45°
5.39
2087
Upper Deschutes
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March 02 . 12
Wychus Creek
Wychus Creek was re-directed on Tuesday into it's new, steelhead ready channel. Winding through Polk Meadow, the restored creek once again has the pools and runs and ponds of its youth. There is still quite a bit of vegetation work to be done, but Polk is now on it's way to being a wet meadow and steelhead and chinook spawning ground. For a good summary, check out this link: http://www.ktvz.com/news/30564196/detail.html. The Bulletin also ran pretty thorough, front page write-ups on 2-29 and 3-1.
After watching the first water rush into the restored channel, I spent the rest of Tuesday doing a fish rescue with about 30 other river rats, including volunteers, the USF&WS, ODFW, USFS, and the Deschutes Land Trust. As the water dropped in the old channel, Fish & Wildlife used portable shockers on the pools to stun the fish and make capture easier. Each team of two shockers had two netters who put the fish in buckets for the transporters (read young guys) to carry a hundred yards or so for release into the restored channel. Recorders kept track of the # and species rescued. I was part of another group of netters who picked up the stragglers missed in the initial shocking. We ended up rescuing a few hundred rainbow and brown trout, even more sculpin and long-nose dace, and countless nymphs, waterbugs, and crawdads. I have to say, I learned alot about local stream ecology and the food chain in my one day in a drying streambed. The variety of nymphs including salmon flies, stone flies, mayflies, and predatory caddis was amazing. Another big "Ah-ha" was the number of sculpin and dace in Wychus. Years ago, we twitched and hopped conehead bunny daces and Near'Nuff sculpin in the Deschutes for browns and the occasional big rainbow. Tuesday made me ask myself why we ever changed tactics, and I see stack-mending fast sinking lines in the Middle D in my future.
If you haven't volunteered for a hands-on restoration effort, I highly recommend it. Besides to supporting a cause near and dear to all of us that love the river, it was very educational from a fishing point of view. You'll spend the day with a bunch of good people from various agencies and non-profits who are putting in the time to make better fisheries. Tight lines - Jeff
To find out more about volunteer opportunities, check out the Deschutes Land Trust (www.deschuteslandtrust.org) and the Deschutes River Conservancy (www.deschutesriver.org).
posted by Jeff Wieland
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January 09 . 12
See ya in the spring!
Closed for the season
posted by FFO Crew
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October 28 . 11
Until next year
The river above Benham Falls will close after October 31, but the remainder below will stay open the year round. Streamers are a great bet in this stretch of river and some big browns are caught each year.
posted by FFO Crew
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October 06 . 11
Closed for the season!
The upper river above Crane is closed for the Season. The River below Wickiup to Benham falls is open until October 31st. Below Benham falls the river remains open throughout the year. Streamers are the best bet in the river at and above town. Sink tips are the best option, but weighted streamers and floating lines can get the job done in certain spots. Cover the water and look to undercuts banks, logs and any in stream structure to hold fish. The Browns will ambush their prey from these holding spots.
posted by FFO Crew
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September 19 . 11
A bit of water!
The upper Deschutes is flowing at a high rate at the moment. The snow melts have provided lots of water for this little river. The fishing has been tough because of this. Most of your drifts are going to be zipping through, so find the softest water possible to allow the fish a shot at your offering. There is only a little time left before this area closes, so if you like those Brookies get out while you can. The pressure has been light because of the flows, so expect some solitude if you get away from the roadside spots. Heavy nymphs or streamers will provide the best shots st a bigger fish.
posted by FFO Crew
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September 05 . 11
1
of 3The evening hatch
Made an evening run to the Upper Deschutes tonight, somewhere between Bend and Wickiup. I hadn't been on this particular piece of water in a few years and figured I was due. Fortunately the thunderstorms held off and the evening was beautiful. A strong hatch of PMDs and little yellow stones came off as the sun was setting and got the fish interested in surface offerings. The browns and rainbows were mostly in the 8"-12" range with a few larger fish also taking interest in my parachute PMD. Good times!
posted by Neal Burrell
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August 29 . 11
Still a lot of water
The Upper D is still flowing high, especially for this time of year. The fishing has not been as good as expected, but there are a few finding willing brookies. The big boys are tough here, as they see a fair amount of pressure. Think early in the day and think heavy, quick sinking flies. The little guys have been pricked a bunch this year, but good presentations will still get some fish on top. There is only a month left here, so if you like Brook trout in a mountain setting, this is it.
