Deschutes River September Trout Report

Fly fishing for native rainbow trout is great right now on the Lower Deschutes River in the 35 miles stretch from Trout Creek to Maupin, Oregon.  In between back to back steelhead floats on the lowermost river we floated the upper river for a four day trout trip.  Fishing was good with both nymphs and dry flies.  Trout are holding in their typical riffles and back eddies, and fishing pressure has been relatively light.

Hot dry flies were the size 16 olive x-caddis, although some trout seemed to be wise to this popular pattern.  They couldn't say no to a size 17 pmd sparkle dun though!  A size 16 cream sparkle pupae fished in the surface film was also a preferred offering.  Nymphs that worked well included the usual size 16 and 18 beadhead flashback pheasant tail, size 16 king prince, and any type of caddis emerger with  name that starts with "Silvey's".

5X tippets outfished 4X on this trip, as the trout have become educated throughout the season.

Steelhead have been filtering into the upper river over the past two weeks or so, and there seem to be fishable numbers down river from the reservation boundary.

Thanks for checking in trout bums!

Chris