The days are shorter and the nights are colder; our favorite season is here! Fall snuck in and we now have the opportunity to be thankful for the wonderful (mostly smoke-free !) summer we enjoyed. Western Oregon has been a calm oasis from the weather driven tumult endured by so many in this El Niño fueled season. Now, as we are rolling into some of the best fishing of the year, let’s take a look back at some of the highlights of this sweet summer and early Autumn.
We’ve had an amazing last few months on the water! From the Desert Canyon to the Coast Range Mountains and everywhere in between, fishing has been awesome. As we segue into the early summer and look ahead to the hot weather to come, we pause to look back on all the great times with cool people we have shared. If you’re doing it right, fly fishing is always fun! Here’s a look at some of the memorable moments out there. Enjoy!
We’re off and floating into the late winter waters of 2026! We’ve already had some great fishing when the weather has allowed. As the days lengthen and the water begins to warm, the fish will be getting even more active. And when the first major hatches of spring emerge, we enjoy some of our favorite fly fishing of the year. In this time of chaos and confusion, the timeless rhythm of the river grounds us in the here and now, and for a few hours, everything makes sense.
Ah, we love the Fall Season here in Oregon! There is a special vibe to every day when seen in context of the wet dark winter ahead. Whether its salmon on the coast or steelhead and trout in the Valley or the Mountains or the Desert, the fishing is always memorable. As we segue into the holiday season and the parade of winter weather, here’s our annual look back at some of our favorite days of every year. Thanks, everyone, for joining the adventure!
After an 11-year hiatus from working in the Taimen mine, I’d recently been missing all my old friends and the amazing countryside of Northern Mongolia. That’s when Tom Darga called to see if I was interested in doing a one-week guiding cameo back in the old squirrel-chugging fields. I jumped at the opportunity. It was a sweet and emotional tour, and I savored every moment of the journey. Now home and back in the rower’s seat on the local waters, here is a quick window into yet another trip of a lifetime.
Closing out midsummer, it’s always bittersweet. Attention inexorably shifting westerly to anadromous distractions, yet we have to take a few moments to reflect on how fortunate we are. Carefree, warm, and floating on a beautiful river, catching a few fish. Sure feels like heaven on earth. Thanks to everyone who drifted in.
Summer fishing in the Valley has its charms. The early flip flops and sun hoody season is usually the cream of the fishing calendar, and this last few weeks has been amazing. With Scott doing salmonfly laps on the dry side and yt holding down the wet side, we’ve logged some serious river time by this point in the year. What a hoot to get to be there for all the good, the bad, and the ugly of some amazing fishing moments!
No time to relax; the prime season is rolling. Here’s a look back at some of the memories made. Thanks to all who joined us on the water! You know who you are…
Our season is off to a great start here in the Valley! The floods of late winter gave way to an extended stretch of sunny dry weather. Now the rivers are low and clear, making for some challenging fishing at times, but it’s all good when you’re chasing special moments.
Spring is in the air in Western Oregon! Although Winter isn’t totally through with us yet, occasional warmer days and the splash of daffodils lately have us eager for the fishing season to come. We’ve already had some fun fishing this year both on the coast and the local waters. In this time of weirdness and uncertainty, the river is the best place to leave it all behind for a while.
As we shift into gear and look forward to the great fishing season to come, our calendars are filling up fast. This is your friendly Two Dudes reminder that booking early is always recommended! With that in mind, here is a sampling of images from some early season adventuring. Can’t wait to see you on the water!
The 2024 season will be remembered as the year plentiful numbers of summer steelhead returned to the Valley. After nearly a decade of fair-to-poor returns, this season we were stoked to find lots of aggressive powerful hatchery summer fish ready to crush our flies. While the future of the hatchery summer steelhead program in Western Oregon is clouded and uncertain, we are still celebrating and looking back on several months of awesome fly fishing.
In between all the great steelhead moments, the trout fishing and coastal salmon action remained strong throughout the fall. Now with the much needed rainy weather in full spate, we can look back on the coda of the 2024 fly fishing season and know that some things are still really pretty ok with the world.
The rivers now swelled with rain and the mountains loading up with snow give us hope for another amazing season on the water in 2025.
The Dudes wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday season. We can’t wait to see you on the other side!
