[petetothemax]

My friends and I are headed out on a 4 day float on the John Day on Nov. 5. I'm currently in that obsessed planning/tying/trying to find everything I can out about how the river is and so on.

I'm landlocked in Austin, TX and just came across this forum. Is there anyone that knows how the John Day might be fishing now? How is usually fishes this time of year? I've read that they cut off the irrigation in Oct and the river needs to rise and cool before the steelhead come up. Is the river at that point yet?

The anticipation is killing me. 5 more days.

 

[MZilliox]

I was wondering the same thing yesterday. I would love to shoot over there in November. Anyone been on the river lately?

 

[TheWaker]

Needs rain bad

 

[Stumpy]

Waker is right. We're starting to get a little rain, and the forecast is looking like there might be a fall green-up and some water in the ditches.

 

[Whiskey Dick]

The water has come up a little and there are fish being caught. A lot of folks out there.

 

[Peteo]

Water is quite low and there is very little rain in the forecast. Expect to be dragging your boat a lot. There are fish being caught, but they are still scattered and most seem to be waiting for a little higher flows. I fished it one morning a week ago and covered several miles to find one fish. Others I spoke with did not do as well. I will be out there again this weekend, but my expectations are low until we get some more rain.

 

[japple]

It has been raining here in Eastern Oregon off and on for the past week. and it is supposed to continue for the next couple days then clear off this weekend. This will help cool the water temps. We are not getting a lot of rain, so I would expect flows to bump a whole lot. It is supposed to rain the day that you start the trip as well. The weather is ever changing here, so this is only a prediction and will likely change. I am assuming you guys are headed out with Marty. He will put you on some fish so not worries there, have a great trip!

 

[petetothemax]

I am assuming you guys are headed out with Marty. He will put you on some fish so not worries there, have a great trip!

He always does. He and his fellas are amazing. I think Marty is sitting this one out and Corey is heading up the trip, which is equally as rad because he's guided us before and he's great. They are all on the river now. We're the next trip. Heck, with an experience like that, floating, camping, swinging flies... Catching fish is just the by-product of the experience for me.

Thanks for feeding my obsession y'all. Off to watch more youtube vids on tying flies that these fat fingers can never replicate...

 

[petetothemax]

Heading out tomorrow. Fly into Boise and then drive to Condon. We'll be on the river on Wednesday. Looks like some rain Monday night and then highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s most of the week.

I am guessing the 8 wt laced up with some Lady GaGas is staying in the boat based on the current CFS of 360-ish.

Any last words of advice or tips?

 

[MZilliox]

have a blast, give a report, and fish water that is slower than what you are used to.

 

[petetothemax]

have a blast, give a report, and fish water that is slower than what you are used to.

Consider it done. Is is acceptable to post photos from the trip on here or do people frown on that because it's showing off and/or people will be able to tell where you are catching fish based on the geography in the photo and then flock to that area and be jerks about it?

I'm new here, I don't want to F things up.

 

[troutpunk]

Post the pics.

 

[Stumpy]

Have fun! Post pics! Almost all of your fishing will be on parts of the river which are only accessed by those wanting to spend several days floating. Please try hard to get one of Marty working

Please post a followup report. There should be lots of good news.

 

[Yardsale]

Of all the rivers to NOT hotspot this would probably be the one. I hope after your time there you come to the same conclusion.

 

[klickrolf]

Too low to swing a fly unless it's a surface fly...but if it ain't foam it won't stay on the surface. If you get wind you'll end up wading and pulling your boat downriver, sort of floating. The John Day is too low to float or fish and should never be mentioned on the internet!!!

 

[chainsaw510]

Better than fishing

Clarno rapids is best tackled at low flows. Hopefully your cooler beats you to the pullout!
Nature has a funny way getting even.

 

[MZilliox]

If somebody is running guided trips on the river, its not a secret anymore... Post the pics, mention briefly that you were in eastern oregon having lots of fun, i love seeing anyone catching fish, and stuff the naysayers. Now if you mentioned some secret coastal spot your bro took you to for your first time swinging, that's bad form.

 

[petetothemax]

Too low to swing a fly unless it's a surface fly...but if it ain't foam it won't stay on the surface. If you get wind you'll end up wading and pulling your boat downriver, sort of floating. The John Day is too low to float or fish and should never be mentioned on the internet!!!

You're right, it was terrible.

 

[fredaevans]

We kind of 'Agree to Disagree.'

If somebody is running guided trips on the river, its not a secret anymore... Post the pics, mention briefly that you were in eastern oregon having lots of fun, i love seeing anyone catching fish, and stuff the naysayers. Now if you mentioned some secret coastal spot your bro took you to for your first time swinging, that's bad form.

Thumbs up to everything above save for withholding the name of the river. I see no problem with that as 99% of the posters here will never see the river. Those that 'know' the river may see the picture and know 'exactly' where the pic was taken; the other 99.1% of us won't. The river name adds a lot to the photos/story line as we read and drool ....

As an example I'd use the Deschutes, the next river to the east. I see the topo in the picture and I'm 98% sure of the river. Not just where on the river. If the poster named the location I could nail it down in less than two minutes via the BLM river map .... which pins the river down close to every quarter mile.

Go for the river name! The 'exact location' is a second question.

Fred

 

[Yardsale]

Thumbs up to everything above save for withholding the name of the river. I see no problem with that as 99% of the posters here will never see the river. Those that 'know' the river may see the picture and know 'exactly' where the pic was taken; the other 99.1% of us won't. The river name adds a lot to the photos/story line as we read and drool ....

As an example I'd use the Deschutes, the next river to the east. I see the topo in the picture and I'm 98% sure of the river. Not just where on the river. If the poster named the location I could nail it down in less than two minutes via the BLM river map .... which pins the river down close to every quarter mile.

Go for the river name! The 'exact location' is a second question.

Fred

Freda,

Do you know this river? Since you are using the D as an example I'd guess not.

Do we really need to pimp every river in the same manor as the D? Perhaps we can just leave some rivers for those to discover on their own?

Why does the river name or location need to be a part of the experience report? Personally I enjoy the travel/camp/food pics just as much as any of the river/fish pics.

Hotspotting a certain location just seems like attention grabbing and opposite of what I have come to understand this site to be about. A great TR could be to fish a man made ditch in LA just as much as the best BC river, no need to call pout the name to make your report.

Just my opinion...