Cruising through the summer

The fishing traffic has slowed down to a trickle of people through the shop, probably in part due to the Hoot Owl restrictions placed on the majority of the waters that we access from Maupin. Should you go below Sherar's Falls to fish, which includes all of the water on the lower dirt access road from Buck Hollow to Beavertail to Mack's Canyon and on down to the Mouth, you will have to limit your fishing from dawn 'til 2:00 PM. The fishing has been excellent in the mornings and fairly good through the midday. The caddis are on the menu from the time the light dawns on the canyon until about 11:00. In the mid-day you will find the most active trout tucked under the overhanging trees slurping on dead caddis, live caddis, aquatic moths, craneflies, and whatever else happens their way. If you can't find any shady trees, then go deep - using tungsten bead heads. Either dedicate your late afternoon to a dry-dropper rig, or get down and dirty with tungsten beadhead nymphs. 

The best plan of attack for fishing in the summer months is to get up and get out there at the crack of dawn. The early mornings have the coolest water temperatures and the most active trout. We simply shift most of our trips to start a few hours earlier than normal and to finish a few hours earlier than normal - this gives everyone a better experience on the river. We get a solid morning of dry fly fishing in, and then we finish off the day with some subsurface techniques. By the time the hottest weather rolls in, we are done fishing and ready for some shade and a lemonade. 

Enjoy your July! 

Tight lines from the crew at Deschutes Angler Fly Shop