10/1/2025 – The Upper Deschutes is officially closed for the season.
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9/26/2025 – There is officially less than a week left in the season on the Upper Deschutes! Those fishing the section directly north of Crane Prairie will most likely see (any maybe even catch) a kokanee in full spawning colors. If that is the case, fish eggs! Weather or not the Kokanee are actually producing any eggs or not, the other fish are aware of what is about to happen and are mostly likely waiting for a fat, calorie-packed kokanee egg to float down the bottom of the streambed into their waiting mouths.
PMDs, BWOs, and some caddis may still be hatching, while ants and beetles will still catch fish. I would most likely be throwing dry-droppers rigs, preferably with a Hippie Stomper or similar up top. PMD nymphs and various jig patterns would be good to rotate through.
The section below Wickiup is still fishing quite well, especially on small jig streamers and PMD nymphs.
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9/19/2025 – The Headwater stretch of the Upper D is fishing just OK right now. There is still some terrestrial action on the surface and a beetles with a dropper off the rear can be quite a productive method. Any sort of euro jig will do–specifically, blue, purple, and black euronymphs.
Stripping Woolly Buggers is a great idea this time of year; the brookies are colored up and aggressive, with those undercut banks being their usual home.
There could be a few fish popping up out of Crane due to the weeds and water temps in the channel. Fish can get pretty high up in the system when they want cold water, so that whole couple mile stretch to Forest Road 40 has potential.
PMDs are coming off in good numbers below Wickiup while the trout spey game has been epic in that stretch, too. Now is certainly the time to try that out!
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9/12/2025 – The Upper Deschutes is fishing pretty well at the current moment in time. I’ve seen a couple decent brookies caught on flies like Woolly Buggers and Fish Whackers in the Headwater stretch. Ants, beetles, and even smaller grasshopper patterns should do well this time of year, though there should be some BWOs hatching, as well.
A dry-dropper will still catch the most fish. I like a Hippie Stomper, Micro Chubby, Rubberleg Stimulator, or similar on top with a leech, egg, Spanish Bullet, Frenchie, or Newbury’s Alt Rocker on the bottom. Small stonefly patterns (#10-14) might also do the trick.
The section below Wickiup has been slower, though there have been some insane PMD hatches mixed in. Streamer fishing will continue to get better as the browns start getting psyched up and aggressive before spawning time.
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9/5/2025 – As the heat continues to pound the stillwater of the Cascade Lakes, the Upper Deschutes continues to be a great option.
Kokanee have started to move up into the lower section of the Headwater stretch above Crane Prairie. One also might find a lake-run fish or two trying to escape the warm temps.
Whether one likes it or a not, a small egg pattern will excite the fish that are aware of the kokanee in the system.
A dry-dropper with a foam beetle pattern or Hippie Stomper will do well. I don’t think one needs to get too specific with “matching the hatch” sub-surface this time of year. I like to fish weirder colors like blue, purple, black and orange. The fish have seen a lot of flies at this point, so showing them something different can make a big difference. Morrish’ Sparkle Donkey, various perdigons, and Lightning Bugs are a few of my faves.
Note: The Deschutes Arm of Wickiup (defined as the boat ramp at Gull Point CG to the ODFW markers near Sheeps Bridge) is closed as of Sept. 1st.
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8/29/2025 – The Upper Deschutes is fishing decently well. Ants and beetles continue to produce fish, while PMDs and some BWOs have also been popping off. This is the time of year where kokanee start getting in the sections above the reservoirs, so small, orangish egg patterns are a must-have. Along those lines, try to avoid walking immediately above/below any kokanee you might see, just to make sure one doesn’t disturb any spawning fish or spawning grounds. It’s still a bit early for them to be spawning, but I’m sure some are.
The Sheep’s Bridge zone closes at the end of August, though the Labor Day crowds should be so thick that I don’t think it’s even really an option at this point to be totally honest. I expect it to resemble a Columbian rivalry soccer match out there.
