Deschutes Steelhead Report

Every year we float Macks Canyon to Heritage on the 4th of July with close friends.  About every other year we hit chrome.  Ordinarily I expect to catch Steelhead.  This day was different.  We show up at Mack's to an empty campground and parking lot.  On the 20 mile drive down the lower access road we saw one drift boat and only a few campers.  It was 90 degrees in the canyon and the sun was high in the sky.  We are late and our friends John and Michelle have put on ahead of us.  No big deal I can guess where his boat is parked, probably on one of the most productive pieces of steelhead water on planet earth.  Pretty good guess, we didn't have to float long to find our friends.  I gave John some trouble for his errant casting which showed the lay-off for trout fishing since late April.  A couple hundred feet down the run I notice that John is wading pretty deep, the river must still be up a bit and this is an ugly wade.  The run comes to a standard uneventful July ending so we move on.  At this point we have already settled into racing down to wagonblast or some other piece of carnival water.  The next run down gives up fish, but rarely.  John decided to stay in the boat with his dry line so I head up with my faithful friend RB Meiser.  As I reach my destination I notice John coming up, apparently he can't stand the idea on not getting his ass kicked in July.  Dry lines first...three casts in and John is well into his backing with a fish breaking water down and clear across the river...this fish COULD GO ALL THE WAY!.  Luckily this fish was worked back to the pool where he was measured, photoed and released.

July is my favorite month of the year to fish.  The crowds are light, the weather is fantastic, and every run and camp is available.  We are now booking Summer Steelhead on the lower 24 miles of the Deschutes River.  We hope you can join us this year.  Please call 541-647-2584 to book a trip or check us out www.riverborneoutfitters.com.

Regards,

RBO

Deschutes River Fly Fishing Report

7/1/10


The Deschutes Caddis hatch is slow to come on with all the intermittent weather. The peak of the Caddis hatch is still to come when summer finally arrives here in Central Oregon. Fish are still looking up though, fish the grassy banks with some cobble, micro eddies, back eddies, and anywhere you find shade. Just because you aren't seeing rising fish, doesn't mean you can't catch them up top. Find the right water and you will have success. Nymphing can be productive, though there are still fish spawning or that are post spawn and are easy targets for nymph fisherman. So when in doubt dry fly fish!

TC-HF      5/28-5/30/10

Fishing is hot, when the weather heats up. Things slow down with the cooler days. Plenty of big bugs still as far down as Maupin. We had good success on the cooler days by pitching big bugs around known lies, also found some fish during some intermittent Drake and PMD hatches.

A boat went down this weekend in Whitehorse (not ours thank god) Everyone was okay. As of now the boat is still in the rapid, somewhere down low around House Rock. If you find some river booty below there shoot me a P.M. and I can point you in the direction of the likely owner.

Take care, tight lines, and most of all...
be safe out there on the river!

Deschutes River Fly Fishing Report May 23, 2010

Short and sweet, been a long weekend.  Fishing is great but it's not easy.  Conditions are tough, wet, cold, and windy.  Bring some PMD, BWO, Caddis emergers, variety pack of 16 bead heads, the world famous posse bugger....and oh yeah, some Stones, Norm Wood Special should do.

Look for water that is hard if not impossible to fish and you will find many players.  That is not to say that there aren't some fish to lift out of the popular runs, but if you want to fish the players find some rip rap, boulders, and beyond your comfort zone wading.

The Salmon Fly hatch has the brakes on until this front moves through and the temps come back up.  That is not to say you won't find some players but it is to say the fish are not stupid at this point.  Fish hard and often because you never know when the big day or week will be...my guess Memorial Weekend and the week after.

Posted some pictures here.
http://picasaweb.google.com/RiverBorneOutfitters/May202010?authkey=Gv1sRgCJTYxLGTrODs4gE#

Have a great week.

SS

Deschutes River Fly Fishing Report May 15, 2010

Well it's official, big bugs are showing from Penton Dam to the Falls.  Fishing has been strong for the last week with most of the action coming subsurface.  Fish are not keying on the big bugs just yet.  Dry fly fishing will become more and more productive as the hatch progresses.  When the Hatch progresses so does the angler pressure.  Fishing from a driftboat is the best way to access the Deschutes.  If you have time we recommend three days from Warm Springs to Maupin.  It is not uncommon to raise dozens of fish a day on drys when the fish get keyed in.  If you don't have time choose the day floats from Warm Springs to Trout Creek or Nena to Harpham flats.  As everyone heads to Warm Springs remember there is no better access on foot or by vehicle than the Maupin area, and the fishing is second to none.

Carry some big foam bodied salmonflies and goldens.  When nymphing use a big stonefly and size 14-18 beadhead as a dropper.  Most beadhead patterns in the 14-16 size range will bring fish to hand, with mayfly patterns being the most productive.

The weather is great this weekend so enjoy.

Regards,

RBO

Deschutes River Fly Fishing Report -5/3/10

The Deschutes 2010 Season has officially begone. The section of river bordering Warm Springs Reservation opened up to fishing April, 24th. Though sections of the Deschutes are open year round the April opening date signals the beginning of the season for many. We are currently experiencing our spring high water period. The watermasters need to make room in the reservoirs for the snow melt, they release water into the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers to do so. One benefit of dam released events versus traditional run off is that you will usually have good water clarity. Fishing in high water is entirely possible, and potentially productive.  Focus in on slower water and seams where fish can escape the heavy flows. Fish fairly long leaders and use split shot. Traditional stone fly nymphs and small droppers work well. Some erratic dry fly hatches can come off this time of year. Look for March Browns, Mahogany Duns,  BWO's, and Caddis to be present.

Redside Trout and Steelhead are Spawning in the River Right Now! Stay off of the gravel beds, don't drop anchor in areas you suspect spawning activity. There are also a lot of steelhead smolts in the river. If you are catching  fin clipped fish they are smolts. Very your tactics and the type of water you fish if you are finding them on a regular basis!

Deschutes and Crooked River Fly Fishing Reports

Spring has sprung here in Central Oregon. Look for fishing to improve dramatically with the arrival of warmer weather.

Currently, the Crooked River is blown out as a result of annual water releases out of Prineville Resevoir. Look for fishing to be great once the water levels come down below 3oo cfs ideally. In May the Mothers Day Caddis start to show and this prolific hatch makes for some great dry fly action. A size 16 Brown Elk Hair Caddis will do the trick. Try using hi viz patterns to help be able to see your fly in a sea of naturals and foam bubbles.

The Deschutes River doesn't open up entirely until April 24th. Look for fishing to be good early nymphing stoneflys and micro may droppers, PTs, and/or HaresEars. Water temps are on the warmer side at this time, possibly a result of the new fish passage tower on Billy Chinook. The stonefly hatch might be a little early this year!