Owyhee Wrap up... on to the "D"!

Spring time Owyhee did not disappoint. The lighting in the canyon is unreal. What looks like lots of brown/red dirt and rocks blah just glow and changes with the soft spring light. Seeing green up and spring time hit the high desert is awesome. Oh yeah the fishing is super fun too! Skwalas are winding down. Still might find fish keyed or looking. A big dry/drop rig is always a great searching rig and with the Skwalas fresh on the brain a great combo now. As the hatch really dies off there is till good mayfly hatches/nymphing and streamer chucking to be had. As it moves into warmer weather PMDs and caddis will start to show. We will be back to guide over there in August for hoppers/PMD/Caddis/ Tricos. Some availability. The main thing to track this summer for that fishery will be water levels. Winter was mild, snow pack through out the west is not great. Saving grace for the Owyhee it is a tailwater. Even low it could keep temps down a little bit. Fish could move up river to find some thermo relieve. We shall see.

We are a couple weeks away from the Deschutes opening up from Pelton to the Warm Springs boundary. Early season historically nymphs well. Pick your poison Euro or more traditional indicator rig. Having some sort of stone fly in the mix on your set up is wise. Stone and salmon fly nymphs will get active and start working toward the banks soon and have fish keyed in and looking. Spring time Redsides are amazing, Fat, healthy, hard fighting. Just gorgeous and at their prime.

With this unseasonably warm weather things might kick off a little early for the big bugs. Historically it is early May to the end of May. in the meantime, spring also brings BWO, March Browns and some micro caddis. So there is some day to day potential for mid day dry fly besides just staring at indicators. If you start seeing mayflies/hatch look for soft stuff below riffles or th eddies for sippers. Good old Adams in appropriate sizes normally work. A lightly weighted on unweighted pheasant tail drop can be a good addition as well.

We have a few slots open at the very start of the season, and again, this can be a great time. Might not be prime time big bug dry fly, but overall go catch fish can be great. It is a little before the main crowds show up as well. We are pretty much booked solid for May and main hatch. To fish the Salmon fly hatch standard Chubies, Norms, Clarks along the banks and under the tress. We do have some slots for summer time awesome weather caddis action in June/ July, August. Great time for a river trip. It is a great time to visit Central Oregon and put together a great trip. Lots of mountain biking, music, great breweries and food! Plenty to do before and after a river trip for everyone!

We do John Day trips, and bassin’ over there is fun for all ages and abilities. Water level/ lack of snow pack will be more on the radar for getting boats down it than how it will fish. Low and warm just kegs bass up in deeper spots and they keep hitting poppers or subsurface fly presentations.

We are looking forward to another season. If you have any questions or we can help plan a trip and advise with local fisheries than feel free to reach out. 541-771-2288 or email. Check back for more reports and you can follow us on Instagram for updates as well. Hope to see you on the water.

Tight Lines,

Cory Godell

Deschutes River Anglers

Owyhee Fishing Report

Owyhee Update…. Well, it’s great to be back on the water and guiding. Sharing these amazing places and getting to do what we love most, chase fish and watch them eat dries is what makes us tick. Thanks for being “enablers”. It is awesome watching the smiles, sharing the laughs and being a part of your fishing memories. Alright, enough Kumbaya stuff, down to brass tacks and what is going on so far.

Its been fishing pretty good over all. Classic early spring. When the weather is decent or consistent we are seeing some activity on dries like BWO and can play accordingly and find fish up. If it has been colder, windy, and basically more winter then spring, it has been more a nymph ( dry/drop) show. Which can include smaller Chubby type patterns or your Skwala pattern of choice with a dropper consisting of tungsten bead head nymphs ( pheasant tail variations), or bead head jig type nymphs. Streamers can be fun too and a good mix up. Spring time, consistly inconsistent. You wake up and play the hand you’re dealt. It is fun though, you never know what you are going to get, it keeps you thinking and changing tactics and can be great fishing. Sometimes it can be tough too. More days then not we find what we are looking for. The reward is worth it and it sure beats sitting on the couch.

