A RETURN TO THE RONDE

Hatchery and wild steelhead traditionally provide a good fishery on the lower Grande Ronde River just upstream of Hells Canyon, as well as through the rest of the system as they move upstream to spawning areas from fall into

spring. (JOSH MILLS)

After a series of down years, the Grande Ronde River could see an uptick in steelhead returns this fall.

By Mike Wright

Located in a rather remote and isolated corner of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon, the Grande Ronde River has long had a small but devoted following of hardcore anglers willing to endure the extremes of travel, weather, wind and rugged terrain in their search for hard-fighting steelhead. In the late 1980s and early ’90s this small cadre of devotees began to expand considerably. As word got out that this rather small desert stream contained some true aquatic treasures, something akin to a gold rush began to take place. The vast majority of this “rush” was centered on the lower part of the river, which lies on the Washington side of the border. Although it might be safe to assume these 2.5 miles above the Ronde’s mouth at Heller Bar on the Snake River would provide enough distance to easily accommodate a sizeable number of fishermen, unfortunately this is not always the case. Access is decent, which makes the lower few miles very popular and it can be more than a little crowded at certain times of the year, particularly fall.

For those individuals seeking a little less companionship, floating the river

might be a good alternative. However, it should be pointed out that there are some areas where it is best to have considerable drift boat experience. One section in particular is an area apply referred to as Chicken-out Rapids, better known as the Narrows. In this section between Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife accesses at the bottom of Shumaker Grade and the river’s mouth, the Ronde in summer and fall squeezes down to the point where extended oars cannot be used. It’s best to rope through the Narrows.

Another consideration is the fact, that most of the floats cannot be completed in one day, so camping at least one night is required. One excellent float trip would be to put in at Boggan’s Oasis (under new ownership after the Vails retired earlier this year and back open after a big remodeling) along Highway 129 and work down toward the mouth, a run that takes two days. The advantage of this float is that shuttles and prepared lunches are available, making the trip a little more pleasant. But again, beware the Narrows just above Joseph Creek.

SEVERAL GAME FISH species lurk in the Grande Ronde, but its summer steelhead are far and away the most targeted. The publication Best Fishing in America has listed the river as one of the very best steelhead destinations in the Northwest. It is also one of the very few streams where it is possible to catch steelhead on a dry fly.

The size of steelhead in the Grande Ronde is, on average, somewhat smaller than those in nearby Idaho streams that are home to B-runs. However, these A-runs more than make up for their comparative size with their outstanding fighting abilities. A few begin to appear in the river as early as August, but the bulk of the run arrives in September, October – when fall catches typically peak – and, depending on weather conditions, through November, before picking up again in late winter.

For many years the Grande Ronde system had very good and reliable runs – the 2009-10 season yielded

Josh Mills of the Wild Steelhead Coalition celebrates the acquisition of 7 acres along the lower Ronde. The organization and numerous fly fishing clubs put up $34,000 to purchase the land from an owner who had long leased it to the state but could have sold it off for development. WSC then donated it to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife last year. Also in 2021, former state Fish and Wildlife Commission member Larry Cassidy and his wife Marilou donated land at the base of Shumaker Grade for fishing and boating. (JOSH MILLS)

whopping hatchery harvests of 12,724 on the Washington side and 15,250 in Oregon – even when the nearby Snake and Salmon Rivers saw major declines. However, since around 2016 the Ronde has suffered through some rather poor returns as well, with harvests dropping to just 680 and 527 in Washington in 2018-19 and 201920, respectively, and 143 in Oregon in fall 2018, the last year stats were immediately available for that state.

It should be pointed out that 1) there are just times when there may be a reasonably decent number of fish in the river, but because of weather or water conditions you have to work a little harder to get them to accept your offering, and 2) steelhead runs are cyclical and may well bounce back as ocean conditions improve. Indeed, after a half-dozen poor years in a row, returns appear to be ticking back up. The count at Lower Granite, the upper dam on Washington’s Snake, was running a bit above the 10-year average as of mid-September and managers had upgraded A-run expectations from the

State biologist Kyle Bratcher holds one of the first coho in decades to return to the Grande Ronde River, made possible through a joint restoration effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Nez Perce Tribe. (ODFW)

RONDE NOW SEES COHO RETURNS, FISHERIES

Nearly three decades ago now, the Nez Perce Tribe began reintroducing coho in Idaho’s Clearwater River. The species had been declared extinct in the Snake in the mid-1980s, but surplus eggs from Lower Columbia stocks were used to kickstart recovery and the restoration program has been highly successful.

