Share your catch

Metolius River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Oregon's spring-creek cathedral: a full-grown river erupting from the ground, running gin-clear past ponderosas with wild redbands and bull trout.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
1,220 cfs
Air / High
56 / 58 F
Wind
S 2 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 14091500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Metolius River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 1,220 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings cloud cover, wind S around 2 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 58. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 62 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Metolius River near Grandview.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 14091500.

1,2251,2351,2451,220 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp56 F
High / Low58 / 42 F
WindS 2-6 mph
Pressure1012.9 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 54%
Sunrise / Sunset06:32 / 19:37
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 58/42 F, wind 11 mph, rain 54%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Metolius River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Metolius River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Metolius River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 58 F, wind to 11 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 57 F, wind to 13 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 72 F, wind to 14 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Oregon requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Oregon license. Fly-only, barbless, catch-and-release for all trout: bull trout release mandatory. Check ODFW Metolius rules.

Access

Camp Sherman access points, Gorge campgrounds, Wizard Falls hatchery reach, Bridge 99 lower river.

About this water

29 spring-fed miles to Lake Billy Chinook, Jefferson County, OR. Fly fishing's Oregon shrine.

Fishing Metolius River: the full guide

Born whole from the ground

The Metolius emerges at full size from springs beneath Black Butte: 50F, gin-clear, and utterly constant. It may be America's most beautiful trout stream: turquoise water over golden gravel through old-growth ponderosa: and among its most humbling: wild redband rainbows with doctorates in fly inspection.

The technical game

No bait, no lures: fly-only, barbless, all wild (stocking ended decades ago). The fish hold in plain sight and refuse everything unnatural: long 6X leaders, tiny green drakes and PMDs in season, precise dead drifts. The famous reaches (Camp Sherman's holes, the Gorge) demand your best: the river grades fairly.

Bull trout: the apex bonus

The Metolius holds Oregon's healthiest bull trout population: char to 30-plus inches that ambush 6-inch streamers meant to imitate the kokanee smolts washing from Suttle Lake. Targeting them is legal and regulated (single barbless, release everything): hooking one in that clear water is the river's adrenaline counterweight to its technical serenity.

Camp Sherman rhythms

The river corridor is USFS national treasure: campgrounds strung along the banks, the Camp Sherman store as social hub, and etiquette as tradition (space at the famous pools, fish upstream politely). Winter fishes serenely beautiful: the springs never freeze: and the green drake weeks of late May-June draw the faithful like a festival.

Common questions

Why is the Metolius so hard to fish?

Total clarity, constant flows, wild fish that see every fly: the river hides nothing, including your mistakes. Success is measured in quality takes, and each one feels earned twice.

Can you target bull trout on the Metolius?

Yes: it is one of the few places with a healthy, legal bull trout fishery: big streamers, single barbless hooks, everything released. The lower river near Bridge 99 is the classic water.

Is fishing good at Metolius River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Crooked River18 miDetroit Lake31 miPrineville Reservoir53 miCrane Prairie Reservoir56 miEast Lake63 miSandy River66 mi
Share your catch