I KNOW, IT’S JUST BARELY WINTER STEELHEAD SEASON!
May comes pretty fast and it pays to plan ahead. The Salmonfly hatch is the most explosive surface action of the year!
Few things in the Northwest get fly fishermen more excited than the Salmonfly hatch on the Deschutes River in Oregon. The draw is the size of the bugs and the willingness of even the wiliest of fish to crush them on the surface. These bugs pop off about the same time as the golden stones so it’s a big bug smorgasbord. This is easily the best dry fly fishing all year long and my favorite time to be fishing the Deschutes!
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! (click for map)
The multi day trip from Trout Creek to Harpham Flats near Maupin, OR is the best representation of what this event is! For those who haven’t been below Trout Creek, this is a bucket list trip. The fishing is better, the pressure is noticeably lighter, and the camps are fantastic. The float is thirty-five miles through the Wild and Scenic Deschutes River Canyon. There’s only one-way in and it’s downhill in a drift boat or a raft. This section of river is not for inexperienced boat operators. The notorious Whitehorse Rapids is a class III+ and it plays gatekeeper – this is a spot where mistakes can be costly. Along with Whitehorse there are numerous classed rapids including: Trout Creek, Buckskin Mary and Four Chutes. The scenery along the river is simply breathtaking.
THE DETAILS
A guide is not required to have a good time on the lower Deschutes but if you are looking for one, Steelhead Outfitters provides all-inclusive camp trips starting the first week of May and some years we run until July. The Salmonflies and Golden Stones are pretty much done by the end of May but good hatches continue well into June and July.
Guided trips are all inclusive, most trips last three days.
Our camp moves with our “bagger” to ensure we have a prime camp spot. Camp will be set by the time we show up. For those of you who have been to Steelhead Camp, the accommodations are the same; roomy tents with cots and pads, a luxurious dining tent and you will be fed very well, maybe too well!
Pricing is $450 per person, per day.
Steelhead Outfitters
CALL (541) 400-0855
