Deschutes help!

J
Jodin
In the middle of July (13 - 16) I will be going with a friend to fish on the Deschutes. The idea is to fish for trout, however we are both setup for steelhead. We both have waders, and we are both active duty military. He prefers spin fishing, I prefer fly fishing.

I am looking for a good area of water to explore that will be good for both spinning and fly fishing, good for long stretches of wading, and hopefully close to an area with free camping (or perhaps a military discount).

Should I go for the upper or lower Deschutes? Any particular stretch of river, or campground? Any other suggestions? Hints on hatches, lure colors, etc?

Thanks very much!
 
Irishrover
Irishrover
For the lower Deschutes you best bet is the Maupin area. All the campgrounds are Bureau of Land Management run so they charge a minimal fee. No break for active duty or vets. That area is bound to have a ton of rafters. The upper Deschutes "Little Lava Lake to Crare Paririe is a good bet for that time of year. Mostly forest service camp grounds, some free camping around Crane Pariie. Hope that helps some.
 
G
geoduck
steelheading on the Deschutes in July

steelheading on the Deschutes in July

The lower Deschutes is the only place on the river that will have steelhead in Mid July. You should check with the Deschutes Angler fly shop in Maupin for current reports. This early in the summer the runs may have reached Maupin but I'd guess more likely closer to Mack's Canyon but even more likely they'll be at the mouth where there is a campground and good trails you can use to hike upriver. As for flies, just about anything with purple, purple perils etc should work.
 
J
Jodin
Thanks very much for the suggestions guys. Prior to reading them I was taking a close look at the area upriver from Maupin - it looks like canyon, sage, big river, fast current, and tough wading. Also tough camping. I am currently leaning towards trying to make way with our adventure in this area. Thanks for the tip with the fly angling shop, I'll probably be calling them tomorrow.

Irish, the area that you suggested between Little Lava Lake and Crane Prairie... it looks interesting and desolate, but I'm concerned that maybe the water will be too small? You think that it would be good for spin fishing as well?

Thanks again guys, any other thoughts that come to mind will be equally appreciated.
 
J
Jodin
Looks like this trip is canceled due to a deployment, however I plan to hit the Deschutes almost immediately upon returning. I'll post a follow up when it's all said and done with.
 
S
steelheadbum
Deschutes Camps

Deschutes Camps

If you're a serious steelhead junkie and want the ultimate fishing experience, consider booking a Deschutes River Camp Trip with Larimer Outfitters. This is sage brush steelheading at it's best! With endless fly water, strong runs of fish, and overwhelming beauty, the lower Deschutes River may be the greatest summer steelhead fishery on the planet.

Deschutes steelhead are amazing fish. Most are the beautiful, sleek, one salt summer steelhead that weigh five to seven pounds. What they lack in size, they make up for in heart. Their size is by design however. Their slender build allows them to ascend even the smallest spawning tributaries. The river see’s its share of eight to twelve pound two salt fish as well. What separates the lower Deschutes from most rivers is the stray steelhead from other Columbia River tributaries. During the mid-summer, the Columbia can reach water temperatures in the low seventies. Fish bound for other rivers will often pull into the lower fifteen miles of the Deschutes to escape the heat. When this happens, the guides at Larimer Outfitters have had days with over 30 fish coming to the fly. It can get crazy! Deschutes steelhead show up in fishable numbers by the 4th of July and continue pouring into the river mouth through November.
SHB
 

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