Oregon · river

McKenzie River

The McKenzie River is a 90-mile (145 km) tributary of the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains part of the Cascade Range east of Eugene and flows westward into the southernmost end of the Willamette Valley. From Wikipedia

Length
86 mi
Basin
1,300 sq mi
Rises at
Clear Lake
Flows into
Willamette River

Flow now

Mckenzie River Near Vida, OR, 2 mi from the river.

1,970cfsat build, Nov 12, 12 PM MT

02,4304,860Oct 12Nov 11

The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 2,170 cfs to 4,860 cfs, around 3,220 cfs.

Water temperature at the gauge: 48°F.

Also gauged at Gate Creek At Vida, OR: 33 cfs, Nov 12.

Snowpack

0.0 in of water in the snow at Jump Off Joe and 2 more stations, against a median 0.0 in for the date.

The snowpack here usually builds from Nov 27, peaks Mar 9 and is gone by Apr 23; runoff follows the melt.

The season, November

Usually workable this week. Pick your window and fish it well.

  • Midgessizes 18 to 22
  • Small eggs and worms
  • Pheasant tail and zebra midge nymphsunder an indicator

Typical for the week over 10 years: 2,170 to 4,860 cfs. Running 1,970 cfs today, inside that range. Flows are not forecast; check the gauge the day before.

Brown Trout are spawning (October to December). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Brook Trout are spawning (September to November). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Mountain Whitefish are spawning (October to December). The egg bite behind spawning whitefish is the best winter nymphing of the year: an egg pattern below the riffles.

  • Flows swing a lot this week most years. Carry both a heavy nymph rig and a dry-dropper and let the gauge decide.
  • Egg patterns in the runs below the spawning gravel, never on it.

Written by the app's rules engine from the calendar, the gauge record and the snowpack, not by hand, so it says only what the data says. The weather for the week comes with the app.

Fly shops on this water

Nearby waters

Every Oregon water

Open McKenzie River in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.

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Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.