Keep up on what's going on in all things fly fishing around our local area of Hood River including famous fisheries such as Deschutes, Hood River, John Day, Columbia, Metolius and seasonal coastal steelhead reports as well as seasonal mountain lake reports. Our Northwest Columbia Gorge Location provides ample opportunities for salmon, steelhead, trout, sturgeon, carp and smallmouth bass.
Deschutes Trout
The trout fishing has been quite good lately out in the desert. One of the biggest bonuses of fishing the Deschutes right now is the solitude. Having so much water to yourself always ups the odds. The standard winter hatches are still rolling right along. B.W.O.’s and midges have been active to some degree on a daily basis.
One noticeable fishing change as of late has been the effectiveness of stonefly nymphs. They’re always a good choice on the Deschutes, but the fish have seemed to be favoring the bigger offerings lately. Heavy jigged patterns, like the T.J. Hooker, have been absolutely deadly. Trail the bigger bug with a midge larva or B.W.O. nymph and you’re in business. Aside from nymphing, the Trout Spey fishing has been really heating up. This will continue to get better in the coming weeks as fish begin to feed more in shallower water. The dry fly bite has been sporadic. Finding a good surface fishing right now seems to be mostly a matter of luck. The bugs have been around, but rising fish have been hard to track down. Pretty much a, “right place at the right time” luck of the draw situation. This will also improve when we start to see some warmer weather.
Winter Steelhead This winter season has been shaping up a lot like the last few. There was a good flurry of activity out of the gate followed by a bit of a mid-season lull. The extreme cold at the end of February did not do us any favors. If there is one thing that gives steelhead a hardy case of lockjaw, it’s plummeting water temps. Fortunately, it looks like we’ve moved past the cold fronts for the time being and some good reports have been coming in. It looks like the western part of the state is going to get some much-needed moisture this week. The impending flow spikes should get some fish moving. Look for the fishing further east to continue to improve through the course of March. Historically speaking, the numbers out here tend to go up quite a bit for the next three weeks. The bulk of the winter run in the eastern part of Steelhead Country should be showing up soon. Time will also start to be on our side. As March dwindles, regardless of conditions, winter fish looking to spawn need to make a move. It starts to become a “now or never” situation in the last part of March and first part of April. This usually accounts for some good fishing with nicer weather.
Fishing Report 12/16/2022 - Charlie's Report
Deschutes SteelheadSome anglers are still finding a late summer fish here and there, but it’s officially time to start looking for winters! This is such an exciting time of year to hunt for the first one of the season. The best part of it is the masses won’t start showing up for a month, or more. Most people don’t start chasing winter steelhead until sometime in January or February. It seems like everybody waits for the first few hot reports before they give it a shot themselves. The best advice I can offer is to go early and go often. You will not regret making your own report. We’ve already heard of early winters being caught in a variety of places in Northwestern Oregon. There is a huge series of storms predicted to come in off the ocean early next week, so it’s going to be game on very soon. Look for the drop following the monsoon and there should be a good wad of fish around.
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Deschutes Trout
It’s awfully quiet out in the desert at this time of year. To be perfectly honest, it’s been darn cold on the Deschutes lately. Fortunately, the weather looks like it’s going to trend to the warmer side by the end of next week. Hopefully this comes to fruition, but there are lots of days predicted in the high 40’s to 50 in the later half of the month. It’s going to be warm, dark and rainy…..ideal winter trout conditions. The fishing can be shockingly good in the cold, but a little winter warming trend will really kick things into high gear. Olives and midges will be on the menu. Nymphing and streamer fishing will be great. If good trout fishing in relative solitude is your thing, get out to the Deschutes in the next few weeks.
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Fishing Report 11/3/2022 - Charlie's Report
Deschutes Steelhead
They’re out there, folks! The mild weather this past week made for some pretty good fishing for those putting in the time. We are, however, right on the edge of the first major cold front of the fall. The water temps are going to take a serious nosedive. This won’t eliminate the possibility of catching fish on the swing, but presentation is going to become much more important. This means slowing your swing speed and getting the fly down. Think winter tactics for late summer fish. When the water gets really cold, try switching over to an intermediate or multi-density Skagit Head. These lines slow your swing speed to a crawl and can convert cold fish into biters.
