FISHING REPORTS
STEELHEAD | TROUT | SMALLMOUTH BASS
Our goal here is to give you active, current, and honest on the water video fishing reports. You will see live what is happening. There won’t be any archives or two year old reports here, just live action!
YEAR END UPDATE | Dec, 16th, 2025
A BIG THANK YOU!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!...
LAST Deschutes Fish of the year!
LAST John Day Fish of the year!
To everyone who fished with me in 2025, it was an unforgettable year. In fact, by the numbers it was the best year of steelhead fishing in at least a decade. The year over year support from you allows me to live this incredible life. 2026 will be my 17th year as a registered guide in Oregon, It’s hard to believe, you made that happen, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
QUICK SANDY REPORT!
I actually went fishing yesterday, even caught a steelhead. I’m predicting a nice wet, warm winter. Steelhead fishing was exceptionally good last summer and fall and I expect it to continue through the winter. If you would like to get out with me this winter please shoot me a text or email.
THE WRAP UP!
What a year to be a steelhead angler! We started chasing summer steelhead on the Deschutes July 7th and pretty much caught them every day. Moved over to the John Day November 3rd and again, caught ‘em every day.
The 2025 return over Bonneville Dam was 156,581, significantly down from prior year. You wouldn’t know that by the catch rates we had this summer and fall. A-Run fish (July-August returns), were off the charts. One explanation for the much better fishing was that so many early fish showed above The Dalles dam prior to a thermal block but that didn’t actually happen, an overwhelming number of steelhead remained below The Dalles until after Labor Day.
We had seasonably cool weather and decent water temps in 2025, and many fish turned right and swam up the Deschutes for several weeks. These fish are strays or “dip-ins”. The strays stay in the Deschutes until something changes like water flow or a massive drop in water temperatures…that did not happen this year.
My last Day on the Deschutes River was November 2nd and we landed 9 steelhead. I started my John Day River season on the 3rd of November and did not regret it for a minute, my last day there was December 1st.
I will be setting my 2026 schedule in the next few weeks. Sadly I do not have enough dates for all of the people looking for trips, I apologize for that, I’ll do the best job I can.
IN THE MEANTIME!
I need some eager anglers for this winter on the Sandy and I need eager anglers for trout fishing this spring.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Sam Sickles
541-400-0855
Steelhead Outfitters
Can you see it? Better have some shades on!
FALL UPDATE | October 20th, 2025
A QUICK DESCHUTES REPORT.
This is my first day off in a long, long time...
Look at this TOAD! What a beautiful summer steelhead and that hat “ain’t bad either”!
In short this has been the best year of steelhead fishing on the Deschutes in at least ten years!
It has slowed, but not really. There are still fish all around. Tactics have to change, meaning you can’t go to the same spots over and over again and expect to get em, I’m guilty of this.
Some large even extra large fish are swimming around, we got spooled yesterday and Brad Staples was spooled a couple days before.
Although I am leaving the Deschutes In November, I may return here and there to check in on a few spots. You should continue to fish the Deschutes with confidence through the Turkey Holiday or come fish the John Day with me.
Sales Pitch
I’ve got some open Dates in November for the John Day/Klickitat/Deschutes.
My priority is to fish the John Day but on windy days, or after a big rain pivoting to another location is the move. I charge $750 a day for two anglers and we fish dark to dark. These are long days but we are often rewarded the the last real steelhead remaining in the mid Columbia.
The JDR is special and so are its fish. Come join me for a day, I bring hot chili in a thermos, maybe we won’t froze our asses off;)
Text me if you’re interested.
Sam Sickles
541-400-0855
Steelhead Outfitters
SUMMER UPDATE | July 25th, 2025
SUMMER NEWSLETTER REPORT: DESCHUTES UPDATE!
This season started off with a lot of anxiety for us (Deschutes steelhead guides).
OUR 2025 SUMMER STEELHEAD FISHING HAS BEEN GOOD!
