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Thread: Deschutes Summer Runs

  1. #1
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    Default Deschutes Summer Runs

    Been reading about the Deschutes, watched Todd Moen's Desert Dries video and has me pretty interested in driving up there in the fall, pandemic permitting. This past fall was my first time fishing for summer runs on the Klamath and am pretty hooked. Not looking for any secrets of course but if anyone has experience up there, wondering how October usually is, and what the national forest section is like fishing wise; would prefer it for remoteness and ability to disperse camp out of my truck. Or maybe better to stick to lower river? Saw a section of the river up high in Maupin that looked absolutely beautiful but wondering how the fishing is up there. Thanks,
    Joel

  2. #2
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    Contact the Deschutes Angler fly shop in Maupin for info.

    https://www.deschutesangler.com/




    "Desert Dries" - Steelhead on the Deschutes river - Todd Moen

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uht997Ccw_M


    Two-hand / Spey rods are perfect of the Deschutes river.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  3. #3
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    Fishing can be very good but isn’t honestly all that much different than what you find on the Klamath from what I hear. Maybe a few more adult fish but still heaps of halfies. I have a friend in PDX and this trip is on our to do list for this fall perhaps. Sort of depends if my trip to Fernie goes off or not.

  4. #4
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    Mar 2007
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    Somersett Reno, NV
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    [QUOTE=Bill Kiene semi-retired;196718]Contact the Deschutes Angler fly shop in Maupin for info.





    Second Bill's recommendation.....even if you do not go with a guide, they are THE go to shop...

    Jim

  5. #5
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    Jul 2015
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    Idaho Falls, Id
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    Back in the eighties I made several runs up to the Maupin area with a small TT. Took a gravel road down the east side of the river to a campground which at the time was pretty much the end of a very rough gravel road. Google Earth has it labeled as a BLM Access road now. One trip was in mid September and very Hot. After that we went in late October. Caught more resident trout then anything else but did manage a few Steelhead.

    My relocation to Idaho put a hold on the Deschutes for years. But I did get back over in 2013-16 and stayed down around the mouth. Mostly it was a stop on my fall trip to fish the Klamath and Rogue. I liked fishing the area down low much better. Seemed to have better fishing but more company too. I’m sure there’s guys on this forum that know more about the river then me but I was told that a fair share of the steelhead headed on up to Idaho will stage for a time in the lower Deschutes before heading on up.

    For me the lower river was much more enjoyable. Once I discovered Spey rods it was really nice. I don’t go there now as I’ve given up on Steelheading altogether. I’m to old to wade around big rocks and numbers are so low anymore. And besides, by the time the fish are there I’m down in South Texas chasing Reds and Speckled Trout!

  6. #6
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    The lower Rogue river has lots of Half-pounders in August/Sept but they don't always get up to the Middle Rogue river.

    The Middle Rogue river has mostly adult Summer runs (4-12#?) that come in the lower river in the summer.

    By the Fall these adults have worked their way up to the Middle Rogue river. Sept/Oct/Nov is the window.


    A customer went to the Middle Rogue river once on a year where they unusually did get more Half-pounders.

    He returned to report he was not going back the the Middle Rogue river because it just had Half-pounders.


    My info on the Rogue river mostly comes from Gary Anderson and Al Perryman who have lived on the river for decades.

    _________________________________________

    The Klamath river has lots of Half-pounders that run up to the upper reaches.

    Sept/Oct/Nov is the timing for the Klamath river with fish over 5 pounds being a gift from God.

    __________________________________________

    The Deschutes river has lots of adult Steelhead from about 4 to 12# with 6# fish being common.

    Sept/Oct/Nov is the timing for the Deschutes Steelhead.

    The Deschutes river has a big population of Rainbow trout too. Salmon fly hatch is around early June. Caddis in the summer.

    ____________________________

    The lower Rogue river and the entire Klamath river are famous for Half-pounders.

    Long Fall rivers like the Trinity, Rogue, Umpqua, Deschutes and John Day are noted to have more adult Steelhead.

    ______________________________

    These are not scientific facts but how I feel about these rivers having fished them all some but I ahve talked to hundreds of others

    about them for over 50 years.

    _______________________________

    On average October is my favorite month for Fall Steelhead.....not too hot and not too cold.


    Like many of my Steelhead mentors I fish a floating line, tapered leader the length of my rod to about 0x tipper and a #6 dark classic

    winged steelhead pattern........barbless, naturally.


    In September it is important to get on the water at "dark-thirty" with shade being your friend.

    Step down with every cast unless you are getting tugs, hooking fish or seeing fish roll.

    At the end of that run get out and go through it again.


    If you get a tug and no hook up, stop, walk back upstream about 20 feet, put on a slight smaller fly that is lighter or darker than the

    one you had on. Start back down to that fish and hang on?


    If a fish rolls above you wade to the bank and go up above that fish ~50 feet and start fishing again.

    __________________________________

    I once (20 yrs) fished the Deschutes river with one of the top veteran (35 yrs) fly fishing guides.