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Deschutes Trout
Deschutes Trout Standing out in the cold rain isn’t on everyone’s to-do list, but it sure makes for great trout fishing on the Deschutes. The recent rainy days gave way to some massive afternoon B.W.O. hatches. These hatches should continue to go off and improve with the impending sporty weather. Keep your eyes open for risers in the early afternoon and be sure to have at least one B.W.O. nymph going on your indicator rig. Even if there aren’t many rising fish, they will be keyed in on the active nymphs.
Bugs aside, the streamer fishing has been very good and will remain a solid bet as the water cools. Vary your presentation until you figure out what peaks their interest. Sometimes they like the fly stripped aggressively and sometimes they don’t care for that at all. Most of the action I had on the Trout Spey this week came on just a steady swing with no stripping. But that could be totally different today. Mix it up until you crack the code. Fish your streamers on heavy tippet. The possibility of a steelhead encounter is there, especially if you’re just swinging the fly.
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Fishing Report 10/17/2022 - Charlie's Report
Deschutes Steelhead
Steelhead haven't been particularly easy to come by lately on the lower river, but there's still plenty of time for that to change. All the steelheaders passing through the shop have been optimistically talking about the upcoming weather change. Dark days and floating lines are on the way. The fall transition can definitely help stir things up and make fish move. One very notable thing about the Deschutes steelhead in the last several years is that many of them show up a little late to the party. A good majority of anglers hang up their gear in mid-October which leads to the ability to fish a bunch of great water with confidence. They may not jump in your net on the first run, but they're out there to be found. With fish spread throughout the system, pick your favorite area and find a unicorn.
As for flies, think buggy and natural. The water has been on the low/clear side for some time now. Dry line flies like Undertaker, Steelhead Coachman and the Brazilian have been working well. On the sink tip, try Hoh Bo Speys, Mini Intruders or Bantams.
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Deschutes Trout
Deschutes trout fishing has been nothing short of excellent. Spawning fall Chinook have perked up the fish and they have been packing on some extra egg weight. The warmer weather has also spurred a bunch of insect activity. Be prepared to see a mixed bag of bugs out there...B.W.O's, caddis, crane flies and clouds of midges. The surface activity has been a bit sporadic, but the nymph fishing has been deadly. Don't be afraid to go small in clear water. Midge larva and pupa patterns have been working well. The streamer bite has also really picked up. The fish will be getting extra happy when the cooler rainy weather sets in. Deschutes trout love nasty weather!
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Mount Hood Lakes
The lakes have been fishing quite well as of late. Local anglers have reported good chironomid activity along with a smattering of other bugs. The leech fishing has been very good with the most success coming on olive patterns or an intermediate lake line. Now is the perfect time to soak up our remaining warm weather on the lakes. Be sure to check the regulations before you head out as many of the lakes close at end of the month.
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Fishing Report 10/14/2022
Trout - Deschutes River:
Lower Deschutes River
The day stretch from Warm Springs to Trout Creek has been good. It has been an unusually warm and dry start to fall this year, with temps still hitting the 80s during the heat of the day. This has kept the caddis active on the Lower river, so keep some small elk hair and x caddis in the box. October caddis and pmds have also been popping off at times, so be ready with these in your box as well. Nymphing and trout spey continue to be highly productive as well.
Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at
recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.
Middle Deschutes River
The middle is a great option in October. BWO’s and pmds are the main bugs hatching here at the moment and fishing is good. Throwing larger articulated streamers in here is a good bet to try and find a big brown.
Upper Deschutes
The upper Deschutes is now closed until the spring.
