Scott had fished hard. Working through run after run he plied the water for the elusive steelhead. On recent years where the run size has been down, covering lots of good water has been key. Eventually you’ll find one… That requires loads of patience and when your rewards are not coming to hand it can be a frustrating endeavor. But steelhead will be steelhead and they love to chase and eat a fly (especially a Devil’s Candy) so it’s really a matter of casts. Sometimes more and sometimes less.

Scott had grabs, he had several on and lost them, he had lots of dandy trout to hand but for a guy who drove from Sacramento all the way to the Deschutes not landing a steelhead was a hard pill to swallow. Add to it that he invited his non-fly fishing brother who he hadn’t seen for years to join him. Yet, he charged on with a smile on his face and a great attitude.

It was the last run of the entire trip, the bottom of the run and… Scott yelled, “FISH ON!”

After an intense battle, Scott finally had his fish (that’s Scott and his brother in the photo above). Sharing the moment with him and his brother was definitely a highlight of the season!

Steelhead fly fishing is a challenge. It’s a mental exercise as well as physical. Covering water and staying in the game regardless of the results is often how the best anglers finish strong. Watching for tangles, wind knots and fixing the bad casts; its all those little details that are so important. Consistently working through the water with focus is hard but that is where results are found.

It’s now mid-November and we’ve wrapped up our fishing on the Deschutes River for the year. It’s been a very productive year for us on our favorite river but now we look to the next great fisheries we have ahead – WINTER STEELHEAD.

We’ve heard reports of a few early fish showing in some rivers and take that as a wink towards the possibility of an improved run this coming year. We will continue to watch closely as we get into the season. If you know me, I’m always looking for a glimmer of hope we will be seeing even more of my favorite fish- the amazing steelhead!

We look forward to time on the water with you!

Tight Lines,

Rob Crandall & the Water Time Guide Team