Multi-Day Fishing — Grande Ronde Trout
TRIP Description
THE DAY BEFORE YOUR TRIP
If you are staying the night La Grande or Enterprise, be aware of travel time to the launch site. Packing lists, Shuttle information, as well as the time and location of our launch are here as well. Click below for complete details.
DAY 1
We will meet you at 9:00 a.m. in Minam. We will load all your camping gear on the supply boat, rig our fly rods, and make shuttle arrangements. Boats are in the water and ready to go, and we will be fishing by 10:00 a.m.
Your guide will slow the boat while you cast your dry flies next to shore. The Grande Ronde has a swift current forcing the rainbow trout in close to shore to feed. Your guide will give instructions on where to cast. Boom—great cast—and fish on!
We will float approximately 18 miles each day fishing the entire way. Please don’t forget to look up the river canyon and take in the breathtaking beauty. At 1:00 p.m. we stop at one of the many beautiful campsites for a shore lunch. After a great lunch and maybe a cat nap, we are back in the boats for more amazing trout fishing.
We will fish until 6:00 p.m. at which time we arrive at our camp. The camp crew has worked all day to prepare this comfortable, beautiful, deluxe camp for us. Hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6:30 and dinner is at 7:30 p.m. Once dinner is finished, relax next to the bonfire, and tell your fish stories.
day 2
Good morning! You wake up to the sights and sounds of the Grande Ronde. Coffee is ready at 6:30 a.m. and breakfast will be served at 8:00 a.m. After breakfast you will pack your gear while the guides break camp. We are in the boats and fishing by 9:00 a.m. with another great day ahead of us. More beautiful scenery and many awesome rainbow trout. Lunch is at 1:00 p.m., camp at 6:00 p.m., and dinner at 7:30 pm.
day 3
Once again you will wake up deep in the heart of the Grande Ronde River canyon. Coffee at 6:30 a.m. and breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Yes, there is more fishing and catching to be done. We will arrive at the takeout location at 1:00 p.m. Here you will find your vehicles, unpack your bags, and have on last shore lunch before heading home.
Thank you for sharing this amazing Grande Ronde River trip with us.
More information about our Trip
WHAT ARE WE FISHING FOR?
We’ll be looking for native rainbow trout to catch. The Grande Ronde offers fall Steelhead and spring Chinook salmon runs throughout the year. The Grande Ronde also has a healthy population of protected bull trout. The huge, native rainbow trout are our target.
FISHING TECHNIQUES
Dry fly fishing is our preferred form of fishing. There is a good hatch of olive and golden stone flies from mid-June to late-July, as well as caddis and mayfly hatches. Stripping streamers and nymphs can also be very effective. The Grande Ronde is a shallow, fast-flowing river that forces trout to eat in deep holes and along the shorelines. While you cast your fly to the shore, your guide will slow the boat down. Because these trout are spoiled (they have plenty of food), your cast must be flawless. The casts are short and many.
FISHING EQUIPMENT
The majority of our fly-fishing guests carry their own rods and reels. Each guide, on the other hand, will have everything you need to have a good trip. A 9-foot, 4- or 5-weight fly rod with a decent floating line one line size larger than the rod’s specified line size is recommended for short casts (match your 5 wt rod with a 6 wt line this will make a world of difference when casting short). We also recommend a 7½ foot 0x leader. Every cast is inches from the brushy shore, and the trout aren’t shy of the leader. If you want to bring your own flies, we have provided fly list.
CAMPING AND MEALS
We have at least one guide who will be our camp host on every trip. Their task is to find us a spot along the river where we may camp in one of the many gorgeous spots. Everything will be ready for us when we arrive at camp, just as if we were walking into a lodge. We will stop for a shore lunch on the first two days of your trip at noon. The guide crew will prepare your breakfast and dinner— sometimes we’re better chefs than fishermen! Lunch will be served at the takeout on the final day.
WEATHER
From mid-June until mid-July, we have our Grande Ronde season. Our adventure begins in the mountains of Minam, Oregon, at an elevation of 3,583 feet. The weather here can change in a matter of minutes. Although the weather in late June and July appears to be stable, you should come prepared with warm clothing and bring rain gear.