Speywater Lodge & Floats

If the name of this lodge seems biased, wait until you meet the guides! Located on the Grande Ronde River, near Troy, Oregon, this low-key, high-value operation is where some of the Northwest’s finest steelheaders and Spey casters congregate for a final month of guiding and instruction. Renowned Spey instructor Scott O’Donnell heads a crew of die-hard steelhead guides who love the Ronde and the steelhead it sustains. As much a Spey casting and fishing school as a hard-charging guiding operation, this is the best place we know of to learn the art of Spey casting and improve your swing fishing skills. Now offering two distinct options on different sections of river, Speywater Lodge continues to improve and impress. The Grande Ronde is a Snake River tributary and is considered one of the best late-season steelhead rivers in the Pacific Northwest. Throughout the month of October, the Ronde is as good a dry fly and greased line fishery as there is. As the season progresses and water temperatures drop in November, anglers spend more time fishing light sink tips. The fly fishing can remain excellent through late November and later if water conditions permit. Grande Ronde steelhead are known for their willingness to move to a fly and range from 5 to 14 pounds, with the average fish weighing around six pounds. Rafts are used to access water, but all fishing is done while wading.

Speywater Lodge Located on a productive stretch of the Grande Ronde upstream of Troy, OR, this comfortable lodge is the ultimate hub from which to fish the Ronde in October and November. Guests stay in double-occupancy rooms with shared baths and meals

are eaten in the main lodge. Anglers will depart the lodge each day with their guide to float a different section of the river, getting out to wade prime runs. Rate: $2,130 per person for a 4 night/3 day package

Steelhead Floats For those who want to maximize their time on the water, this multi-day float trip may be the best option. These four-day float trips launch weekly in October and access the lower Grande Ronde in Washington. Deluxe camps are set up on great home pools and move each day. These mobile river camps consist of large stand-up tents complete with cots and vestibules for every two anglers and a 12 x 14-foot wall tent for dining. Each trip now includes a night’s stay at Speywater Lodge on the evening of arrival. Optional day trips on the Oregon section near the lodge can be arranged before the float trip starts. Rate: $2,400 per person for a 4 night/4 day package

Floating the Grande Ronde. Photo: Walter Hodges/tenandtwomagazine.com

479 Russell Street #103 Ashland, OR 97520