Salmonflies on the Deschutes??

[gunnison_country]

Fellas-
I'm a longtime Colorado fly fisherman but have never chased many fish outside of the Centennial State. I've got the opportunity to go to Oregon May 18-22 and try to hit the Salmonfly hatch of the Deschutes. I'm just looking for some neighborly advice to help this trip go as well as possible. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on accesses that might be good fishing but not super crowded, specific patterns you find especially effective that time of year, basically anything that you think would help me make this trip a successful one would be mightily appreciated! Thanks in advance for your help and if you have any inkling in coming out to Colorado to experience our best fishery, the Gunnison Valley, I'd certainly be willing to swap specifics with you. Thanks for your help. Doug

 

[fredaevans]

Not to worry about easy acces there's improved dirt about half way down one side of the river and on the opposite it goes all the way to the Columbia River. Pull up Google Maps and easy to see 'what's what.'

In either case your longest walk might be a tad over a city block.
Here's your map guide(s); these things are 'correct' right down to the 10/th mile.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/deschutes/maps-pubs/?cid=stelprdb5318152

https://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/cat...CtiOBnRB2YRFGVxZs2nBwP_SEmLGvOK4EFORsPh76uPU= There's also a map like this for the upper Deschutes.

 

[gunnison_country]

Fred-
What is your favorite Salmonfly pattern and size for the Deschutes?

 

[fredaevans]

Fred-
What is your favorite Salmonfly pattern and size for the Deschutes?

This may sound a bit silly but by the far my most successful fly was solid dark purple on a size 6 or 8 hook.

Edit: Should have added tied as a 'hair wing.'

 

[slow_floccer]

Norm woods special or chubby chernobyl are what the local fly shops will be recommending. I've always had better results with a stimulator.

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[smarty140]

First of all.... jealous! I got to fish the Deschutes during the salmonfly hatch a couple years ago and it was quite the experience, even if the catching was't as good as it can be.
Like Fred said, access is easy, especially if you're willing to hike some away from a parking area or up past the locked gate upstream of Maupin.
You may want to be ready for Golden Stones also. From what I've read, the salmonflies have been hatching earlier and earlier due to warmer weather, so your trip might be a bit late? The fly shops in Maupin would have the best prediction of the peak.
I guess we should ask, are you planning to fish the lower river around Maupin or farther upstream?
ryan


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[willyf]

Do it! Had some great Salmonfly fishing on the D last year, but it was super early. Walk into Deschutes Angler in Maupin, and they'll help you with flies and access. The big tip is to fish the banks. Wading out in the current is tough, but the big fish hang right on the banks. So you need to cast in on them from out in the river.

 

[fredaevans]

Do it! Had some great Salmonfly fishing on the D last year, but it was super early. Walk into Deschutes Angler in Maupin, and they'll help you with flies and access. The big tip is to fish the banks. Wading out in the current is tough, but the big fish hang right on the banks. So you need to cast in on them from out in the river.

Soooo True! Deschutes is an odd river for wadeing; strongly recommend you use a stout wading staff! :worthy:

 

[jaydub]

Good advise so far. A road follows the river both upstream and downstream from Maupin. There is also walk in access from Mecca Flats and Trout Creek near Warm Springs.

Definitely have some Golden stone patterns. The hatches overlap and I often find the golden patterns work better. Take some nymphs too.

 

[dillon]

Historically, the Deschutes Salmon fly hatch would begin when water temperatures warmed to about 52 degrees. The river usually dropped and warmed to this optimum temperature anywhere from the middle to end of May. The hatch would start on the lower river and move upstream. Even as the hatch waned on a section of river trout were still keyed in on the big bugs and would take a fly when no naturals were present. The hatch seemed to be perfectly timed as the trout were finishing their spawn and the Salmon flies and golden stones provided the protein they needed to recover and gain weight. The trout continued to feed on prolific caddis hatches and pmd occurrences throughout the late spring and summer.

