Winter Fly Fishing on the Crooked River, Central Oregon

Winter Fly Fishing on the Crooked River, Central Oregon

Introduction to the Crooked River

The Crooked River, nestled in Central Oregon, offers a unique winter fly fishing experience. Known for its stunning scenery and active trout population, it's a must-visit for anglers during the colder months.

Where Trout Are Holding

This time of year trout look to conserve energy with the faster flows and the cooler water, so you will often find the trout holding in the soft water right next to a riffle or run.

We prefer to find a foam line along a soft seam and work our nymphs, dry-dropper, or dry fly through this water.

Fly shop staff member, Zach Carothers holding a beautifully colored rainbow trout caught on a dry-dropper setup.

The following diagram is the exact same conditions that Zach was fishing.  Using a yarn indictor with a Rainbow Warrior fly suspended anywhere from 18"-30" below was regularly producing fish.

Trout Holding Lanes

Techniques for Success

During winter, focus on nymphing techniques. The vast majority of a trouts diet is subsurface so nymphing with smaller flies is highly productive. Consider using Zebra midges or other small midge patterns. Swinging leeches in pools or dead-drifting them under a strike indicator can also yield great results.

Fly Fishing Double Nymphing Rig Setup

In the right conditions you will have the chance for some dry fly fishing to rising fish sipping small Blue Winged Olive and Midges off the surface.

Another effective method is the dry-dropper method.  We prefer to tie that with a purple chubby as our floating fly that also acts as an indicator with a euro nymph suspended about 18" below.  This method proved to be highly effective on Sunday.

Fly Fishing Dry-Dropper Rig Setup

 

Hatches in January and February

In January and February, the Crooked River experiences hatches include:

  • Blue Winged Olive
  • Midges
  • Winter Stones

These hatches, although brief, are crucial for targeting active fish.

For subsurface nymphing, we are matching flies for:

  • Mayfly Nymphs (BWO)
  • Olive & Orange Scuds
  • Spotted Sedge Larva
  • Green Sedge Larva
  • Winter Stone
  • Midge Pupas
  • Whitefish Eggs

Having a variety of midge patterns and small nymphs in your fly box will increase your chances of success.

Understanding River Flows

Winter flows on the Crooked River are typically around 85 CFS, providing good conditions for trout to feed.  We have fished it well above 85 CFS, and in fact fished it with success on Sunday while it was nearly 600 CFS.

Crooked River gauge example showing the CFS for the river

When the CFS increases know that the turbidity of the river (cloudiness) will be much higher water visibility will be much lower.

Always check current flow conditions before heading out to ensure safe and productive fishing.

Additional Tips for Winter Fishing


Conclusion

The Crooked River offers rewarding winter fly fishing opportunities with its active trout and scenic landscapes. By understanding the river's flows, hatches, and effective techniques, you can make the most of your winter fishing adventure.

Call us for more details on the river and let us get you dialed in for success!

Back to blog