July Deschutes steelhead

[DirectDrive]

Trump will build a chain of amphitheaters....
They will all be named Great American Amphitheater.
They will be run by OCD Amphitheater Management.
'merica will be great again.

 

[ChezJfrey]

...and i was planning on that as well as doing some hiking.

Been thinking a bit more about what I did my one trip out there and offer some additional thoughts. If you do some hiking up river, you can usually get above most other anglers and find much open and likely water. I walked for maybe 45 mins. on the West side and found some great spots. However, before I went, I spoke to some people that have fished the D and here are some tidbits:

There can be some rattlesnakes and given there are some stretches with tall grass, walk with a heavy foot so the snakes know you're coming and will be prone to slither away and hide before you get to them; a startled snake is probably very bad for your health.

There can be lots of ticks. I wore a pair of synthetic running tights under a pair of cargo shorts, tucked into long socks and a long-sleeve synthetic running shirt, tucked in to the waist band. This attire was meant to keep the ticks off.

Wear some light shoes you don't mind waterlogged and just wet-wade. The rock structures can be sharp and slippery, much different than the freestone rivers I'm used to, so just be prepared for vastly different footing.

Bring water. It gets really hot.

Fish early a.m. if possible because the water can warm up considerably and the cooler water in the a.m. might mean a better bite.

 

[Stumpy]

Most of the above posts (at least about the river) are right-on. I would add three suggestions: 1) head up either side of the river well before daylight--that way you'll be at a run during the "golden hour"; 2) keep your eyes open and ears tuned in for the sight and sound of rattlesnakes; 3) bring earplugs for the abundance of train whistles at all hours of the day and night.
Good luck; have fun.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Oh, and another thing. Bring blue-body spinners with chrome blades!

Most of us know I'm a spoon guy...catch a majority of my steelhead on 'em. I thought, "Heck, I'll just toss a copper, or maybe even a blue/chrome spoon and it'll be money." Nope.

I tried spoons in my first couple runs, with no result. Tried a fly, too. "Fine," I think, I'll re-run the same holes with that stupid spinner. First couple casts with a blue/chrome Blue Fox, boom! Fish on. Then another. <sigh> Sometimes the 'common wisdom/fisherpeople superstition' is actually accurate and works, LOL

Not to say, other methods don't or can't work, but the blue spinner does have its merits on the Deschutes for sure

 

[hobster]

Thanks Chez, and everyone else! I will strictly be tossing hardware, i've finally had some luck hooking steelhead with spinners in the last 2 years. I'm stoked, appreciate everyones input :thumb: Hopefully i will have something good to report.

 

[DirectDrive]

Thanks Chez, and everyone else! I will strictly be tossing hardware, i've finally had some luck hooking steelhead with spinners in the last 2 years. I'm stoked, appreciate everyones input :thumb: Hopefully i will have something good to report.

And keep moving !
Also on your way up stop in Monmouth at the Fisherman's Shack and pick up some components to make up some #4 Frenchies.
The proprietor, Don Greene is a very cool guy and one the Last or the Mohicans.

I find Taco Bells* (Blue Fox) to be too light to get it done in some runs.
Swing 'em like flies....you are in essence, swinging a metal fly.
And keep stepping down.

*Taco
Note the Blue Fox bell body.
Now note the corporate Taco Bell symbol.

Tacoman
One who swings Blue Foxes

 

[ChezJfrey]

And keep moving !
Also on your way up stop in Monmouth at the Fisherman's Shack and pick up some components to make up some #4 Frenchies.
The proprietor, Don Greene is a very cool guy and one the Last or the Mohicans.

I find Taco Bells* (Blue Fox) to be too light to get it done in some runs.
Swing 'em like flies....you are in essence, swing a metal fly.
And keep stepping down.

*Taco
Note the Blue Fox bell body.
Now note the corporate Taco Bell symbol.

Tacoman
One who swings Blue Foxes

Yeah, they can be a little difficult to get down, but with braid and its slimmer diameter, a cast far enough upstream and slack while waiting for it to sink can usually get the job done. Once it's down, just a tiny bit of tension and intermittent slack as it starts its drift down stream, and some back-pedaling downstream once it starts to swing and tries to lift itself upward can negate much of the Blue Fox lightness/tendency to lift. In fact, the first steelhead I hooked was while backward reeling a Blue Fox down river, in order to keep it down.

Of course how far to cast upstream and how long to wait for sink gets a little tricky...takes practice. Trial/error and accumulated experience gives one the proper intuition over time; one gets better over time and will stop losing as much gear. But, the early days of learning can be tough on the wallet

 

[Socaaron]

Well, there's the Vantucky Amphitheater and then there's the Gorge Amphitheater.
Everyone wants their own amphitheater.

One more nugget on Deschutes Park (the campground)....
Shade is very important for a comfortable stay in July or August.
Roll the dice on your first trip but bring a pop-up shelter (or similar).
Once there, grab a site map and cruise around at mid-day and mark the shady sites
for your next campsite reservation.

You can go online to Reserve America and grab your sites.

