Salmonflies On the Cusp

On Oregon’s Lower Deschutes and other western rivers, anglers wait for the annual phenomenon of the salmonfly hatch, which typically lasts only a couple of weeks. Paul Hansen, owner of the Riffle Fly Shop in Warm Springs and Bend, gives his advice on how to fish the early emergence of salmonflies, which, unlike mayflies, escape the water by crawling to the edges of rivers and streams. “‘Same as every year, the first fish to look for (salmon fly) adults is in the big grass-lined banks and overlaying tree banks,’ Hansen said. ‘The riffles don’t fish as well early on. That’s the main mistake people make. Salmon flies crawl out and turn into adults, and fish don’t see them until their emergence. The fish out in the middle aren’t seeing any of them.'” Mark Morical in the Bend Bulletin.