Just 4 things to update today:
- Let’s watch the Lower Deschutes water levels. They bumped to 5000 cfs at Pelton, and while that is fishable, if it keeps rising it might not be. Cooler weather is coming back so that should slow the fast melt. I think a lot of this is due to the Crooked River flows.
- Crooked River is even higher today. I’m happy to see the river flush out a bit, and also surprised by the need for the high water too. Reservoir is 75% today so the Bureau of Reclamation must know there is a lot of snow still to melt in the Ochocco’s to get the reservoir dumping already with 25% still to fill. I can’t imagine anyone is wasting water when they know the consequences.
- GOOD NEWS- South Twin is ICE FREE and open and ODFW stocked it yesterday. The restaurant is also open, so go fish and enjoy some food and drinks and let’s get going on at least one of our lakes for the 2023 season.
I would recommend a damsel nymph in the shallow zones, and leeches, callibaetis nymphs and chironomids under an indicator. No motors. Great for tubes, pontoon boats and drift boats. - As of 2 days ago Crane Prairie was still locked in ice. I would bet a windy day will help that turn to liquid pretty quickly, and I see that coming sunday or monday. Crossing fingers!
In a few minutes I’m headed to the coast to pick up my R Pod. We left it there in the fall hoping to go over a few times and fish for steelhead and go clamming and crabbing, but the weather was too crappy to get over there much except one weekend in February. It’ll be nice to have the trailer back here to use on the Metolius soon.
See you on the water,
Jeff