1/1/26 – The first fishing report of 2026! Woohoo! It’s already going better than last year at this time when the Crooked was at flood stage. The river is rocking a cool 100cfs; perfectly normal for this time of year.
It’s been a really good time out on the Crooked over the past few weeks with the average fish getting a bit larger and still pretty hungry. Swinging leech patterns, nymphing whitefish-colored eggs and small baetis patterns will surely stick a few fish. You might see a couple of fish rise to midges throughout the day, but I wouldn’t count on much dry fly action.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
12/18/25 – The egg bite seems to back on in full force on the Crooked to my surprise, it seems that there must be a bunch of straggler whitefish still spawning up higher in the river. Swinging soft-hackle patterns has been great, as well as the usual leeches and Woolly Buggers. The fish coming out of the river lately have been pretty darn large on average (for the Crooked), which is awesome to see. In addition, ODFW stocked some steelhead at a few undisclosed campgrounds, meaning that you might run into one or two. If you do, take a picture of the number on their dorsal tag and send it in to help out our state scientists and fish biologists!
Flows have bumped up a few CFS, but it shouldn’t make the slightest of differences.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
12/5/25 – As per usual this time of year, not much has changed from my last report. In fact, has anything? The flows haven’t; the bug activity hasn’t; the quality of the fishing hasn’t; it’s been very consistent out there. The egg bite might have slowed down a bit it some places, but definitely not everywhere, as some anglers are still reporting great success on eggs. BWOs are still flying around on the cloudier of days. Swinging leeches is producing good numbers and quality fish. Without a doubt (in my mind), the Crooked is the best place to be right now.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
11/14/2025 – The solid flows have continued and the weather has been pretty mild over the past week. It’s looking like it could get pretty darn chilly out there this next week, so this weekend is a great opportunity to get after it!
BWOs are still hatching around midday, though a Griffith’s Gnat (a midge cluster imitation) has certainly been doing damage. Film Critics, Thorax Baetis, Parachute BWOs, and Ext. Body BWOs are all great options.
On the sub-surface side of things, eggs are really all you need. For those who are anti-egg, midges will also do decently well, but they are really no match for the egg. That said, I have heard from a few folks that the egg bite has been a bit sporadic, so if this happens to you, having midges could save the day.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
11/1/2025 – Flows are sitting at 94cfs below Bowman Dam (perfectly solid). Crowds have been light and fishing has continued to amaze. While not as consistent as the previous month or so, the hatches have been happening every day, though the elements have made the fishing a bit more difficult.
Eggs. That is really all you need. A size 10, orange Chubby Chernobyl with an egg pattern will absolute murder fish. Sure, plenty of them will be whitefish, but the action will be absolutely non-stop. Apricot, orange, yellow, I would bring several variations and see what sticks.
BWOs, small PMDs, midges, and October Caddis are probably of the most importance (in order from most to least important).
For nymphs, its’s a midge game: black, wine, and red are my favorites. That being said, small caddis patterns like Holy Grail Emergers, and Sparkle Pupae could also do well
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/24/2025 – It took a second, but the flows on the Crooked seem to have leveled out just above 100cfs. This is a lovely winter flows and will provide enough elbow room for the fish until next spring. The fishing has continued to be phenomenal, with anglers having just as much success ON the surface as under the surface (and even more some days).
Dry flies to have: Size #18-22 Extended Body BWOs, Film Critics, Sparkle Duns, Klinkhammers, and Hi-Viz Parachute BWOs. A smattering of midges, PMDs, and caddis should make up the rest of your dry fly box.
For nymphs, midges will be your primary patterns, with baetis nymphs and small attractors like Rainbow Warriors bringing up the rear.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/10/2025 – Well, winter flows came a bit quicker than expected, but arrived that have! Flows have jumped all over the place since October 5th: from 220 to 150; 150 to 86; 86 back up to 104; before (seemingly) settling in at 89cfs–an extremely standard winter flow.
All that said, the flows changes had little-to-no effect on the quality of the fishing. Several of our guides were caught on the river during these fluctuations and reported no changes in the fishing.