This season started off with a lot of anxiety for us (Deschutes steelhead guides). ODFW forecast the worst return of summer steelhead up the Columbia/Snake in recorded history. Of course we all prepared ourselves for closures, etc.
Fast forward 25 days, we have exceeded the 9,900 wild fish required to remain open beyond August 15th and I believe in another couple days we will have exceeded the 23,100 required by the end of August (as of yesterday we have 19,348).
We will remain open this season for sure, fishing has been really good, some days better than others of course but it’s been fun.
I was completely booked until November 17th but some days opened up this week. I have a camp opportunity August 13,14,15, my client has some medical issues that won’t allow him to attend. I have one person taking a spot, I need at least one more and could take two more if you prefer. This is the most popular trip I run, it’s two nights, two mornings and one uninterrupted day. Price is $1800 for one or $3000 for two. I make pretty good food and the camp is top notch. Let me know if you’d like to join me.
I have a couple day trips open, September 3rd, October 28 & 29.
This is shaping up to be the best steelhead fishing we’ve had in a long time and I look forward to seeing the many of you that booked through the summer and fall.
Sam Sickles
541-400-0855
Steelhead Outfitters
STUNNING STEELHEAD!
Just a few sweet shots of our successful summer so far!
Give me a call to book your adventure.
What a sweet, THICK, summer steelhead!
SPRING UPDATE | June 14th, 2025
SPRING REPORT
Hopper dropper fishing was as good as it could be!
GORGEOUS RAINBOW FROM SPRING 2025!
Trout fishing this spring has been pretty good. Due to good weather and stable stream flows we were able to fish every day on the schedule except the last one due to a wildfire. The fish were eating Golden Stones the first week in May which means they came off on time end of April. Dry fly fishing remained good until around memorial weekend. Record crowds showed up to float the lower lower for the Holiday, fishing turned down a couple notches for a week maybe ten days. Keep in mind my definition of a good day is 20 eats or better. Slow days are days when we pick them off one at a time, or step into to many spots with no fish to hands. This is a common condition post “stonefly hatch”, this year was no exception.
Fishing remains strong on the Deschutes until the summer heat kicks in and even then mornings and evenings can still be very production fishing caddis flies or small attractor patterns. Fun fact, the Lower Lower Deschutes trout, unmolested will eat dry flies at all times in the right conditions. I often fish a size 16 purple chubby Chernobyl or a 12-14 royal wolf in full sun and catch fish.
Hopper dropper fishing was just about as productive as it could be. I started fishing the McKenzie rig, courtesy of my buddy Ethan Nickel, a couple years ago and it’s the best. 2’ 20# maxima to a large tippet ring. Dropper rig to the tippet ring, I like 5X fluorocarbon to a size 16 anything with an oversized tungsten bead. The chubby should be soaked and cured in flyagra or your best floatant. Secure the chubby on a short leash to the 20# above the tippet ring. Ethan ties a loop and goes around the 20, I prefer a clinch knot, use 6# maxima or 0x. Of course when they start taking the dry over the dropper switch to a tapered leader and dry fly only. I prefer an 9’ leader 4x. I cut the fat end of the leader down to 5 or 6’. You could run a dropper off the shank if you like but you will catch 100% of your fish on dry flies if there is no dropper…pro tip 😉
We caught a lot of nice fish this year and had a lot of fun. I really appreciate everyone coming out and fishing the lower lower with me this year, truly the least crowded trout water on the Deschutes.
See you in July for the ones we hold with two hands!
Steelhead Outfitters
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW!
The fish were eating Golden Stones the first week in May which means they came off on time end of April.!
Give me a call to book your adventure.
Sam, making sure clients gear is rigged right! A major key to success!
WINTER STEELHEAD UPDATE | March 22nd, 2025
WINTER CLOSING REPORT "ALMOST"
"Choosing a swung fly for winter steelhead is courageous!"
GORGEOUS WINTER STEELHEAD FROM 2025!
Although we had great conditions, returns seemed low.