Now, the hatch has moved up a couple weeks because the river is warming earlier. This is not due to warming weather patterns, but to warm, nutrient rich surface water releases from Portland General Electric's Pelton Regulating Dam on the upper Deschutes Rivers the spring that coincides with the annual anadromous smolt migration. As part of PGE's relicensing they were required to reintroduce Sockeye, Chinook Salmon, and Steelhead to the three rivers that flow into Lake Billy Chinook, The Crooked, The Metolious, and the Upper Deschutes. Hatchery smolt migrating into the massive reservoir from these rivers are attracted to a tower above the dam by artificially produce surface currents created by the top water releases that in turn are warming the lower river. The juvenile fish are trapped at the tower and trucked downstream where they are released below the dams. Returning adult fish are trapped below the dams, then trucked and released above. The entire project has had minimal success, so far.

The warm water is not only effecting the timing of the salmon fly hatch it has negatively effected macro invertebrate system of the stream. Fishermen have noticed a dramatic decrease in insect hatches throughout the season. The stoneflies seem to be holding their own, however, the caddis and mayflies have taken a big hit. The largest Redsides in the river still come to bank side lies looking for Salmons and Goldens as they fall from stream side grasses and trees or during ova depositing flights. it's best to stay on the bank and cast upstream under the trees and along grassy banks. Not only is the river tough to wade, The wading angler also risks stepping on redds with freshly laid eggs. It's best to keep moving and fish every nook and cranny that looks like it may hold a fish. Make a cast or three with a couple different patterns and move on. Keep changing patterns as the fish become wary of something they have seen before. Refusals become common but one just might grab something a little different. Fishing is best on sunny days and a little breeze helps to blow the clumsy stones into the drink. The big bugs hunker down when it's overcast and cold and so do the fish. Like most fly fishing it can be a hit or miss proposition.

Good luck on your trip and i wouldn't worry about the timing. Maybe the hatch will hold off a bit as we have had a big snowpack and are having a wet cold spring so far. I'm going over on the week of 17th for a little pre hatch recon and to fish in relative solitary.

 

[gunnison_country]

Fellas-
Any guidance as to what size salmonfly patterns would be best to load up on before my trip?

 

[jaydub]

I would go with size 6 for Salmonflies and 8 for Goldens, on 3xl hooks or extended bodies. You could go bigger on the Salmonflies but I prefer to limit the gape to a size 6.

---------- Post added at 11:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------

BTW, your book looks interesting. My dad grew up in Olathe, CO and talked about fishing some of the small streams mentioned.

 

[Lewis Chessman]

Hi, gunnison_county, I was lucky enough to drift fish the Deschutes one day in late May 2010 in the company of retired guide Brian Yates a few miles out of Redmond. He would moor the boat and have me wade a little upstream before I cast my elk hair salmon fly upstream into the bank beneath overhanging bushes. As I understood it, the nymph emerges overnight and crawls onto bankside vegetation to metamorphose into flies. They often drop off their perch and the trout hug the banks to snaffle them up (wide open to correction there, though).

I caught on my second cast then blanked for the rest of the day but it was an unforgettable experience and Brian was a great host.
Here's a pic of an adult salmon fly and an example similar to what Brian gave me to fish with.
There are a few other Deschutes pics on my Flickr site if you look in Albums. Hope you have a great time too.
James.

P.S. On Day 2 Brian took me to the Metolius for wild rainbows. Well worth a visit if you fancy fishing a smaller river. Really beautiful fly water.

 

[gunnison_country]

Jaydub-
Olathe, Colorado would be a great place to grow up if you are a fly fisher. I bet your dad could tell some great stories about salmonflies in the Gunnison Gorge if he ever ventured down there to experience Colorado's best salmonfly hatch. Thanks for the info on Deschutes salmonflies, and thanks to everyone else who has chimed in as well...I really appreciate the info.