Owyhee River, Oregon Fly Fishing Report
Updated 04/14/24
(Bottom Of Page)
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater
Species
Rainbow Trout (Wild)
Brown Trout (Wild)
Size
Small to Medium
Location
Southeastern Oregon
Nearest Towns
Boise Idaho
Adrain Oregon
Season
Year-round
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of Oregon
Weather
National Weather Service
USGS Real Time Stream Flow Data:
Below Owhyee Dam
Season:
The season is year-round.
Spring:
The Spring season starts off the big hatches.
Summer:
Summertime is a good time for fly fishing the Owhyee River.
Fall:
Fall is good because of the brown trout spawn.
Winter:
Fishing can be great on nice days during the Winter
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Owyhee River Oregon
The Owyhee River is a 346 mile long river that drains a remote area of the plateau region of the Great Basin in northeastern Nevada. It flows from the Oregon – Idaho border to the Snake River. The little known section that provides for great fly fishing opportunities is a tailwater section located below the Owyhee Dam in Oregon. It flows through a deep canyon section of the desert-like area. The tailwater is located below Owyhee Reservoir in southeastern Oregon about sixty miles from Boise, Idaho.
Fly fishing the Owhyee River is usually great. It can be a dry fly fishing paradise. The Owhyee River tailwater is known for its fabulous year-round fly fishing. Its hatches are amazing for a tailwater fishery. It’s very possible to catch a large 20 inch brown trout on a dry fly. You don’t need a drift boat to fish this small stream. It is best done wading.
We don’t have a hatch section for the Owyhee River, so I will list a few of the aquatic insects that are present in the stream in good quantities. The Skwalas stoneflies start the stonefly hatches off each year. Lots of different species of Blue-winged olives hatch through the year. There’s also plenty of Pale Morning duns, callibaetis or Speckled Wing Quills, Spotted Sedge caddisflies, Midges and many other aquatic insects. During the late summer and early fall months, ants and hoppers are prevalent along the stream’s banks.
Fishing the stream successfully isn’t exactly a easy task. The stream drops at a very low gradient and the flows are smooth and tricky. Drag free drifts are a must to fool the trout because they have plenty of time to check your fly out. This is one stream where our Perfect Flies show off their simi-realistic appearance and natural behavior and really increase your odds of success.
Water from the base of the Owyhee Dam is a greenish color. It provides a type of cover for the fish. Rarely do the flows become high due to runoff. The Owyhee can be fished throughout the spring most years. The flows are actually low to non-existent much of the year. The deep, slow moving water is very suitable for the large brown trout.
Owhyee River Fishing Report:
01/25/2020 The flows are above normal but still fishable. Trout are being caught and some of them large ones. Midges, winter stoneflies, black flies and BWOs are hatching. Sculpin streamers, especially our articulated patterns, are catching some large trout.
02/12/2020 The river continues to turn out trout for our customers. Skwala stoneflies should begin to hatch anytime. March Browns are also about to emerge.
02/23/2020 We continue to get good reports from customers. Good hatches and good numbers of trout are being caught.
03/16/2020 The discharges and stream levels are high. Fish when they drop down some more and they should soon.
05/01/20 Discharges and stream levels are in good shape. There are some very good hatches taking place. You should be able to catch some nice trout.
05/16/20 There are good hatches and lots of trout are being caught including some large ones. Send us an email for a recommended fly list: sales@perfectflystore.com
05/16/20 The discharges and resulting stream levels remain in good shape. We are getting some very good reports for customers. There are some hatches taking place and good numbers of trout are being caught.
06/14/20 The stream levels are near normal and the river in good shape. There are multiple hatches taking place and trout are being caught in good numbers by our customers.
06/26/20 The discharges and stream flow are normal and the water clear. There are some good hatches taking place and we are getting some good reports from customers.
07/09/20 Conditions are very good. The discharges and stream levels are normal. There are multiple hatches taking place and good numbers of trout being caught.
07/21/20 The stream levels are normal and the river in great shape. We continue to get good reports from customers.
08/04/20 The discharges and resulting stream levels are normal and our customers are catching lots of trout. There are some good hatches and terrestrials are working.
08/20/20 The river is still in good shape with good stream levels and lots of insects
hatching. We continue to get good reports from customers.
09/12/20 The stream levels are in good shape, flowing near normal level. There are some very good hatches taking place and we continue to get good reports from our customers.
