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| Presentation is everything on the Deschutes. |
More times than not, Deschutes trout are not super picky eaters. It’s way more important to focus on the water you fish and how you fish it.
When we're guiding the river, we look for behavior patterns in the fish. we're constantly climbing up high banks looking for active trout. Often times we’ll need to watch the water for a while to see what the fish are doing. If we're fishing deep bank water and see fish eating nymphs two to four feet under the surface, we’ll find fish on similar bank water eating at the same depth. Realize the behavior of the fish is not static! Things can change by the minute out there and you need to recognize and adapt to these changes. Observation is critical for success on the Deschutes. If you just go out and fish everything that looks good, you’ll spend a lot of time fishing water with no fish. Look for patterns. Once you find the pattern, focus on it until the trout change their behavior.
We can’t stress how important good presentation is on the Deschutes. The first mistake most anglers make is to start fishing without thinking about their presentation.
The Deschutes is a big, pushy river with lots of complex current edges. Unlike many rivers, these current edges move around as the river surges. The fish follow these currents. Fishing in these conditions can be extremely challenging. If your fly line lands in a surge at the wrong time, your whole rig will get sucked under and drag past the fish. Any big fish in the area will be spooked and the game is over.
It’s extremely helpful to watch the water for a few minutes before you make your first cast. A friend of mine calls it, “getting in tune with the river.” Look for the rhythm of the surges… The river breathes. This is especially true in bank water. You’ll notice there are times the current will surge and everything will be churning around like a washing machine. This is not the time to cast. Keep watching and you’ll see these small windows where the current will smooth out and a foam line will form. This is your opportunity to take a shot. The best anglers can anticipate these windows and present their fly just as everything settles down. More times than not, a short cast with only five to fifteen feet of fly line is out the rod tip is the best way to attack these tough situations. Just remember, the more complex the water is, the shorter your cast should be.
This concludes our series on "How To Rob A Bank". Next time you're on the Deschutes, remember to look for good bank water and you'll definitely find the fish. If you'd like to learn more about fishing the Deschutes, consider hiring one of our guides to show you the ropes.
Good Luck!
-Larimer Outfitters Staff
This concludes our series on "How To Rob A Bank". Next time you're on the Deschutes, remember to look for good bank water and you'll definitely find the fish. If you'd like to learn more about fishing the Deschutes, consider hiring one of our guides to show you the ropes.
Good Luck!
-Larimer Outfitters Staff
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