Sunriver

[Chukwithak]

Hey guys. Up here for a few days and want to get the lady on the river. She’s casted a few times but still very much guiding her. Wondering if anyone can point us to some sections of the Deschutes that might have some decent wading for us. Trying to go guide-less since I’ve guided in the past, just don’t know the Deschutes.

Charlie


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[kevind62]

I have a colleague that lives in OR. Sent me some pictures from last month of some monster rainbows they caught out that way. Unfortunately I don't have his home contact info and he's off rotation. They do catch a lot of big fish out there. He fishes the Deschutes occasionally. Wish I could give you more info, but all of his latest fishing reports he's sent me have been stellar. Here's a pic of one he sent me around the end of April. I'm dying to get out there and fish with him, but for now our rotations only have us off for a week at the same time and it's at the end of his hitch off so it makes it difficult to hook up. Looking at just getting some locations from him and doing a solo DIY.

 

[jaydub]

If you are in Sunriver, I would suggest trying the Fall River. It is stocked on a regular basis and also has wild fish. Stop into the Hook Fly Shop or the Sunriver Fly Shop for local info.

 

[dillon]

If you are in Sunriver, I would suggest trying the Fall River. It is stocked on a regular basis and also has wild fish. Stop into the Hook Fly Shop or the Sunriver Fly Shop for local info.

Yup, go to the Fall River hatchery, plenty of easy fishing access there.

Beautiful wild steelhead pictured above. Looks like a coastal stream.

 

[flav]

Fall River is where the tourists (Californians) are sent, but it's such a poor representation of the wild trout that are available in 95 % of the rest of oregon's rivers that I could never recommend it.
The section of the Deschutes right in sunriver is high and off color all summer due to irrigation needs, but you could check out the areas around Pringle Falls, or the section below the dam at wickiup reservoir.
My real recommendation would be to skip the rivers and drive up to the Newberry Caldera and fish East Lake. Lots of cool stuff to see and do up there, plus it'll be 10 degrees cooler. The shallows are almost all firm pumice sand with easy wading and a gentle slope. Fish will be feeding in the shallows, midday when the callibaetis hatch and especially in the evening. You can easily catch rainbows, browns, and even kokanee on dries or nymphs wading in knee deep water. I live in Bend, and that's how I spend many evening in the summer.

 

[Chukwithak]

Appreciate all the info guys. Ended up on the upper Deschutes and had a great time. Saw some amazing hatches, better than I’ve seen in Montana, and was able to get the lady out for her first three days of fishing. The second day I rigged her up and told her to go fish. By the time I had my wading socks and boots on, she had a little 8” wild bow in her hand!


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[flav]

Glad you found some fish and your girl got into fish too. The upper river is a wonderful place, full of lots of wild little rainbows and brookies. The mosquitoes usually keep me away till later in the summer, though.

 

[weiliwen]

Beautiful wild steelhead pictured above. Looks like a coastal stream.

+1 on that.

 

[oldnewguy]

Flav,

Thanks for this info.

I'll be in Bend the end of Aug. and will check this out.

Question, how are the roads.....I'll have a rental.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Ard]

I have a colleague that lives in OR. Sent me some pictures from last month of some monster rainbows they caught out that way. Unfortunately I don't have his home contact info and he's off rotation. They do catch a lot of big fish out there. He fishes the Deschutes occasionally. Wish I could give you more info, but all of his latest fishing reports he's sent me have been stellar. Here's a pic of one he sent me around the end of April. I'm dying to get out there and fish with him, but for now our rotations only have us off for a week at the same time and it's at the end of his hitch off so it makes it difficult to hook up. Looking at just getting some locations from him and doing a solo DIY.

View attachment 11523

Hey Kevin, that one (as Dillon said) is what we call a Rainbow / Steelhead trout up here and that is a beauty!

 

[fredaevans]

Flav,

Thanks for this info.

I'll be in Bend the end of Aug. and will check this out.

Question, how are the roads.....I'll have a rental.

Thanks,

Joe

Not to worry as all the normal roads are well maintained.

fae

 

[oldnewguy]

Thanks Fred!

It's been a while........

Joe

 

[flav]

Like fred said the roads are good, although in late August there could be closures due to fires. August last year was very smokey in Bend.

