January brought warmer days which cleared off the roads. When that happens we tend to venture out at greater distance.
Maupin and the Lower Deschutes River is this type of destination.
Winter fishing presents some problems, but it’s not impossible … just more fiddley.
I’m not adept at nymph fishing. It’s not the rig, tight-line or indicator that’s a problem. Patterns fished subsurface, any fashion, are uncharted water.
However, since moving to Central Oregon I’ve put a lot more effort into this type of fishing.
The lower section of the Deschutes is a wide stream in a narrow canyon. Taking off from the northern edge of Maupin, the Deschutes River Road hugs the eastern edge of the river for thirty miles, offering perfect fishing access.
From November to April you can often have a stretch of this river all to yourself and it’s easy to drive until an open spot is found.
Winter this side of the Cascades presents frequent mild sun drenched days if you have an open schedule. Our schedule may not be open as much as it’s flexible.
This week’s trip was in hopes of finding a particular Baetis hatch. Blue Wing Olives, or BWO’s to the locals, is a small grayish winged Mayfly that shows up numerous times a year in Western Waters.
There has been a reliable hatch coming off the Deschutes mid to late January.
The draw of the Deschutes is that even if you don’t hit a hatch there are lots of other patterns that will catch fish. I know the ‘what’ now I’m working on the ‘how’. A week ago I hooked a very nice Rainbow on a Stonefly nymph, while this week’s trip drew a blank.
It’s a pretty long road trip but if the weather is decent there are lots of interesting pieces of nature . . . and time on the river is reward.