We just wrapped up one of our best seasons ever on The John Day River chasing Smallmouth Bass. Thank you to everyone that joined us! It was a blast! Our booking really filled up for this season fast and we recommend you contact us soon to reserve dates for 2009. We plan on expanding our day trip program for next year too.
We hope you enjoy the articles below. Check out the link for a review of Flywater Travels all womens trip to start out our season. Also client and new friend Vince Grillo wrote a detailed account of his adventure with us. Next is Brian O'Keefes article link. Last you will find out how to become a better caster instantly with the right line!.....But first a few photos..
This seasons biggest bass was landed by Nikki on Flywater Travels womens trip! Congratulations Nikki!
Check out Flywater Travels Trip Summary:
Vince Grillo sent us this report after his group of 6 anglers did a 5 day guided trip with us. He gave us permission to share his story with you all. Enjoy!
It is a place of serenity and as one floats this river, the scenery and environs are breathtaking, confirming our Creator had a handle on what He was doing, and we were there to take full advantage of that extraordinary work.
The John Day River in northeastern Oregon, our 9th largest state admitted to the Union in 1859, is a tributary of the Columbia River, flowing approximately 281 miles from its source in the Strawberry Mountains, draining nearly 8,100 square miles of central and northeast Oregon. Elevations range from 265 feet at the confluence with the Columbia River to over 9,000 feet at the headwaters in the Strawberry Mountain Range. Undammed along its entire length, the river is the second longest free-flowing river in the contiguous United States. Named for John Day, a member of the overland Astor Expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River that left from St. Louis, Missouri in 1810, he wandered lost through this part of Oregon in the winter of 1811–12. The river flows through exceptionally scenic canyons in its upper course, with several significant paleontological sites along its banks. In 1988, the United States Congressdesignated 147.5 miles of the river from Service Creek to Tumwater Falls as the John Day Wild and Scenic River, as part of the National Wild and Scenic River program. This segment of the river is a popular destination for anadromous steelhead and warm water bass fishing, as well as whitewater rafting. The John Day also has the largest annual run of wild steelhead in the country.
In 1971, seventy-five Smallmouth Bass were introduced to the river and have since flourished, making the John Day River arguably the best Smallmouth Bass fishery in the country. This designation was the attraction that enticed our group of six anglers to drive from Bigfork, MT the almost 500 miles to Condon, Oregon, to meet with our hosts, Mia and Marty Sheppard, owners of Little Creek Outfitters, who along with their crew would command the 5 day float to fish for Smallmouth Bass on the John Day River.
From Bigfork, our two-vehicle convoy traveled into Idaho over Lookout Pass at elevation 4425 feet and entered the Pacific Time Zone. Leaving the panhandle of Idaho we drove through eastern Washington, then over the Columbia River into Oregon. At Arlington, Oregon, situated in the Columbia River Gorge, we left Interstate 90 and drove south another 39 miles to Condon. The change of scenery along the route was dramatic. From snow covered mountains and lush green forests in Montana and Idaho, to rolling agricultural land in eastern Washington, to dramatic vistas along the Columbia River Gorge, and finally the high arid plains to Condon.
Our float trip was to be a distance of 45 miles from a private put-in at Thirty Mile Creek Access to the take-out at Cottonwood Bridge. We left Condon after breakfast, visited the farmhouse where a user fee was paid, then drove through canyons down farm lanes to the river. After our gear was unloaded and while the guides prepared the rafts for departure, the pulse of the trip became quite obvious. As we waited while the rafts were loaded, three of our overanxious anglers began casting into eddies and immediately started landing Bass. We finally left, and the beginning of a most phenomenal catching trip was under way. We were dispersed, as usual, with two anglers in each of two rafts and two anglers in Marty’s drift boat. Another large camp raft, piloted by John Spanos, more familiarly known as Spanny, and his assistant, Jake, carried all our gear for the trip, all camping equipment, as well as their camp kitchen and food. They would precede us and have camp set up after our days fishing, promising hors d’oeuvres and cocktails upon arrival. This was going to be a trip to remember.
It is common knowledge that an angler’s view of the truth is often times rather skewed. Within our fraternity and among ourselves, we usually allow and accept extreme tolerances when discussing the numbers and size of fish. It is an age-old rite accepted within our circles, and adherence to this credo is the essence of the bone fide fly fishing angler. So, when we read Little Creek Outfitters promotional material that 50 to 100 bass would be landed by a boat each day, we were somewhat skeptical and presumed they were a part of our exulted fishing fraternity. However, when Marty pulled the drift boat over for lunch on our first day on the river, son-in-law Steve and I looked at each other in awe, realizing we had already landed more than 60 fish, and had yet another half day to go. The catching was simply extraordinary. After only 30 minutes on the water it became obvious that it was not what dry fly to cast, but where to place the fly. In all slow, smooth water, the fish were there and attacked as soon as the fly landed. In several cases, (and this is not angler hyperbole) the fish came out of the water to take the fly before it landed. This Marty explained, was a result of the Bass feeding on Damsel Flies that either hovered close to the surface, or had landed on vegetation close to the water.