For rivers at that time avoid the Deschutes near town, but consider the upper Deschutes, Metolius, Crooked, and upper Mckenzie. The cascade lakes will be decent, but not great. Rent a boat, float tube, kayak, or SUP if you want to access because many lakes have soft bottoms. East lake is an exception, but having a floating craft still helps because its it's a big lake and fish aren't always shallow, except in the magic time just before dark.

 

[oldnewguy]

Thanks Flav,

I'll be fishing early morning and late day so I'm hoping shore fishing will pan out.

How long of a drive is it from Bend?

What do you suggest for flies/streamers.

Thanks again for your generous help.

Tight lines,

Joe

 

[flav]

It's about an hour drive. You'll need a $5 NW forest pass to enter the monument. You can buy one at a coupe places around town or the booth on the way up to the caldera. The booth is only manned till about 5 p.m. so if you show up later don't worry, nobody will care if you don't have a pass.

For flies, the most common bugs on the lake are callibaetis, midges, damsels, and a few black caddis near the bank. For dries I stick mainly with a tan parachute or comparadun in about size 14 for the mayflies or a black midge dry in about size 20. For nymph I usually stick with something like hares ears or pheasant tails in about size 14. Lots of guys fish streamers during low light for the big browns, but I seldom do, preferring to fish dries. Guys I know use black, brown, or olive buggers, or sometimes brown and gold streamers to match the tui chubs that live in the lake. The beach between the resort and cinder hill campground is a great place to wade and fish, don't let all the people and watercraft scare you, the fish don't seem to notice them. The beach has a lot of sharp pieces of obsidian, so don't go barefoot, and if a rock floats by it's just pumice.

 

[oldnewguy]

Thank you!

Now it's just a waiting game and praying the fires stay away.

I'm really looking forward to this. I fish a lot of still water here in Connecticut so I should be in my element.

Last time I was out that way I fished the Metolius and Fall river.

I caught a Bow on the Metolius in the short hour I had and felt pretty good about it.......man, what beautiful water!!!

Thanks again.

Tight lines,

Joe

 

[fredaevans]

The 'good thing,' if there is such a good thing, is the fires we've got going were all caused by lightning. Not a man made one in the lot (so far anyway).

fae

 

[ThrowingFlies]

Fall River is where the tourists (Californians) are sent, but it's such a poor representation of the wild trout that are available in 95 % of the rest of oregon's rivers that I could never recommend it.
The section of the Deschutes right in sunriver is high and off color all summer due to irrigation needs, but you could check out the areas around Pringle Falls, or the section below the dam at wickiup reservoir.
My real recommendation would be to skip the rivers and drive up to the Newberry Caldera and fish East Lake. Lots of cool stuff to see and do up there, plus it'll be 10 degrees cooler. The shallows are almost all firm pumice sand with easy wading and a gentle slope. Fish will be feeding in the shallows, midday when the callibaetis hatch and especially in the evening. You can easily catch rainbows, browns, and even kokanee on dries or nymphs wading in knee deep water. I live in Bend, and that's how I spend many evening in the summer.

I've been up to East Lake 3 times now and this is quickly becoming the way I feel. The dry fly fishing is incredibly consistent and the fish are almost always 16'' or more. Out of curiosity though, where do you like to fish besides East? Ive done pretty much all the spots - Lower/Upper D, Metolius, Fall (once and not going back. The fish hardly fight - even at the tubes). And tbh none of them really 'wow'ed' me except for the lower but its 1.5-2hours away and the wading was not the best (I put in at trout creek).

Dont get me wrong, every one of those rivers is gorgeous and i've caught good fish on all but...I dunno. Just looking to find that one 'go to' spot (besides East) and was wondering if you knew of anything like that.

 

[jaydub]

If you like stillwater fishing, try Crane Prairie, Big Lava, Hosmer.

 

[ThrowingFlies]

If you like stillwater fishing, try Crane Prairie, Big Lava, Hosmer.

Well unfortunately I dont have a pontoon or float...or boat. Which is why I love East Lake. Consistent hatch that gets them boiling all around the shore - which is super easy to wade.

I know you need some kind of float for Hosmer - what about Crane and Lava?