The Skwala hatch is picking up. These are a type of stone fly that hatch in the spring time- pretty much the big deal this time of year and bring out the trout and anglers. Who doesn’t like throwing bigger flies? Understanding the hatch can help dial in how to fish it effectivley. Stoneflies crawl out of the water and emerge on bankside vegetation. This migration and pre hatch event can produce great nymphing opportunities. Look for some softer water, they are crawlers and crappy swimmers. After a winter of midges and little mayflies ( think eating rice cakes all winter) a mass exodus of “Big Macs” is a welcome feast. In a cruel joke of nature, the males are flightless with undeveloped wings and once emerge as adults have to crawl around frantically looking for and swooning the lady Skwalas. Pretty funny Mother Nature, years under water as a nymph and one shot to party before they die and they don’t even get wings. Warmer temps can get the bugs active in their searching to mate and eventual egg laying which makes then more susceptible to end up in the water and in a trouts’ mouth. You will see more trout up, set up in the lanes in looking in these conditions. Those are the dry fly days that lead to giggles and grip n’ grin pics. It is a great time to explore this Eastern Oregon River and the whole reason we start our season over there this time of year.

We will keep you posted. It has been a blast so far. Spring is all booked up, we do have select dates open for when we return to the Owyhee in August for hopper season and more dry fly action. Call sooner than later. Deschutes season is coming quick as well. Limited openings in June, July and August. Salmonfly action in May is all but booked, but call, you never know we MIGHT have a day or can help you find a way to get on the river. We are always excited to talk fishing. Follow us on Instagram for updates as well.

See ya on the water.

Tight lines,

Cory Godell

CORYGODELL@GMAIL.COM

Deschutes River Anglers

Fishing Season Kick Off...Here we go!

Hard to believe it is the end of February already. Especially since it has been 70 degrees out and I’m thinking more about dry flies and solid hatches on the local winter time close to home side project fisheries. That’s right seventy degrees in February. I know winter will rear its head again before “real” spring shows up, but I’ll take a little mid winter heat wave. With all that said, spring and the start of the season is not far off. It’s time to start talking about what is ahead for 2022.

We are less two weeks away from the start of our Owyhee River season. This Eastern Oregon trophy brown trout fishery is the perfect warm up after a long winter. Prolific hatches from blue wing olives, midges and the main draw, the larger skwalas. These flightless stoneflies crawl out and scurry on the water and stream bank vegetation, and big browns slurp em down. Chasing big browns in skinny water chowing down well placed dry flies is a treat. The Owyhee is known for it rugged canyon landscape and plenty of fish that pull the tape between 16-20”+. Dates are incredibly limited and book well in advance. Better to act now if you want to experience this brown trout playground. If we are booked for spring, we might have some open dates in August.

We wrap up on the Owyhee and head back to our main attraction the old Deschutes. May is Salmon flies and Stones. June through the rest of the summer is a mix of PMD’s and caddis. Then we’ll see what happens for steelhead this year. The fall trout is super fun and can be fantastic. So however the steelhead shakes out, the fall is a great time to be here. Salmon fly dates are all but gone. If you are interested in these memory filled multi day camping river trips fill fast. It is truly just a great experience and the canyon is spectactular,

We will take a break and jump to the John Day for some small-mouth fishing. Fun for all abilities and ages. We run these trips Mid-June to Mid-July, depending on snowpack and river levels. A great mix up to the Deschutes and fantastic introduction to fly fishing.

We bounce back and forth from the Deschutes to a late summer- early fall Owyhee season. If you missed the Owyhee in the spring we have some slots later in the season. That is what is in store for us. We hope you can join us and share these amazing places. We have a lot of options and happy to help pick which time and experience that is exactly what you and your group are looking for. We’ll be posting fishing reports here and Instagram to update you on the action. Don't hesitate to contact us, we are always happy to talk fishing. Hope to see you soon.

Tight lines,

Cory Godell

Deschutes River Anglers
corygodell@gmail.com

@deschutes_river_anglers
541-771-2288

The Season Is Fast Coming

As I was riding the chair lift, yep living the dream, it hit me how close and fast approaching fishing season is from us! Skiing is fun an all, but it is a filler between fishing seasons. I mean shoot it’s March and the fishing on the Middle Deschutes is picking up pretty well. With that said, it seems like things are slowly getting more normal, thank goodness, at least we won’t miss the bulk of salmon fly season this year!