Metolius River
Still plenty of good dry fly fishing to be had on the Met. There are still a few Green Drakes and Flavs around the middle to upper river. BWO’s and pmds are also important this time of year so be ready with nymphs, emergers, cripples, duns and spinners to cover the entire life cycle of these insects. Some days they want to eat the dun, other days they want an emerger just under the surface film. Nymphing both euro and traditional is effective. October caddis nymphs and golden stone nymphs are good bets, followed by a two bit hooker or a small frenchie.
The bull trout have finished up their spawn for the most part and will now just hang in the river for the next 3 months or so and gorge on the Kokanee. The kokanee seem to be a little late this year, though there definitely are some around still. Tying flies that imitate dead or dying kokanee and stripping them around log jams or dead drifting them in longer runs is a great way to go. The Met is a beautiful place to spend a fall day, the great fishing is just a bonus.
Lake UpdateLake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.
Steelhead -
Steelhead fishing has been rewarding to those putting in the time and effort. This is a fishery where you can’t expect success if you don’t put in the time. It requires early mornings, long days of searching, switching up your gear and tactics, and a little bit of luck. Both dry lines and small flies, as well as sink tips and intruders are finding fish. These fish are spread out now the entire length of the river from the mouth all the way to Warm Springs.
Smallmouth Bass / Carp:
Carp fishing is about done for the year. If we get any last warm sunny days, it'll be good if you can find and see them.
Fishing Report 9/29/2022
Trout - Deschutes River:
Lower Deschutes River
The lower has been good decent for trout and steelhead lately. The heavily fish sectioned from warm springs to trout creek and around Maupin is a little tougher as those fish have been getting artificial flies thrown at them all season now. You have to start thinking outside of the box during this time of year. Fall is a great time to be in the lower Deschutes canyon. October caddis will start to become more prevalent, blue wing olives and midges start to become important, and spawning salmon make fishing eggs really effective as well. Trout spey with crayfish and sculpin patterns is picking up some good fish this time of year as well so don't forget the two handers. Get out there and get after some fish!
Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at
recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.
Middle Deschutes River
No recent report from the middle Deschutes but I would imagine it is good with the cooler weather and water temps we are starting to experience as we roll into mid September.
Upper Deschutes
The upper Deschutes from little lava down to Crane Prairie Reservoir is still inaccessible due to the Cedar Creek Fire. The area below Wikiup dam down towards Sunriver is open and accessible and the fishing is okay in there right now. This time of year, the streamer fishing is usually can be pretty good so keep that in mind if heading to this section. Pmd's are still happening here on certain days and the fish have been keying in on the nymphs in the mornings.
Metolius River
The Met is one of the best options in Central Oregon right now. There are still strong hatches of flavs, drakes and pmds in the afternoons most every day. The drakes will hang around for another week or two, so be sure and get out there to fish this exciting hatch before we have to wait until June for them to return. Nymphing in the mornings before the hatches get started is a good idea, then from around noon until 3 or 4pm you can be fishing all dry.
Bull trout fishing is excellent. Lots of fish hiding out in the log jams getting ready to ambush the kokanee that are starting to arrive. I was out there last weekend and saw a kokanee getting chased around in a log jam by a big bull. Sure enough I tossed my streamer in there and that bull hammered my fly as soon as I twitched it. So fun to see the visual take from these big predatory fish.
Lake UpdateLake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.
John Garrett and son Kohl getting into some Steelhead
Steelhead -
Steelhead fishing has been fair to good. You definitely have to be covering water and searching hard, but those who are putting in the time, are finding fish for sure. Dry lines and skaters and/or small wet flies in the mornings and sink tips and intruders when the suns high. It's getting to that time of year though when you can fish dry lines all day as the sun does not get as high in the sky. Get out there and have some fun!
Smallmouth Bass / Carp:
Carp fishing is about done for the year. If we get any last warm sunny days, it'll be good if you can find and see them.
Fishing Report 9/13/2022
Trout - Deschutes River:
Lower Deschutes River
Fishing on the Deschutes from Warm Springs down to Maupin is getting better and better as we move into the middle of September. With overnight and daytime temps beginning to significantly cool off, the river and trout alike are responding well with more active feeding fish throughout the entire day, giving anglers more time to have productive fishing.