October Caddis, PMDs (they might actually be yellowy caenis flies, but we shall just call them small PMDs for our purposes), and BWOs are the main bugs flying around. Under the surface, midges, midges, and more midges seem to be on the menu. Zebra Midges are a good option, though the fish definitely see a lot of them, so maybe an alternative could work better? Crossfit Midges, Flexi Midges, WD-40s, RS2s, and Lexi’s Holo Midge.
A dry-dropper setup with a smaller Oct. Caddis pattern (think size 10-12 Stimulator) on top is a great rig for covering a lot of water..
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/3/2025 – Flows on the Crooked dropped to just below 220cfs on the 1st of the month. It is likely that this trend will continue over the next few weeks until it is sitting at it’s winter flows (anywhere from 50-125cfs). The Crooked River is still fishing spectacularly, with many anglers having an equal amount of luck on the surface and below. October Caddis, regular caddis, BWOs and PMDs are on the menu as it stands.
Dries to try: Bucky’s ICU Baetis, Tilt Wing Duns (PMD and BWO), Para Wulff BWOs, Comparaduns, Sparkle Flags, Split Flag PMDs, orange Chubbies, and orange Stimulators to name a few. For PMDs, try sizes #16-18 (there could be a few bigger ones, but it’s unlikely); for BWO patterns #18-22 will cover the size range; for October Caddis, one is looking at size #10.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/26/2025 – The Crooked River is fishing stupendously right now! Catch rates are absolutely bonkers on a variety of different types of flies and different techniques, as well. Important flies to have: BWOs, October Caddis, caddis, and general attractor patterns.
As it has been the last couple weeks, it is not especially important to get out on the river super early unless you’re hoping to beat folks to a particular spot. It has been heating up right around 9-10am with BWOs, though they will sporadically (and maybe consistently) eat an October Caddis throughout the day. A size #10 is probably the ideal for size and an orange Stimulator is the ideal pattern.
For those throwing dry-droppers: RIO’s Tung Tied (baetis or PMD-flavored), Hogan’s Lil Amigo, Two Bit Hookers (red or tan in #18), Micro Mayflies (black in #18-20), and anything with an orange hot spot for a tail or a collar should do quite well.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/19/2025 – If you are on the fence about getting out this weekend, fret no more! Set your GPS to “Bowman Dam” and get out there! The Crooked River is fishing so, so well right now. The fish are eating on the surface with reckless abandon. BWOs, caddis, and midges seem to be the main item on the menu. As mentioned last week, there doesn’t seem to be a reason to get there the moment the sun rises, so don’t concern yourself too much with your alarm.
While matching the hatch is always a worthy endeavor, a size #10-12 Chubby Chernobyl has been brutalizing fish as of late. Dropping a PMD nymph or a tungsten midge will increase catch rates. There has also been a noticeable increase in the average size of the fish being caught, which is absolutely incredible and gives me hope for the recovery of the fishery after the massive drawdown/fish-kill of 2022(?).
Dries to try: BWO Hackle Stacker (#18-20), Thorax Baetis (#18-20), Sparkle Dun (#18-20), Spinners (same sizes), Chubby Chernobyls (royal, orange, and purple), and the Elk Hair Skaddis.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/12/2025 – The Crooked River is by far fishing the best out of any body of water in Central Oregon and I refuse to hear otherwise. Our guides have been having many of their best days of the year in the past week out on the Crooked.
Clouds and overcast weather have brought midges and BWOs in droves. It is not important to get out there at the crack of dawn to experience this hatch; it has been getting good around 10am and continuing through the midday-early afternoon, with more caddis and PMDs in the late-afternoon-evening. BWO patterns to try: Ext. Body BWO (#18-22), Bucky’s ICU Baetis (#18-20), Sparkle Duns, Almost Duns, Comparaduns, and RS2s dropped off the back of one of the above also will catch fish.
As per usual, a dry-dropper setup is also going to get plenty of attention. Setup: 7.5ft, 4x-5x leader with a Micro Chubby on the end. Depending on the weight of the nymph(s) you plan on using, 2.5-3.5ft of 5x to a midge, baetis, scud, or sowbug pattern is an awesome setup.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/5/2025 – September is an awesome time to be in the Crooked River Canyon. The river is teeming with life: a variety of different bugs can be hatching at any moment, the average fish size seems to increase a bit, and the crowds are near non-existent as many anglers turn their attention towards steelhead and others migrate to the lakes in search of the big boys.
