August River Report- Deschutes Steelhead

It's August and it has been typically hot weather lately.  The next few days hold 97 and 99 degrees in the forecast making even the dog look for shade.  It's also prime summer steelhead time on the Lower Deschutes River in central Oregon.  The Deschutes is an important sanctuary for the entire upper Columbia basin migration of salmon and steelhead.  Many of these fish are precious and sometimes endangered wild salmon and steelhead.  The cool waters of the Deschutes river are a respite from the harsh and nearly lethal conditions found in the bath water of the dammed and nearly stagnant Columbia River, where water temps soar over 70 degrees- not a good mix for cold water fish.

This chart from August 17th shows how deadly warm the Columbia river can be and why it is so important for PGE and dam operators on the Deschutes River system to draw cool waters from the base of the dam at Pelton dam on the Deschutes river utilizing the new selective water withdrawl system put in place about 5 years ago.

Here you can see the lower Deschutes at Moody rapids near the mouth of the Deschutes where it meets the Columbia River.  The huge difference in temperature between the Deschutes and the warm Columbia river create a safe haven for upstream migrating fish where they can duck into the cool waters and revive before heading on up the Columbia river later in the fall when water temperatures have cooled and are not so lethal.
Visit www.deschutesriveralliance.org  for more information and see how you can help support proper management of the Deschutes river flows and help protect wild salmon and steelhead of Oregon, Washingtoon and Idaho.

Drought Desparaged Columbia Basin- Deschutes River July 2015

The lower Deschutes River continues to see a cooling trend with cooler weather in Central Oregon.   Water released from Pelton Dam near Madras, Oregon is much cooler than during the deadly heatwave we saw in the last several weeks.  Wild salmon and steelhead are now breathing a sigh of releif and are flooding into the lower Deschutes for rest in the cooler waters.  The Columbia river is still at near leathal temperatures creating a strong vacuum-like pull for these fish to enter the lower Deschutes River.

This is good news for the Deschutes River fishery.  With the selective water with-drawl system in place at the dam on the Deschutes near the 100 mile mark PGE (who manages the complex) should take note of how adjusting their mix to the cooler water deep in the reservior has possibly saved untold wild fish in the Deschutes and Columbia basin.

Note the difference in water temperature from the Deschutes compared to the Columbia River.

The Columbia River Water Temps near the mouth of the Deschutes

The Lower Deschutes River water Temp near the Columbia

Deschutes River water Temp near the Dam

www.watertimeoutfitters.com 

Fly Fishing for Shad - Portland, Oregon Fishing!

With the arrival of June fly fishing for shad is off and running on the Willamette River just a few miles from Portland, Oregon.  Shad are tough fighters, ranging from 1-6 lbs and good tackle testers for #5 and #6 weight fly rods.  Shad runs are known to reach over 4 million fish on the nearby Columbia River.  With no counting mechanism on the Willamette river shad little is known on how many actually arrive each year but counts at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia are good indicator of when fish are arriving on the Willamette.  As of today that count is over 600,000 fish and rising fast with 94,000+ fish crossing the dam just yesterday!  What we know is there are plenty of fish!  Water Time Outfitters is the only fly fishing company offering guided trips fly fishing for shad that we know of.  Come join the fun and catch some great fish!  See more about Water Time Outfitters fishing expeditions around Oregon at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com 

Fly Fishing for Shad - the Oregon Tarpon

Millions of shad migrate in from the Pacific Ocean each year in May and June to ascend big NW rivers like the Columbia and the Willamette river. The Willamette River and the Columbia River both flow through the city of Portland, Oregon with fish running through them nearly year round. In June scenic views of Mt. Hood, the Rose Garden, Floral parade and much more await the traveling angler visiting Portland.  It has been said, "When it is sunny and warm in Portland there isn't a prettier place."  The other bit of scenery that many Oregon visitors never see and even many of the locals miss is a close up view of the Willamette Falls.  Willamette Falls is a natural waterfall between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon in the United States.  It is the largest waterfall in the American Pacific Northwest by volume, and the seventeenth widest in the world. Horseshoe in shape, it is 1,500 feet (460 m) wide and 40 feet (12 m) high and located 26 miles upriver from the Willamette's mouth and is the upstream barrier for Shad migrating up the Willamette River is the falls.

Shad are fun fish to catch and our favorite method is to fly fish for Shad.  This is done with fly rods that are 9' long and rated for #5 or #6 fly lines.  Our best lines are sink tip lines that sink the fly down to the fish.  Our favorite flies are flies that are small and flashy.

Want to try fly fishing for shad?  Come join Water Time Outfitters in our comfortable jet sled casting for hard fighting shad on the Willamette River in Oregon City, OR.  Find our contact info at:  www.watertimeoutfitters.com