Caddis are still happening and people are having success fishing dead imitations in the mornings and adult patterns in the evenings. A size 18 cdc x-caddis is a great pattern for the evening bite. Nymph fishing continues to produce the most action with frenchies, soft hackle pheasant tails, psycho princes and pat's rubber legs all being good patterns. The streamer game has been picking up as well as we move into fall and get some cooler water temps. Swinging sculpzillas or the RIO meat sweats on a 3-4 weight trout spey is a good bet right now.
Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at
recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.
Middle Deschutes River
No recent report from the middle Deschutes but I would imagine it is good with the cooler weather and water temps we are starting to experience as we roll into mid September.
Upper Deschutes
The upper Deschutes is currently closed due to the Cedar Creek Fire which is burning near the town of Oakridge. Cascade Lakes Highway, Crane Prairie Campgrounds and Wikiup Reservoir campgrounds are all closed indefinitely until the fire becomes more contained.
Metolius River
The Met is phenomenal right now on all fronts. Prolific hatches, an abundance of bull trout, and great nymph fishing in the mornings are all happening right now on my favorite river in the world. Let's start with the hatches. The fall green drakes began hatching over the last week and will continue to consistently hatch between 2-5pm most days for the next month I'd say. These large mayflies hatch here in a #10. Have both cripple and dun patterns during this hatch, these Metolius trout absolutely go crazy for these bugs. Additionally, flavs (#12-14 mayfly), a smattering of caddis and pale morning duns are all going off too. Because many of these bugs are all hatching at the same time, try using a double dry rig. Same setup as a double nymph rig, just with two dries. I like using a large green drake pattern with a smaller pmd or caddis pattern 18 inches off the big dry. Fishing is good folks.
Nymphing in the mornings before the hatches get going is picking up fish as well. Lots of bull trout in the river and they are quite aggressive to streamers. Bring your 8 or 9 weight for these fish. They are big and pull hard in the fast current.
Lake UpdateLake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.
Steelhead -
Steelhead fishing has been fair to good. You definitely have to be covering water and searching hard, but those who are putting in the time, are finding fish for sure. Dry lines and skaters and/or small wet flies in the mornings and sink tips and intruders when the suns high. The smoke in Central Oregon is providing good cover to the sun allowing you to fish floating lines all day. Water temps are great with the Moody gauge reading 60 degrees today. Brisk fall mornings are here, get out there and get after it!
Smallmouth Bass / Carp:
Carp fishing has been killer during this heat wave! Look for carp cruising the shallow flats and back sloughs off the main Columbia River and be prepared to put an accurate cast right in their face to get an eat. It's a super addicting way to fish and we have all the good carp bugs at the shop.
Fishing Report 8/26/2022
Nice Brookie that ate a small sculpin near some log structure.
Lower Deschutes River
The lower is still a good central Oregon fishing option. Again, with temps throughout Oregon still quite hot, it's important to focus your efforts from dawn until about 1pm for your most productive fishing window. Afternoons when it's hottest out, can be more challenging, and also not an ideal thing from an ethical standard as water temps are getting upwards toward 70 on hot days in the lower sections of the river, which can be lethal to trout and steelhead alike.
Mornings are productive fishing caddis dries in the back eddies and off grassy banks. Nymphing is still your best bet. Focus on faster riffles where it is most oxygenated. Some good bugs to run this time of year are jimmy legs, euro style frenchies, copper johns, red lightning bugs, various caddis pupa patterns and psycho princes. Dropper flies should be in the #16-18 range for best success.
Middle Deschutes River
Middle Deschutes has been productive in the mornings. This is great dry dropper water, so using a golden stone or small chubby dropped down to a euro style frenchie is a fun way to target the rainbows and browns that live here.
