Deschutes River Salmon Fly Action

Tradition has it in Oregon that when the Dogwood trees start to bloom the spring Chinook are running; another tradition that holds true in Oregon is when the Redwing Blackbirds show up on the Deschutes River the Salmon Flies are hatching!  That call of nature is heard by more than just birds and fish.  Fishermen flock from all parts of the globe to see this "freak of nature-four winged-food bananza" happen on the banks of our favorite river.

Salmon flies and the golden stones are insects that live underwater in the stones of the river some for up to three years in what looks to be an armored outfit.  Only clean oxygenated rivers with all the right components have hatches like the lower Deschutes River.  When the water temps hit 52.5 degrees, these armoured meat packages crawl out of the water into nearby vegetation and shed their skin as it were like the proverbial worm to the butterfly.  These critters not anywhere near the graceful beauty of a butterfly are clumsy fliers and often crash with a smack into the water making a veritable food buffet for hungry trout.

The intensity of this unique hatch which is found in only some of the most legendary rivers of the west can be amazing.  Afternoon flights of thousands of these four winged fliers can pepper the sky.  Driving near the river during one of these afternoons can be disasterous; leaving bloody smears of the three inch blobs coating a vehicle.  The good news is these clumsy critters do not bite.

The fish however do, they seem to love them and viciously attack a floating food morsel of both salmon flies or golden stones.  The goldens seem to be the prefered meal - perhaps they are sweeter?
All this combines to provide anglers on the Deschutes- who have the good fortune of timing their trip right - some unbeleivable dry fly fishing!

Favorite fly patterns for the hatch:
Chubby Chernobyl - Golden
Chubby Chernobyl - Salmon Fly
Chubby Chernobyl - Norm Woods
Sofa Pillow
Clark Stone
Norm Woods Special

Favorite Leaders for this hatch:
7-1/2' 3X tapered leader

Other hatches that show at the same time:
Caddis
Blue Winged Olives
PMD- pale morning dun
Green Drakes (inconsistently)

Fishing the Deschutes can be challenging as regulations do not allow one to fish out of a boat.  Good bank fishing access can be found around the town of Maupin or Warm Springs/Mecca Flats.

To really experience the best of the hatch, in the most remote parts of the canyon join the crew of the guides from Water Time Outfitters.  The WTO team has many decades of experience fishing the banks of the D.  Groups of 2- 10 anglers can easily be accomodated.  See more at:  www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Salmon Flies Starting to Stir- Deschutes, Oregon

Tanner Crandall with a dandy he hooked on a Chubby Norman- May 2, 2016

The expression on his face was priceless; the bend of the rod told the story.  This was no average Deschutes redside, this was a dandy.  The explosion on the surface surely surprised him- this being one of the first times my 9 year old son Tanner experienced salmon fly action on the Deschutes.  Sure, he's caught fish even some while he was too young to remember but this one I'm sure he will remember.  Camping, exploring Indian paintings and fishing on the Deschutes are sure to blaze strong memories of a lifetime no matter what the age. 

Well, it's that time of year when the big bugs of spring start to migrate from their stoney homes to the reeds and trees on the banks of the Deschutes River.  These big bugs are a highlight of the year as they represent the bounty of spring and kick off to the warm sunny season in this high desert canyon of central Oregon.  Virtual "Big Mac's" for trout these clumsy bugs fall into the river and are met with aggressive smashing strikes from hungry trout making for some of the best dry fly action of the season.

Favorite flies are big dry flies like sz 4,6 and 8 Stimulators, Chubby Chernobyl's, Sofa Pillows and such.  Using a short tapered leader tapered to 3X or 4X will help present these big flies close to the bank and under structure.  Water temperatures and flows are looking good and the hatch should be spread through the entire river and just getting better in the next 2 weeks.

Join us for trout fishing fun on the banks of Oregon's wild and scenic Deschutes River.  Water Time Outfitters guides have been working the Deschutes for over 20 years and love to share our favorite waters.  See more about our services at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Below is a photo journey of a recent father-son trip on the lower Deschutes.

Getting coaching from dad.

Exploring historic Native American pictographs

Golden Stone!

Fish to hand

Getting down the basics

Dry fly trout to hand

Big fish!  

