Klamath River Fly Fishing Report - August 8/23/2025
KLAMATH RIVER FLY FISHING REPORT
Upper & Lower Klamath — Focused on Summer Steelhead
Quick, Essential Notice
Current River Conditions (Aug 23, 2025)
Flow: Low to moderate for late summer; sections below irrigation diversions and tributary inputs will vary. Expect cleaner water in middle/upper reaches, slightly stained pockets below major runoffs.
Recommendation: Check USGS/agency flow pages before you go — low flow holes and seams hold fish.
Upper river (cooler tributary-fed reaches): mid-50s–low-60s °F (≈12–16°C)
Lower river (wider, slower stretches): low- to mid-60s °F (≈16–19°C) at mid-day — warmest in late afternoon.
Trend: Typical late-summer warm pockets; plan morning/late-day fishing for the coolest water.
Southern Oregon/Northern California forecast: warm days, cool mornings. Light to moderate afternoon breeze in exposed sections. Watch heat spikes that push fish deeper.
Most public access points and boat ramps are open. Road conditions are generally good but check seasonal closures on feeder roads. Local guide shops in Orleans, Yreka, and nearby towns can update parking and launch conditions.
Fishery Focus & What’s Working
Target | Current Activity | Best Methods |
---|---|---|
Steelhead | Primary legal target — steady to improving activity in lower and middle sections | Swinging flies (single-hand and two-hand), Spey/swing, indicator nymph rigs from boats and shore |
Salmon | Closed for 2025 (no in-river salmon angling) | N/A — respect closures |
Trout (resident) | Low to moderate; opportunistic in cooler pockets and feeder streams | Small nymphs, emergers, and terrestrials along pocket water |
Hatch Chart & Insect Activity
Insect | Size | Activity Level | Prime Time |
---|---|---|---|
Salmonflies / Large Stoneflies (historical peak earlier in summer) | #4–8 | Low (hatch passed; adults occasional) | Late morning—afternoon (sporadic) |
Golden & Brown Stoneflies | #6–12 | Low–moderate in cooler tributary pockets | Afternoon along fast riffles |
Caddis | #14–18 | Moderate — best evenings | Late day & dusk |
Midges | #18–22 | Consistent — year-round | Throughout day, pickup at dawn/dusk |
Terrestrials (hoppers, ants, beetles) | Size varies; #6–12 hopper-imitations | High — late summer favorite | Warm afternoons and shoreline edges |
Recommended Flies (patterns & links)
Below are flies matched to productive Klamath-season tactics. Links go to a stocked fly sheet so you can order or check pattern photos.
- Large dry / attractors (for late-summer terrestrials & stray stoneflies) — Libby's Salmonfly (size #4–8), Card's Green River Super Cicada (for hopper/cicada situations).
- Stonefly nymphs / heavy nymphs — Tungsten Pat's Rubber Legs (sizes #6–10), Jiggy Pat's (jigged variants for pocket presentation).
- PMD / BWO and small mayfly patterns — Parachute - Blue Wing Olive / Parachute Adams (sizes #14–18), Stealth Link Mercer - PMD.
- Caddis & emerger options — Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) - Olive (sizes #14–18), Olsen's Foam Front End Loader Caddis for skittering presentations.
- Midges / tight water nymphs — Black Zebra Midge (TBH) (size #18–22), Egan's Silver Bullet - Baetis for subtle mayfly/peeper imitation.
- Perdigons & euro nymphs — Olsen's Diabaetis Perdigon and Egan's Warrior Perdigon - Rainbow for tight-line euro tactics on picky fish.
- Streamers / baitfish & sculpin patterns — Coffey's Articulated Sparkle Minnow - Sculpin #4, Sculpzilla - Natural, and Egan's Poacher (sizes #2–6). Great for deep runs and structure edges where steelhead hold.
- Egg / attractor flies (useful near redds/trout/steelhead staging) — Sunny Side Up - Sunburst or other egg patterns for aggressive takes (remember to follow local rules on targeting specific species).
- Soft-hackles & trailing nymphs — Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail Jig and Pheasant Tail Tungsten for droppers and indicator rigs.
Tactics That Are Producing
- Nymph rigs: indicator or euro (tight-line) depending on water clarity. Heavy tungsten nymphs and Pat's Rubber Legs in the lower end of rigs get down fast in low summer flows.
- Streamer strategy: slow strips with pauses through deep tails, behind boulders and around undercut banks. Articulated sculpin imitations will trigger reaction strikes.
- Dry/dropper and terrestrial setups: afternoons into early evening. Big hoppers and cicadas as droppers do well along shaded banks.
- Time your trips: early morning and late evening for cooler temps and more active fish; midday steelhead can be found in deeper runs and cool tails.
Quick Gear & Rigging Notes
8–10 wt single-hand for big flies/streamer work; 10–12 wt or two-hand for Spey/swinging flies. Floating to sink-tip setups depending on swing depth.
9–12' leaders for dry/dropper; strong butt sections for swinging (20–30 lb fluorocarbon shock tippet where legal). 6–10 lb tippets for trout-sized presentations.
Use barbless where required or preferred; add split-shot for indicator rigs only where needed; weedguards on big streamers can help castability.
Local Notes & Conservation
The Klamath remains a working river with complex water issues and active restoration projects. Respect posted closures and private property. With salmon angling closed in 2025, give extra care around spawning areas and redds — minimize bank trampling and handle fish and gear responsibly. If you hire a guide, ask how they practice low-impact angling.