Get ready, it's about that time

Well, it's about time to start thinking about the Lower Deschutes opener. This season the river bordering the Warm Springs Reservation will open on April 23. This is a wonderful river and those fish have not seen flies in months. The river is running a bit high right now, flowing at 8880cfs, but high water here never seems to play a big a role as others, as the clarity is usually not that bad. Of course we will always have to wait and see. You can still catch plenty of fish with high water, just remember you have to adjust your tactics, as you will not be able to wade into those riffles like you can in July. Many fish will be hooked while standing on the banks or while stepping just off the banks with your back to the shoreline vegetation. Nymphs will take the majority of the fish early, but look for a BWO hatch in the early afternoon hours. A good nymph combo is a stonefly(6-10) in conjunction with prince nymphs, hare's ear or PT's. Don't be shy about using some attractor style nymphs with a bit of color. Psycho princes in purple, red copper johns, lighting bugs and San Juan worms are all good high water flies. The opener is usually a bit busy, but the fishing can make up for the crowds. Also remember that there will likely be lots of Steelhead Smolts early in the season and if you find yourself catching these in numbers, it's best to move on. The little guys run in packs and will be especially aggressive. These are our fishing future, so handle with care and let them swim out to the ocean and get big.