And we're off and running!

Our first official "Sled Camp" sets up Monday morning and we can't wait to get reacquainted with our friends from last season.  We are completely booked through August and September but there are still some open dates in October.  

I never really watch the dam counts I just go fishing and it's been pretty good, pretty consistent.  This post is an add on post, which means I'm just going to add pictures for August...stay tuned.

Have a good summer.

Sam Sickles
541-400-0855
Steelhead Outfitters

 

Waiting...

A lady in waiting.

Marni's new favorite person, Andy, see you next year brother!

"FOY", if you have to ask you've never fished with me;)

Magic...

Bachelor party...supermodel??  How do I get a flybook hat?  c'mon?

Some Heavy Metal!

no caption needed.

We want Heavy Metal!

We ran our last Trout Trip for 2014 yesterday and it was fair to middlin.  With recent weather the river took a bump from 4000 cfs to 4600 and the fish were pretty much put down.  We managed a few and here is one of the nicer ones.  Almost all of the action came fishing caddis flies size 16 on top.  Trout fishing will remain good up in the day stretch until the July heat kicks in, but for us it's Steelhead Season unitl next May.

Stay tuned for steelhead reports, we start fishing end of this week.  BTW, still have some open dates in July at 20% off.

SS

Deschutes Report, Warm Springs to Trout Creek

For those wondering, WS to TC is still booting out double digit takes of the violent variety.  I fished with a buddy Tuesday and was guiding yesterday, fishing is still really good.  I expect the Salmon Fly and Golden Stone dry fly fishing to stay good for at least another week.  Side note lots of Salmon Flies the last couple days and fewer Golden's.

The caddis hatch should be right behind this event and we still have some multi day opportunities in June as well as some single day stuff around Maupin and Warm Springs.  Enjoy this trout fishing because the Steelhead are right around the corner.

Here's a couple of nice one's that made it to the camera.

If you want a date with us give me a call or shoot me an email.

Sam Sickles
http://steelheadoutfitters.com/
(541) 521-9054

Deschutes Fly-fishing, Goldens & Salmon Flies

This report is a gonna be short and sweet.  Just spent the last six out of seven from Trout Creek to Maupin and here's what I know.

• Golden's outnumber the Salmon Flies 15:1
• The Chubby Chernobyl is catching them all the way to Locked Gate
• Clark Stone's as a comeback work very well, bring some
• They are also eating Caddis, standard size 16 is working well

Those are the high hard ones and here's the rest

• The best fishing has been Trout Creek to Kaskela so I assume Warm Springs to TC is good, I'll know tomorrow!
• The absence of bugs is noticeable below White Horse but it doesn't matter yet...
• Have seen zero Green Drakes
• Nymphing hasn't yielded much but whitefish
• There are ticks all over the place and the poison oak is everywhere

The caddis hatch seems to be coming on early and we had a lot of fun yesterday fishing them in the smooth water and for feeding fish.  

On a scale of 1-10 the fishing has been a solid 9!

On a side note, Steelhead!  I know it's a ways out but if you are looking to book this year you better do it soon.  To date we have three days in August (5,6,28) and September (1,2,3,25,27), July and October are not as pressing but that should change in the next 30 days.  My calendar is here , July (discounted) ,make sure to put a number of anglers in to see availability.

See you out there!

SS

Deschutes Fly Fishing Report (pre hatch)

My first day on the upper deschutes this season was May 9th and it was a good one.  Warm Springs to Trout Creek, 4400CFS, water temp about 54 degrees.  May weather in Central Oregon is schizophrenic and this day was no different.  Gale force winds mostly pushing down river, hail, rain, and even sunshine and calm.  It was nice to be the only boat on the river, if at least for a while.  Happy to see the Sherriff doing his job, got a safety check while I was waiting on my folks.

Fishing started out pretty tough but it was expected first trip up and all.  Three rods fishing it didn't take too terribly long to start finding some fish. Our first fish  (pictured above) had some serious thickness.  We fished everything in the box and finally just settled in on what they were eating.  Big brown jimmy legs seemed to be all they wanted, and that's all they got!

So here's the deal, there are lots of adults, both Salmonfly and Goldens but the fish are NOT keyed on them yet.  We saw some BWO's and some smaller caddis popping off but no surface activity.   The fish are gorging themselves on salmonfly and stonefly nymphs, and they are stuffed beyond belief.  It's gonna heat up next week again, this is when the river is gonna go off.  As always don't show up early and have your mind set on fishing dries.

See you out there,

Sam Sickles
(541) 521-9054
www.steelheadoutfitters.com

Moving on to Spring

Steelhead fishing has been pretty solid on the coast and pretty spotty around here.  The average outing is one or none. Summer steelhead are on the way and given the local interest (including myself) in Spring Chinook fishing, the rivers will become markedly less crowded.

Steelhead Outfitters menu:

1. Spring Steelhead on the Clackamas and Sandy Rivers April, May and maybe June depending on river levels.  The best and only game "in town".
2. Deschutes Trout opener is April 26th Pelton to the Reservation deadline.  The Salmonfly Hatch should start taking off mid may and last into June.  We are running trips Warm Springs to Trout Creek, Trout Creek to Harpham, and as usual Jet Boat trips into the deserted lower river.
3. Deschutes Steelhead July 4!  Yes, July!  My favorite month to swing flies for steelhead.  Don't buy into the "hype" about how bad the fishing has gottern in July, it simply isn't true.  The weather, lack of crowds, and average hook ups per day...a couple, better odds than winter steelhead, and much more enjoyable.  The best part is getting to do a little wet wading.

If you are looking for some new trout rods I'd check out the Winston BIIIX.  I picked a couple up for this trout season and they are incredible tools.  I lined the 590 and 690 with the new Airflow Exceed lines and they are really workable lines.

We really are blessed to live somewhere where you can catch all these in a 14 day window.  Enjoy!

Nice Owyhee Brown next to my new BIIIX

My pal Joe Riter with a birthday steelhead on the Sandy River

Sandy River Steelhead

Columbia River Spring Chinook.

Tight lines everyone, see you soon!

Sam