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8/22/2025 – This is an incredible time of year to be on the Upper Deschutes: the Headwater Stretch is fishing great with emphasis on the areas above and the below the various lakes. Crowds have been thick on the weekends, but fairly thin during the week (except for the Sheep’s Bridge area, which has been an absolute zoo).
This is also a great time of year to tempt some of those bigger brookies with a carefully placed Woolly Bugger or similar. Sneak up to a spot and send it along the undercut banks and downed logs. Don’t be afraid to dead-drift either; despite a lack of tension in your line, they will certainly let you know if they’ve eaten your fly.
The PMD hatch has been great throughout all sections of the river, with ants and beetles continuing to be important in the Headwater Stretch.
The mosquitoes have died down significantly, though they have lasted longer than usual for sure.
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8/15/2025 – The Upper Deschutes should be high on your list on your list of rivers to fish in the coming days and weeks. The water temps are delightful, the fish have been eager, and the mosquitoes have lessened. A dry-dropper will most likely produce the most fish–especially one with a beetle-ish dry fly like a small Hippie Stomper.
Nymphs to try include: Newbury’s Alt Rocker, Lightning Bugs (#14-18), Rainbow Warrior Perdigons (#16-20), Walt’s Worms, Crackback Yeager’s, and Radiation Baetis (#18-20).
Below Wickiup has been fishing fairly poorly due to water temps and Sheep’s Bridge has dropped to more of a river than a lake, though crowds there have been ungodly.
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8/7/2025 – The Upper Deschutes is fishing especially well at the current moment in time. The mosquitoes are certainly hanging around later than usual this year, but are most definitely beginning to tail off (though bug spray in still an absolute must). Fishing near where the Upper dumps into each of the lakes should be a good bet, as many fish are popping into the river for some cold water refuge!
The morning PMD hatch has been killer, terrestrials are still catching plenty of fish. Micro Chubby Chernobyls still might be my favorite patterns currently for the Upper Deschutes.
Flows on the Upper Deschutes below Wickiup are back to normal after the drawdown last week.
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8/1/2025 – Whelp, it seems my mosquito comment from last report turned out to be wildly incorrect. While the mosquitoes around the Headwater stretch tend to greatly dissipate by the first week of August, they just haven’t died down the way they normally do yet. Bug spray is still a must, and a bug net is a very cheap way to save your sanity and your face.
That being said, the fishing on the Upper Deschutes has remained consistent! Terrestrials are still getting it done, while PMDs and even small Golden Stones and Yellow Sallies all seem to be getting attention, too. This is the time of year where a well-placed micro streamer or leech along an undercut bank can yield on of those prized brook trout we have all seen photos of.
As mentioned in my Middle Deschutes report, the flows below Wickiup will be very inconsistent over the next few days, making this section not as viable.
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7/18/2025 – Mosquitoes = tapering off. Water = cold. Fish = munching dries. It’s heating up on the Upper Deschutes! Like just about everywhere right now–rivers and lakes alike–ants and beetles are quite important to have. I like the defined segmentation and thin profile of Egan’s Bionic Ant and the plainness of a Foam Beetle with a little foam hotspot on the top. The one caveat is that they’re not the easiest bugs to see, but there are plenty of hi-vis alternatives.
If anyone is looking to get into the euronymphing game, the Upper Deschutes is a good place to start! It’s not too swift, deep, or wide, and the sediment is reasonably fine which means you won’t get snagged on the bottom as much. Nymphs to try: Diabaetis Perdigons, Splitback Shady-ies, Caramel Jigs, Fullback Napoleons, and smaller caddis pupae should do well.
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7/11/2025 – It seems I didn’t “save” my Upper Deschutes report last week, so I apologize for the lack of information! I return bearing good news! The Upper Deschutes River is fishing exceptionally well throughout the majority of the river. Ant patterns have been the ticket to say the least. As mentioned in my East Lake report, beetles will also normally work when fish are munching on ants. Ant patterns I love: Mamba Ants (#12-14), Bionic Ants (#12-16), Cinnamon Ants (#14-16), and Fat Angies (#14-16). Ants really love timber regardless of whether it is standing upright and resilient, or dead and laying across the river. For those who frequent the Upper Deschutes, some areas may come to mind that have an abundance of timber, where ants might be a great choice!