The current steelhead appetite for two handed anglers is high! Five weeks, 20 dates, we hooked 13, landed 9…comparatively, that would be a good day for a gear guide…“Choosing the swung fly for winter steelhead is courageous!”
Anglers had great conditions the last month and a half. Outcomes often didn’t meet expectations and it was busier this year with guide boats. That said two handed anglers continue to enthusiastically pursue these great fish.
Until this week we (Sandy River Guides) averaged one fish per four to five trips, just enough to believe in them. Winter Steelhead are special, they are resilient and they are hard to find…I appreciate every one of them as well as those who pursue them. Thank you to all the participants!
Tight lines!
Steelhead Outfitters
Beautiful winter steelhead from the Sandy River!
A few sweet shots from this winter steelhead campaign! The only thing that would make these pictures better…is if you were in one!
Give me a call to book your adventure.
DESCHUTES UPDATE | November 18th, 2024
DESCHUTES CLOSING REPORT
2024 was an intersting year on the Deschutes.
DANDY DESCHUTES STEELHEAD FROM 2024!
On one hand we had the best return over Bonneville since 2015, on the other hand, until well into September we had the worst return over The Dalles Dam in many years, far below the ten year average. The biggest change was the return of humans to the Deschutes. The human return was the best in at lease a decade. In a nutshell it was really busy and there weren’t many fish around until the middle of September.
Probably the most commonly asked question I get asked is “what’s the best time to come fish the Deschutes for Steelhead”? My answer is always the same, “July through November”. I’m well into my second decade of guiding the Deschutes and I can unequivocally claim the best month to fish the Deschutes depends on many factors and therefore does not exist. My favorite times to fish are when there are the fewest fish around, early July and Late October. When there are just a few or even no people around you can have one hell of a day.
This year, 2024, easily the best fishing was in October. The Deschutes was packed full of large two and three salt Steelhead that will eventually end up in Idaho. I bounce around a bit between rivers the last week of October (Deschutes, Klickitat, John Day). This year October 31, Halloween, it hung around as an open date way into the late summer, it was like a blackout day no one would take. Long story short Halloween got booked, I took some folks who were not new to the Deschutes but they hadn’t really been back since the big crash in 2016…and what a day we had.
That’s a wrap of the 2024 Deschutes River Steelhead Season!
It’s fitting that on my last trip to the Deschutes she gives me a day that makes me question my departure. The river stayed warmer longer this fall, low sun angles of late October, and rested steelhead provide the ultimate floating line opportunities for Steelhead. It was really hard to find a spot we couldn’t catch a steelhead, it really was but I did it finally. On the last day of the season for me I finally saw a double digit day and a fish that measured 39”. We also watched a fish completely breach on a skater mid day, it was truly a magical day.
The final run we fished just happened to be in my favorite spot and the perfect ending was a walkoff hen that tore the place up, very appropriate end to a great season.
I love the Deschutes, it is the best place on earth and I can’t wait to do it all over again next year.
Steelhead Outfitters
JOHN DAY UPDATE | September 5th, 2024
NOVEMBER STEELHEAD 24'
Fall Steelhead - Dry Lines & Sink Tips!
JOHN DAY STEELHEAD SEASON 2024!
This is just a quick reminder:
The John Day River is open again this year. That means I’ll be guiding the JDR, Klickitat or Deschutes, depending on what you want to do. We are having a better than average return this year and I expect both the John Day and the Klickitat to fish well this November. I am booked on the Deschutes through October.
I will fish the JDR, Klickitat or the Deschutes in November. Price is the same, $750 one or two anglers and I do lunch. If your first choice is the JDR please let me know as boater passes are limited. If I determine the JDR is too windy we will go to the Klickitat or the Deschutes; no cancellations, payment in full upon booking.
I am super busy right now on the Deschutes, if you’d like a report text me or check my website. If you want a fall date, text me @ 541-400-0855.
Steelhead Outfitters
A beautiful John Day River Steelhead couldn’t resist the swung fly. Added bonus, not another soul around!