Deschutes River Rainbow Trout
As the water temperature starts to climb to the magical 52 degree mark hungry trout coming off a long winter and big orange salmonflies become the topic of fly anglers throughout Bend. The optimisim of a new season and lots of time on the water is fueled by the emergence of these large stoneflies as the first major hatch of the year and one that no hungry trout can ignore.
The Lower Deschutes River leaves pelton dam to flow 100+ miles to join forces with the Columbia River. Massive canyons and steep banks make this section of river nearly impossible to get access to unless a drift boat is utilized, making multi-day float trips one of the best options. The most popular of these floats starts in Warm Springs and covers 40+ miles over 3 days to the town of Maupin. The scenery will leave you breathless!
I was fortunate to do this exact trip last year with Damien Nurre, owner & head guide of Deep Canyon Outfitters. Needless to say it won’t be my last time! The quality of the fishing, food, beverages and hospitality is something you would expect at a 5-star hotel, not 20 miles from the nearest road. We ate like kings and caught hungry trout to our hearts content!
If a multi-trip is out of the question a single day fly fishing float trip is availabe from Warm Springs to Trout Creek which covers the first 10-miles of the multi-day trip. This trip will give you a sampling of what the Lower Deschutes can offer, however having done this trip plan on making the multi-trip a must during your next visit to Bend.
For more information on the variety of multi-day and single day fly fishing float trips that Deep Canyon Outfitters offers click here or check out the links below.