So the Owyhee, we are pretty much booked for the spring season and look forward to harassing some big browns. Dry fly action on BWOs and Skawalas should be a fun start to the season. For those that missed this, book early. This big brown trout early season playground fills up fast. We do have a few available dates later in the season for hopper season, which is a blast throwing big bugs to the banks.

The Deschutes…. As always the kick off to the season ramps up fast from early season nymphing to the big bug dry fly event that is the salmon fly hatch. Dates are all but full. Caddis and summer time Deschutes trips are awesome and still have dates available.

For years we have gone over and worked on the John Day. We are happy to announce we have picked up a permit and offering trips on this amazing canyon lands small mouth bass fishery. Fun for all ages and abilities, this overnight camping trip is a bucket list destination and the perfect family adventure. June and July is the time, weather is amazing and the trip is unforgettable. Permit application and getting dates is getting a little trickier, if you are interested in this unique desert small mouth fishery, gives us call and lets get your permit an dates locked in.

Here’s to getting back on the river and a great season. Looking forward to sharing the water and these amazing places we call home with you. If you have any questions or we can help plan a tip, give a shout. Always happy to talk fishing.

Seasons just around the corner

With a mild winter so far in most places and winter flying by, it’s about time to start thinking ( if you ever stop) about harassing some trout. First stop on the Deschutes River Anglers tour of trout has us headed to Eastern Oregon and the Owyhee. This awesome Canyon Lands tailwater fishery is a big brown trout playground. Can’t think of a better way to shake off the cabin fever than hitting the Skwala hatch and watching pods of browns slurping like the pigs they are at the trough. To fill in gaps with skwala action we see Blue Wing Olive (BWO) hatches and a dry- drop rig to search when they aren’t up and working. This is truly a fun, unique fishery that should be on the spring “to do “ list… Recommend putting it above the spring lawn landscaping duties… they will be there when you come home from the river. Chores are easier when you can daydream about the fish you just caught.

Before you know it Salmon Flies and golden stones will be going on the Deschutes, think May. Before that, spring on the”D” can be a blast with limited crowds and decent action on BWO and March Brown hatches. Not super consistent or every day, but when they happen fish that haven’t seen a fly in months can be soft pitch and willing targets. What is consistent is it can be some of the best nymphing of the season, especially as we move closet to the big Stone and Salmon flies getting active to migrate to the banks and start their annual invasion.

We are stoked to announce that we have acquired a John Day permit and will be offering multi day trips for small mouth bass on this amazing high desert canyon river. These trips are not only incredibly scenic and relaxing, the fishing is lots of action and great for all ages and abilities. We fish out of the boat here, no wading and slipping and sliding. The weather is normally nice to hot, off river activities such as swimming, and exploring make it an amazing family trip.

We look forward to fishing with you this season. If you have questions regarding trips, dates, or shoot anything fishing…..give us a call or email. We are happy to help. Owyhee and Deschutes Salmon dates are fulling up fast and limited, so if those sound good to you, we recommend contacting us sooner than later. Well here is to a great 2021 and getting back on the water!

Happy New Year

This time of year and THIS CRAZY YEAR in particular, we at Deschutes River Anglers just want to take a minute to thank you for getting out of the house and going with us on the river this year. I think we all need a sense of normalcy, a couple days or nights away from the news and and the oddness of avoiding each other masked up. Fishing and the river have a way of healing and being there when we all need it the most. Have a safe and Happy Holiday season and we look forward to fishing with you next year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

This time of year and THIS CRAZY YEAR in particular, we at Deschutes River Anglers just want to take a minute to thank you for getting out of the house and going with us on the river this year. I think we all need a sense of normalcy, a couple days or nights away from the news and and the oddness of avoiding each other masked up. Fishing and the river have a way of healing and being there when we all need it the most. Have a safe and Happy Holiday season and we look forward to fishing with you next year.

the Crew at Deschutes River Anglers