Deschutes steelies, favorite spinners?

[Fish Hunter]

Will be floating Mack's to the Mouth Thurs-Sun with Nookie Monster, Bright Hen and my Mrs. I'll be grabbing some spinners tonight at Fishermans. What are your favorite types, colors and sizes? Do you change colors on cloudy days? I have mainly flyfished there in the past and will continue to do so. But there are those days when it seems spinners are the ticket over flies. I've had success with #3 and #4 Blue Foxes in Blue/silver and silver/silver.

Signed,
Ex-purist :wink:

[Cast'n'Blast]

From what I've found, you can't go wrong with the blue foxes, I usually use 4's but sometimes 3's. I'll be up there this weekend too, either trolling in the mouth or u/r on the bike casting spinners................good luck

[NEUTRON]

Did you consider putting in at buck hollow to
avoid driving down the road to Mack's? Good luck and post a report. The white water is gas.
BOE has a great tale about floating the big D, priceless.

[Fish Hunter]

Is the road to Mack's still so bad? My last trip a few years ago out of Mack's resulted in two flats on both rear tires, due to the wrong size pit run and flimsy Big-O tires that were an endless source of trouble. Thought they had it fixed? Will be getting over there kinda late. Will keep it in mind for next time.

BOE, let's hear it.

[ 07-24-2002, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Fish Hunter ]

[Mad Mikey]

Road to Macks' is pretty darn good right now, they graded it during the Winter. Worst part is about Buckhollow to Pine Tree, some washboard going up and past the Beavertail exit. Most of those nasty sharp rocks were shoveled off a few years back after the fishermen put the heat to those in charge of it.

My spinner choices are always #4 BF, barbless 1 or 1/0 siwash for bottom rolling, barbless trebles for a more swinging prsentation in shallower riffles or tail-outs. Water is very warm for this time of year and releasing the natives expediently is crucial. I'd rather lose one during the fight than have to wrench barbed hooks from a fish flopping around on the bank. I FF' when the direct sunlight is off the water but spinner fish during the day.

Green/Silver(body color not as important as blade) when the sun is off.

Copper or a colored body/brass blade in broken water when the sun is out

Straight black for slower smooth runs when the sun is out.

Good luck, I love that float cept' for the wind. We usually try to get moving after morning fishing before the winds kick up. The stretch between the Green Light hole and Washout can be horrible when the wind kicks up. Flat water, wind howling upstream and side stream. If you have a front come through it can get scary. I've seen rafts get wind flipped on that stretch. I'll usually take a nap and try to let the worst of it pass!!!
Wanna here your report when you get back as I will be floating that almost every week from now through Sept. If it's REALLY good, E-mail me..... :wink:
Was also considering a poll, right or left at Washout? I do either but generally take the right if it is windy. I saw a driftboat go sideways in the wind through the big wave on the left last season and he just about bit it, lost some gear but managed to pull out to bail down below.
Out of all the rapids I think I dig Colorado the most.
I saw a guy take his driftboat down right center at Rattlesnake last year, looked like he knew what he was doing too. I'd like to find the line for that run instead of wrenching my arm to get out of that eddy on the left. A few times I've been able to push hard through the hole towards the East bank right at the bottom of the drop and the hydraulics would slingshot me way over to the right and into the main current, seems I can only hit it right about half the time though. That's water for ya'. Have fun.

[BigSpinner]

The blue fox spinner is an ok spinner, can hook lots of fish but I dont like them. I can't get them down deep in some faster water sometimes. So I make my own I like #4 silver. But when the sun is out would drop down to a #3 black. Good luck,

Jeremy,

[Drachir]

I agree w/ Big Spinner. Blue Fox's are OK, but very expensive!! I too make my own and do very well on them. My favorite is a #4 Brass French Blade w/ either Black or Brass body weights, and a green bead @ the hook end, and a #2 Siwash Hook. :grin: You can make spinners in any weight or color combination you want, and can make 5 spinners for the cost of 1 Blue Fox Spinner!! :shocked:

[lucky duck]

Ok, here are some options for you.

#4 BF as mentioned before.
1/2 oz. Panther Martin gold blade, black body with yellow dots.
Steelies .. nickle, chrome blue, chrome green fished in slower water, careful, the June hogs love em :smile: and fish them real SLOW on the bottom and just enough to get them to wobble. You'll have to reel in a crank every time you stop feeling the wobble and hang on!!

