Now that we have entered the middle of September, its starting to feel a little more like Fall everyday. The days become shorter and shorter, and the nights cooler and cooler. This bodes very well for summer steelhead fishing across the state, especially on the Deschutes. Cooler weather and shorter days lead to cooler water temperatures, which creates better conditions for the fish to move and thrive in. It also leads to more consistent fishing from morning to night.
By now you have a good shot at a steelhead anywhere from the mouth to Maupin. The fishing at the mouth remains the best and most consistent because it is where a vast majority of the fish are; however, the stretch of river between Maupin and Macks Canyon has been really picking up, too. We just haven’t been seeing the same numbers up there as we have at the Mouth, which is typical for this time of year. Until we start to get some consistent, cooler weather, swinging the morning shade will be your best bet. Fishing with sink tips in the afternoon will get better once the water cools a bit.
Some patterns that have been doing well on the Deschutes for us this season are the: Pick’Yer Pocket, Miles Davis, Morejohn’s Tempest, and the Steelhead Muddler in Black and Purple.