Reserve EARLY if you know your dates, it fills up FAST. We generally go the 2nd week of September and it books out by march/april.

 

[Snopro]

The op question looks to be well covered. On to the hijack.

On more then one occasion I've had tourists ask me for directions to the Gorge Amphitheater. They are always dissapointed to learn their soon to start concert......is located 3.5 hours from Hood River. The name confuses people.

 

[DirectDrive]

Copyright infringement.
I would sue.

 

[Aervax]

Your timing is perfect. There are always a few fish at the mouth there. The run occassionally arrives early, so with some luck you could get into a bunch. Benefit to going then is the hoardes of anglers arrive in August. I live very close to the Deschutes. At the mouth there are runs already described earlier, but of course there are sweet spots within those runs. You will learn those quickly because anglers stay in them for long periods.

Honestly the best spot that time of year is the island next to the campground. Fish the east side towar the top end with spinners. The west side bottom end can be good too. They do not limit boat permits for that little run over to the island. The reserved permits are for drifting the river on multi day floats.

Water temp can be an obstacle in July. It can get over 70 F there at the mouth which causee some degree of lockjaw. Most of us stop fishing by lunchtime then to reduce stress related fish mortality.

Full disclosure, I am much better at catching wild redside trout on othe D than Steel. I would be glad to show you upstream water to catch a few trout with small spinners, or potentially quite a few if you bring a fly rod. Send a private message if that is of interest, and we can coordinate.

 

[Paul Smith]

They should be there; we typically start going mid July - November, make 6-12 trips a year over.

 

[Willerman]

And keep moving !
Also on your way up stop in Monmouth at the Fisherman's Shack and pick up some components to make up some #4 Frenchies.
The proprietor, Don Greene is a very cool guy and one the Last or the Mohicans.

I find Taco Bells* (Blue Fox) to be too light to get it done in some runs.
Swing 'em like flies....you are in essence, swinging a metal fly.
And keep stepping down.

*Taco
Note the Blue Fox bell body.
Now note the corporate Taco Bell symbol.

Tacoman
One who swings Blue Foxes

I will be making quite a few trips over to the mouth of the Deschutes this summer as well, I'm very excited!

But this Fisherman's Shack... Is this a mythical place? I have lived in the Monmouth/Corvallis area for 6+ years and have yet to see it. I'll admit I haven't been looking too hard, but every time I pass that intersection I take a peek, and can't seem to find it. Is it the shop looking building that isn't marked on the intersection? Thanks in advance.

 

[DirectDrive]

I will be making quite a few trips over to the mouth of the Deschutes this summer as well, I'm very excited!

But this Fisherman's Shack... Is this a mythical place? I have lived in the Monmouth/Corvallis area for 6+ years and have yet to see it. I'll admit I haven't been looking too hard, but every time I pass that intersection I take a peek, and can't seem to find it. Is it the shop looking building that isn't marked on the intersection? Thanks in advance.

It's on the northwest corner of that intersection.
It's an old building built by early settlers.
You might see some irrigation pipe outside.

 

[Willerman]

It's on the northwest corner of that intersection.
It's an old building built by early settlers.
You might see some irrigation pipe outside.

This one?
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.744...4!1sQ4MTfMYdcIyqBHJJ1JQrHQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[hobster]

Your timing is perfect. There are always a few fish at the mouth there. The run occassionally arrives early, so with some luck you could get into a bunch. Benefit to going then is the hoardes of anglers arrive in August. I live very close to the Deschutes. At the mouth there are runs already described earlier, but of course there are sweet spots within those runs. You will learn those quickly because anglers stay in them for long periods.

Honestly the best spot that time of year is the island next to the campground. Fish the east side towar the top end with spinners. The west side bottom end can be good too. They do not limit boat permits for that little run over to the island. The reserved permits are for drifting the river on multi day floats.

Water temp can be an obstacle in July. It can get over 70 F there at the mouth which causee some degree of lockjaw. Most of us stop fishing by lunchtime then to reduce stress related fish mortality.

Full disclosure, I am much better at catching wild redside trout on othe D than Steel. I would be glad to show you upstream water to catch a few trout with small spinners, or potentially quite a few if you bring a fly rod. Send a private message if that is of interest, and we can coordinate.

Thanks for the offer! I will keep that in mind, i plan on fishing early for sure. The island is looking better and better, and convenient I love hiking adventures though. Looking forward to it!

 

[DirectDrive]

This one?
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.744...4!1sQ4MTfMYdcIyqBHJJ1JQrHQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

That's it.

 

[Jordy]

Call me a taco-man then! I put together a handful of double-digit days last summer on the D when the water was higher/dirtier than i like but heavier spinners didn't get it done.

Go prepared. I dont like spending the money on commercially built tackle when local goods are availabe and cheaper but blue fox could be responsible for spinner steelhead number one thousand on my log in the coming months, many of which came on the "taco bell"...

Shout out to Rob Brown (R&B). Most of my 2008-2012 fish came on his components. I'm glad his business is booming again and he has the support to get his gear out to the masses.

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