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Fishing Reports and
Guest book
This is where we will
post information about the action on The John Day river and and
current fishing conditions. Over the years we will continue
to keep old reports posted so that you can see information all
year long and perhaps better plan what may be a better time to
plan a future adventure with us. Make it a point to check out
our report section on a regular basis and thanks for stopping by
often as it's always good to see you.
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March 9: Today
we fished with friends Captain Manuel Torres, of
Island Point Lodge in Petersburg, Alaska, (cell)
907-518-1611, his close friend Bill Hathaway, and
writer Scott Staats of Prineville, OR. We had a cold
start with 19 degrees in Fossil, 24 at the river at
7:30 AM, 1770 CFS, 4-5 clarity, and slightly
overcast morning. All the fishing today was done on
a center-pin rod and reel. Scott Staats caught the
first fish, steelhead, at 9:15 AM on a Manny's Egg
Thing. We had 2 fish at lunch (both steelhead), and
ended up the day with 4 steelhead, and one Master
Angler 20 1/2' X 13 1/2" smallmouth bass caught by
Captain Torres. All the steelhead and bass were
caught on specialty flies or jigs that Captain
Manuel Torres ties: Manny's Egg Thing, Manny's Jail
bird, and Manny's Purple Thing. Captain Torres has a
booth at the Redmond Sportsman Show, in Redmond, OR,
March 11-14. Go see him there, and he'll show you
his best John Day River flies, and pictures of some
of his fish. by the way this was Scott Staats first
full day of center-pin fishing and he caught two
steelhead. Nice going Scott. We are off to a good
start this year, and have two openings left for the
Two-day Seminar on John Day River smallmouth bass
this coming weekend. If interested call (toll free)
1-888-624-9424. See you on the water.......
YOUR BASSIN' BUDDYS,
Steve and Linda Fleming
Mah-Hah Outfitters
PO Box 428
108 W. 1st Street
Fossil, OR 97830
(toll free) 1-888-624-9424
fax: 1-541-763-3579
website:
www.johndayriverfishing.com
e-mail:
mho.bassinbuddy@yahoo.com
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Fishing Reports
& Newsletter
3-1-2010
HAPPY BASSIN' NEW YEAR!!
First things first! Thanks to all of you for a SUPER 2009. It was a scary year
at the beginning with the economy, etc., but we ended up booking over 600 client
days before it was over. Thanks! We started the end of February with some tough
days and cold water, and ended the first of December with the river icing up and
eventually freezing solid. It was a good catching year with over 30 Master
Angler Smallmouth Bass (20"+), over 50 Trophy Smallmouth (18"-20"), over 60
fishermen joined the 100+ Club by catching more than 100 smallies in one day,
and one fishermen joined the 200+ Club (only 8 fishermen have done that with in
the last 20 years).
Biggest Fish honors are shared this year by: Jack Hanselman Jr. on April 2nd
caught a monster 23" X 15 1/2"; and Tom Nelson on April 30th caught a 23 1/2" X
15". The Most Fish honors goes to Dike Dame, for his efforts on August 18th with
203 smallies. The first Master Angler fish came March 7th, and the last monster
fish came September 24th. The first 100+ day was May 29th, during a heat wave,
and the last was September 23rd.
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March 1, 2010: Every year the first couple of
weeks of March are devoted to Research and
Development trips. We put together dream teams of
gear and fly fishing guides, and pro Bass anglers.
We are always looking for new techniques, and
hopeful of finding a fly that will work in cold
water. Up until this year we have never found a
solid fly presentation or fly that would produce.
THAT HAS NOW CHANGED! The gear specialist for the
next two days would be long time friend and client
Robb Norby of Bend, Or, and the fly specialist would
be friend and fly fishing guide Jim Berl,
541-822-3183, Adventures in Fishing guide service on
the McKenzie River. Robb fishes for two clubs, and
is an avid bass man, he and his kids have 21 - 100+
Club pins (individually caught 100 bass in one day)
on their Trophy Case at home. Robbs a great Dad and
started bring his kids when they were as young as 6
years old. Jim Berl has been a licensed guide in
Oregon for over 25 years, FFF casting instructor,
had a big rafting company for over 20 years with
permits on the North Umpqua, Deschutes River, Grande
Ronde, and now guides and lives on the McKenzie
River. He is a board member of the McKenzie River
Guides Association which will be celebrating their
80 anniversary next year in 2011.
It was 28 degrees in Fossil at 5 AM, 46 at the river
at 9 AM, 1260 CFS, with 40 degree water, and almost
gin clear. I lucked into the first fish on a
crankbait about 10:15 AM (it's been a long time
since I can say I caught the first smallmouth of the
year for Mah-Hah Outfitters). We are changing our
gear constantly, after catching the first fish on
one of our normal regular baits. We ended up the day
with Robb catching 4, and most of his were on tube
baits for Outlaw Baits with 1/4 oz jighead fished
right on the bottom, I caught 1, and Jim Berl caught
one about 2 PM that was the biggest for the day at
16" on a fly he now calls DJ's John Day River
Special. It's a special fly he had tied up, and not
an production fly. He cut it off and put on many
other flies for the rest of the day, but to no
avail. So for March 1, not trying to catch lots of
fish, but seeing what they will take in the cold
water 6 fish is good on a short day.
March 2: Ooops, I screwed up the schedule and
the third fishermen we were waiting for didn't show
up. We launched at 10 AM. It was 42 in Fossil at 5
AM, river flowing at 1260 CFS, 50 at the river, and
the water was 42 degrees, and still gin clear. Jim
put on the fly he caught the only fish with the day
before and within 5 minutes on the water caught the
first fish of the day. He cut the fly off and
started fishing other unual flies. Robb was fishing
a variety of lures and tubes. We ate lunch about 1
PM and had 4 fish boated, and were in the middle of
a deep cold front. About 3 PM Jim tied back on the
only fly to catch any smallmouth bass so far in two
days, and ended up boating 3 more with the last one
about 5:15 PM and being a Trophy Smallmouth, 18 1/2"
with a 13 1/2" girth. She was a toad and had a big
tail to prove it. Robb also caught a nice bass in
the same hole (a nice spring hole), and we ended up
the day with 11 fish. While the numbers may not seem
high, you have to remember once we catch a fish we
usually cut that bait off and see what else will
work. Jim only fished the DJ's John Day River
Special for 3 hours in two days and caught 5 fish.
So all you fly fishermen that I've turned down over
the years because I said I just don't have any
proven system for getting big smallmouth at this
time of the year. Give us a call!
March 3: Took long time friend and client Dan
Hawkey up to the Private Trout Lake today. Dan
showed up in Fossil at 9 AM, and we were on the
water at the remote Lake by 11 AM. Dan is an avid
fishermen and boated two Master Angler Smallmouth in
one day last year, but he is a GREAT small water fly
fishermen with his float tube system he bought from
Denny Richards. The Lake was pristine, 50-52
degrees, 6 for clarity, and there were some trout
surfacing. The Lake is 18 acres in an hour-class
shape, with depths up to 34 feet, made behind a
man-made dam back in the late 50's. Dan landed 29
trout (all native redsides) in 5 hours and we headed
back to Fossil.
YOUR BASSIN' BUDDYS,
Steve and Linda Fleming
Mah-Hah Outfitters
PO Box 428
108 W. 1st Street
Fossil, OR 97830
(toll free) 1-888-624-9424
fax: 1-541-763-3579
website:
www.johndayriverfishing.com
e-mail:
mho.bassinbuddy@yahoo.com
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Fishing Reports From
Past Seasons
CLICK HERE to see
some fishing reports from previous seasons. |
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