Upper Deschutes
The upper Deschutes has been fishing strong. The upper upper in between Little Lava and Crane Prairie is running cold and clean this time of year. This is a very fun stretch of water if you are the type of angler who likes to put some miles on their boots and fish in a beautiful high alpine setting. The brook trout are moving in from the lakes in prep to spawn next month and have been fired up and eating small streamers and buggers around log jams and in the deeper pools and seams. Small chubby's with a beadhead nymph dropper is a great tactic to to target some nice fish as well.
Nicely colored up brown that ate the #18 split case pmd.
The section below Wikiup down to Sunriver, is fishing really good as well. Lots of active fish eating nymphs hard in the seams behind log jams. Predominant hatches up there include pmds, various caddis and bwo's. Dry dropper during the hatch windows is a great tactic. Last Sunday I ran a #10 chubby with two flies beneath, a #16 euro frenchie and a #18 split case pmd nymph.
Metolius River
The Met continues to be a great option with it's consistent 46 degree water where the trout thrive. Caddis, pmds and various golden stones are the main bugs hatching the Met right now. Rusty spinner's at dusk is picking up some good fish and caddis are happening in the afternoons and into the evenings. Nymphing with rubber leg stoneflies, peridigons, rainbow warriors, frenchies and zebra midges are all great patterns.
Lots of lake run bull trout are in the Metolius getting ready to spawn in the tribs. Streamer action is strong both dead drifted and stripped when targeting these fish. These lake run fish will hang around after spawning all fall and into the winter so the time is now to string up the 8 and 9 weights with your favorite articulated streamer pattern.
Mt Hood Lakes
Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.
Columbia River Carp
Carp fishing has been killer during this heat wave! Look for carp cruising the shallow flats and back sloughs off the main Columbia River and be prepared to put an accurate cast right in their face to get an eat. It's a super addicting way to fish and we have all the good carp bugs at the shop.
Steelhead
The lower Deschutes has been open now since August 15th and there have been mixed reports, even given the strong numbers of fish around. Fish are definitely being caught but you have to work for them and cover water to find them. Early mornings right at dawn until about 11am is your best shot at hooking a summer fish so get to your spot early.
Tight lines!
Fishing Report 8/19/2022
Super rare Metolius brown that ate a #18 purple peridigon nymph under an indicator.
Lower Deschutes River
The lower Deschutes is still a good option to beat the heat this week. Caddis are still going strong fishing pupas, adults and dead caddis. Nymphing in the oxygenated fast riffles will also pick up fish. Reminder to focus your efforts early in the morning and wrap it up early afternoon before the water temps get too warm. Depending on where you are fishing, water temps will stay good throughout the entire day. Down closer to the mouth, water temps are upwards of the 70 degree mark with this heat wave rolling through Central Oregon at the moment.
Middle Deschutes River
Middle Deschutes has been productive in the mornings. This is great dry dropper water, so using a golden stone or small chubby dropped down to a euro style frenchie is a fun way to target the rainbows and browns that live here.
Upper Deschutes
The upper Deschutes is holding on during the dog days of summer. Dry dropper rigs continue to produce in the deeper pools and undercut banks. Streamers are a good bet around structure to target the larger brookies and browns up there. Caddis and pmds are the main bugs happening up there. Go have some fun!
Metolius River
The Met continues to be a great option with it's consistent 46 degree water where the trout thrive. Caddis, pmds and various golden stones are the main bugs hatching the Met right now. Rusty spinner's at dusk is picking up some good fish and caddis are happening in the afternoons and into the evenings. Nymphing with rubber leg stoneflies, peridigons, rainbow warriors, frenchies and zebra midges are all great patterns.
Lots of lake run bull trout are in the Metolius getting ready to spawn in the tribs. Streamer action is strong both dead drifted and stripped when targeting these fish. These lake run fish will hang around after spawning all fall and into the winter so the time is now to string up the 8 and 9 weights with your favorite articulated streamer pattern.
Mt Hood Lakes
Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.
Steelhead
The Lower Deschutes opened on Monday the 15th and will be open for a month then ODFW will re-evaluate wild steelhead numbers to see if the season will remain open the rest of the year. It is looking good for the season being open all year!