The downside of this extreme catching is that your eyes are permanently fixated on the river and the location of your next cast, while the beauty of your surroundings passes gently by. As we all sat comfortably in camp chairs having our lunch at this first stop on the river, Bill and Bob as well as Ron and Chuck, who shared rafts that morning, were all agog about our good fortunes. Bob who had traveled from Mississippi and Ron from Michigan, both confessed this first morning had been their finest fresh water fishing ever. Nowhere, and at no time had they ever experienced catching that was so quick and so furious. As we selected our lunch from the great buffet that was placed before us, we all wondered if the balance of the trip would be as productive. But as time would prove, it got progressively better, and more and bigger fish were caught each day as we floated downriver.
The float was interspersed with interesting sights and events that were exciting to experience. An Eagle’s aerie was perched high on a canyon wall above the river. Cliff swallows flitting to and fro from mud nests clinging to the canyon walls, catching the endless supply of hatching aquatic insects that form their diet. We stopped at an archaeological site to witness petroglyphs and pictographs left behind by ancient Native Americans of the Northern Paiutes, Umatilla, Wasco and the Warm Spring Indian tribes known to have frequented the John Day River basin in the recent past. We all left our boats to marvel at this historical site carved in the cliffs close to the river.
All our campsites along the river afforded ample shade and lots of room for our tents, kitchen setup, dining table, and camp chairs strategically placed to admire the changing tones of the red canyon walls as the sun began setting. And, most impressive of all, no mosquitoes or bugs, only flying aquatic insects that did not bother us, but provided entertainment as nighthawks and swallows swooped to gather their evening meals.
Light pollution was non-existent and at night the brilliant stars lit the sky with a wondrous ethereal light. The evening meals alone, meticulously prepared by Spanny, were worth the price of the trip, and how fancifully he cut the melon served for breakfast. After the days fishing, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as promised where ready when we set foot on shore, with Pasta Putanesca, Fajitas, grilled Chicken and Smoked Salmon Fettuccine, the entrees at dinner that elegantly complimented the fishing stories at days end. We were then lolled into peaceful reverie with after dinner drinks in preparation for star gazing and dreaming. Did this trip have to end?
However, we shall long remember listening to the Pygmy Owls one evening, as they strode around camp gorging themselves on the Yellow Sallies and Cream-colored Mayflies that had hatched late that day. The Spey casting that Marty demonstrated and got us hooked on, as well as comments on his “Garage Mahal” living quarters that served as his home and office away from home, and his side splitting stories of “Yep, Nope, You Betcha”, as well as the “little tyke who out smarted the anglers” with his 4 pound Bass. And who will forget the Chukar Partridges scrambling along shore throughout the float, the herd of 60 Rocky Mountain sheep that we all disembarked for the photo op. Then there was the crack of a broken rod heard by all that Chuck feigned was the fault of the manufacturer. Chuck, we know better! And then the excuses offered by Bill of his Indian heritage, which he claims, caused the warping of his “Mississippi Mind” after ingesting too many spices from Captain Morgan’s jug. We did however enjoy the folly of his actions as a result of too much rum.
These are the events that make memories. Yes, the great catching played a vital part to our float, but I consider that catching a minor contribution to an episode we all considered a trip of a lifetime.
Marty, I am hopeful you and your crew enjoyed our group, since I am afraid you will have to endure them once again when next we float with you on the John Day River.
* Editors note: Thank you Vince for sharing your adventure with all of us!
Thanks to Brian O'Keefe for the use of some of his photos! Check out his review of our Bass operation from a few years back:
While guiding this summer we found one thing that really made a difference when anyone was struggling casting (or not). It was not the typical advice of timing or having a high rod stop. It was "hey, you should try this fly line" as one of us rig up your rod with one these special fly lines. Boy did these lines make a huge difference in casting poppers and bulky Bass bugs! These flylines were the ticket in a "target casting" fishery such as this. What secret line is this you ask? 40+ from Airflo! They rock! Check them out here and find a dealer:
Little Creek Outfitters is on the Rajeff sports pro staff. We could get a "guide deal" from most any major fly fishing manufacture but choose Airflo and Echo because the product is so innovative and performs so well! Steelhead season is here with record numbers already showing! Check out their Skagit compacts and DH spey rods! A match made in heaven!
Thanks again everyone,
Marty, Mia, and Tegan Sheppard
with cedar too!
Little Creek Outfitters
Phone: (503) 944-9165
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