July Deschutes steelhead

[hobster]

So my family and i are planning a camping trip and will be staying at a campground at the mouth of the D at the Columbia. I have heard the steelhead start coming in the mouth in July but it really starts going in September. Anyway, we will be there in mid July and i was just wondering if any of you had any experience with this area. Will i have much of a chance? I'm sure i will be trying either way being the obsessed steelhead fisherman that i am

 

[jamisonace]

I don't know but I've heard people speak of crawling down cliffs in that area to get to pools loaded with fish. Not sure about the time of year and I don't even know if the stories are true. Might have been for salmon though.....so I guess I should refer you back to the first three words of this post.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Been many years since I've been to that area. From the park on the west side, you can hike/wade quite a way up (unless for some reason the water is high, but the D usually runs fairly evenly in summer). I think you'd have a pretty decent chance. Fish from other rivers often duck up into it (presumably for the cooler water) before moving up the Columbia.

Did I mention I haven't fished there in almost forever? Might have to change that. Fun place to fish.

 

[hobster]

I don't know but I've heard people speak of crawling down cliffs in that area to get to pools loaded with fish. Not sure about the time of year and I don't even know if the stories are true. Might have been for salmon though.....so I guess I should refer you back to the first three words of this post.

:lol:

 

[DirectDrive]

You have to rappel down shear cliffs to get to those pools full of fish.
Use binoculars to spot which pool has the most fish.

Camping and the "old railroad grade" are on the east side.
The old railroad is now a wide trail and is sometimes used by emergency vehicles.

Boat launch and trail are on the west side.

July marks the beginning of the run.

1) You can fish the bridge area with the local "bridge trolls". (for a quality experience, not recommended)
2) You can bring a boat, float tube etc and fish from the large island that lies between the campground and the boat launch.
You will need a Deschutes Boater's Pass for that day and there is no escape from the sun.
3) You can hike up a short way to the Blackberry Hole on the east side or the Cable Hole on the west side.

They are not really west side type "holes", these are big water "runs".
When you understand that difference and learn to properly fish a "run", you are on your way.
Get at the top (don't step in front of anybody) and "step-cast" through the run.
When you start at the top of Blackberry, you have 300 yards to push through.
Sometimes you can do it twice, before the "mailboxes" go in. (I think you may know what the "mailboxes" are)
The above requires a culture change for some wet side, winter steelheaders.
It can be a difficult to make change.

So don't stand in one spot and flog it.
If you do, you've just made the typical Deschutes rookie mistake.

Use hardware or flies.
No bait or soft plastics.


Good luck.
You will not find a better place to chase summer steelhead in the lower 48, than on the Deschutes.

 

[hobster]

^^ Wow, great advice, thanks! We are actually heading to the Gorge Ampitheatre and we have stopped at the Deschutes campground before for a couple of nights just to break up the trip and have a relaxing time ( i think the first time we stayed there was 97). I remember people floating out to the island and i was planning on that as well as doing some hiking. I didn't know you needed a boaters day pass, thanks and i will look into it. Appreciate your input!

 

[DrTheopolis]

Gorge Ampitheatre

OFF topic, but such a pet peeve... the amphitheater is 150 freaking miles from the Gorge. Worst. Name. EVER.

 

[DirectDrive]

OFF topic, but such a pet peeve... the amphitheater is 150 freaking miles from the Gorge. Worst. Name. EVER.

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.

 

[DrTheopolis]

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

Yeah, but see, Vantucky (it's actually Ridgefield, I believe) didn't decide to name their amphitheater the "Roseburg Amphitheater," which is about as accurate as the naming of the one that's 150 miles up the Columbia from the Gorge.