Deschutes River - After the Hatch - Top Tips

Fishing pressure on the Deschutes during the world famous salmon fly hatch is as busy as it gets on this amazing river.  Trout feel the pressure and respond accordingly.  Here are a few tricks to increase your success "after the hatch".

1.  Fish smaller flies.  The big bugs crashing on the surface are gone- consider smaller Pheasant tail nymphs in sz 16 & 18.  Midge larvae are also productive in sizes 18-20.  

2.  Get your fly down.  Some of the biggest fish of the season are fooled on the big dries of salmon fly time- fool my once...These big guys are often reluctant to head to the surface after the hatch.

3. Dial in your emergers.  This can be a challenge as these are the most elusive bug to capture.  Try adjusting size and colors to find the best imitation of pmd and caddis emergers for success. 

4.  Fish deep in back-eddies.  As hatches wane, more food piles up in eddies.  Fish deep here for the big fish of the river.  Try a sunk mayfly spinner pattern. 

Good luck out there on the water!  

Deschutes River Salmon Fly Report May 2015

We've been guiding most every day on the world famous Deschutes River salmon fly hatch.  Fishing has been good as river levels are at very low flows for this time of year.  The hatch that creates such a buzz is the salmon fly hatch- "big mac" meals for feisty rainbows on the lower 100 miles of the Deschutes River.  These big bugs are up to 3" long and provide a super size meal for post spawn-wild redband rainbows of this legendary tailwater river.

The primary focal points for trout fishing the Deschutes are from Warm Springs area to Maupin.  This includes good access points like Mecca Flats, Trout Creek and South Junction.  Easily accessed areas above and below the centrally located town of Maupin also provide room to roam on one of Oregon's biggest trout rivers.  For our guided adventures we focus on the most inaccessible section of this most loved river in Oregon.  We float 32 mile stretch from Trout Creek to just above Maupin.  This float brings the angler on a three day adventure through the wild and scenic canyon and away from the easy accessible and often crowded roadside locals.  Be ready for whitewater however because this solitude does not come easy; you must pass muster with the class 3+ Whitehorse rapid which stretches it's wild ride over 2 miles.  Already this year 2 boats have been bested by this rapid and sunk beneath the dangerous waves.  There are many points of entry to the Deschutes salmon fly action- as the hatch begins to wane, as it is now, focus on the upper segments like Trout Creek, Mecca Flats and Warm Springs.

                        Mark Angel works to retreive a boat that sunk in Whitehorse Rapids last week.

This year with record low snow pack and very mild spring temperatures the waters of the lower Deschutes have warmed quickly and the hatch is as early as I have ever seen it on the lower D.  Some reports of salmon flies showing as early as May 1 were reported this year.  When water temps hit 52.5 degrees is often when the big bug migration occurs.  These big meals in armored shells crawl up shoreline vegetation and hatch.  After hatching they linger on shoreline vegetation for up to 10 days while they mate and lay eggs on the water.  Usually the egg laying or ovipositing is done during the warmest part of the day.  A good hot sunny day really gets the action going.

    Both Salmon flies and golden stones provide an important key in the food chain along the Deschutes R.

Our recent weather has kept the action from getting really hot but it has also spread out the duration of the hatch with soggy bugs in shoreside vegetation waiting for the heat of the day.  The hatch is spread from Maupin to Warm Springs and is waning lower in this section.  Already there are fewer bugs than last week and expect the amount of black stones to dissapate soon with remaining bugs usually being the golden stones. I'd expect about one more week of dry fly action as the hatch sputters out.

      Favorite patterns on the Deschutes salmon fly hatch are Chubby Chernobyls, Chubby Norman, Norm           Woods Special and Stimulator patterns.

For other hatches going on now are a varied mix of morsels.   Caddis, green drakes, pmd's and some days blue winged olives along with yellow sallies are showing.

For more information on fishing the Deschutes river or to connect with an excellent guide contact us at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Ten Tips for Deschutes Caddis Success

During the summer months on the Deschutes River below Pelton dam the main food source for feisty redband rainbow trout are caddis flies.  Along the lower 100 miles of the Deschutes river there are a handful of species of caddis that live and thrive in the cool waters of this high desert river.  Below the columnar basalt cliffs the emerald waters host a strong population of caddis that hatch each day from May through October. During the season the size, variety and density of these caddis change but a basic understanding of these moth like critters can help give you boat loads of rod bending success.

