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The second best thing about a John Day River float trip is the swimming. Camp spot swimmin' holes and mid-afternoon dips really hit the spot. The third best part of a John Day River float trip is catching a big channel catfish right at camp and dropping old Mr. Wiskers in a skillet with hot butter and a little garlic. Obviously, the best part of a John Day River float trip is the non-stop smallmouth bass action. And I'm talking all day popper action.
Several things happen in mid-June that make for a great trip. First, spring runnoff is mellowing out and the river is clearing and warming.The second thing is that summer in Central Oregon is just starting to kick in so that camping is perfect. Not too hot and not much rain. River levels are nice in mid-June. 900 cfs to 1,500 cfs is sweet. In low water years or later in the summer flows can be a mere trickle and earlier the John Day can spike to over 10,000 cfs and well, end of story. Another great function of nice weather in this arid, desert climate is the opportunity to wear huge, charactor building hats. Super wide-brim straw hats that throw a huge shadow are a must on the John Day. In fact the boat ramp scene on the John Day looks like a Tijuana flea market with oars.
Tackle is a cinch. Five and six weight rods with floating lines and a dozen bass poppers will do. If this kind of fishing is something you really like to do, then go and buy a Mastery Bass Bug Taper and let it do all the work. That line is also great for the Salmonfly Hatch and for hoppers and streamers in Montana. We sometimes work a Mastery Wet-Tip and buggers through deep water, looking for big fish...but after a while it's back to the popper. My two favorite casts are, one, into the grass on the little grass clump islands (Don King islands) then plop them into the water. Strikes are instantanious. My second favorite is to smack a popper in to a big "shaving cream" foam patch in an eddy. After three pops there wiil be a huge white explosion...got milk?
There is probably over 200 miles of smallmouth water. From the mouth on the Columbia to way up the forks past Kimberly. Speaking of Kimberly, you must stop and buy fresh fruit there. The Thomas Orchards have been in business for over 50 years and they have 52 varieties of fruit. Every kind of apple, peach. plum, cherry, etc. you can imagine. The John Day Fossil Beds are nearby, also. Throw in dinner in Service Creek or Spray and that's livin'.
Floating from Service Creek downstream is not only bass central, but there are also bighorn sheep, mule deer monsters, chukars and incredible basalt geaology to oogle at. I am not sure how many bass we catch in a day but it is a bunch. I would guesstimate that an average caster that stays focused could easily land 40 to 50 bass a day. And don't forget the chicken gizzards for catfish. If you hook a monster carp, no problem, they are good to eat, too. If your fly fishing constaints won't allow "real fun"...just look at your stupid hat and join the club !! |
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