
How to Read Water: A Guide to Finding Fish in PNW Rivers
The single most important skill in river fishing isn't casting — it's reading water. Learn to see what the river is telling you, and you'll find fish everywhere.
AllanTwelve years chasing salmon, steelhead, and bass across the rivers, lakes, and ocean of the Pacific Northwest. Stories from the water by Allan.
Weather: Open-Meteo · River data: USGS Water Services (provisional, subject to revision) · Refreshes every 15 min

The Sandy River in January is a test of patience, cold fingers, and faith. After three blank mornings, the fourth delivered something I won't forget.

The single most important skill in river fishing isn't casting — it's reading water. Learn to see what the river is telling you, and you'll find fish everywhere.
Allan
The Intruder is more sculpture than fly — a massive, articulated creation that moves like a living thing in the current. Here's how I tie my version for PNW steelhead.
Allan
Every September, the Clackamas River transforms. The salmon are running, the maples are turning gold, and Portland's best urban fishery is at its absolute peak.
Allan



Affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you
Born in Portland and raised in McMinnville, Oregon, Allan has been fishing for most of his life. From the rivers of the Willamette Valley to the Oregon coast, Cabo San Lucas, and the California Pacific, he's chased fish across some of the world's most exciting waters.
This blog is his attempt to share what he's learned — the spots, the techniques, the gear, and the stories that don't fit neatly into a fishing report.
Read Allan's Story