Umpqua Smallie Action is Hot!

This is the time of the year when there are lots of options for fishing in the state of Oregon. One of our finest fisheries that exists is the smallmouth bass fishery on the mainstem Umpqua River. These fish are tough fighting and they are also very aggressive. They tend to eat many flies, and the presentations range from stripping poppers in and getting these fish topwater style. Also you can strip in streamers like clouser minnows, wooley buggers, or baitfish patterns, and these fish will crush these flies. Nymph fishing like you would for trout is another great way to catch them, and it seems to be that the largest fish are taken with nymph presentations. You can really rack in the numbers when smallie fishing, and the fish range from small dinks to trophy 4-7 pounders. A trophy smallmouth bass will utterly rip you on a 4,5, or 6 wt rod; so use at least 2x flourocarbon tippet.

Read more...

Steelhead Counts (last ten days)

Here are the latest counts for the Columbia (which many of these steelhead are headed to the Deschutes)

Bonneville The Dalles
5884-------4069 7-19
5336-------3692 7-18
5152-------5083 7-17
4030-------6247 7-16
5196-------3325 7-15
7238-------3333 7-14
7298-------4756 7-13
7130-------4392 7-12
7182-------4023 7-11
5343-------3765 7-10

59819------42685 Last Ten Day Total
90564------60636 Total Count 2010

Read more...

Deschutes Trout Action

Many people simply forget about the Deschutes after the famous stonefly hatch is over; yet some of the best action occurs after that. The river is a caddis factory and just about every day in the summer offers huge caddis hatches. The fish also respond very well to the subsurface pupas too; so don't forget to fish a caddis pattern subsurface when there are no bugs flying around.

Some of the times the fish will be keyed into spent caddis patterns that are floating around in the film in the lazy susan back eddies. They can be very spooky, but with the right drag free drift, you can lock into big rainbow that will cause your reel to scream.

So don't miss out on some fine trout fishing, and also that wonderful summertime scenery and fun. Before you know it, fall will be around the corner and you will wish you had gotten out more for some great Deschutes trout fishing.

Read more...

Steelhead Time

Steelhead counts for 7-19-2010 were 5884 steelhead over Bonneville and 4069 over the Dalles Dam. It is time to get yourself over the the Lower Deschutes to get into summer steelhead. Best tactics are using floating lines and swinging traditional wets like a Green butted Silver Hilton, a Freight Train, or skating dries. The fish are very aggressive when they first enter the system; so get the action while the fish are there and the crowds are not.

Read more...

****Deschutes Flow Are High!!!****

As of this morning, the Deschutes is flowing at 6470 cfs from the Madras gauge. If you're headed here for the opener, expect very high flows and a speedy trip to Trout Creek. Fish will be tight to the banks in what "eyes on the river" say is 6" of visibility. Please exercise extreme caution if you're on the river at all. It would be best to let this pass. There have been flash floods throughout the Lower D in the past 36 hours.

Check in with Jerry @ 800.442.4359 for options on the McKenzie or Private Lakes if you want to make sure your opening weekend is a good one.

Once the river begins to clear....make sure to take San Juan Worms. Make no mistake.

Read more...