This is the second of two contributions authored by Chris Rich, an avid fly angler who lives in Northern Virginia. Chris is a former Foreign Service Officer who enjoys fly fishing around the world as much as he does on home waters of the Potomac River watershed. All photo credits belong to Chris. cerich@hotmail.com
Part II of a Tale of Two Rivers: The Cascade Jewel
On my first fishing trip to Central Oregon with one of my oldest friends, most of our attention was focused on the Deschutes River. We were hitting this big, brawling western river just as its legendary salmon stone fly hatch was beginning, although we were a few days too early to entice many of the gorgeous native “Redside” rainbows on large dry fly adult patterns.
After a few nights camping along the big river in a fierce canyon wind, we broke camp on the Deschutes and headed south and west past the town of Sisters and up into the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range, which is big ponderosa pine and western larch country.
The Metolius River there must be one of the most beautiful trout streams I have ever seen. It’s a huge spring creek that emerges from giant springs that gush out of Black Butte with water so pure, I’m sure one could drink from them on the spot. It runs at a constant cool temperature year-round and never floods. It meanders gin clear with, in the upper section, gentle riffles and slow water like a dream through a venerable forest of ancient Douglas fir and old growth Poderosa pine. The Metolius is the Letort of the Cascades.
From its source at Metolius Springs, the river flows 30 miles through the Deschutes National Forest and into Lake Billy Chinook before flowing into the Deschutes River. The entire river is catch-and-release water, and the upper 10 miles is fly fishing only. The resident trout population is mainly rainbows, with some browns and bull trout. Kokanee Salmon are also said to migrate from Lake Billy Chinook and spawn in the river during late summer and early fall. Locals say it has not been stocked in more that 25 years, and that the fishing is the better for it.
The Metolius is a technical river renowned for its difficulty. Professional guiding is not permitted anywhere on the river. We made a long visit to the Camp Sherman Store for sage advice on flies, terrain, and tactics. We were hoping to see some of the big green drakes that begin to appear in mid-May, but we mostly stuck to tiny dry flies, Blue Winged Olives, and parachute Adams, sizes 18 and 20, as well as very small Prince and Copper John nymphs. I felt like I sometimes do on another spring creek, Mossy Creek, in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley: lots of casting practice on pretty water with no strikes. Dick and I decided the Metolius deserves more time to learn its ways than we had on this trip, and vowed to return another time.
If you plan a trip to the Metolius River, the venerable Camp Sherman Store should your first stop and point of reference. Camp Sherman is a delightful community with older vacation cabins set along the river amidst the old Ponderosa pine and fir trees, and has a number of rental properties available, including cabins at the lovey Lake Creek Lodge, which serves meals in the summer months. The nearby town of Sisters, Oregon, about 15 miles from Camp Sherman, has a number of restaurant and motel options and a good fly shop, the Fly Fisher’s Place.
Tight Lines!
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