The other fly that I love on the Upper D right now is the Micro-Chubby. I don’t think color is a super important factor when it comes to this classification of flies, but purple, tan, and black always seem to get the fish going!
Woolly Buggers are another entertaining way of catching fish right now. There are so many undercut banks on the Upper, which happen to house many of the rivers more paunchy inhabitants. For nymph suggestions, consult the fishing report from 6/20. Tight lines!
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6/27/2025 – The headwater stretch of the Upper Deschutes has been fishing quite well for those souls willing to brave the mosquitoes. Nothing has changed in terms of nymphing and the hatches are primarily PMDs with some caddis and some random mayflies mixed in. As per usual, you will want to have some terrestrial patterns in this stretch due to the abundance of downed timber.
The stretch below Crane and below Wickiup have been pretty slow as of late. Very little bug activity on the surface with almost all fish being caught on nymphs.
The main news (for me at least) is that I saw a photo of the largest Upper D fish I have ever seen; not only that, but it was landed on 5x! Many congratulations, Dee.
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6/20/2025 – The Upper Deschutes has remained consistent in all ways! The fishing has been solid on dries as well as nymphs, angling pressure has been moderate, and the mosquitoes are just as tenacious as usual. While you might feel a little foolish wearing one of those bug nets over your head, it is certainly a worthy investment. REI carries them for anyone who is popping by the shop/Old Mill District.
My report from last week is still very much applicable, with nothing new really popping off on the surface.
In terms of nymphing, some patterns to try include: Pearl and Orange Perdigons, Splitback Shadys (#16-18 in PMD or BWO), CDC France Flies (#14-16), Pheasant Tails (and all the variations), and Holo-Point Jigs (purple and red are my personal favorites).
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6/13/2025 – Well, the mosquitoes have certainly arrived–and in numbers. It’s been pretty brutal between Little Lava and Crane, with some relief sporadically. The fishing has been super solid, though! There have been a bunch of Golden Stones fluttering about the upper stretch. With the cooling temps we will probably see more Green Drake adults, though the nymphs should also be at the ready. The terrestrial fishing in the more “meadowy” areas has been solid, too, so make sure to stock up on Fat Angie’s, Chubby Crickets, and Parachute Ants. For the adventurous angler, maybe consider rigging up a drowned/sinking ant to put as a dropper in a dry-dropper setup.
Fishing below Crane has been just alright. I have seen photos of a couple of bigger fish caught on streamers, though the numbers have been low. PMDs have been hatching sporadically with some caddis mixed in, but it’s been somewhat slow in general.
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6/6/2026 – The Upper Deschutes has continued to be an early-season dry fly haven. I’ve been seeing photos and hearing of many 10-14in Brookies being caught in the Headwater Stretch. The mosquitoes have kept the crowds at bay (very understandably so), as they have been fairly atrocious as of late. Ant and beetle imitations dead-drifted along the undercut banks with long grass have proved their efficacy. PMD patterns are a must, and Golden Stone patterns weirdly enough. A lot of anglers have showed me photos and videos of medium-sized goldens in the long grass in the upper-section of the river. Small Chubby Chernobyl’s, Clark’s Stones, and yellow/orange Stimulators should work well for that.
The section between the reservoirs has been a bit funky and unpredictable since they started dumping a good amount out of Crane Prairie last week. It’s still be running a bit high, but anglers are still reporting success. Swinging sculpin-imitations has proven effective, as has nymphing below an indicator (primarily attractor nymphs, with caddis pupa, leeches, split-back PMDs, and heavily-weighted midges mixed in).
A few nymphs to give you an idea of what to try: Juan’s Splitback Shady (PMD or BWO, #16-18 and #18-20, respectively), RIO’s Rain Drop (rusty or purple in #14-16), Rockworms in #14-16, Newbury’s Alt Rocker in the same size range, and Prince Nymphs in the #12-16 range.