Midges–both on the surface and below–are going to be extremely important to have with you in the coming days. I normally don’t suggest Zebra Midges because I think that it is perhaps the most commonly-used fly on the Crooked and I like to show them something different. That being said, a size 20 red, wine, or black Zebra Midge is difficult to beat at this moment in time. PMDs should also be popping off here and there, as should BWOs (probably in the morning), and the odd caddis.
Flies to try: Three Dollar Dips (#18-20), Crossfit Midges (#18-20), RS2s (#18-20), French Dips (#16-18), Rusty Spinners (#20), E/C Caddis (#16-28), Thorax Baetis (#18-20), general baetis nymphs (#18), and PMD patterns of all sorts.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/29/2025 – The Crooked River is still fishing quite well, with lots of BWOs and PMDs coming off throughout the day with midges being the primary food source in the morning. I know its not ideal, but you’re really hoping to be in that #20-range for your BWO dries and #16-range for your PMDs. BWO patterns: Bucky’s ICU Baetis, olive Klinkhammers, Parachute BWOs, Comparaduns, and Thorax Baetis. PMD patterns: Spider Variants. Tilt Wing Duns, Galloup’s Bent-Wing Cripple, and Hackle Stackers.
Nymphing with a dry-dropper setup has continued to elicit strikes, too. A black or tan Micro Chubby Chernobyl simply cannot be beat, while a Split Top PMD, Splitback Shady, or any small baetis nymph will do the trick. Consider dropping a classic Hare’s Ear, as well; they still produce well! Especially in the upper section of the river closest to Bowman Dam.
A couple Ray Charles’ (drab and not drab), scuds, and sowbugs also deserve a spot in your Crooked box.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/22/2025 – The Crooked River is another that has been absolutely FIRING for our guides and customers, alike. BWOs, PMDs, and caddis have all been coming off in great numbers, with a good BWO hatch occuring mid-morning, and the PMDs and caddis following later in the afternoon/evening.
BWO imitations to try: Extended Body Parachutes BWOs (#20-22), Sparkle Duns (#18-22), Tilt Wing Duns (#18-22), and BWO Wulffs (#20-22) will do well.
Euronymphing and jig-style flies have been killer as per usual. Perdigons, Crossfit Midges, Jigged Zebra Midges, Frenchies, and Walt’s Worms are a few I think deserve a shoutout. Anything very small and olive like a WD-40 will also do the trick.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/15/2025 – The most recent heat spell really seems to have pushed the fish down, making dry flies less productive than they might otherwise be on the Crooked. As of today, that heat spell seems to be over, so I expect the Crooked River to return to its regular scheduled programming.
While I think I fish bigger flies than most on the Crooked as I don’t think they particularly care, I would recommend sizing down your nymphs and dries a bit as August progresses. We are still seeing some sporadic PMD and caddis hatches, though the BWOs should be showing their faces soon.
Sub-surface fishing will continue to be the main technique you’ll probably want to employ. Weighted midges, small mayflies, and scuds (think the Ray Charles) are good bets.
This is a perfect time for anyone who has been wanting to learn European-style nymphing: the flows are still higher and summer-like (275cfs), the fish are primarily feeding under the surface, and the “Dirty Dangle” has been killing it lately on the Crooked. Feel free to swing by the shop or call us with any of your euro nymphing queries!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/7/2025 – The Crooked should be high up on your list of places to fish over the next week or so for a multitude of reasons:
1. Water temps are sitting in the low-50’s.
2. The midday/afternoon PMD hatch was been lights out.
3. Crowds have been less than significant.
Our guides and customers alike have been loving the Crooked lately! It has not been busy at all, the dry fly fishing has been tops, and it’s just a nice place to spend an afternoon! For those who don’t care too much how they catch their fish, nymphing has been good throughout the mid-morning and early-afternoon.
