley up in Oregon. They are all good! Picons flow like water through there

 

[Sandhills]

Elko you got the Star, I suppose you can say Toki Ona but I've never been impressed with them, Winnemucca has the Martin, Reno Has Louis', got a couple in Carson I've never been to and you got J&T in Gardnerville. Then it's a dry run to Alturas for the Brass Rail. Then you got Jordan Valley up in Oregon. They are all good! Picons flow like water through there

I really wish I was around when the Winnemucca Hotel, Ormachea's and Biltoki were open. Heard all three were top notch

 

[NVUplandHunter]

dude if you're coming to reno you need to get down on the truckee. anywhere in town at any of the urban parks are great spots to fish. easy parking and lots of river access. some of the biggest fish in the river are in town.

as you're coming in, you'll be by the feather river too which has some good fishing in it. If you're up for still water, you'll be passing by Frenchman Lake and Lake Davis both are great for fishing and have some creek around them.

Depending on how long you're in reno, you can also make a trip west on i80 to the Little Truckee which isnt an easy place to catch a fish but they are all wild big and beautiful fish!

 

[RockAndSage]

I really wish I was around when the Winnemucca Hotel, Ormachea's and Biltoki were open. Heard all three were top notch

Ormachea's is still open, hadn't ever heard that it closed. But it's still there.