I just got home from a three day steelhead float. November is such a nice month to be on the Deschutes. Yeah, it can be brutally cold and windy, but the normally busy river is almost deserted this time of year. It's so nice to be able to fish all the spots you want and camp in the best camp sites. The fishing? It's not too shabby either this time of year. I stuck to swinging flies on a type six sink tip for the duration of the trip. Fish were grabby, but not too aggressive towards the fly. Most fish took the fly very softly and towards the end of the swing or even on the hang-down. The fish were a 50/50 mix of 24-26" wild fish and larger hatchery fish. The fish aren't "chrome" this time of year, but they still pull hard and every one of them gets the heart racing. The fishing above Maupin will hold up through this month and into December. Get out there before it gets too cold!