Nymphs to try: Micro BB Leeches (black), Hogan’s Lil Amigo (olive in #16-18), Radiation Baetis (#18-20), Tungsten Jig PMDs (small as possible), Thread Frenchies and Frenchies (#16-20).
Dries to bring along: Parachute PMDs (#16-18), Sparkle Flags, Split Flags, Comparaduns, and Hackle Stackers.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/1/2025 – Our guides and customers alike are having a tremendous amount of success on the Crooked River as of late! There have been some PMDs and caddis sporadically hatching in the evenings, but neither have been incredibly consistent. That said, an angler fishing a single mayfly dry all day will no doubt find some risers. Parachutes, Missing Links (#16-18), Front End Loaders, Skater Tots (#18), and X-Caddis are a few suggestions for dries to try.
Nymphing has been the main strategy employed by most on the Crooked right now. As the depth is consistently shallow, the Crooked is a great place to deploy a dry-dropper. At times the dry acts as a glorified indicator, but it certainly can’t hurt to give yourself an extra opportunity at feeding the fish! Caddis Poopahs, Morrish’ Hotwire Caddis, Splitback Shadys, Tungsten PMD Jigs (or their lightly-weighted counterparts), and any small perdigon will do well. This is also a good time of year/location for euro-nymphing! For anybody interested in learning, we are more than happy to help you out here in the shop!
Water temps are sitting anywhere from 54-55 degrees, which is peachy keen for the fish and will help negate that brutal high desert sun!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
7/18/2025 – Fishing on the Crooked has remained strong since my last report! Flows are holding around 290cfs right now, which is perfectly average for this time of year! For anyone heading that direction in the upcoming days, it might behoove one to try to get out fairly early to spend as little time in the sun as possible. The heat on the river after the sun crests the canyon walls is no joke! It also tends to slow down the fishing a bit until the hatches start popping off; which have started anywhere between 3-6pm and have lasted until last light.
While July is certainly the “Month of the Caddis” here in Central Oregon, the PMD fishing has been pretty lights out for our guides! PMD dries I like: Split Flags, Sparkle Flags, Sparkle Duns, Tilt-Wing Duns, Comparaduns, Hackle Stackers and the Morrish Mayday (created by Oregon’s own Ken Morrish!).
Generally, the size you’re looking for is #16, though #14’s and #18’s are necessary as well.
For the majority of the day, nymphing will still elicit the most strikes. Dunnigan’s Panty Dropper (#18), Split Case PMDs, Sunburst Jigs, Sweetmeat Caddis, and Mangy Caddis are great patterns to try out!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
7/11/2025 – As I type this date, I realize it is 7/11 Day! Will they still give you a free slurpee of some kind to celebrate? Sometime try it out, call the shop, ask for Kaden and let me know!
The Crooked has had added another good week of fishing to its 2025 tally! The morning midge hatch is still cooking, though 6x is fairly important to use for such small flies. Rule of thumb: when deciding what size tippet to use, take the size of you fly and divide it by 3. That is the size you want to use.
Ex: Size #18 BWO pattern? 18 / 3 = 6, so 6x is the size tippet you want to reach for. Hope that helps!
The caddis hatch has been starting a bit earlier in the day in recent days. Our guides have been having a super productive post-lunch hatch from about 12:30-3pm, then again from about 6pm until dark. Must-have caddis dries: Missing Links, Stealth Links, Found Links (debatably copyright infringement), Front End Loaders, Elk Hair Caddis, Big Boned Caddis, and Finfetcher Caddis in sizes #14-18 and colored tan, brown, black, or olive.
As always, nymphing below an indicator or using a dry-dropper will yield the most consistent results. See the last two reports for more fly recommendations.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
7/4/2025 – The fishing on the Crooked has continued to be quality, though my report from last week still rings true: it hasn’t necessarily been solid the entire day. The early-morning midge action has been peachy, while the caddis in the afternoon/evening have also been a good time. The midday hours have proven a bit more difficult to find fish. Nymphing is pretty much your only shot at picking off fish between the hours of 11am – 3pm (though there have been some sporadic PMD hatches throughout the day, too).
