Alright, so you wanna know about fly fishin’ on that McKenzie River in Oregon, huh? Well, lemme tell ya, it ain’t no fancy-pants city pond. It’s a real river, with real fish, and you gotta be ready for some real work. I ain’t no expert, mind you, but I’ve seen a thing or two, and I’ll tell ya what I know.
First off, this McKenzie River, it’s a big one. They say it goes on for 85 somethin’ or other – miles, I guess. Starts way up in them Cascade Mountains and flows on down. Lots of water, that’s what it means. And where there’s lots of water, there’s usually lots of fish.
Now, they got all sorts of fish in that river. Trout, yeah, they got trout. Some wild ones, some they raise in them fish hatcheries. And then there’s these spring chinook and summer steelhead – big fellas, them. Heard tell of sturgeon too, and some other little fish, like sculpin and lamprey. Don’t ask me what them last two look like, I just know they’re in there. But mostly, folks are after trout.
- Wild trout, they’re the best, fight like crazy.
- Hatchery trout, well, they’re easier to catch, good for beginners.
So, where do ya go to fish? Well, there’s this place called Armitage Park, right there in Eugene. Easy to get to, you can wade in the water right there. Then there’s Deadmond Ferry, Bellinger Landing, Deerhorn County Park, and Hayden Bridge. All them places, you can get in the water and fish. Or, if you got one of them fancy drift boats, you can float down the river, that’s what the real pros do. Makes it easier to cover more ground, ya know. This lower part of the river, from Armitage Park to the Leaburg Dam, that’s where most folks fish. It’s easier, I reckon.
Now, about them flies. Them trout, they eat bugs. Little ones, big ones, all sorts. So you gotta use a fly that looks like a bug. They got these real lookin’ flies now, they call ’em “realistic” flies. Look just like the real thing, I tell ya. They got ’em to look like every bug them trout eat. If you ain’t tried ’em, you should. They say they work the best, and I believe it. Why wouldn’t ya use somethin’ that looks like real food? Makes sense to me.
But listen here, fly fishin’ ain’t just about throwin’ a line in the water. You gotta know what you’re doin’. You gotta know where the fish are, what kinda bugs they’re eatin’, and how to present that fly just right. It takes practice, patience, and a whole lotta luck. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t catch nothin’ right away. Even the best fishermen have days where they come home empty-handed. That’s just the way it is.
And speaking of where the best fishin’ is, well, some folks say it’s out west here. Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho – all them places got good fishin’. Arizona too, up north. And Oregon, of course, with them steelhead. Washington State, that’s another good one. Even California, though they say it ain’t as good as it used to be. But the McKenzie, she’s somethin’ special. Got a little bit of everything, ya know?
So, if you’re plannin’ on fishin’ the McKenzie, be prepared. Get yourself some good gear, some good flies, and a whole lotta patience. And don’t forget your fishin’ license, wouldn’t want to get in trouble with the game warden. They don’t take kindly to folks fishin’ without a license. And most important of all, have fun. That’s what it’s all about, ain’t it? Gettin’ out in nature, enjoyin’ the fresh air, and maybe catchin’ a few fish. Can’t beat that, I tell ya.
The whole McKenzie River thing, it’s like one big giant waterin’ hole. Streams and lakes all feedin’ into it, over more’n a thousand square miles. That’s a lot of water, like I said before, and a lot of places for them fish to hide. So you gotta be smart, you gotta think like a fish. Where would you hang out if you were a trout? That’s what you gotta ask yourself.
One more thing, they say it’s mostly wild fish in that lower part. That means they ain’t been raised in no hatchery, they born and raised right there in the river. Fighters, them wild ones, like I said before. They make you work for it, but it’s worth it when you finally reel one in. Nothin’ like it. So go on, get out there and try your luck. McKenzie River’s waitin’. But remember what I told ya, and you might just catch yourself a fish or two.
Tags: [McKenzie River, Fly Fishing, Oregon, Trout, Steelhead, Fishing Tips, Armitage Park, Cascade Mountains, Pacific Northwest, Fishing Oregon]
