Deschutes River Report August 2016
Deschutes steelhead fishing is full swing in the August heat and we do mean heat! It’s hitting near 100 degrees this weekend and so far water quality is good. White River tributary has not been the challenge this year as it was last year. So far so good- high temps like these are often the trigger that can get things going on the glacier. Keep your fingers crossed.
Water temperatures on the lower Deschutes have behaved better than last year as well. So far this month has met with cooler flows on the Deschutes than the Columbia which acts as a magnate for migrating salmonids headed past the Deschutes. The cool oxygenated waters of the lower D are sweet saving grace for these fish. Last week I checked a morning temp of 59 degrees near Harris canyon-that was nice and cool for August. With this hotter weather watch the water temps.
Fishing has been slow. Numbers of steelhead over the Dalles and Bonneville dam have been dissapointing lately. Those numbers could vastly improve in the coming weeks as the river system cools down. Most of our groups have found some fish and some days being better than others. Steelhead are moving through in small pods.
Trout action on the lower Deschutes is looking good in places. Below Mack’s Canyon where we are chasing steelhead we have seen a lot of active trout rising and good caddis hatches. Gil reports from the upper section at Warm Springs that trout action during the day has been slow to amazingly magical the last hour of the day.
