The Lower Deschutes is fishing nicely

Deschutes River- Lower - Maupin, OR


by The Fly Fishers Place
7-27-2024
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The Lower Deschutes is fishing nicely, with better caddis hatches (Tan #16, Black #18, Olive #16-18) Pale Evening Dun #14, PMD #16-18, BWO #20 and with grasses drying out on the banks its time to think about grasshoppers there too. 
Dry fly fishing is not just in the evening, if you are looking in the eddies, shaded bank lines, riffles and seams you can get fish on the surface at many times of the day. 
Nymphing is excellent! use both Euro Style or Indicator Style rigs with Caddis Pupa, Stonefly Nymphs, Mayfly Nymphs, Perdigons, Frenchie’s, Soft Hackles and a Brown Mini Gulp or Brown TJ Hooker to look like a small Crayfish and hang on. 
Steelhead fishing is improving, with the run looking quite positive for 2024! I highly recommend booking your fall guide trips soon if you want to get a chance on what some are saying may end up being the best run in many years. 
At this time, most of the fish remain near the mouth up to Sherars Falls. As I write this, I get a buzz thinking about these great fish that come so far to run up our river. I can picture in my day dreams of a wild steelhead finning in the current of a tailout, and I think of this spot with so many memories of being there in years past, and what I remember most is the light. The light in the canyon so vividly creates art with the filtered sunlight and canyon walls turning the water into a kaleidoscope of pinkish orange, purple and silvery shimmers. I imagine my eyes wandering over the landscape as my little purple fly swings in through the current. I need the tug. I believe it will happen. I want to hold that fish briefly, admire its strength and be awestruck by its colors as I let it swim freely again. It’s been a long time for me since I held a steelhead like that. At one time in my life I spent every week at the mouth of the Deschutes swinging for steelhead and the memories from those summers will never be forgotten. I hope this fall I visit again.




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