Nymphs to try: Tereyla’s Lightsaber, (#14-16), Split Case PMDs (#16-18), Duracells (#14-18), Frenchies (#16-18), and tungsten Jujubaetis (#18-22).
Dries to try: Big Boned Caddis, Sparkled Duns (PMD-flavored), Puterbaugh Caddis, Elk Hair Caddis, and (PMD) Hackle Stackers.
Good news! The rainbows seem to have started finishing up their business and leaving their redds! Keep continuing to pay attention to where you’re stepping (especially at Big Bend CG), so as not to smush any eggs before they have the chance to turn into feisty little native Redbands.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/27/2025 – The Crooked River has been fishing quite well overall, but not always consistently throughout the day. The mornings have been dominated by midges–both on the surface and under–with a midday lull (on the surface), followed by an evening caddis hatch.
For those looking to beat the heat by heading out that direction early, make sure you’ve got your 6x nylon tippet! My go-to midge patterns are Hi-Vis Griffith’s Gnats, Tricos, Spinners, and this one that I have forgotten the name of and can’t find online right, but it’s like a trico with a second wing behind the first. While midges might not pack a (nutritional) bunch by themselves, the tendency for them and/or their spent casings to group up in little clumps in eddies and pools can be very tempting, hence the need for Griffith’s Gnats which imitate a cluster of midges.
During the midday lull on the surface, midge nymphs, small caddis larva and PMDs, eggs, small San Juan Worms, and small attractor nymphs like #16-18 perdigons will pick up fish. After that, it’s primarily all caddis. As stated in previous reports, I really like the Corn-Fed Caddis (tan or olive) in #14-18. For those who are struggling to keep the CFC afloat, Loon makes a product called “Lochsa”, which is a floatant specifically geared towards flies with lots of CDC (which makes up the entirety of the Corn-Fed Caddis).
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/20/2025 – The Crooked River seems to be running a couple months late at the current moment. Trout rely on water temps and flows to tell them when it’s time to spawn. As dams artificially control both of those factors, “tailwater” fish (fish in streams that flow out of dams) tend to have a prolonged spawning period. While rainbows typically spawn in spring, tailwater rainbows might spawn anytime between January and May. Due to the crazy flows we saw on the Crooked between Christmas Eve 2024 and mid-May, Crooked fish didn’t really have an opportunity to settle into their redds and spawn. As many people may be aware of, fish normally run up to their headwater streams and creeks to spawn. Due to the massive dam blocking their path, the fish in the Crooked tend to settle down on redds right above/through Big Bend Campground. Patches of cleaned gravel called “redds” can be small or span the width of the river and can often be difficult to identify. For this reason, we are seeing an incredible amount of fish on spawning beds actively spawning in mid-June. Unfortunately, we are seeing a lot of anglers and guides unknowingly (I think) walking on, and targeting fish on their redds. This is less than ideal as these anglers may be unwittingly crushing the eggs left behind by these fish.
Those who might not feel as confident identifying spawning beds might want to avoid the uppermost stretches of the Crooked below Bowman Dam. Luckily for us, we have 9-10 miles of incredible BLM access with 4500 trout per mile to choose from!
Caddis hatches have still be solid in the evenings, but it has mainly been a nymphing-game as of late. Some flies to try include: RIO’s Tung Tied (PMD or Baetis in sizes #16-18), Lightning Bugs (#14-16), RIO’s Rain Drop (rusty and purple seem to be the most popular), Mangy Caddis (olive in #16), Keslar’s IGGY in similar colors and sizes, and Split Case PMDs. It always worth it try try a dry-dropper setup on the Crooked as those Redbands are a bit less picky when they see something juicy floating over their head.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/13/2025 – Our guides have had a good amount of success on caddis in the past few days out on the Crooked. Flows dropped a tiny bit, but are still right in the zone one wants them this time of year for optimal fish-catching. This particular hatch tends to be an evening one, so it might be worth making an afternoon trip out that direction if you’d like to find consistent dry fly action. Maybe even stop at Prineville Reservoir on the way out to whoop up on some bass!
For the most part, dry-droppers are the way to go currently. A size #14 Double Stack Chubby in the color “Midnight” is the absolute perfect dry for that rig. Others to try: Skater Tot’s, Big Boned Caddis, Hippie Stompers, Dry Humpers, and any other Humpy-knockoff (preferably with a bit of foam for added buoyance) should do the trick.