Caddis flies line the table cloth near the lantern at night on our Deschutes River camp.

The main caddis we focus on during the summer months are the Green Sedge or Rhyacophila, the spotted Sedge or the Hydropsyche and the Saddle-Case Caddis or Glossosoma.  These caddis have four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.  Most species live in the river for about one year.  A major portion of the life of a caddis is spent as a larvae which looks like a small worm.

There are a number of tricks that can help you be more successful with your time on the water during the summer caddis hatches.  Below are some favorites that the Water Time Outfitter guides use to help their clients consistently get into fish on the Deschutes.  Hopefully these tips will help you make the most of your water time.

1. Match your fly size correctly to the natural.  Find hatched caddis that are along streamside foliage and grab one.   Get a good look at that little guy and see that your fly pattern is close in color and size.  It is easy to tie on a fly that is too big.  For the Deschutes river our most common sizes are size 16 and 18.

2.  Focus your effort on dry flies at the right time of day.  Not that you can't catch fish on dries all day long during the summer months; you can, but you will find more success at specific parts of the day.  Prime times to fish dries are during the mid morning hours from 10am - around 2 pm.  Often from 3-6 there is a lull in dry fly action.  Then the last 2 hours of the day (depending on the weather) the best dry fly action of the entire day is often had.  The last 20-30 minutes before dark can be a frenzy!

3.  Fish around structure and shade.  Big rainbows are smart and if they live on the Deschutes they have survived the legendary hunter in the sky - the osprey.  There are so many osprey on the river now that you can see a different nesting pair about every mile of river.  That means rainbows are smart to their enemy from above or they are dinner!

4.  Keep your fly floating.  If you can't see that dry fly it's very difficult to be effective, especially if you are presenting the fly upstream.  When you can't see your fly present close with an across current present and you'll feel the take better (good to do in low light right at dark).

5.  Polarized glasses for back eddy fishing.  Sipping rainbows working the suds are a fine target mid-day.  Often food piles up in the eddies more than any place on the river.  Big rainbows are well aware of this food smorgasborg and they are there.  We like to say "foam is home", meaning where you see foam pile up on the water you will also see lots of food.

6. Casting accuracy for rising fish.  Don't line big rainbows that are rising.  False cast to the side and get the right line length then present your fly.  Your first false cast over a big fish throws spray off your line.  Do this to the side of the fish so spray of water droplets doesnt come down right on a feeding fish.  It also helps to keep a shadow from crossing over a spooky fish.

7. Emergers - fish deep pupa emergers when nothing is happening on the surface and before the evening hatch to keep the action going during dry fly lulls.  When nothing is happening on the surface it might be because there is so much food in the drift the trout have switched their focus.

8. Use both a dry and an emerger dropper during the hatch will get you more results.

9. Bow and Arrow casting under the trees for the biggest fish.  The best way to get to big rainbows under the trees.  Try it, you might be surprised.

10. Trim the bottom hackle on your dry flies (like Elk Hair Caddis) so they ride on the surface correctly more of the time and sit a bit lower in the surface film.

To fish with the guides who've been doing it for over 20 years come join Water Time Outfitters and Rob Crandall on the Deschutes River.  See more information at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com  We offer single and multi-day float trip adventures on the wild and scenic Deschutes River canyon.  Trout and steelhead fishing are our favorites - come see why!

Deschutes River Salmon Fly Hatch Report- May 2014

Fly Fishing Deschutes River Redband Rainbow Trout

Salmon fly action is full swing on the Deschutes here at the May 20th marker.  Both golden stones and black stones from Maupin,OR to Warm Springs area farther north the big bugs are out in good numbers.  Our recent trips are starting to show waning numbers of the big bugs in the Maupin area.  Other Deschutes River hatches are making a showing at the same time and we are seeing trout feed on caddis, PMD's, PMD spinner fall, and PED's.

An adult stonefly next to the nymphal casing.  Stoneflies crawl out of the river on emergence.

Water levels are very nice for fishing this time of year and are relatively low.  Oregon's snow pack in this region is billed to be about normal. Water clarity is good and the weather has been fairly nice with some great days in the mid-80's.  We have not seen the super hot 90+ degree weather that really gets the egg laying action of the salmon flies in crazy mode.  Just a nice spattering of egg laying on the warmer days.  In addition the killer to the dry fly action - cool wet days have mostly missed this season so far.