    He liked a 10' #6 rod in the mornings. On the windy afternoons he liked a 9' #7 rod.


    He used a weight forward floating line, medium length leader and his own dark flashy fly.

    Gold EC1197G #6 hook, wing of flashabou in gold, silver and purple.


    The first cast, across and down, was just a dead swing, no mending, second cast was with a twitch of the rod.

    _______________________________

    Did a float trip on the Rogue river from below Maupin to the mouth ~25 years ago?

    One of our guides there like a floating like with a #6 Silver Hilton.

    He would come behind me with and skated a dry fly at times.

    _____________________________________

    Check your ferrules, look for wind knots, check your hook point if using a sinking tip and retie you fly ever 30 minutes or so?


    If you hire a guide do it his way at first to show respect for his knowledge.


    If you want to catch some large fresh adult Steelhead you need to just go more.

    Fall Half-pounder steelhead are for everyone, but adult wild winter run steelhead are for the young and the tough.

    ______________________________

    I ask a lot of question to people who fish and especially guides and local experts.

    As soon as you quit asking questions you are finished learning.


    From time to time work on your casting.....


    For beginners: find someone in a fly fishing shop who seems interested in you and your fishing experience.

    That person can have a huge impact on your fishing.


    Andy Guibord has probably influenced more people than most.


    Joe Shirshac (9, retired Sacramento city fire fighter, changed more people's lives than any one but Lefty Kreh.

    Joe took groups of retired anglers all over the World on extremely affordable trips.

    Joe took hundreds to Alaska, New Zealand, Christmas Island, Labrador, and Nova Scotia.....
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    shasta
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    72

    Default Deschutes Summer Runs

    So I've fished both the Klamath and Deschutes. The lower Klamath adults are similar to but on average definitely smaller than Deschutes summers. Middle Klamath fish can't hold a candle to those in the Deschutes. I've only fished it in August with mostly B run fish (smaller) than the later A run fish that are bigger on average. Deschutes fish, at least the ones I've encountered in August, are awesome. Dry lines in the shade, tips in the sun. I've caught plenty of trout in the Deschutes in the lower 40 miles but never a fish I'd call a 1/2 lbr.

    I've only experienced the lower river pursuing steel. There is a lot of road between Maupin and Macks with many classic steelhead runs and numerous camps. You can camp at the mouth too and walk up. The lower river is a no stop the boat zone so only walk wade angling, super classic runs, many anglers.

    The Deschutes fish numbers have gone south the last couple years, enough so I bagged last year's trip.

    Andy

  8. #8
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    Aug 2019
    Location
    Guerneville
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    Thank you guys great info. Dont know if ill be able to make it up there this fall or not when i go to the klamath but its definitely on the list. Will spend more time skating dries this time as it seems like its well worth the time and patience. To be honest, ive had some reservations about going up to oregon for my steelheAd trips not just due to the license costs and gas money, as my dad and his friends had some less than pleasant encounters with locals back in the 70s, involving slashed tires, when they fished the umpqua and rogue rivers due to their california license plates. From what ive heard though its better now though.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy View Post
    So I've fished both the Klamath and Deschutes. The lower Klamath adults are similar to but on average definitely smaller than Deschutes summers. Middle Klamath fish can't hold a candle to those in the Deschutes. I've only fished it in August with mostly B run fish (smaller) than the later A run fish that are bigger on average. Deschutes fish, at least the ones I've encountered in August, are awesome. Dry lines in the shade, tips in the sun. I've caught plenty of trout in the Deschutes in the lower 40 miles but never a fish I'd call a 1/2 lbr.

    I've only experienced the lower river pursuing steel. There is a lot of road between Maupin and Macks with many classic steelhead runs and numerous camps. You can camp at the mouth too and walk up. The lower river is a no stop the boat zone so only walk wade angling, super classic runs, many anglers.

    The Deschutes fish numbers have gone south the last couple years, enough so I bagged last year's trip.

    Andy
    Thanks Andy for the great information.....
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    North Valley
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    243

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    Hi Jcolin,

    Adding to Andy's great info - There should be fish spread from top to bottom in October so you would have lots of options for setting up shop. That said, arguably most of the fish are going to be from Maupin down to the mouth for a couple reasons: 1) the fish are not in any real hurry to get upstream because they are still several months away from spawning and 2) there are stray fish from other rivers that routinely poke into the lower Deschutes.

    You can access a ton of water from Maupin down to Macks Canyon by road. Its paved for a ways below Maupin but then pretty quickly turns into 25 miles of washboard gravel misery but is worth it. Several campgrounds along the way. You wont be alone. A little raft or inflatable kayak would open up the other side of the river. Just be very careful. The D is a beast of a river.

    I would highly encourage making a trip. The Deschutes is a summer-run classic. I caught my first steelhead on the fly there. On a "Macks Canyon" down in Macks Canyon. The fish eat swung flies great and they really rip!

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    Church of Wild Steelhead!

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