10/04/20 The river is flowing near a normal level and in good shape. Our sculpin streamers are catching some good trout. There are BWOs and Midge hatches taking place.
10/22/20 The river is in good shape and our custormers are sending in some good reports. Stream levels are fine. Our articulated streamer patterns are working good.
11/08/20 More good reports are coming in. There are good BWO and Midge hatches. Use our brown sculpin and articulated sculpin and leech patterns.
11/28/20 The river is in good shape and our customers are sending in good reports. There are still some good BWO, and midges hatching taking place.
12/14/20 The discharges are at a good level at about 30 cfs. Brown trout are being caught in good numbers on our sculpin and leech articulated steamer patterns.
12/26/20 Conditions remain good with okay levels and good numbers of trout are being caught by our customers. Good Midge and winter stonefly hatches are taking place.
01/10/21 Conditions are still good although the stream levels are well above normal levels. Sculpin and leech Perfect fly patterns are catching some nice ones.
01/27/21 The discharges are still higher than normal but trout are being caught. We recommend using our sculpin and leech streamers. There are also some good hatches.
02/25/21 The discharges are higher than normal but normal is usually relatively low. Trout are being caught in good numbers and there are hatches taking place.
04/25/21 The flows are up to 125 cfs. Looks like the higher runoff weather is starting a little early. We didn’t receive any reports this past week.
05/03/21 The river is in good shape with good midge, Blue-winged olives, Little Black caddis, Spotted sedge caddis, little Brown stoneflies, and other insects hatching. We are getting good reports from customers.
05/11/21 The river is turning out some very large trout. There are good hatches taking place. Send us an email or call us for a recommended fly and gear list.
05/20/21 There are great hatches taking place and we continue to get some very good reports from customers.
05/28/21 The river is producing some good catches for our customers. There are multiple hatches taking place. Call or write us for a recommended fly and gear list.
06/06/21 The stream is still turning out good catches of trout for our customers. There are good hatches taking place.
06/17/21 The tailwater discharges are still lower than normal but we continue to get good reports from customers. Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations.
07/03/21 We are still getting good reports from customers. Good numbers of trout are being caught. Good hatches and okay water levels.
07/14/21 The river is in good shape in all respects including stream levels. We are getting lots of good reports from customers. Call us 800 594 4726 or write us at sales@perfectflystore.com for recommended flies.
07/20/21 The stream is a good choice with all the hot weather and low water level conditions. We continue to get good reports from customers.
07/28/21 The stream is still producing well for our customers. Good numbers of trout are being caught. Good hatches continue to take place.
08/05/21 The conditions remain very good. We continue to get good reports from our customers.
08/15/21 The discharges remain normal and we continue to get some very good reports from customers. Decent hatches continue to take place.
08/23/21 Good reports from three customers come in this past week. Our Sculpin streamers brought in some nice ones for them.
08/31/21 We continue to get good reports from customers. Stream levels are just a little below normal and the water in good shape. Good hatches continue to take place.
09/10/21 Conditions are still okay. We received some good reports from customers fishing the river this past week. There is a good chance of rain today and it is needed.
09/18/21 We received two good reports from customers fishing yesterday. It is raining today which will help keep the levels up. Good hatches continue to take place.
09/27/21 Stream levels are just a little below normal and the river in good shape. We continue to get good reports from customers.
10/10/21 Discharges and levels are at 29 cfs at .96 ft which is a good bit below normal but seems to make little to no difference We are still getting some very good reports from the tailwater.
10/20/21 Flows continue to be low but we still are getting several good reports a week. Our sculpin and leech streamer patterns are working very good.
10/31/21 Our articulated sculpin and leech patterns continue to catch nice size trout for our customers. Levels are still below normal but doesn’t seen to make much difference.
11/07/21 We continue to get some good reports from customers. Stream levels are a little low but okay. Good hatches are continuing to take place.
11/15/21 Conditions remain good. We received two good reports from customers this past week.
11/23/21 We continue to get good reports. Stream levels are higher than normal but normal is usually low at this time of the year.
12/01/21 We received two more good reports from customers. The stream is still a little high but you can find places to fish and you can catch some nice ones. Our articulated sculpin and leech patterns continue to work good.
12/10/21 Slow you presentations and fishing near the bottom is moderate to slow water. Our streamers are still working good. We received three good reports this past week.
12/18/21 We are still getting good reports from customers. Sculpin and leech streams like our Black Head sculpin are working good.
12/26/21 Two more good reports came in this past week. Good midge hatches are taking place and good results came using our articulated streamers.