Golden Stones in the grass along the Deschutes River

Fishing during the salmon fly hatch is best near structure.  We rig our rods with either 7-1/2 or 9'- 4X tapered leaders and use patterns like: Clarks Stone Fly, Norm Woods Special, Sofa Pillow etc... but our favorite is the Chubby Chernobyl.  This pattern moves and simulates the lifelike appearance of the natural fly very well. These big bugs are clumsy crashing fliers and offer an excellent protien pack for trout.  

Water Time Outfitter guides like Rob Crandall and Gil Muhleman have been working the waters of the Deschutes River for over 20 years.  We float the best waters of the canyon and know the river inside and out.  Our favorite way to cover the salmon fly hatch is with the multi-day float trip. This gets you away from the crowded waters of this popular hatch and into the best dry fly action of the river.  Serious whitewater on the Deschutes river keeps out the novice boaters and allows experienced oarsmen rested water where big trout thrive.  Come join us on a river adventure!  See more at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Getting ready for dinner on the river

Long time Water Time Outfitters client enjoys the evening on the river

Camp boss Marty Smith prepares breakfast in the glow of the canyon sun.

See the very best of the river canyon when you float with Water Time Outfitter guides

See more info at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com 

Deschutes River Report May 3, 2014

Beginning Fly Fishing Class on the Deschutes

Water Time Outfitters starts the spring season of trout fishing on Oregon's Deschutes River.  Hatches in the spring can be sparse until things warm up.  Water temperatures are hovering around 52 degrees which usually is the temp when stonefly nymphs start to crawl towards shore in their annual emergence.  The great "Salmon Fly Hatch" as it is known is when stoneflies both- black stones and golden stones crawl from their bouldery homes and transition into the "double-winged- flying- helicopter- like" bugs of spring which trout absolutely love to eat.

There are other insects hatching in the spring as well as the salmon flies.  On any given day you may see: Pale Morning Duns, Blue Winged Olives and a smattering of Caddis.  Each day is somewhat different based on the weather.  When no fish are rising anglers do best with a selection of nymphs.

Favorite nymphs for spring are: pheasant tail nymphs sz 14 and 16, Green rock worms sz 14,16; stonefly nymphs in black or golden- sizes 6, 8, 10.  Prince nymphs can be productive as well.  These patterns are best fished with a dead drift technique imitating the natural nymph dislodged from their riverbed home tumbling helplessly along in the current.

One of our first sightings of adult salmon flies in 2014

Adult salmon fly patterns are big flies.  As you can see in the photo above these bugs are often up to 3" long. They are also somewhat clumsy fliers and often crash into the water making a juicy meal for trout.  Favorite fly patterns are:  Sofa Pillow, Chubby Chernobyll, Clark's Stone and Norm Woods Special in sizes 4,6 and 8.

Currently the Deschutes River is running clear and is in good shape near the town of Maupin, OR.  Water levels are around 4300 cfs at the Madras gauge.  For more information on fishing the Deschutes River visit: www.watertimeoutfitters.com 

Salmon Flies Get Smashed on the Deschutes

It's that time of year for the annual salmon fly hatch on Central Oregon's Deschutes River.  Big black stones and tasty golden stones are hatching in big numbers and trout are noticing.  These are the biggest of stoneflies found on the Deschutes.  Prolific hatches in May bring the biggest fish to the surface.  Trout lock on these big bugs like a line backer chasing down a "Big Mac".  The surface take is often a smashing slash of water spray.

The fly patterns we use are big and that makes seeing the fly easy.  It is a fun time of year to fish for trout.  Favorite patterns are Norm Woods Special, Stimulators, Sofa Pillow and the now famous Chubby Chernobyl.

Fishing these big bugs under trees and around foliage is most productive as clumsy bugs often crash out of the overhang and into the water.  Once on the water they flutter and skitter anxiously trying to avoid the maw of the trout.

Check out this video fishing salmon fly dries from earlier in the week on the Deschutes River.