While the caddis hatch can be very productive, the Crooked is a perfect nymphing river. There is a ton of structure for trout to hide behind to ambush bugs swept up in the current. Caddis pupa (#14-18) are key. I have been liking Keslar’s Iggy a lot lately. Olive, rusty, and purple Rain Drops (#16) have also been working well; as have Lightning Bugs, Diabaetis perdigons, Pearl and Orange perdigons, Free Living (Caddis) Larva, and various colors of Jig Napoleons.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/6/2025 – The flows on the Crooked River below Bowman Dam have been stable at 290cfs for the last week or so, which is certainly good news. The fish are not as spread out as they were to start the trout season. That being said, the fishing has been inconsistent since my last report. While pretty much anglers are reporting some amount of success, the number of fish caught has wildly varied. There are still plenty of caddis to be had on the surface, as well as below; the PMDs have been hanging around in pretty good numbers, too. General mayfly/caddis imitations (think Comparduns, Purple Haze’s, EHCs, etc…). In addition to the patterns listed in my report from last week, Hogan’s Lil Amigo (olive or brown in #14-18), Higa’s SOS (#18-20), Two-Bit Hookers (red/black/tan/brown in #16-20), and olive Tungsten Biot Midges (#18-22) have been working.
In terms of dry flies, I would stick to whichever patterns you have the most success with and maybe add ant patterns to your arsenal. As always, small foam flies will work wonders on the Crooked River.
To sum up my thoughts on the Crooked in the upcoming week, I think it should be considered by any angler looking to get out on the water and especially those who might want to escape the crowds. The temps are always hotter in the canyon than they are here in town, so make sure to bring plenty of water and sun protection.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/30/2025 – The Crooked River has been a really consistent option during the last week or so. I heard from a lot of anglers who spent the weekend camping on the river and pretty much all of them found happy and aggressive rainbows all over the place! The caddis hatch has continued to impress throughout the afternoon and into the evening. For those who might not want to spend a full day out on the water, consider saving your energy for a 2pm start time to catch some good dry fly action!
While the Crooked is not a very salmonfly-heavy area, those Crooked River fish tend to get a bit overexcited when they see a size #10-14 Chubby (or similar) float over the top of them. There is never a time of year where I don’t recommend a dry-dropper on the Crooked River
Dries to try: Missing Links (tan, amber, olive in #14-18), Found Links (#14-18), Corn-Fed Caddis (tan or olive), Body Double Caddis (black or brown in #14-18), and–as with any caddis hatch–the Elk Hair Caddis is a must have (orange, tan, olive, brown, black in siezs #14-18).
Nymphs to try: Mangy Caddis (olive or tan in sizes #14-18), Newbury’s F2 Caddis’ (olive in #14-16), Split Case PMDs (#14-18), Hare’s Ear Nymphs (tan or olive in #14-18), Jigged Espresso Midges (#16-20), Crossfit Jigs (#18-10), and Tungsten Zebra Midges (#18-22).
The flows have been jumping around a tiny bit in the last week, but have not topped 300cfs since the 20th. Flows should remain relatively stable for the foreseeable future.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/23/2025 – The “Year of the Flows” on the Crooked continues this week, though it is all looking up! Water coming into the reservoir from the Upper Crooked is sitting just over 200cfs. Even though the reservoir is at 100% capacity, this drop in flow means that all the snow has melted in and around the Ochoco’s and we shouldn’t see any more crazy fluctuations in flow soon! The Crooked is flowing out of Bowman Dam at 230cfs, which is ideal!
The Mother’s Day Caddis hatch has continued to be nuts, especially on the warmer days. In addition to the patterns mentioned in last weeks update, the MIssing Link in a size #16 or #18 should trick even the pickiest of Crooked River Redbands. Our guides have been reporting seeing a bunmch of salmonflies, which is more funny that actually impactful. While they are unlikely to whack a size #6 Double Stack Chubby, a #14 Micro Chubby or similar with a PMD or caddis nymph hanging off the end is a killer setup right now.