01/03/22 The river is still in okay shape and turning out good numbers of trout for our customers. We received two more good reports this past week. Lots of midges are hatching.
01/11/22 We received another good report this past week. Fish cream midges with the larva and pupa rigged in tandem with the larva the bottom fly.
01/19/22 We didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing but you should be able to catch trout. Mostly locals are fishing and some are understandably a little reluctant to provide reports.
01/27/22 We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week. Midges and winter stoneflies are hatching.
02/04/22 Another good report came in this past week from a customer. Good hatches continue.
02/20/22 Sorry for missing last week’s report. We received two good reports this past week from customers. Skwala stoneflies are hatching. Fish the nymphs near the bottom and adult imitations when you see them.
02/28/22 We didn’t receive any reports from the past week but conditions were okay. March brown mayflies should start hatching soon.
03/08/22 The river is flowing a good bit above normal levels but in good shape. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
03/16/22 The stream levels are normal and the river in good shape. We received three good reports from customers fishing this past week. Good March Brown, Skwala stonefly, midge and BWO hatching are taking place.
03/24/22 Conditions continue to be okay. The water is a little low but good hatches are taking place and wed are getting good reports.
04/01/22 The river is quite low but still okay at this time of the year. We continue to get some good reports from customers.
04/09/22 Stream levels are in better shape and we are getting lots of good reports. Blue-winged olives, Little Black Caddis, Skwala stoneflies, Cream and Blood midges are hatching. Our sculpin streamers are effective.
04/18/22 We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Good hatches continue to take place.
04/26/22 Good hatches are still taking place and we are still getting good reports from customers. You should be able to catch good numbers of trout.
05/04/22 Conditions remain okay. More good reports have come in. The water is getting warmer and you can expect more hatches to start taking place.
05/12/22 The stream levels are a little below normal and the water clear. Good hatches continue to take place and we continue to get good reports.
05/20/22 More good reports came in this past week. Good PMD and BWO hatches as well as Spotted sedge and Green sedge caddis.
05/28/22 The stream is still turning out good catches for our customers. Very good hatches are coming off. Stream levels are okay.
06/11/22 The stream is still flowing below normal level in good shape. We continue to get good reports from customers. Lots of PMDs, spotted sedge caddis, Green sedge caddis, Little Yellow stoneflies and Golden stonefly hatches.
06/18/22 The stream level is still below normal and the water clear. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Good hatches continue to take place.
06/25/22 The stream is in good shape and stable levels. We received four good reports from customers fishing this past week. Very good hatches are taking place.
07/02/22 The stream is flowing just a little below normal level and clear. We are still getting some good reports from customers. Good hatches continue to come off.
07/09/22 Conditions remain okay. We received two good reports this past week. Terrestrials are starting to work as well as matching the hatch.
07/16/22 Conditions are good. We received three good reports this past week. Discharges and stream levels are good and stable. There are good hatches taking place and dry fly fishing is good.
07/23/22 The stream is still in good shape. We received two more good reports from customers fishing it this past week.
07/30/22 The river is still turning out good catches for our customers below the dam. Conditions are very good. Good hatches continue to take place.
08/13/22 We are still getting good reports from customers fishing below and near the dam. Good hatches of Spotted sedge and Green caddis with lots of Tricos are occurring.
08/20/22 More good reports have come in. Good caddis and mayfly hatches continue to take place. Fish near the dam.
08/27/22 Conditions remain good below the dam.
09/04/22 We received a good report from a customer this past week. Good late summer hatches exist. Fish near the dam where the water is cooler.
09/11/22 We received two more good reports from customers fishing it this past week.
09/18/22 Conditions remain good. We received two more good reports this past week. Our articulated and non articulated streamers are catching some very good ones. October caddis are starting to hatch.
09/25/22 We are still getting good reports from customers. Conditions remain good.
10/08/22 The stream is turning out good numbers and sizes of trout below the dam. We received three good reports from customers fishing this past week.
10/27/22 The stream is still producing good size and numbers of trout. Good late season hatches are taking place.
11/17/22 We received three good reports from customers fishing lately. Conditions are very good in the tailwater. Some nice trout are being caught.
02/09/23 The flows below the dam are low, about 20 cfs, but the water is the warmest there is anywhere and where you should fish. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Midges, creams and light green, size 20 BWOs, Sculpin streamers and other flies are working.
