FISHING: Good Lower Deschutes: Spring time Nymphing! Until the Salmon flies and Stones hatch, subsurface will provide the bulk of the action. The big stone nymphs will start gettting active and crawling towards the banks in preparation to crawl out and hatch. Having a big ugly fly (kaufmans's stone, girdle bug or the like) followed with a pheasant tail, copper John or other smaller mayfly nymph is a go to rig. Most of the standards (princes, serendipities, brassies, hares ears, etc) will find fish as well. Concentrate on riffles and rock gardens.
March Browns, Blue Wing Olives, and midges, if they come off, can provide some unexpected and fun mid day dry fly action. It is very inconsistent and day to day though. If you start seeing some mayflies on the water, start scoping flats below riffles and in the eddies. These spring time mayfly hatches don't always last long so take advantage of them while you can. A parachute adams with a pheasant tail drop is a great way to cover it.
The big bugs ( adult salmon flies and golden stones) should be out middle/end of May into June (depending on the section of river). The hatch will move up river, Maupin will see adults before Warm Springs. Then bust out the big DRIES! Dates are filling up fast and if you want in on the action, call ASAP. Big dries and big takes, what could be better?
PLEASE REMEMBER! the Deschutes trout (redsides) will be spawning spring into early summer. These are a very special wild fish and deserve your respect! DO NOT FISH SPAWNERS! If you see a bunch of fish in skinny water on small rocks, paired up and dark...they are spawners. Spawning beds (redds) can typically be found in tailouts, and around islands. Please don't wade through these (your are stomping our future into oblivion), don't anchor on or fish for these guys. Please don't fall to the temptation of "all those fish". If it looks to good to be true ie; a lot of fish in shallow water that aren't real spooky there is a reason..they have other things on their mind. Let'em get after it. Thanks!
FISHING: Poor
Winter Steelhead / North Umpqua: Pretty much wrapped up. Winter fish should be on the beds, done spawning and trying to head down, or at best on their way to the beds. Better to let them be and wait for the summers.
FISHING: Good
The Siletz is 5.0 ft and was on a slow drop. Always tough to predict winter steelhead rivers, if it's in, go fish it. Better to make the report than chase reports. This river will fish into April.
