Sunday, December 28, 2014

December, time to get back into the swing of things!




I love this time of year, the mist moving through the trees overhead, the fog coming off the river.  The rivers swell then drop only to repeat over and over for the next six months.  Days on end constantly monitoring the river levels looking for peak days and opportunities elsewhere.  All I want to do is catch a steelhead...one a day is enough.  Better put, there is a reasonable chance to catch one a day.  The reality of winter steelheading is just that, "a reasonable opportunity to catch one,"  it's what keeps us looking for the "one."


I took an exploratory trip a couple weeks ago.  My buddy Jamey and my new puppy Boone went to check out the river.  No luck that day but we didn't work too hard at it.  It felt good to be out.  As Christmas approached the storms started building and I wondered if I should drag my boat to the coast for the holiday.  I decided not to.  We made it home the day after Christmas and I fished the following day.

We found a swollen river in the dark. One boat was already down and another was waiting for better visibility.  We rolled down into the first rapid and it was big, as expected at this level.  Slid into a nice little run knowing it would fish at this higher level. No fish for us here.  We float down to another spot only to find someone else just finishing up.  Around the corner we find walk ins on both sides.  After a nice little float we finally find some open water but pass on it guessing it had just been fished, besides, I like the next run better.  Mistake, we find the first boat down.  We're out in front so we pass another run and go for the one I've done the best in at this level.  Open water, the river is up, we should find fish here.  We don't.  On we go around the corner, open.

I have fished this run a hundred times, it's textbook.  There's a top and a bottom and I've never scored in either but my partner in crime, Jamey, has.  The top run has given up several fish for Jamey over the years.  As usual I step into the lower end ready to take my beatdown.  Every time I look down this run I wonder why it doesn't give it up.  It's perfect minus the lack of structure.  The river has the same pace all the way across with a bar about one third of the way across and then a deep section which is out of my reach. This is a tight to the bank kind of place, real tight and navel deep.  You can't make it all the way down to what looks to be the bucket...too bad.  At the bottom the river moves left then turns right.

Half way down I start wondering if the fish even come up this side of the river.  We've caught them on the other side several times but never here, makes you wonder.  As I get to the bottom my casting starts to get worse, the willows are to close and too many and the wind is now blowing down river.  Something about fishing with a hood on always makes me cast sloppy, maybe it’s the lack of peripheral vision but its pouring cats and dogs.  So I have to decide if I'm going to cast and step or move below the outreaching branch and take my chances. I take my chances and move down only to bail out half way through my cast and take a couple more steps.  Did I step past one?  Hope not.  Next cast, eleven sloppy strips and a decent cast my line pulls tight.  You ever get that pull, you know the pull where the fish basically stops your fly and moves with it never turning?  I wait what seems like five seconds and gently lift my rod and there he is.  What do you know!  I look up river and give a call, "fish!"  I know Jamey will bust down to lend a hand; hopefully he brings the net.  Nope, no net.  We get the fish in and it's a decent little native.  Just as I suspected, hooked in the middle of his tongue, he never turned on it.  We forgo the hero shot and Jamey holds the fish while I snap a quick photo then the fish darts off.

We had a couple more chances but couldn't get the fish to the reel, a good day for sure. Maybe tomorrow the river will reward us again.


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Farewell Deschutes River 2014..


The Polar Vortex arrived last week in the Columbia River Gorge and with it my season came to an abrupt end. Currently we are under seige by single digit temperatures and long term snow and ice. My first guide day on the Deschutes was May 8th, trout fishing, and my last day was November 11th. It was cold, windy and the fish sent us home defeated. Well, I can take a hint, the weather and the fishing will let you know when it's time to move on and I'm moving on until next May.

Thank you to everyone who got in my boat this season and helped make 2014 happen. I also want to thank the folks that have locked in their camp dates for 2015. I know it's a long way out and I appreciate your dedication.

I look forward to seeing everyone again next year, some of you this winter.


WINTER STEELHEAD 2015


January 15 through April, Sandy River, be there! I look forward to cold, wet, miserable days in search of the "one". Seriously, this is my favorite time of the year to swing for steelhead. These fish are the real deal - hardbodies, chromers with sea lice! Best to be on "will call" for this. The best days will be after a high water event; El Nino is in the forecast, so it should be a good time. My calendar is open but it's best to call and pick my brain before booking a date.

SALMON FLY HATCH 2015



This is six months away which means right around the corner. We are booking three-day camp trips and prime dates will fill very quickly. If you fish for trout, this trip should be on your bucket list.

More info can be found on my website:(http://steelheadoutfitters.com/deschutes-trout-trips.html)

You will need to call or email me to book these trips.

Sam Sickles
541-400-0855
samsickles@gmail.com





Wednesday, November 5, 2014

November

The Deschutes in November, translation, alone time.  Let's face it, there are better things to do than swing dry line bugs for snowbelly steelhead.  Much like July, this is a numbers game.  The fishing is still aguably better than winter steelheading under the best conditions anywhere.  The fish are bigger, meaner and more agressive in the 55 degree water temps we currently enjoy.  Catching isn't hard, it's the finding them part.  As long as the flows stay under 6000 cfs fishing should continue to be fair to excellent through Thanksgiving.  We will continue to fish through the 21st and there are some days open between now and then.

I'll be adding scenery and fish shots as the month moves along.  Cheers!

SS


















Thursday, October 2, 2014

October.

The begining of the end for summer steelhead fishing on the Deschutes.  With no sled closure dates, one day runs into another and then it's over.  We will see fewer anglers, bigger fish and colder weather.  Enjoy it, July is a long ways away.  Here's to a new thread for thirty days.








































Monday, September 1, 2014

September...

Arguably the toughest month...  Arguably the best month...

I'll let you judge, we're on the board, stay tuned.