Well, the salmonflies are just starting to come out with this warm weather. That is great news. Might get slowed a bit with cooler weather this weekend and be back strong next week.
March Browns are also still going strong throughout most of the sections from Tumalo to Steelhead Falls.

Purple Haze and Renegades are 2 favorite dries for us when the hatch isn’t happening through there.

Frenchie, Micro mayfly, Soft Hackle PT and Jigs are great nymphs now.

The water is low and clear.

Water levels are perfect and there a lot of good afternoon March Brown hatches.

It won’t be too long before some Salmonflies are out. I’d guess May 1 to 4 for the start of the hatch, but with the warm weather coming up next week, maybe sooner.

Good nymphing on Soft hackles, Frenchies, Jigs, Micro Mayflies, especially on a Euro Nymphing rig!

Salmonflies seem to be kaput but maybe a few pockets here and there to watch for them especially up in the Tumalo area.

It has been an off salmon fly hatch thru there never really taking off strong. I suppose it’s possible we could get a few evenings of egg layers yet?

Pale Evening Duns, PMD’s, Caddis, Renegades and Purple Haze are all the best dry fly’s now.

Frenchie’s, PT’s, Micro Mayfly’s and Serendipity’s are great nymphs at the moment, with soft hackles swung in the evening another fun choice and totally different presentation.

The River is in great shape, running from 100 to 133 cfs today. It is slightly off color from Little Deschutes runoff but is good.

Salmonflies have made it from Lake Billy all the way thru Tumalo and even the first big boys starting above Bend. I would highly recommend chucking Gee’s Salmonflies and Purple Chubby’s.

PMD’s, PED’s and Caddis are hatching in most places. Never forget about Renegades and Purple Haze on the Middle river!

The first of the big bugs began today down below Steelhead falls. It will move rapidly upstream now so look for bugs to be out on the middle for the next 14 to 20 days or so.

March Browns, Caddis, BWO’s are all hatching too. Go get it, the water is low and easily wadeable now.

The water level is a bit stubborn but people are getting out despite it being slightly high. It changes the game some of course, but fishing is fairly good.
As of today, the river dropped another 100+ cfs and is down to 400. Usually this time of year it is 90 to 150. Partially to blame is the Little Deschutes. Runoff needs to calm down a bit there and we will be golden.
Ben and Steve were down on Sunday and had very good Czech Nymphing with Jigs and Micro Mayfly Nymphs.

Another friend caught a really nice brown trout on a sculpin yesterday near Tumalo.

Lot’s of friends customers have been in the Lower Bridge area and report strong March Brown hatches with some mixes hatches of Grey Caddis, Midges and few BWO’s.

The water is slowly dropping and is running in the 600 cfs range. Some areas make that level fine to fish, and other areas I believe it is still too high for good access.

March Browns are hatching and should just improve over the next 4 or 5 weeks. Add in a few BWO’s and some dark caddis. X Caddis, Float-N-Fool, Purple Haze and March Brown Parachutes have been good this week. Keep an eye out for midges and carry some Griffiths Gnats and Lady McConnell’s on the Middle anytime during the spring.

In some of the shallower, expansive riffles down near Steelhead Falls the fish are taking drifting Golden Stones quite well. I would also suggest Soft Hackle PT, and larger Hares Ear’s to imitate MB nymphs.

Sculpin’s and other streamer patterns on a sink tip are good now too. Good enough, that if you are not normally a streamer fisherman you ought to try it.

The Water is still too high at 1200+ cfs but we are watching for the canals to come on in the next 10 to 14 days and that will get us fishable in a hurry.

We will update as soon as we know it is good to go.

March Browns will be soon to follow!

The water came up a bit more yesterday (over 700 now) but this week the little black stones and midge hatches have been strong and good dry fly fishing from noon to 2 each day. It is tricky wading, with most of us staying out of the currents and just on the edges.

It is good from Meadow Camp to Bend where you’ll find the best water levels. Bend to LBC is much higher but probably better fishing.

From the area just upstream of Bend down thru town and into Tumalo and Lower Bridge there is some fishing to be had. Above town the water is pretty low, and below town (Bend) the water is pretty high at the moment.

We are seeing some Skawlas and Little Black Stones out and fish taking both on the surface mid day.

Nymphing with heavy nymphs is an option. If you are below Bend, most of the river is pretty unwadable, so you’ll find yourself wading thru flooded grasses and cat tails to the edge of the river and that’s as far as you should go. Fish the edges. Thats where the food is and that’s where the trout are and that’s also the safe place to be in the water for now.

We are about a month or less from irrigation season which draws the water to great fishable levels in a hurry. It’s also the time the March Browns really begin hatching.