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5/30/2025 – The start of the trout season on the Upper Deschutes has been hot! The headwater section of the Upper D has been a bit busy, but very consistent. Dry dropper setups are perfect right now. A foam stimulator, chubby, Hippie Stomper, or similar are great on top; pheasant tails, baetis nymphs, Crackback PMDs, and Perdigons are perfect droppers. For those who are willing, egg patterns will also crush fish. We have a lot of “confidence patterns” in-stock in the shop that we would be happy to point you towards.
Anglers have also been reporting a ton of success on dries by themselves: beetles, ants, caddis, small stoneflies, and PMDs are the main bugs flying around. Fishing has been pretty consistent throughout the day, don’t concern yourself too much with getting out there early (unless you want to be the first one on a particular stretch). Jigging little sculpin patterns is another splendid way to catch fish on the Upper D, especially if you’d like the chance at one of those legendary brookies one might hear stories about.
A couple quick notes:
1. A very significant amount of water was recently flush out of Crane Prairie which has made the section between Crane and Wickiup extremely high and off-color as a lot of algae seems to have been dumped from the reservoir.
2. The mosquitoes have been out in FULL FORCE. They are thick and nasty, especially in the headwater stretch of the river. Make sure to bring picaridin (deet is really bad for fly lines) and cover as much skin as humanly possible. I don’t think the fish are especially interested in them, but I’d love to hear from anyone who has tried a mosquito pattern anywhere on the Upper!
3. There could potentially be some stragglers still spawning, so be mindful of where you put your feet!
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5/23/2025 – As of yesterday, the Upper Deschutes River is open for the 2025 trout season! I have not heard anything from it yet, but caddis. PMDs, and BWOs will be dries to have. Any sort of attractor nymph that is slim enough to cannonball through the water column will also be helpful to have. I haven’t any reports from the river yet, but I will update all of you once I do!
NOTE: Please be extremely careful when wading. Many of these fish have just finished spawning and their redds are full of eggs that will hopefully turn into feisty Redbands in the coming months and years, so consider spending as little time walking through the river as possible.
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10/12/2024 – Closed for the season as of October 1st.
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9/28/2024 – ATTENTION: This weekend is your last chance to get out on the Upper Deschutes before it closes for the year! The river will be closed from Oct. 1st until mid-April 2025. That being said, fishing is still good in the Headwater stretch below Little Lava! Fish received a temporary break from angling recently due to the surrounding fires. Nymphing is going to be the most effective technique, with fishing keying in on #14-18 PMD and caddis nymphs. Streamers like Kreelex Minnows (#4-6), Fish Whackers (white and olive #4-8), Meat Sweats (#4-8), and Sir Sticks A lot (#4-8) will produce big fish when fish around the undercut banks and logs. Twistr Eggs (#16-18), and Gorman Eggs (#10-14) will also produce as the Kokanee continue their spawning journey upstream.
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9/17/2024 – A lot of news out from the Upper Deschutes lately. After a temporary closure by the Forest Service, Little Lava to Bridge 40 is tentatively open. The Deschutes River Arm of Wickiup Reservoir between Gull Point Boat Ramp and the ODFW markers upstream of Sheeps Bridge is officially closed until next April to protect spawning Kokanee. Furthermore, the Deschutes River District will be operating a weir and a fish trap around the Cow Meadow zone until Sept. 27th, so we are advising anglers to please avoid this area while they complete this critical work.
On a more positive note, the areas of the Upper D that are still open are fishing well! People have been picking up good-sized fish on trout spey setups (#4-8 Sculpzilla, #8 Mini Fish Whackers, #4-8 Clouser Minnows), while nymphing has continued to be the most productive technique (#14-18 Pheasant Tails, #14-16 Quilldigons, #18-20 BWO Tungsten Splitbacks, and #18-20 Two-Bit Hookers).
If you plan on heading out that direction, make sure to check ODFW’s website for current updates on closures!
Link: https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/central-zone
