Fishing Season: Salmon, Trout & Bass

Grande Ronde River - WA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

80

Mac Huff's Tip of the Week

The salmon season is technically open, but the warm water in the Ronde is keeping the salmon and steelhead in cooler water. Trout season is open and Boggan's reports good bass fishing. The warm water is great for bass, but trout have moved upstream to cooler water,

Directions open in app

Map of Grande Ronde River

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

5-Day Outlook as of 9/14/23

The water level has dropped to good fishing level, so it's time to go try your hand at late summer fishing.

Techniques & Tips as of 9/14/23

The water level has dropped to a good summer level and the snow in the Wallowa Mountains is getting pretty scarce, so there isn't much chance of an significant rise in the river.

Local Species Available Salmon, Trout & Bass

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    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
Flashback Hares Ear Nymph N/A 8 - 6
Hot Cone Woolly Bugger N/A 6 - 1/0

Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer

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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