Winter trouting - McKenzie or Deschutes?

[GungasUncle]

Pretty much sums it up Ifisherman. I did use this rod on the trip I took to the Deschutes back in October, and it worked really well as a nymph rod. I wish I'd gotten some fish with it - but the only fish landed of the day was a white fish caught with my single hand 6 wt.

The thing I really like about the SR is getting longer roll casts out with multiple fly rigs, and indicator/shot/nymph rigs. That's how I was fishing mostly on the little jaunt I took down to the McKenzie last week. I was fishing 2-3 nymphs with lead under an indicator, or swinging a #4 woolly bugger to see if there was anything that wanted a real meal. It was easier for me to cast that setup with two hands, than trying to power it out with 1 hand. I get fewer tangles roll casting than fishing overhand casts, which is nice considering the 2-3 fly rigs I normally fish with.

 

[GungasUncle]

hey man it's a joke, a funny one at that LOL. on the other hand, the crooked is amazing if you have never fished there...awesome fish.they fight hard too, even the small ones. plus whitefish too. it's a nice wide and flat river and is just perfect. good place to use spey rods and all that cause you have so much room. fish are not very picky either.

It might've been a joke, but the humor was gone after the first use. I got his opinion of that setup in his first comment, the repetitive pokes were just lame, and landed FB on my ignore list.

 

[FlyBum]

G well U land on my never-will-fish-with list or give helpful advice to list, not to mention D-bag list

 

[john montana]

Witty banter on this thread aside (geez...have the shack nasties set in or what?) I am in the same boat right now mark. I have two day to fish this weekend, but am having trouble getting jazzed about steelhead or trout. I do love the d but it can be really slow in the winter. Might have to bite the bullet and head to the crooked this weekend. LNG drive, but a fun river and I can fish my cane stuff over there. Never fished the fall...

Question, is the middle d fishable right now?

 

[GungasUncle]

Middle D is closed right now. It's closed from the northern most part of the Warm Springs res upstream. I was kinda bummed myself about that (I had thought the whole river was open year round, and was wanting a shot at some brownies). Honestly, I'll probably have to save a Crooked trip until after new years - the extra $40 in gas from say, the Mac to the Crooked would be better spent on X-mas gifts for my wife & kid. I'm probably going to hit the McKenzie around Armitage on Thursday - unless I come up with a better plan. Going to take the 2 weight, and still deciding between the 6 and 8 weights, since it's primarily a trout trip...

 

[brandon4455]

we will be hitting up armitage as well but we are going on saturday, planning on hitting a lot of the parks/boat ramps.

 

[steelhead_slayer]

I always thought the middle d was above LBC, and it is open

 

[FlyBum]

I always thought the middle d was above LBC, and it is open

It is! Someone doesn't really know where the Middle D really is. There was a stock flow this week and I'm sad I had to miss fishing it. It will be over by the weekend and return to it's normal winter level. There are still chances at some good fish out there regardless of water level. You just will have a really tough time wading with out drowning.

 

[steelhead_slayer]

i've been fishing it a little. i always try to get out when they happen

 

[john montana]

I fished the middle d once (around the crooked river ranch if my memory serves) and thought it was a cool place. My tentative plan right now is to drive to the crooked and fish Saturday, stay the night in madras or prineville and likely hit the d around maupin on Sunday. Maybe the middle d if I jog my memory enough. Ahold be nice to get out! If anyone sees me, say hello...I drive a red 4 door jeep wrangler.