Idaho Fish Report

The Metolius is very special in November. Anglers should expect to see good afternoon hatches of Blue Wing Olives from a #18-22, Cinygmula (yellow mayflies with 2 tails) #16-18, the remnants of Pale Morning Duns #16, an array of caddis including #14 to 16 grey and tan varieties and October Caddis #8-12 which will be important from now until May.
My advice on dry flies is always have an emerger, a cripple and an adult when going into any match the hatch situation and don’t be afraid to change them quickly if the fish don’t respond to a great drift.
Eggs have been a staple on the diet for a month, and while not many kokanee remain in the river alive & spawning, the trout and whitefish are used to eating eggs and the egg flies are good all winter and into spring.
We can’t count on every excursion to the river in winter to offer dry fly action, but we can count on good nymph fishing opportunities each and every day we go to the Metolius!
Of course you know from reading our reports that we are big on Euro Nymphing, but there are times, and with certain flies you might be better off with an Indicator Rig, for instance when fishing leeches, stonefly nymphs, October Caddis Pupa and Micro Streamers.
We have some incredible Euro Nymphs that are picked with color and bead sizes in mind for fishing the Metolius for us that are tight-line junkies.
Bull Trout have been coming to streamers quite well. I think other than the dead of winter when they sometimes show a preference to nymphs that streamers are the way to go, and the fact that some streamers are fished swung, some dead drifted and some stripped it opens up many ways to approach a fish or a type of water makes you more than just a 1 trick pony.

The Upper Metolius above Allingham Bridge to the Headwaters are closed now all winter and spring until May 22, 2023