If you want to try some easy drift fishing, try a flame red birdie drifter, 24"-30" leader. Use a small red bead below the drifter to help it spin.

1/2 OZ Maribou jig under a bobber in pink, red or purple.

Michael Jackson wiggle wart either casted or behind a side plainer.

The fish are in. Have fun.

Duck

[Flatfish]

Flies in the AM and blades or plugs after the sun is up.Black 5s have been the ticket in warm water.Silver works but sometimes is a bit too flashy in warm water.In BF spinners try the all copper and hold them in a candle for about 1 minute.Makes 'em look real good.Fish like them too!I second the siwash hooks.Snag less and you hardly ever lose one due to snags.At least when you compare them to trebles.
Big Spin, have you ever fished the D??
See you on the rivers.
Mark.

[SturgeonMike]

Anyone know how the trout fishing from Warm Springs down is doing? I am going Sun-Tue and will take some flies and spinners.

[HOGTIDE]

Our best luck has always been on Stee-Lees. Nickle or Nickle & Flame seems to get fish throughout the day. All kinds of spinners work, but since the Deschutes likes to gobble up so much tackle, I like to go with the cheaper lures. Single siwash just makes good sense, too.

They use to make a 'Bud's For Steelhead' spinner that was a copy of a nickel Metric, but much cheaper. they work well if you can locate them.

If you are going to toss out 'high-end' lures I would go with the Tadpolly (they make 'em again)in flame orange w/ black spots, rerigged for single siwashes also.

Fun Fly to try...tie up some Joe's Hopper patterns, but replace the thorax section with wrapped chartreuse yarn. We have had some fantastic results swinging :shocked: barely subsurface drifts! :shocked:

[Fish Hunter]

Thanks for all the great info. Looking forward to a fun and hopefully productive trip. Will let you know how it went. Nookie Monster and Bright Hen are setting us up in their 2 big Cats, looking forward to the float almost as much as the fishing. I've never ridden in a cat much less rowed one. Anyone else doing the same float this weekend? We'll have a young Golden Retriever with us.

[Hottamale1]

Here's MY favorite spinner on the Deschutes...

Blue Fox, Size 3-4, Green Body, Black Blade.

End of story!

Scott

[wildlife fishing]

I will be staying at the Dechutes campground at the mouth of the dechutes and columbia. I will have my trailer but the boat has to stay home on this one. Any good pointers within bike or walking range for bank fishing.
Stop in have a cold bev. A30 site

Thanks

[NWRedside]

so, how did everyone do this weekend? I went for a half day with a friend, rode up about 4-5 miles. We got one nice #10 hatchery fish around early morning, but that was it. Saw one other native caught but that was all. Any other reports?

[Fish Hunter]

We got a late start Thursday night with road construction and a big grass fire up from Sherars closing the Maupin Macks road for a while. The fire was quite a sight. Pretty smokey Friday and Sat! I landed one 8 lb. wild hen the first day up near Macks on a gold Top Brass spinner. This was the only steelie for our group :depressed: . Talking to most of the folks we encountered, they had similar results. The fishing may have been better at Wagonblast and below, we had to hustle though the lower stuff Sunday.
It was a good float trip with good company. We all had fun. Picked up some good float trip ideas from Bright Hen and Nookie Monster. Their river dog Huntly is becoming well traveled. He's a 7 month old Golden that travels well. Took his first swim at Heritage when we took out. We really had to keep an eye on him though, "No Huntly No" was a recurring phrase as he is in that gotta chew everything age. My wife is becoming a capable flycaster. She also rowed her first rapid at Moody and was charged about it!
Wildlife, thanks for the invite, got it today, we rushed off in a hurry Sunday anyway. How did you do?

[ultramag]

I was on the river this weekend too. On sat. I went 4 for 5 and on Sun 3 for 4... a lot of big natives. I fished both mornings and was off the river by 11:00

[NWRedside]

I think I saw the golden on Sunday on they way out. Would it have been out in the river next to someone fly fishing about three miles upriver?

FRBZ: sounds like you had a better day than most, good job! How far up where you and what brought you the results. I had success on a blue blue fox with a black blade....

Bike ride was nice although the wind was blowing against us in the moring on the way upriver, AND in the afternoon on the way back. That's just not right!

[ultramag]

I was fishing right above wagonblast like always blue fox (green #4)