River guide · Oregon

Fly Fishing the Owyhee River

The Owyhee's 10-mile tailwater below Owyhee Dam cuts through a high-desert canyon in southeastern Oregon, holding brown trout that average 16–20 inches on a river famous for its prolific Skwala and caddis hatches, one of the West's most underrated trophy trout fisheries.

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When to fish

March–September

Best months: March–September

Best
Off-peak

Skwala Stonefly: March–April. Blue-winged Olive: spring and fall; year-round.

Today's conditions

Where to fish

Along the Owyhee River

Eagle1 shopBoise1 shop

From Ontario, Oregon, take Highway 201 south; Owyhee Lake Road tracks the river for the first 10 miles below Owyhee Dam through public BLM land, providing walk-and-wade access to the prime tailwater section. Snively Hot Springs area marks the upper reach of the most popular water.

The water

Tailwater

Key hatches

Blue-Winged Olive
Midge
Skwala
Callibaetis
Pale Morning Dun

Hatch calendar

Conditions

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6-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service ↗

Hatch calendar

Months each hatch is active on the Owyhee River, with hook sizes and local timing notes.
Hatch · hook	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Blue-winged Olive(mayflies)hook #16–22spring and fall; year-round	January	February	March	April	May	June			September	October
Midge(midges)hook #16–22	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Skwala(stoneflies)hook #6–10March–April			March	April
Callibaetis(mayflies)hook #12–18				April	May	June	July	August	September	October
Pale Morning Dun(mayflies)hook #18May–July				April	May	June	July
Caddisfly(caddis)hook #14–18mid-April–September						June	July	August	September	October
Mahogany Dun(mayflies)hook #14–18September								August	September	October
October Caddis(caddis)hook #6–10									September	October