Fishing Report 8/1/2022
Lower Deschutes River
The lower Deschutes is a good option right now to beat the heat this week. With hot temps happening throughout the NW, I would focus your efforts early in the morning from sunrise till about 11am. Then back in the evening when the sun is setting. It's also a good idea during these heat waves to fish higher up in the system closer to Warm Springs where the water will be the coolest. This time of year is a good time to carry a Fishpond thermometer to make sure you are fishing responsibly. Fish water that is 68 degrees or less for trout. Anything above this can be fatal to trout upon release.
Fish dead caddis in back eddies and along grassy banks in the mornings. Nymphing continues to produce well at any time of the day. When it gets hot like this, the trout generally will move into deep and fast water so using heavily weighted nymphs will allow them to break through that current down where the trout are laying.
Middle Deschutes River
Haven't fished the middle Deschutes in a little while. I would assume fishing is decent. Should be some caddis hatching in the afternoons/evenings. Nymphing will be most productive in the fast riffles where the water is the most oxygenated.
Upper Deschutes
The upper Deschutes has been okay. Water is staying fairly cool the higher up in the system you go. PMD's are hanging on still with fish still looking up. Streamers and nymphs will be the most productive method at this time though.
Metolius River
The Met is a good bet with all this heat. With it being a spring fed stream, the water temps remain consistent throughout the year staying nice and cold which make the fish happy. There are quite a few lake run bull trout showing up at this time getting ready to spawn in the next few months. Dead drifting big articulated streamers that imitate whitefish/kokanee is a highly productive method. You can do this with or without an indicator. If you're able to see a few fish laying in a run, i like to just dead drift them without an indicator and watch for the fish to eat.
Trout fishing is good. Euro nymphs and traditional nymph rigs are getting it done. Caddis and pmd's are the main bugs that are hatching with the occasional golden stone flying around.
Mt Hood Lakes
Lake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.
Steelhead
The Lower Deschutes river will be opening for steelhead fishing on August 15th which is exciting news. We surpassed the 9900 unclipped steelhead number over Bonneville to yield a season opener. The next number we need to hit is 23,100 unclipped fish over Bonneville through the month of August to ensure the season remains open for the rest of the season. Please give the shop a call if you have any clarifying questions, but as of right now, the Deschutes is set to open August 15th.
Last Week:
Laurence Lake Update:Laurance Lake Rd. (Forest Road 2840) on Hood River Ranger District opens Friday, July 8, following emergency repairs. Laurance Lake Rd. provides access to Kinnikinnick Campground, Laurance Lake Day Use Area, and several trails on the Hood River Ranger District. While the Eliot Creek washout has been repaired, Laurance Lake Rd. is still extremely rough and narrow. Forest engineers recommend travel by high clearance vehicles only, and highly discourage trailers. Laurance Lake Rd. has been closed for public safety due to a road washout at Eliot Creek. Crews recently completed work, which included installation of two culverts at the creek crossing. Campsites at Kinnikinnick Campground are now open and available for reservation at Recreation.gov. The crossing over Eliot Creek is a flood-prone area, primarily due to melted water and erosion from Eliot Glacier on Mount Hood's north side. In spring the fast-moving water carries rock, silt, and other debris down the mountain and into streams. Erosion from the snowmelt creates unstable ground and stream washouts, specifically at this section of Eliot Creek. |
Trout - Deschutes River:
Lower Deschutes River
The lower continues to produce good fishing with caddis being the main bug on the trout's menu. The epic swarming evening caddis hatches are well underway throughout the entirety of the Lower Deschutes. These caddis are typically a size 16 or 18 so having a wide range of different patterns in that size range is a must if you are planning a trip. My favorite pattern would be a tan x-caddis. Fish will be tight up next to grassy banks, under trees and in back eddies when they are looking for these bugs.
Nymphing both traditional and euro style in the mornings is producing good action too. Rubber legs down to a caddis pupa or mayfly nymph is a good bet. There are stoneflies in the Deschutes year round and even though that hatch is well over, the trout still eat them.
