Memorial Day weekend on the Deschutes was the usual crowded affair, but the weather was great, there were bugs everywhere, and the fishing couldn’t have been better. This trip has become an annual event and it seems like every year there’s more cheap beer and expensive scotch that comes along for the float from Trout Creek to Harpham Flat. The long weekend seems to bring out the rafting crowd and while there were quite a few anglers on the water as well, we didn’t have much trouble finding fishy spots.
Once again, the Chubby Chernobyl in size 8 or 10 proved to be the fly of choice, as did newcomer the Chubby Norman in size 10. Greasing the wing with some Gink or Loon’s Aquel did the trick, leaving the dubbed body and foam to ride low in the water. I fished a 7.5 foot 2X tapered leader, but others were having just as much success with a straight 8 foot section of 10lbs Maxima. These fish aren’t terribly picky and their takes on the Chernobyl look like toilet bowl flushes.
Most of the fish we found were within 10 feet of the bank, hanging out below trees or near grass waiting for goldens or salmonflies to fall into the river. The crowds during mid-week are surely going to be smaller than last weekend, so if you’ve got a few free days, swing by the shop, grab some Chubbies, and get over there!
