Fishing Season: Salmon, Trout & Bass

Grande Ronde River - WA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

65

Mac Huff's Tip of the Week

The salmon season is open and the water in the Ronde is cooling, which will move the salmon and steelhead upstream. Trout season is open and Boggans says the water is cooling and the salmon and steelhead are on their way. The big fish are still mostly in the Columbia, but are moving upstream.

Directions open in app

Map of Grande Ronde River

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

5-Day Outlook as of 2/6/25

The water level is rising, which is a good clue that water temperatures are dropping.

Techniques & Tips as of 2/6/25

The water level is rising now, which will be lowering water temperature, which will make conditions much more attractive for salmonids. There are good numbers of salmon and steelhead moving up the Columbia River and they entering the Grande Ronde.

Local Species Available Salmon, Trout & Bass

  • Fish Icon

    Steelhead & Coho &Trout & Bass

Mac Huff's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer Blk 4 - 2
Orange Blossom Special Fly N/A 4 - 2
Fly Formerly Known As Prince N/A 8 - 6
Bead Head Stonefly natural 6 - 2
Muddler Minnow natural 4 - 2
Royal Coachman Peacock & red 12 - 2
Flashback Hares Ear Nymph N/A 8 - 6
Hot Cone Woolly Bugger N/A 6 - 1/0

Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer

Every angler needs an assortment of these weighted attractor Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer flies.

2.49

Item #0311

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Mac Huff's Recommended Gear

Description: About Grande Ronde River

The Grande Ronde River slices a 3,000 foot deep canyon through flood-basalt flows that originated from Grande Ronde volcano when it was active 15 million years ago. This is a moderate-gradient freestone river supporting abundant caddis and stonefly populations and good mayfly hatches. The arid climate at the bottom of the canyon is warm in the summer and generally moderate through the fall and spring with some freezing temperatures and snow for short periods at the canyon floor during the winter. Pacific steelhead are the stars of this tributary to the Snake River and are in the river from October through the end of the season, which closes Apr. 15. From June through September there is excellent fishing for rainbow trout and smallmouth bass. Lower reaches of the river favor bass and higher reaches favor rainbows. The trout fishing is usually a mix of dry and wet fly fishing, starting the day with nymphs and streamers and switching to dries in late morning. June's hatches favor stoneflies and caddis and July, August and September dries are 'hoppers.

Nearest Airport:

Walla Walla or Spokane, WA; Lewiston or Boise, ID

Best Time to Fish:

Dawn to dark

Best Stretch:

Pawatka Bridge in Oregon to Washington state line and the Wallowa River in Oregon. Washington is closed to angling.

Best Access:

Troy, Oregon on Oregon Hwy 82 and WA Hwy 129