Swinging small leeches or sculpins on a 3-4 weight trout spey is producing some fish too. This is typically not a numbers game (though it definitely can be) but you will usually hook into some larger fish with this method and its loads of fun.
Don't forget to purchase a boaters pass if you are floating any part of the Lower Deschutes. They can be purchased at
recreation.gov and are required to have when floating.
Middle Deschutes River
The middle D from Bend down to Bill Chinook has been productive for those venturing down into the beautiful canyon. Quite a few caddis and pmds hatching down there with fish looking up in the later parts of the day. Nymphing two flies is by far the most productive method right now. The middle D is great hopper dropper water too and is more fun than staring at a bobber all day. Foam body hoppers, chubby chernobyls, stimulators, renegades, and yellow humpies are all great attractor dries that can hold up a bead head nymph well.
Upper Deschutes
The very upper river from Little Lava Lake down to Crane Prairie Res is fishing quite good. This is a fun 7 mile stretch of water full of log jams and undercut banks where good size brook and rainbow trout live. Dry dropper rigs with a hopper or small chubby and a euro style pheasant tail or red lightning bug is getting consistent action. Stripping small buggers and sculpins around the log jams is your best bet at finding brook trout.
Pmds are still hanging around from Benham Falls upriver to Wikiup Dam. This is a fun section to hunt heads. Fish are still looking for a well presented pmd dry whether its a rusty spinner or a comparadun. They typically hatch pretty large up here, size #16s and even some #14s mainly from what I've experienced recently. Stripping big black streamers around the log jams early in the morning is a good way to find some of the larger browns that live up there.
Metolius River
There have been some really good hatches and dry fly opportunities on the Metolius as of late. There was a strong pmd hatch a few days ago in the late afternoon and the trout were keyed on them good. Caddis and little yellow sally stoneflies are hatching on any given day as well so have a few patterns of each in your box. I also have been seeing a few golden stones crawling around the banks of the Met so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a few of these patterns on hand as well. These are a good searching pattern to use in non hatch times with a dropper nymph below. Euro nymphing still remains the most productive way to get into some fish right now. Euro frenchies and pheasant tails are some of my favorite sub surface patterns to use on the Metolius but don't overlook a standard zebra midge as this is a staple pattern for this stretch of water.
Bull trout fishing has been fair to good above bridge 99 for resident bull trout. A common misconception is that the fall and winter are the only times there are bull trout in the Met. There is actually a pretty healthy number of local fish that live here year round but the late summer/early fall is when even more bullies migrate up the Metolius from Lake Billy Chinook to spawn and follow the Kokanee upriver. There are already a few lake run fish that are nosing their way into the lower river and those numbers will continue to increase over the course of the next few months]]. Bull trout's main diet once they're in the river are whitefish so using large white/grey articulated streamers is the best way to "match the hatch".
Lake UpdateLake season around Mt. Hood is in full swing. Float tubes are the best tool for the job up there and can be a ton of fun. Slow stripping wooly buggers, damsel nymphs and leeches is a great method. Nymphing with a set of chironomids or a pheasant tail nymph is a good bet too. If fishing this method, giving the indicator a few pops and strips here and there help bring those bugs to life and will trigger more takes.
Steelhead -
As of Sunday July 24, over 9,900 unclipped steelhead had been counted at Bonneville Dam. This means the lower Deschutes will reopen on August 15 and be open until at least September 15. Another 12,122 need to cross before August 31 for the river to be open until May 31. Runs so far this year have been strong. We're hopeful it will surpass the numbers to remain open.
Smallmouth Bass / Carp:
Smallmouth are residing deeper these hot sunny days but good topwater action can be found in early morning and late evening. fish the shady drop offs and for this summer topwater bite bigger is better.
Carp are actively cruising the shallow flats. Carp fishing will humble you up really quick. Great practice if you have a saltwater trip coming up. These fish require accuracy and stealth to have success. Focus with site fishing them in mid day on shallow flats.
