Deschutes Fishing Guides

Deschutes Fishing Guides works the lower Deschutes, which runs 101 miles from Pelton Dam to the Columbia. Trout trips cover the roughly 35 mile stretch from Trout Creek, about nine miles below the dam, down to Maupin, rowed in McKenzie drift boats that carry two or three anglers plus the guide. Redsides, the river’s rainbows and cutbows, are the target from May into July, with salmonfly and golden stone hatches in May and early June and caddis taking over from June through October. August turns to summer steelhead, fished from a 24 foot jet sled running from Heritage Landing up to twenty five miles upstream. Trout trips are sold as two, three, or four day outings and steelhead as single days or one to three night runs. A cargo raft moves camp ahead. Camps use large tents, cots, and lounge chairs, with breakfast and dinner cooked in camp and shore lunches built on hand sliced deli meats and homemade items.