 

[hobster]

Well, it is along the Columbia which has carved a huge gorge in the earth so that is perhaps the reason for the name. It is also near George, WA so maybe it should be called the George Amp. At least it has a non commercialized name unlike the Moda center or Centurylink field or 95% of the venues in this country, thats kinda cool. All of the NFL stadiums have sold out except Soldier field and Lambeau, at least thats all i can think of now. Rant done

 

[GaryP1958]

Went to a Grateful Dead concert there one time . I think? Will be hot in July bring lots of ice, water and beer! It also can be crowded and the boat passes do sell out so get ahead of time. Shearar Falls is quite a ways from the mouth. Most people bike in on the east side I think you can go for miles and the rattlers are thick along that river!

 

[DrTheopolis]

Well, it is along the Columbia which has carved a huge gorge in the earth so that is perhaps the reason for the name.

Indeed, the Columbia did just that -- carved a gorge through the Cascades... 150 freaking miles from there. Again, it's not even close to the Columbia Gorge.

At least it has a non commercialized name unlike the Moda center or Centurylink field or 95% of the venues in this country

Only because the contract wasn't renewed. Pretty sure it used the be the Coors Light Amphitheater, or some such.

 

[GaryP1958]

As a Doctor surely you should realize all things are relative in nature!eace:

 

[DrTheopolis]

I do. I realize that the Gorge is about 80 miles, and it's almost double that to the amphitheater. So they missed it by almost 200%.

That's a relatively stupid mistake, the nature of which baffles me.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Honolulu is a pretty cool place (or so I'm told). I think I'll build an amphitheater here in the Valley and call it the Honolulu Amphitheater. Sure, it's not really close to Honolulu, but Honolulu has good name recognition, and it's a cool place. Better yet, tourists who have never been to Honolulu can tell everyone how nice Honolulu is after they visit my property.

 

[DrTheopolis]

I hear they're building a Mount Hood Amphitheater... right outside Medford.

We should also build one in Coos Bay -- we could call it the Deschutes Amphitheater.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Mid July you say? Aug./Sep. are about peak, but plenty enough fish around mid July. I went to the mouth of the big D once, on 7/26 and fished for about 4 hours. Hooked 3: one wild released, one shook off, one hatchery. A buddy landed a wild that day as well (posing in the pic) and lost one.

 

[hobster]

Went to a Grateful Dead concert there one time . I think? Will be hot in July bring lots of ice, water and beer! It also can be crowded and the boat passes do sell out so get ahead of time. Shearar Falls is quite a ways from the mouth. Most people bike in on the east side I think you can go for miles and the rattlers are thick along that river!

Wasn't the Grateful Dead with Jerry, i saw them a bunch and they never played the Gorge. Phil played there in 99 i think, maybe it was that. I saw Santana there in 95 (the summer they opened) and have seen about 20 shows there since.

Indeed, the Columbia did just that -- carved a gorge through the Cascades... 150 freaking miles from there. Again, it's not even close to the Columbia Gorge.

If that river is the Columbia and there is a gorge why is it not a Columbia river gorge? Not THE Columbia River Gorge but A Columbia river gorge.


Only because the contract wasn't renewed. Pretty sure it used the be the Coors Light Amphitheater, or some such.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, it's only a matter of time.

Mid July you say? Aug./Sep. are about peak, but plenty enough fish around mid July. I went to big D once, on 7/26 and fished for about 4 hours. Hooked 3: one wild released, one shook off, one hatchery. A buddy landed a wild that day as well (posing in the pic) and lost one.

Thanks for getting back to the topic! Man this one derailed but it's all fun.

 

[DirectDrive]

Yeah, but see, Vantucky (it's actually Ridgefield, I believe) didn't decide to name their amphitheater the "Roseburg Amphitheater," which is about as accurate as the naming of the one that's 150 miles up the Columbia from the Gorge.

Vantucky / Clark County....same-o _ same-o..... Vantucky has a better ring to it.

So, if the Romans stole their amphitheaters from the Greeks, who did the Greeks steal their amphitheaters from ?
Hmmmm......mebbe the Egyptians had amphitheaters ?

You still end up with that chicken-egg conundrum though.
That adjective thing actually works pretty well.
So, it's a pretend adjective.

 

[GaryP1958]

No America builds them and we will make America Great Again get on the Trump bus or go Hillary!opcorn: