With warmer weather is water temps adult salmon flies and golden stones should be making an appearance any day now. The river levels have come down to an optimal 4640 cfs out of the Madras Dam. Guides are reporting seeing a few bugs in the grass throughout the river, but expect the bugs to start coming out in force in the upcoming warm weather. While some of our guides have reported taking fish on stonefly dries the most successful fishing will be on stonefly nymphs. As the trout key in on the adults, they will move close to the banks especially close to overhanging vegetation. Fishing a shorter 3x leader is a great way to get your flies in those tricky spots. Dry droppers are another great way to fish this hatch with a large foam stonefly supporting a size 10 rubber legs, two-bit hooker, copper john or another mayfly nymph.
Expect the hatch to begin on the lower stretches of the Deschutes where the water is warmer and work its way upstream. This is an exciting time of year to fish large dries to hungry opportunistic trout!
Suggested Flies: Black or Brown Jimmy Legs #6-10, Brown Trout Retriever #8-12, Lex’s Improved Golden Stone #8-12, Jigged CDC PT #14-16, Copper Microstone #14-16, Jigged Hare’s Ear #14-16, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14-18, Red or Black Two Bit Hooker #16-18, Olive or HE Anato-May #14-18, Olive Micro Mayfly #16-18, Olive Soft Hackle #16-18, Black or Red Copper John #14-18, Black Super Sinker #16
Suggested dries: Burnt orange or golden chubby chernobyl #6-8, chubby norm #6-8, fluttering stone salmon #6-8, orange or yellow X stimulator #4-8, rogue stone #4-8, true salmonfly #4-8, salmonfly rollin’ stone #4-8, demoe’s mill creek golden #6-10,