02/25/23 The flows are still low, around 18.80 today. We are still getting some very good reports from customers fishing the tailwaer. Some are catching some nice size ones.
03/14/23 The stream is still low but we are still getting a few good reports. They are selective so using Perfect Flies that look like the real things is a huge help.
03/26/23 The stream is still turning out some nice fish for our customers. Our Sculpin streamer patterns are also working.
04/07/23 Good hatches continue and we continue to get a few good reports from customers.
04/21/23 Conditions are still fair. We received another good report from a customer fishing this past week. The water is getting warmer and you can expect more hatches to start taking place.
04/28/23 Good hatches are taking place. We didn’t get any reports from anyone this past week. Let us hear from you.
05/13/23 The discharges and stream levels are at a normal level and the water clear. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Good hatches are taking place.
05/25/23 The stream is in good shape with okay flows. There are good hatches of BWOs taking place. Dry fly fishing has been good as well as streamers and nymphs.
06/07/23 Stream levels are okay. Good conditions continue to exist.
06/14/23 Conditions remain very good. There are good hatches and our customers fishing the river are sending in good reports.
06/24/23 We are still getting good catch reports.
07/02/23 The stream is still flowing near a normal level in good shape. We continue to get good reports from customers. There are PMDs, spotted sedge caddis, Green sedge caddis, Little Yellow stoneflies and Golden stonefly hatches taking place.
07/12/23 Good conditions continue to exist. We received three more good reports from the past week.
07/20/23 The stream is in good shape turning out more good catches for our customers. Very good hatches are coming off and dry fly fishing is even good.
07/31/23 The river continues to produce some good catches for our customers. Good hatches continue to take place and some reports are dry fly catches.
08/05/23 The stream is flowing just a little below normal level and clear. The ideal conditions is making some anglers very happy as they are catching some nice ones.
08/17/23 The discharges and stream levels are normal. Overall conditions are very good. Good late summer hatches are taking place.
08/21/23 Good conditions still exist. Good stream levels and good hatches.
08/28/23 More good reports from customers came in this past week. They are catching some very nice trout.
09/05/23 The stream is still turning out some good catches for our customers. There are good hatches still taking place and our articulated sculpin streamer patterns are working very good.
09/12/23 The stream is still in good shape. We received two good reports from customers fishing it this past week.
09/19/23 Conditions are still very good. We received another good report from a customer this past week.
09/26/23 Conditions remain very good. Flow are near normal and the water very clear. Good late season hatches are still taking place.
10/03/23 Stream condition remain good and good BWO and Cream MIdge hatches continue to come off.
10/12/23 We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Conditions remain very good.
10/27/23 Sorry for the missed reports. Conditions are good. Browns are spawning and we ask that you avoid fishing for them.
11/10/23 The stream is in good shape turning out some good fish. Our sculpin streamers, Pre-rigged Cream and Red or blood midges are working good.
11/17/23 More good reports have come in. Our articulated sculpin streamers are catching some whoppers.
11/27/23 Discharges are currently well above normal. We suggest you give it some time to settle down some.
12/09/23 Good Midge hatches continue to come off and we continue getting good reports from customers fishing it.
12/26/23 Conditions are fairly good. We received another good report from a customer fishing it last week. Our articulated streamers are working and so are midges.
01/10/24 The stream is in okay condition with okay levels and mostly clear water. We received two good reports from customers fishing it this past week.
01/23/24 We have been getting very good reports from customers using our articulated sculpin and leech patterns. Winter stoneflies are hatching as well as the midges.
02/19/24 The river is very high and highly stained. We have been getting good catch reports from customers when the levels are okay. Give it some time to drop and clear.
02/26/24 Stream levels are very high and the water highly stained. Give it some more time to drop and clear and it should be good.
03/08/24 The stream is still very high and stained. Hopefully, the lake level will get back down and the high discharges will cease.
03/14/24 The river is still high and the water stained. If you fish it, fish the slack water areas using our Skwala stonefly nymphs, scuds, aquatic worms and sculpin streamers.
03/21/24 The discharges and resulting stream levels are very high. You may be able to fish the Skwala nymphs and streamers in the slack water near the edges of the stram if you can find such areas.
03/28/24 Discharges are high and the water stained. Trout can be caught in the edges of the stream where pockets of water can be found but it is very tough fishing conditions.
04/04/24 Discharges are very high and the water badly stained. Give it some time to drop and clear.
04/14/24 The stream is still very high and badly stained. Give it some more time to drop and clear.
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations.