Heading to the McKenzie today....STOKED!

**Tap** · 05-16-2008, 08:43 AM

first fishing of the season for me. Drifting the McKenzie from noon to sundown.

BWO nymphs and pupas, and McKenzie Green Caddis should all be popping

the McK is beautiful and lush compared to the Deschutes, and you can fish from the boat, which is nice. Flows should be high given our snowpack.

Taking my Orvis Rocky Mtn 8.5 5wt (my first rod, a gift from my dad when I lived in Colorado 14 years ago) with an Orvis Battenkill, and a custom 9ft. 6 wt. rod built in Oregon by (i forget, his name is on the rod) with a silver Ross Gunnison reel. They have both been very dependable set-ups.

here's a pic of hte McK from a few years ago

report at 11!

**schwerty** · 05-16-2008, 09:45 AM

I'm super jealous. All our good water is muddy. Bring back some pics.

**fez** · 05-16-2008, 10:37 AM

yeah, supposed to be almost 90 in bozeman, hopefully the snowpack doesnt ALL melt at once.

**Andy_B** · 05-16-2008, 10:39 AM

Good luck!

**bio-smear** · 05-16-2008, 10:43 AM

I <3 the McKenzie.

**Tap** · 05-16-2008, 10:56 AM

with the super-hot weather (95 today), there's a good chance we'll be seeing a flying ant hatch...fish shall drown in ant bukkake!

**Tap** · 05-16-2008, 11:02 PM

McKenzie was flowing 9300 cfs, wayyyy too fast. Everything was blown out and we only picked up one smally. We covered 6 miles in 100 minutes and were at the take-out like HUH? WTF?

So on the way back we decided to give'r and hit up the Metolius. We had better fishing. I caught a ~16" rainbow on a tan hare's ear.

And I figured you guys would like to see my friends set-up...he can drop you off with the boat, drive down to the take out, leave the truck, and putt-putt back up to the put-in. Nice!

**schwerty** · 05-17-2008, 07:37 AM

That's a sweet set up! Good lookin' bow too!

**Pow4Brains** · 05-17-2008, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by schwerty

That's a sweet set up! Good lookin' bow too!

Sure are. The Metolius has a strain of rainbows in it called "Redbands". They are some of coolest looking bows I have ever seen.

A few years ago I latched in to one of the Bull trout that patrol the Metolius........HOLEEESHIT!!! In the fall you can see them stacked up like train cars at the mouth of feeder creeks. They look like HUDGE brookies. I sure miss that river, thanks Tap!