Fish On!

Fall River

An angler smiles while gripping a huge Fall River rainbow trout. With a very active stocking program, this spring creek located just south of Bend provides year-round fishing opportunities.
Your Direct Line to the Water

Guide Report

Fly Rod Divider Design Detail Confluence Fly Shop Bend Oregon
9/28/2024 – Fishing has been pretty hot on the Fall River this past week. Fish have been rising to all kinds of bugs: #14-18 Caddis, #18-22 Spinners, and #14-18 PMDs seem to be on the menu.

In terms of sub-surface flies, #14-20 Holo-Point Jigs (red or purple) have been firing off, while anything with an hot orange bead seems to be doing the same. Try working a #8-12 Wooly Bugger along those logs where they stack up for protection, or let your nymphs swing up and under those same logs at the end of your drift (for all those euronymphers out there).

Crowds have been decently thick at the hatchery and campground, so it might be worth it to move around upstream and downstream of the usual locations to find some elbow room and less pressured fish.

9/17/2024 – The Fall River has been fairly consistent the past few weeks or so. After getting stocked earlier in the month, there are a lot of hungry fish waiting to be tricked into gulping down a fly. Small BWO dries (#18-22) and midge patterns (#18-22), as well as classic mayfly patterns like Parachute Adams and Rusty Spinners will work as fish rise closer to the Headwaters.

The name of the game these days is nymphing. The most important aspect of fishing the Fall River is making sure that your nymphs are getting deep enough. Due to the incredible water clarity, one can visibly see where in the water column the fish are hanging out. When fishing with an adjustable indicator, make sure that the distance between your indicator and deepest fly is greater than the depth in which the fish is sitting. For example, if a fish is sitting 3ft below the surface, it is advisable to adjust your indicator so that your bottom fly is around 4-5ft below your indicator. Patterns to try: Duracell Jigs (#16-18), Two-Bit Hookers (#18-22), Tungsten Split-Cases (#18-20), and any kind of Perdigon (#16-18).

NOTE: Make sure to check air quality before going to Fall River!
General Weather
Details

About the Water

Bubbling right out of the ground, this roughly 8-mile-long spring creek travels in a northeasterly direction until it
joins the Deschutes River between the towns of Sunriver and La Pine. This spring-fed tributary is FLY FISHING
ONLY and courses gin-clear through stands of lodge-pole pine and high mountain meadow. The ever-reliable flows
of this spring creek, make it an excellent choice for walk and wade anglers when the levels of other rivers in the
region are low or in flux.

An easy 30-minute drive south of Bend, the middle and upper sections of the Fall have a good population of both
hatchery and wild rainbow trout. The stocked fish (often indistinguishable from the river’s wild rainbow trout) are
added several times a year and mingle with the other species of wild fish; brook trout, brown trout, and mountain
whitefish. The lowest section (below Fall River Falls) receives wild brown and rainbow trout from the main stem of
the Deschutes River.

As is characteristic of many spring creeks, this river is cold, clear, and meandering throughout most of its length.
Selecting fine tippet, tying good knots, and using leaders long enough to avoid spooking fish that see plenty of
anglers, is required. Beyond making good choices with your terminal tackle; fly selection, casting, and line
management skills to achieve good drifts, can be difference makers as well. Consider a half or full-day trip with
one of our guides to help you learn and understand how to apply these different spring creek strategies. There’s
really no substitute for time on the water with an expert. Guides are adept at helping you quickly recognize the
factors that impact trout behavior and grasp those techniques that will yield spring creek success.
Stop by the fly shop for a river map, advice on access, and the staff’s favorite seasonal fly pattern choices.

Dry Flies

Blue-Winged-Olives #18-20, Caddis – Saddle #16-18, Midges #18-20

Subsurface Flies

Blue-Winged-Olive Mayfly Emergers #18-20, Caddis Pupa Nymphs (Spotted) #14, Mayfly Nymphs (small) #18-20, Midge Larva and Pupa #18-22, Streamer-style fly patterns (2” to 4”) – imitating juvenile rainbow trout, whitefish, sculpin
  • SINGLE HANDED ROD: 4-5wt
  • FLY LINE: Floating
  • LEADER/TIPPET: 9’ 5x-6x Nylon tapered leader
    • 4x-6x Fluorocarbon and Nylon tippet
  • EURO-STYLE ROD: 3wt
  • TIPPET: 4x-6x Fluorocarbon tippet
All Oregon fishing licenses can be purchased online or by downloading the MyODFW app on your smart phone. An Oregon Angling License required for any and all fishing.

What To Fish For

Artwork by Tye Krueger