Day Trip: John Day River (with Optional Camping) (Sat, July 25, 2026)

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Join Us for the Day or Camp for the Weekend

Day Trip: Saturday, July 25 | Cottonwood Canyon State Park (Meet @ 8:00am)

Camping: July 24 - 26, 2026 | Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Join Fishmaster Mark Meyer for a day outing on the beautiful John Day River. You can make it a full weekend camping trip from Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26, or simply join us for the Saturday day trip on July 25.

Either way, come ready to fish, learn, explore, and enjoy time together on the water.

Two Ways to Join the Outing

Option 1: Saturday Day Trip

Come for the day on Saturday, July 25. We’ll meet in the morning at Cottonwood Canyon State Park Campground, set up rods, go over safety and fishing plans, then head out for a day of exploring the river. There is no fee for day use at the park.

Option 2: Weekend Camping

Turn the outing into a full weekend adventure by reserving a tent campsite, or primitive RV site at Cottonwood State Park for July 24 - 26.

Cottonwood Canyon State Park Campground sites are reservable online through Recreation.gov.

Mark Meyer, your Fishmaster, will meet you near the park facilities restroom. A CSF sign will be posted.

Saturday Tentative Itinerary

Main gathering location: Near the park facilities restroom.

Time	Activity
8:00 AM	Meet near park facilities restroom. CSF sign will be placed here
8:30 AM	Fishing orientation and safety meeting
Morning	Fish and explore the river
1:00 PM	Group lunch (optional) — bring your own lunch
Afternoon	More fishing, exploring, and fellowship

Please forward me an RSVP email if interested. There could be updates regarding river flow, hot weather, etc. I'll post updates via Google Groups. If it's a very hot day, an earlier meet-up may be needed. The drive goes by rapidly with a fellow member/passenger. We can coordinate meeting for lunch in the park shelter near where we meet in the morning.

Fishing Plan

Recommended setup:

4 wt, 5wt fly rod
Floating line (sinking line optional)
Wade and bank fishing:
Flies with a floating line will be poppers
Favorite flies with sinking line will be wooly buggers or most streamer patterns.

RSVP Required

If you plan to attend, please fill out registration button above (top of this page), or email mdmeyer@comcast.net with the following information:

Your name
Names of anyone coming with you
Your cell phone number
Emergency contact name
Emergency contact phone number
Are you joining the Saturday day trip or camping for the weekend?
If camping, what campsite did you reserve?

RSVPs help us plan, communicate any changes, and keep everyone accounted for during the outing.

Safety

For emergencies, aside from calling 911 when in cell coverage, please take note of the following information:

Nearest Regional Hospitals:

Adventist Heath Columbia Gorge (1700 E 19th St, The Dalles, OR ). Open every day all day w/ Emergency Room. Phone: 541-296-1111.
Pioneer Memorial Hospital Location: 564 E Pioneer Dr, Heppner, OR
Open every day all day w/ Emergency Room. Phone: 541-676-9133

Life Flight - 800-982-9299

Nearest Clinics (Limited Hours)

Asher Community Health Center: Located at 712 Jay St, Fossil, OR (approx. 16 miles from the park). 541-763-2725
South Gilliam Health Center: Located at 422 N Main St, Condon, OR (approx. 30 miles from the park). 541-626-7081

Cheers,
Mark Meyer
Fishmaster, John Day River Outing

CSF Annual Picnic (Sat, August 15, 2026)

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us in a beautiful setting in the trees alongside Fallen Leaf Lake for our annual CSF picnic. With no meeting during the months of July and August and few club fishing outings during this time, this is your opportunity to get together and socialize with your fellow club members and families. I’m sure there will be more than a few fishing stories shared also.

Join us on Saturday, August 15 at Fallen Leaf Lake Park in Camas. This is the same location as the previous two years. A club sign will be placed at the entrance to the park. The address is 2911 NE Everett Street, Camas. There is ample close parking for everyone, and restrooms are located at the picnic area.

Plan on arriving any time after 11:00, I’m asking anyone who would like to help us set up to arrive at 10:30. We will plan on eating around 1:00. Our grill chefs will be grilling up hamburgers and hot dogs. Since this is a potluck, members are encouraged to bring either a side dish or a dessert to share. CSF will be providing chips, sodas, water, and coffee, along with the burgers and hot dogs with all the condiments. There are electrical outlets available if you need one. We could use a couple of BBQs if you have one that you would be willing to bring for cooking.

Food

Side Dishes; last names beginning with A – M

Desserts: last names beginning with N – Z

Contact Dennis Hite if you are able to help.

Mike Doukas will be setting up a Gillie and also have some fishing items for sale. Remember to bring cash or a check.

This year, we are asking members to bring your favorite floating device for the purpose of letting other members to try on the lake. PFDs will be provided. We will have a couple of waders to use if you don’t want to float wet. Keep in mind most of today’s pontoons, and other floatation devices keep you mostly out of the water.

Bring your appetite! We are under the trees and have covered picnic seating areas so there will be shade. We look forward to seeing you there.

Contact Dennis Hite at 503-849-5649 or at dhite1@yahoo.com if you have any questions or are interested in helping.

Clark-Skamania Flyfishers upcoming events