You are waist deep in the riffle, the shadows and reflections of the basalt ramparts above turn the water golden brown. The fly rides in the surface film under light tension, the long rod balances lightly in your hand. Your eyes wander to the Great Blue
Heron stoically perched in an alder tree across the river. You are content in
this soft fluid world. The line tightens in a slow but deliberate pull and the
heavy fish twists and turns trying to dislodge your hook. Your rod arches with
his power and the line melts from your screaming reel. An incredible distance
away the huge silver and gunmetal fish bolts through the surface and you are
caught in the frenzy of your first Deschutes Steelhead.

And time stands still.

The Deschutes River heads in South Central Oregon and flows nearly 300
miles due north to enter the Columbia River near The Dalles. It drains all of
the east side of the Cascade Mountain Range. Although this drainage is
located in the arid rain shadow of the Cascades, the large area encompassed
produces a river with average annual flows of more than 4,000 cubic feet per
second (cfs) at the mouth. One hundred miles upstream from the mouth,
Pelton Dam creates 400 foot deep Lake Billy Chinook. Agreements with the
Power Company keep water fluctuations to a minimum. This tail-water
effectively turns the next 60 miles of the Deschutes into an enormous spring
creek.

The lower 100 miles of the Deschutes is one of the most prolific trout streams
in the western United States. Seventy miles are open to angling year round.
In this unique river, wild endemic desert rainbow trout rise to myriad hatches
in riffles and back eddies mirroring green alders and brown basalt cliffs. These
distinctive fish are affectionately called Redsides and are linked to the desert
Red Band Trout group. Rocky Mountain Whitefish add to the spectacular
nymph fishing. An occasional native Bull Trout adds variety.

The Deschutes River canyon is an oasis in the sagebrush covered desert. Bird
life is concentrated here, attracted by the hatches that also feed the fish.

Game animals come to water. The sun shines an average of 300 days a year.

The air is pure and clear. In winter the Deschutes often has warm mid-day
sun which triggers hatches of tiny may flies and great dry fly fishing. Early
spring is a time of March Browns or Gray wing Olives. Late spring and early
summer brings on the world famous Salmon Fly hatch. The warm weather of
mid-summer through October brings hatches of caddis, midges, mayflies and
small stone flies.

Steelhead are available nearly year round, but mid-July through November is
prime time when mint bright summer Steelhead enter the river. These
aggressive fish come readily to the surface and create one of the premier
floating line steelhead fisheries in the world.

The Deschutes River in Central Oregon drains the east side of the Cascade
Mountain Range. The cold green water provides a counterpoint in what is
otherwise a stark and arid landscape. The lower 100 miles of the Deschutes
River Canyon averages 2,000 feet deep. The sparse vegetation allows the
angler to observe nearly twenty five million years of geologic history recorded
in the steep canyon walls. Forty million years ago Central Oregon was a semi-
tropical, flat coastal plain which may have received 240 inches of rain fall per
year. About 30 million years ago the drifting Continental and Pacific Plates
collided. The Continental Plate was pushed on top of the Pacific Plate and the
coastline started to gain elevation. This was the birth of both the Cascade and
Coast Range of mountains.

The Deschutes trout fishery is regulated to sustain and enhance its
populations of wild endemic fish. Only two trout per day between 10 and 13
inches may be harvested. Only barbless hooks on lures and flies are allowed.

The use of bait is prohibited. No fishing from a floating device is allowed.

Deschutes Redsides are a unique subspecies of rainbow trout called Desert
Red Band Trout. Adult fish are heavily built and often brightly colored. They
are very strong and acrobatic when hooked.

The Deschutes River contains every age group with the highest population
made up of three to four year old specimens that range from 13 to 18 inches
and weigh 1-1/2 to 3 pounds. Twenty-inch fish weigh more than four pounds
and 23-inch fish weigh about six pounds. Many of these larger fish are four
and five year olds which have not reached sexual maturity. They are
incredibly strong and fast and can be extremely wary.

Deschutes Redsides are primarily insectivorous with stone flies, caddis flies
and may flies making up the highest percentage of the diet for fish under four
years old. Larger fish consume large amounts of insects, but also eat many
crayfish.

Since much of the Deschutes is open to the angler year round, fly fishing
opportunities exist all year.