posted by FFO Crew
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July 28 . 11
1
of 3Upper D with the Family
The Upper Deschutes is a great place for the kids. My brother Jeff and I took his oldest son Tyler and my daughter Ellie out on the river a couple night ago. The dry fly fishing was as expected for this stretch of river... Tons of little Bows and Brookies. The constant action was just the ticket to keep there intrest. The big suprise was the presence of large Stoneflies.
posted by Scott Cook
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July 22 . 11
Upper D Brookiefest
There are lots of Brook trout being caught here, but most are of the smaller variety. This is a great place for the 2wt and small dries. There are some big bruisers, but they are taking prime residence in the treed structure or under the cut banks. Sinking streamers or heavy stone type nymphs might just get you a big boy, but be careful not to lose too many flies in the woody debris. Good fly choices for the surface include, PMD's, caddis, Mosquitoes or Griffith Gnat's. The sub surface stuff might include, a tungsten twenty incher, double beaded peacock stone or a sculpin pattern like the Sculpzilla.
posted by Dave Kalinowski
link to This Postfiled under Upper Deschutes
Upper Deschutes
The Upper Deschutes River, Oregon: Easing its way from Little Lava Lake through the tall canopies of the Ponderosas, the Upper Deschutes River changes its Read More... character at every turn. Spring creek beginnings offer tremendous walk and wade opportunities for eager Brook, Brown and Rainbow trout on a fly. Incredible flora and fauna abound, home to Rocky Mountain Elk, soaring Bald Eagles, and wild flowers from the brush of Monet. This section offers some of the summer's most intimate dry fly fishing. From here, river flows south creating two significant impoundments; Crane Prairie and Wickiup Reservoirs. These two vast reservoirs offer up the areas most significant populations of monstrous lake released Rainbow and Brown Trout. Then the river spills from Wickiup creating the only opportunity to fish from a boat on the entire Deschutes River. This section meanders through vast meadows featuring long "cut-banks" and island braids to challenge the anglers casting abilities. This stretch fishes dries both early and late with the bulk of the day hunting down large carnivores lurking under the banks casting large streamers. The Upper Deschutes River, Oregon has easy access either by foot, boat or SUV. The scenery is just short of magnificent and the fishing is spectacular. It’s located less than an hour from Bend and minutes from Sunriver making it ideal for a half or a full day outing.
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Upper Deschutes
Today:
Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. West wind between 5 and 13 mph.
May 16 Wednesday  68° 33° Mostly Sunny Winds: 13 mph Humidity: 88% Dew Point: 30° Chance Precip: 4% | May 17 Thursday  60° 33° Partly Cloudy Winds: 11 mph Humidity: 83% Dew Point: 30° Chance Precip: 3% | May 18 Friday 55° 35° Partly Cloudy Winds: 13 mph Humidity: 94% Dew Point: 24° Chance Precip: 10% | May 19 Saturday 62° 25° Partly Cloudy Winds: 8 mph Humidity: 92% Dew Point: 25° Chance Precip: 7% | May 20 Sunday 67° 26° Partly Cloudy Winds: 7 mph Humidity: 78% Dew Point: 27° Chance Precip: 13% |
Upper Deschutes
March Brown
| Pheasant Tail Nymph | 12-16 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Flick March Brown | 12-14 | Afternoon |
| American March Brown | 12-14 | Afternoon |
Blue-Winged Olive
| Pheasant Tail Nymph | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Parachute Adams | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Para Wulff BWO | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Hi Vis Para BWO | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Compara Dun Purple | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
Pale Morning Dun
| Pheasant Tail Nymph | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Hares Ear Nymph | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Parachute PMD | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Hi Vis Para BWO | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
| Para Wulff BWO | 16-18 | Morning / Afternoon |
Spotted Sedge
| Hares Ear Nymph | 14-16 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Sparkle Pupa | 14-16 | Evening |
| Olive Elk Hair | 14-16 | Evening |
Rock Worm Caddis
| Serendipity Olive (Larva) | 14-16 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Sparkle Pupa Apple | 14-16 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Olive Elk Hair | 14-16 | Evening |
Cream Stonefly
| Hares Ear | 10-12 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Trinas Carnage Tan | 10 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Henry's Fork Golden | 10 | Mid Day / Evening |
Green Drake
| Hairs Ear Nymph | 10-12 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Extended Body Drake | 10-12 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Green Drake Wulff | 10-12 | Mid Day / Evening |
| Trina's Carnage Drake | 10-12 | Mid Day / Evening |
Ant
| Blk Flying Ant | 14 | Mid Day |