Metolius River Redband Rainbow Trout Fishing

The Redband trout of the Metolius have some of the most vivid coloration of any of the redband rainbow subspecies. These trout can be incredibly selective eaters and are a major reason The Met is seen as a difficult trout fishery. The crystal clear waters here give the trout a major advantage and require visiting anglers to downsize their tippet and dial in their fly selection. Hatches on the river are sporadic and less dependable, but can be significant if your timing is good. Late winter and early spring see modest hatches of blue wing olives which can bring the redbands to the surface. Later in the spring and into summer, hatches of pale morning dun and caddis become more common with the occasional stonefly showing up. Nymphing is the most productive tactic on the river with a euro style being the most productive as the steep drops and swift water make indicator nymphing near impossible in some places. Redbands will often congregate along the  submerged bedrock bluffs adjacent to current seams when insect activity is low. Using densely weighted and slim profiled flies such as a double beaded stonefly imitation will allow anglers to get deeper in the water column to where the fish are faster. Pair these with smaller mayfly nymph imitations such as an RS2 or perdigon for the best results. Some days, depth can be critical, so make constant adjustments until you can find something that works. As fall approaches, eggs will make their way onto the menu and remain there through the winter months.