Deschutes Steelhead Fly Fishing Report

Just spent four awesome days floating Macks to the mouth with Ryan Lafrenz (S.F., CA).  Reports were not great as we geared up in our local shop...

We launched up high, hoping to intercept the steelhead we suspected had moved through the lower river already.  We did okay up high, but we also found action down low.

there were balls of people kegged up in certain areas, and the river was pleasantly deserted in others.  Fortunately we got some of the best camps and camp water on the river.

Ryan hooked and landed his first dry fly steelhead, and had his butt handed to him by several of those hot July fish we dream about.  Ryan hooked about a dozen fish, landing most of them on Gamakatsu hooks.  All fish landed were wild!

River temps are not ideal, but still cooler than last year.  There is a new temperature gauge at Moody, near the mouth.  http://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?site_no=14103000