Fall is our favorite time on the Deschutes with great fishing opportunities for both trout and steelhead. There are prolific caddis hatches coming off in the early morning and late evening. Most are the small dark-bodied variety, but there are also big October caddis. Dry-dropper and double-dry rigs with October caddis patterns as the point fly are doing well. There is also some mayfly and midge action going on. Fish late into the evening if you can. It seems like every fish in the river is rising just as it’s getting dark. Nymphing during the day has also been productive with various caddis pupa patterns and small mayfly, stonefly, and midge nymphs. 

The steelhead fishing in the Warm Springs area is picking up, and the fish counts over Sherars Falls are looking good. We have been hearing of a few fish caught, and we should be seeing a lot more fish up here any day now. Don’t sleep on the streamer fishing for the trout either. We always seem to swing up a nice trout or two when we’re swinging flies for steelhead. The fish in the picture below ate a hobo spey fly while targeting steelhead. Float trips in October are filling up fast, so give the shop a call to get on the calendar!

The Crooked River is fishing great with a consistent nymph bite and solid mayfly hatches providing good dry fly fishing. We offer half and full day wade trips on the Crooked, so give us a ring to get booked.