Metolius Bull Trout

Oncorhynchus · 04-08-2005, 02:48 PM

Hey folks! Just moved to Madras so flyfishing will be much closer now. I've heard alot about fishing for bull trout in the Metolius. I assume large streamer patterns, strip strip. Any advice out there from the "experts"?

April 23 needs to hurry and get here, its killing me driving by the Deschutes daily and being unable to fish. Any advice on the Metolius for bulls would be appreciated.

Thanks
Onc.

EugeneFisher · 04-09-2005, 08:09 AM

While I'm still a virgin regarding the Metolius, a buddy of mine had some luck a month back with some small generic nymphs. I've heard good things about stonefly nymphs as well. Just keep em deep!

lost_sailor · 04-13-2005, 04:16 PM

Never caught one - but I've heard ... mouse

clacksteel · 04-14-2005, 06:00 AM

Big white fluffy streamers are the key. Just big hunks of white fur.

greenbuttskunk · 04-14-2005, 06:49 AM

articulated bunny leech. (white or purple) Large black stones work sometimes too.
That's all ya need. 4-5". I personally like white since It's visible and I can position the offering right to the fish once I find a school. Generally if you see one, there are a number there. Being the very aggressive feeders they are, get that fly near them, then strip it psat there face fast. Then hold on!! large white bucktail streamers tied with some peacock herl and a bit of yellow and red have done me well in the past, but the articulated leech pattern is now my favorite.
GBS

rjs · 04-15-2005, 06:51 AM

The one Metolius bull trout I have caught was last August using a white bunny strip which the fish presumably think is a small kokanee. There was another guy there who fishes that area a lot and he was using small nymphs and getting takes. I think as with most trout fishing you have to pay attention to what's around for the fish to be eating and try to show them imitations of that. Good luck.

Oncorhynchus · 04-15-2005, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the info, I will tie up some white rabbit and give it a try. Hopefully this weekend, if I go I will post on Monday. Drove by there yesterday above Br 99, water looks great, but I guess that river always looks like that. Thanks again.

bobberdown9321 · 04-16-2005, 12:30 PM

i had probably the most frusterating times fly fishing for thos boogers we were in a back water type thing by a hatchery and they were all over ALL OVER just laying there in a large school i tried streamers and they wouldnt touch anything i practicaly hit em in the nose finaly my freind got hooked up on a red zebra midge (i think) and he eventualy lost him the fly was very plain and small i dont no how they could have saw it in that quick water. have a good time and ask your local fly shop they will no just about as good as anybody. tight lines

Oncorhynchus · 04-18-2005, 07:13 AM

Well hit the river Sat from 9-5. No such luck with the bull trout, saw several of them holding in deep pools but was unable to get down to them, even tried my intermediate sinking line. Guess its time for another line. I did however fish with nymphs and picked up two nice redsides, 14 & 16. There were mayflies and a few caddis buzzing around all day, but I didn't see one fish surface. Caught one on a caddis larvae and the other on a flashback pt. Spent most of the first half exploring around for some water to fish. Lots of deep pools and slots, limited riffles from the water I saw. Anyway, thanks again for the tips will try it with a sink tip next time.

Paddlefish · 04-18-2005, 10:35 AM

I've hooked one chinook-ish Metolius River bull trout on a large, almost Woolly-Buggerish fly, but most of my bull trout experience was somewhere in the northeast corner of the state.

We never were successful in attracting them to small, buggy, insect-like flies. Those big cannibals really wanted whole fish in their diet. A six-inch-long ostrich herl streamer was my most productive. In fact, I've heard it said that the very best bull trout fly would be an exact reproduction of a hatchery rainbow trout.

blacktail · 04-19-2005, 12:42 PM

I've caught many of them indicator nymphing with a golden stone nymph and a smaller dropper like a pheasant tail. One of the largest bulls I ever landed actually took a size 16, olive soft hackle.

My favorite though is to fish them on a heavy sink-tip line like a Teeny, cut back to about 15 feet of sinktip. About 4 foot of 10 lb. leader tied to a 6-7" home-tied streamer made of wool, rabbit, and krystal flash.

Cast above where the fish is/are and stack mend to allow the streamer to get down to their depth. Most of my strikes have been during the last couple of mends, or on the swing. However, I have had them swat the fly during the retrieve as well. On the retrieve, I like to vary the length and speed of my strips.

Good luck,
Mike