With the total number of salmon in the Willamette system still very low for this time of year, are running some alternative McKenzie River trout trips. These trips are run on both lower and upper stretches of the McKenzie and can be lots of fun and very productive. We ran a trip yesterday on the very scenic upper river and had greatest success with flies. Even novice flyfishers can do extremely well with a little patience and attentiveness. We often run a multifly set-up that covers different parts of the water column including both wet and dry patterns. When the fish are responsive, it is not uncommon for a beginner to land 20 fish or more as we row through the riffles, pools and runs. Consider this alternative as we wait for more salmon to show up.