Deschtues River Report

If you have been wondering about when and the where the salmon fly hatch is happening... listen up.

Trout from Warmsprings to Maupin are gobbling up those big protein packed meals. Yesterday I drifted from Warmsprings to Trout Creek. Trout were eager to slam a well placed imitation. Most of our fish came up on flies drifted down stream or under the bigger trees and brush.

For the next 3 weeks, expect to be able to fish with the stone fly imitations.

Little Lava

On Thursday May 17, I had a great trip with Jim O'Shaughnessy on Little Lava Lake. We started out by wind drifting against the weed beds, but noticed quite a few fish rising in the distance. We quickly moved and started to cast a wide variety of dries (mostly midge imitations 20,24). We soon lost count at the number of fish he was catching. This all happened in the last two hours before sunset. Jim did a wonderfull job putting the fly in the right spot. We caught fish from 15" to 21". As the light faded we used a large caddis (so we could see it) with a callibeatis dropper and caught a couple of fish that way. A great fishing trip. The other picture is from the next day with my son Calvin.

A Little Willow Please

It happened again. I ruined another group of anglers. Imagine catching 4-8 pound fish again and again. The lake is surrounded by vistas of painted hills, sage lined buttes, and the all mighty Mount Jefferson. When I think of perfect fishing experiences, there are few other locations that come to mind.

I could continue to babble, but let the photos speak for me.

Stone flies are hatching

Of the family Plecoptera, the Pteranarcys Californica, A.K.A. Salmon flies have been hatching in Central Oregon for the past few weeks now. Anglers on the Middle Deschutes where the first to cast the big bushy dry flies toward grass shores, cut banks, and down stream of over hanging trees. The Big Bugs have been present on the Middle for about 2 weeks, which means they are starting to disappear. The Deschutes just outside of Bend has been experiencing hatching stone flies too. The hatch in this area is less prevalent and is already waning.

The first stone have been eated by opportunistic trout in the Maupin area a few days ago. And, the Big Bugs are just making their identity know in the Warmsprings area.

THe hatch is moving a bit ahead of schedule this year, but the first part of June will stille be the prime time from Warmsprings to Maupin.

Lower Deschutes Week 1

Well the Lower D along the Warmsprings Res. has been open now for just over a week. The fishing has had its ups and downs. During the first few days of being open, it fished very well. We experienced fish hooked every where we stopped. As the week grew long, and the weather irregular, the fishing waned. This is the time of year I see the fishing most drastically effected by the weather. If there are clouds, sun, wind, and rain all during a day, chances are the fishing will be poor. But if the weather is constantly sunny, cloudy, or rainy, the fishing will be dynomite.