Williamson River Fishing Report

Williamson River


by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
8-31-2022
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UPPER WILLIAMSON RIVER:

Flows and water conditions should currently be good for fishing.. The grasshopper are thick in some areas. Dry fly fishing with hopper patterns should still be good. Meadow areas along the river are the best.

LOWER WILLIAMSON RIVER:

Fishing is fair from a boat as many big fish moved in from the lake after a long exceptionally cool, wet spring. The river is exceedingly clear and flows are low which can make for challenging fishing. Redband from the lake are in exceptional condition. Insect hatches are sparse but a few large caddisflies are hatching. Currently redband trout are mostly eating small mayfly nymphs.

Grasshoppers are abundant along the shorelines and fly patterns mimicking hooper and yellow mayflies might work well especially on overcast or shady areas of the river.

Many fly-anglers fish with a clear intermediate fly line on long, light fluorocarbon leaders. Making long casts can increase success. In some areas nymphing with an indicator can be productive. 

Anglers can launch boats at the ODFW boat ramp near Dollar General, The Waterwheel Campground or the Sportsman Retreat.

Please practice the best catch-and-release methods. Do not remove the fish from the water. Net the fish and dropping or even gently laying the fish in the boat can remove slime and scales thus reducing survival. These fish are already stressed from leaving the lake.




More Reports

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, August 31st, 2022

Campbell Reservoir: Campbell Lake will still be closed
Upper Klamath Lake: The algae bloom is thick in some areas and pH is very high
Lake Of The Woods: Lake of the Woods has been stocked heavily with trophy rainbow trout
Miller Lake: Hatchery rainbow trout are still available
Sprague River: Best fishing is near the town of Beatty
North Fork Sprague River: Water temperatures have increased
South Fork Sprague River: Fishing for redband trout is best near Blaisdell

Summer steelhead fishing continues to be fair
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