Flies to try: Yuba Pupaes (olive in size #14-16), Hotwire Caddis (similar sizes and colors), Crackback Yeagers, and Split Case PMDs are good patterns to start with. Small perdigon patterns like Newbury’s Alt Rocker (tan in size #16) and Jay Dunnigan’s Panty Dropper are some heavier patterns to try if you come across some deeper water.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/16/2025 – The Crooked River has been treating anglers well as of late. Plenty of bugs and larger rainbows seem to have been flushed out of the dam during the increased flows, so there is ample food and larger fish in the system. The flows has fluctuated often during the last week, but the inflow to the reservoir is finally less than the outflow from Bowman Dam, meaning that it is unlikely that flows will bump up much higher than 400cfs if at all. The river is currently running at 380cfs.
Afternoon has brought an incredible caddis hatch: Front Loader Caddis, Corn-Fed Caddis, Parachute Caddis and Skater Tot’s in size #14-18 in tan, olive, brown, or black are some great options if you’re headed out that direction.
Other bugs to try: Hogan’s Lil Amigo continues to produce, Jay’s Panty Dropper, various midges (preferably tungsten due to higher flows), and San Juan Worms (also tungsten) will catch fish.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/9/2025 – The Crooked is officially a go! While the flows are still been slightly unstable, the flows have not crept back over 400cfs after their initial drop. Some larger fish were flushed through the dam, so now there is a larger-than-usual number of 16in+ fish in the river. In addition, anglers have continued to catch steelhead. If you catch one, please handle it with caution and consider using barbless hooks.
Due to the varying flows, searching patterns might a good way to go when you first get their. Small Chubby Chernobyls, Skater Tots, or Big Boned Caddis that might be able to hold up a lightly weighted nymph or two is a good way to about things. Caddis pupa, Two-Bit Hookers (#16-20), Rainbow Hogan’s Lil Amigo (#16-20), and other small attractors are good to try, as well.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/5/2025 – I come bearing wonderful news! As of this morning, Monday, May 5th, the Crooked River has dropped below 500cfs and should be ready to go for angling! We will see over the course of the next few days what may or may not be hatching/working out there, so stay tuned!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
4/25/2025 – Well, I thought for a second my early-May prediction may not come to fruition, but my hopes have been solidly dashed. After two days with relatively low-ish flows (just over 500cfs), the Crooked has once again ballooned to well over 1200cfs. At this time, we do not reccomend fishing the Crooked River, but we will update everyone as soon as we think it is possible.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
4/11/2025 – After dropping down to 900cfs for several days in a row, the Crooked River has again swelled to around 1800cfs. My prediction of the river being unfishable until early-May seems about on track. Prineville Reservoir is about 90% full and there is almost certainly more snow melt coming from high elevations, so they will continue to have to dump out increased flows to accommodate it.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
3/28/2025 – As of this morning, the Crooked River is now flowing at over 3000cfs. Due to the recent warming in weather and considerable snowpack we have accumulated this winter, it is extremely unlikely that the Crooked will be fishable before early-to-mid May.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
3/14/2025 – I wish I had better news about the Crooked River, but it is still unfishable. After flows dropped to just over 1200cfs in recent days, they have spiked up again in the few hours, which does not bode well for its “fishability” in the next week or so. The maximum flow we would recommend fishing is about 500cfs and even that is pushing it. Consider fishing elsewhere for the foreseeable future.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
2/28/2025 – A terrible start to 2025 for the Crooked River. After flows ballooned up to 1800-1900cfs earlier in the week, they are now sitting at a cool 2600cfs. For reference, the winter flows are normally between 75-150cfs. With Prineville Reservoir filling up and flows entering it sitting at 2800cfs, it is very unlikely flows will drop anytime soon. As such, the Crooked River will not be fishable for the forseeable future.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
2/14/2025 – Well, the reasonable flows didn’t last too long. Currently, flows are holding steady at just under 800cfs. As normal winter flows are between 50cfs and 150cfs, it will take a 24-72 hours for the fish to settle back into their winter homes after the flows get back into shape. Unfortunately, the Crooked River is probably not a great option right now.
