Fly Fishing for Trout near the mouth of the Deschutes

[northrivergrn]

I would like to fish the Deschutes near the mouth sinces it is not to far from my house. Does anyone know if there is anywhere I can access the river from I-84 east?

[Matthewc]

Yes you can, you can walk up the railroad bed I think, might even be a gated road to walk but I am thinking more trout are caught higher up then that point....Never know this is steelhead season right now out there so there might be some "real big" trout there for ya : )

[KevinsDriftboat]

If you are hoofin it, use the state park on the east side. Drive all the way to the back, parkin is somewhat safe as this is in the campground, follow the river trail.
Its not the best area to fish for Trout or Steelhead. Thats why most use the island fishing the mouth, troll near the mouth, or bike upriver to better water.
I will be concentrating on Maupin down to Macks, Ive found nice trout right in town to begin each trip. I will be camping over there for the next few months. Steelhead are in, some early fish are big.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/Picture_092.jpg (http://www.ifish.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/48230/size/big/cat//ppuser/12244)

[Two Fister]

The river trail goes upriver for about a mile and a half. There are trails on either side of the river. The bike path starts at the entrance to the campground, but you can access it from the parking lot that Mitch described. The bike trail goes upstream for 14 miles and you could still go farther on foot if you chose to. I've done really well for steelhead on the west side (boat ramp side) of the river at a bunch of different locations within a mile of the mouth. The water just below Rattlesnake Rapids is excellent, but it's a bit of a hump. Probably nothing compared to what you're used to. :grin:

On the east side of the river (campground side) I usually follow the river trail up to the Blackberry hole. The Blackberry hole is about a 3/4 of a mile long run that starts about 1 1/4 miles upriver from the mouth. If you are walking along the river trail you'll know you are getting close when you walk on an elevated wooden walkway that keeps the trail out of some springs along the river. The trail cuts through a bunch of blackberry bushes, hence the name. There is a small bench to sit on at the very top of the run, but I think you might pass one or two on the way up as well. You can drop in on the run in a lot of different spots. Guys fishing spinners will often camp out at the top of the run without doing the typical cast/step/cast/step approach to working the water. If guys are working that water just pick a spot further downstream to start. I'll give folks at least 100 yards or I'll start below a current break (there are several within the run) so as not to upset anyone.

I've caught fish following spinner fishermen through and they've caught fish following me. It can get kind of busy, but there is room for a lot of people to fish on that stretch.

There's also good water upstream from there.

I'll shoot you a PM before I head down there and we'll get out on the river.
TF

[fishnfun]

thats the cattle guard hole!!!:bigshock::bigshock::bigshock:

[Slow and Low]

The blackberry hole got burnt to the ground. The bench is torched so is the toilet.

There is good trout fishing from the mouth up. The fish are fewer than upriver but some big fish are around. Steelhead fishing is poor at best as most fish remain in the columbia a while longer.

I'm not sure where Fairview is but if it's east Portland you may be just as close to Maupin as to the mouth considering the hike you will be making.

[Two Fister]

The blackberry hole got burnt to the ground. The bench is torched so is the toilet.

Bummer. That area was getting a bit overgrown with weeds anyway. Did the old homestead back in the brush burn as well?

[northrivergrn]

Thanks guys for all your help! I really appreciate it.

[Steelie Mike]

I was down there this morning and the water looked great, the control burn on the West side took out most if not all of the blackberries above the cable hole and the trail is in great shape. The fishing was not so great, but I did see an elderly gent walking out with a large hatchery fish across the river from me. The only other fish we saw we pikeminnow and suckers.

I have personally caught a few trout within the first couple miles up from the mouth, but as Slow and Low pointed out, fishing would be much better and the drive the same in Maupin.

[KevinsDriftboat]

I will be in Maupin this weekend. I may scout earlier, and end up camping farther downriver. Join in! Looks like a great year for D Steel.

[Two Fister]

I was down there this morning and the water looked great, the control burn on the West side took out most if not all of the blackberries.

As much as I love eating them while fishing, now would be a good time to get the blackberries out of those springs. It's that whole invasive species thing again...

[kill2hunt]

i have caught some giant reds near bedsprings