Want to see more on fly fishing Oregon's Deschutes River?  Visit our website:  www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Salmon Fly Workshop - Deschutes River

Water Time Outfitters offers the perfect package for fly anglers plying the Deschutes River salmon fly hatch.  Have you ever been there and experienced frustration- struggling for success while trout readily ate the natural insect?  Or, have you seen so many bugs on the water and yet not one rise?  We explore these problems and offer solutions in this one day class.  We'll meet at 9AM armed with coffee and donuts and go through a detailed discussionof the salmonfly hatch, how it works, and what patterns produce.  Then we'll spend time n the water revealing tricks of the trade for best success.  We provide a full lunch, an entomology session and and afternoon fishing session in this action packed day.

This class is taught by Water Time Outfitters guide- Gil Muhleman.

This special class offering is only May 18, prepayment is required to reserve your spot.  Fee is only $100.  Please email or call Rob Crandall to save your spot:  503-704-6449 crandalls3@ccwebster.net

See other fishing opportunities we provide at:  www.watertimeoutfitters.com

Deschutes River Caddis Fly Workshop

2012 Caddis Fly Workshop

Deschutes River Caddis Flies-Mystery Solved

Water Time Outfitters has the perfect package for fly anglers plying the Deschutes River during the summer.  Have you ever been there and experienced frustration-struggling for success while trout readily ate naturals? Or seen so many bugs on the water and not one rise to your dry fly? We explore these problems and offer solutions in this one day class. We'll meet on the water at 9am armed with coffee and donuts. We will have a detailed discussion of the caddis fly hatch, how it works and what patterns produce. Then we'll spend some time on the water revealing our tricks of the trade for best success. We provide a full lunch, an entomology session and an afternoon fishing session in this action packed day.

This class is taught by Rob Crandall, Water Time Outfitters guide and editor of Flyfishing & Tying Journal magazine.

Special Class offering is only July 21, prepayment is required to reserve your spot, fee is $100. Please email or call to enroll. 503-704-6449 or email: wto@ccgmail.com

Deschutes Salmon Fly Report

May 26, 2012

Fishing on the Deschutes River has been excellent for the past week.  Weather fronts have presented different fishing situations but the variety of available insects and current hatches have kept the wild Deschutes River Redband trout with full bellies. 

The river rose a bit this week rising from around 4600 cfs to approximately 5200 cfs. 

Currently salmon flies and golden stones are available from Maupin to Warm Springs, a range of over 40 miles.  However, the farther downstream you go the fewer the number of adult salmon flies.  Golden stones are more predominant near Maupin and the numbers of those are starting to wane. 

Top patterns for this hatch have been:  Chubby Chernobyl, Norm Woods Special, Moorish fluttering stone, sofa pillow and stimulator patterns. 

This dandy rainbow what caught on a golden stone dry fly pattern cast under a tree with a bow and arrow cast by first time fly angler- Jay. 

Other hatches to be aware of now are the PMD (pale morning dun- mayfly) hatch which has been getting going around 10:30 and sputtering out around 3-4pm.  Some days this hatch can be very intense.  We recently had some rain during mid-day that really had the right combination of temperatures to bring off the hatch.  Fish were rising everywhere and especially liked an emerging PMD pattern. 

Caddis are showing as well and not to be ignored as the adult salmon fly wanes in the next few weeks this morsel will soon become the staple. 

See more info at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com  Water Time Outfitter guides have been fishing the Deschutes for over 20 years.

Deschutes Salmon Fly Report

May 19th- our annual Salmon Fly Workshop was yesterday and the big bugs were there in full force.  Our workshop was held in the Maupin area and our class had a great time.  The water flow was great and the weather a comfortable 72 degrees.  Salmon flies and golden stones were both present below and above Maupin on the Deschutes River.  Located just 2 hours from Oregon's biggest city, Portland, this is an amazing fishery.

Golden stones are now the more dominant insect below Maupin.  This indicates the hatch is almost half done in this section.

Look close, there are a lot of bugs(trout food) in the grass in this photo above.
On thursday Golden Stones and Salmon flies were getting much more abundant in the Trout Creek area farther up the Deschutes River Canyon.  The Giant Salmon Flies or Black Stones are most abundant now in this section.  Golden stones are present as well but in smaller numbers.

See more hatch info at: http://watertimeoutfitter.blogspot.com/2012/05/deschutes-salmon-fly-report_27.html

For more information on fishing the Deschutes river connect with a Water Time Outfitter guide at: www.watertimeoutfitters.com