Wallowa River General Information:

General Info: 

The Wallowa River is our "bread and butter" water.  It begins as snow melt high in the Wallowa mountains and its flows through the upper and lower Wallowa valleys.  From an incredible June golden-stone hatch, through ‘ October caddis madness, to solid winter and spring steelhead numbers this river does it all.  The best part?  The most productive water is all public access!  Back down highway 82, approximately 30 miles (40 min) from Jseph is the stretch of water10 we lovingly call "The Canyon", and it is here where 18+ inch natives and 30+ fish days can be found stalking the boulder runs.  In the canyon the river bank drops steeply and lends itself to great riffle and run fishing. Find a pull-out, start1 fishing.

New this year the Wallowa River is open for trout fishing "year-round!" This means no more hanging up your boots for the end of May to roll around.  Also the Wallowa can be great fishing for larger than normal rainbows during the spring and early summer. Fishing will be best in the "structured" water with boulders - avoid the long shallow sections unless there is a slot or something near the bank. Try dead drifting stonefly, caddis, hare's ears, and prince nymphs.  We often use two flies (more like a Euro nymph set up ) with a smaller bead-head dropper such as a copper john, soft hackle, or pheasant tail.   Local fisherman and USA fly-fishing team member Devon Olson has written some great stuff about nymphing, and euro-nymphing in particular which you can check out on his blog The Tactical Fly Fisher.

Some of our favorite Wallowa River fly patterns:

Dries: Kaufman Stimulator sz. 8 -14 , Parachute Adams sz. 10- 16 , Purple Haze sz 10 -16, Foamulator sz. 6-12 , Caddis sz 8-16, Hoppers sz 6 - 12 , Yellow Sallies sz. 12 - 16

Nymphs: Princes sz. 6 - 14, Rubber Leg Squirrel sz. 8 - 14, Copper John sz. 12 - 18 , Lightning Bug sz. 14 - 18, Bead Head Hare's Ear sz 8 - 16, Wooly Bugger sz. 8 - 12, Kaufman Stone Nymph sz. 6 -12