So too it would appear on the Grande Ronde, where the species was extirpated by the early 1910s. A bit more than a century later, the tribe and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife began releasing smolts into the Grande Ronde system’s Lostine River, near Enterprise, and that has led to coho fisheries opening the past two Octobers on a 7-mile stretch near Troy, just upstream of the Washington border. Catches haven’t been huge and the fish are pretty colored up so far above saltwater, but it supports restoration goals and provides another native species to target. –MW & NWS

forecast of 81,000 to just under 96,000. No doubt those are good signs for the Ronde and all rivers in the region the stock returns to, but to guard against shifting-baseline syndrome, it should be pointed out that since 1984 only five years will have seen less than 100,000 A-runs, all since 2018.

Although the Grande Ronde is best known for its outstanding fly fishing, lures and bait are allowed in most parts of the river. There are, however, sections with special gear regulations, along with a catch-and-release requirement in fall on the lower 2.5 miles before it enters the Snake. Also note that all tributaries (except those of the Wenaha River) from the mouth to the Oregon state line are closed. It would probably be a wise decision to include a Washington state rules pamphlet with your fishing gear.

FOR THE FLYRODDER, the Grande Ronde is usually considered fishable when the water clarity rate is a foot or more, which typically isn’t an issue in fall. When fishing the river during this clear-water time, standard steelhead flies such as a General Practitioner, Spawning Purple, Skunk Butt and Intruder will work. When the water is murkier, brighter flies such as chartreuse marabous and Polar Shrimp are more effective.

The Ronde is generally a shallow river, making wade fishing available in most places. However, there are areas where the rocks are extremely slick and many anglers end up taking an unplanned swim. Good-quality wading boots with nonslip soles would be highly recommended.

With its typical depths, a 6-, 7- or 8-weight rod with floating line and a 7- to 9-foot 1X or 2X leader would be a good setup. Another method to fish the river is with intermediate sink-tip lines and a short 3- to 4-foot leader. Try to keep the fly close to the bottom and let it swing across the current.

Thanks in no small part to Ed Ward and others, the use of a Spey rod has become popular on the Ronde. With a sizable amount of brush along the bank in many places, a roll cast and dead drifting through a run can save your flies and a great deal of aggravation.

As I mentioned, the Grande Ronde is one of the few streams in the Northwest where dry flies can be productive, and the section below the county road bridge near the mouth boasts some of the most classic steelhead water on the entire length of the river. That fact is also one of the worst-kept secrets in the Northwest and chances are very good that you will have company. In early fall, a caddis imitation is probably the most effective pattern to use.

Another excellent spot to try would be near the Cottonwood Creek acclimation ponds upstream of Boggan’s. This is an area where hatchery steelhead congregate on their way to their spawning grounds, both here and on the Oregon side. As with the lower 2.5 miles of the Ronde, it might be said that the “early bird gets the worm” is also applicable in this section.

ALTHOUGH BEST KNOWN for its steelhead fishing, the river also offers some outstanding trout fishing, primarily for rainbows, but there is a sizable population of bull trout, usually found in the upper portions of the river, primarily in Oregon. Bulls are a federally listed species, so they must be released immediately. One of the best times to fish for trout is in June when the salmonfly hatch takes place. Prolific callibaetis mayfly and caddis hatches

occur throughout the summer, making dry fly patterns such as a Purple Haze, Parachute Adams and an Elk Hair or Goddard Caddis very effective. Nymph patterns, such as a Pheasant Tail, Hare’s Ear, Prince and various Woolly Buggers, are also very productive. Toward fall, hoppers, ants, beetles and October caddis patterns have proven to catch fish. There is a great deal of feed in the river and the trout grow rapidly. Rainbows in the 18- to 20-inch range are rather common.

The Grande Ronde is also home to a large number of smallmouth. These bass usually take the same fly patterns as the trout, and they will readily take lures such as Mepps, Panther Martins, Rooster Tails and small hammered spoons. Bait is also highly effective, meaning worms, PowerBait, marshmallows and corn should all produce. Just remember to pinch your hook or hooks’ barbs.

REACH THE RONDE from Clarkston via State Route 129 past Asotin and Anatone. The highway crosses the river 6 miles north of the Oregon state line. From there, Grande Ronde River Road parallels the north side of the river to Troy. To reach the lower river, follow the Snake River Road south from Clarkston into Hells Canyon. The bottom of Shumaker Grade is reached via side roads out of Anatone.

Whether you are there to fish, to try whitewater rafting or just to enjoy the canyon country, the Grande Ronde River is an area you really should visit, fishing rod in hand. NS