Lower Deschutes River

1/17/2025 – Very few anglers have been fishing the Deschutes in since the Day Stretch closed on the 31st of December. While access is now a bit more limited, it is still fishing well! Stoneflies are king this time of year, and dredging a #6-10 TJ Hooker all day will assuredly result in bites. Those hoping to fish dries may get lucky and experience a BWO hatch between 11am-3pm. These hatches are relegated to smaller sections of the river and are often very quick. The time it takes to rig up your go-to BWO pattern it might already be over.

The water has shaped up after some seriously high water caused by all the precipitation we had in Central Oregon during the last week of 2024 and first week of 2025. Crowds are thin and the fish are still feeding, so the Lower Deschutes is definitely worth consideration if you plan on getting out to the river here in the next few weeks!


1/3/2025 – The “Day Stretch” between Warm Springs Boat Ramp and Trout Creek Campground is now closed for the season. For those interested in fishing the Lower Deschutes, Maupin will be the best access point until the river reopens in mid-April.

Flows have increased from around 4200cfs before Christmas to 5560cfs today. As such, the fish have moved around a bit, so it might behoove you to fish multiple types of water (especially water that might appear relatively mediocre at first glance). A heavy stonefly to a size #16-20 attractor nymph is a pretty standard nymph-rig for winter on the Deschutes. For those that are willing, yellowish-orange eggs are a great point fly.


12/22/2024 – Trout fishing seems to be slowing down a bit, but is still surprisingly good! This break in the (really) cold weather has turned on the bite a bit and the trout are taking every opportunity possible to get nice and fat before the coldest days of winter hit. Stoneflies and eggs are your most important flies at this point in the year, though midges and smaller attractors flies will work as well. The dry-fly action is basically nonexistent, so if that’s the name of your game, then the Fall River or Crooked River should be your fishing destination this month.