Morning or Evening?

nufenchafel · 05-30-2003, 09:21 PM

Have the opportunity to do some fishing this weekend and I'm looking for a point in the right direction.

What time of the day is best for the DesChutes? In the past I have had a lot of luck in the evening, but I'm wondering if it is worth getting up at 4am to get out there for the morning feed.

garyk · 05-30-2003, 09:33 PM

Tough question...

Different things go on at different times. For example, folks like the evenings cause they see the rises and fish dry or damp flies.

Anyway, in the morning you can get in on some good nymphing. And if you're up early you'll be the first one fishing the spot, which should increase your AM success.

Sometimes you can have good fishing through the day by changing tactics to meet the conditions. But then sometimes once the sun gets fully on the water, the fishing goes dead and then we quit until 5pm or so.

Sorry for the generalities, but every day is different so there's no set answer.

Also, fishing is usually poor when the river level is in flux; it's best after flows stabilize for a day. And I avoid fishing right at the full moon too.

nufenchafel · 05-30-2003, 09:38 PM

Thanks! Given the late hour, I think I'll take the late day aproach and get some added sleep.

greenbuttskunk · 06-02-2003, 10:03 AM

I like later afternoon, eve. Most folks take off to head home, and the setting sun over the hills of the valley are beyond beautiful! I've also had some of my best action the last hour of light.

Riverkeeper · 06-02-2003, 12:00 PM

In my experience, the D fishes best with nymphs between about 10 and 3. On sunny, high pressure days, the wind reliably picks up around 3:30 or 4, which is about when I usually hook my ear with a large salmonfly nymph and decide it's time to head to deschutes crossing for a burger. Then the last hour and a half of light is usually good on the surface.

I'm new to the list- it's good to be here.

South Paw · 06-02-2003, 03:18 PM

I was there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. PMD's, Caddis and unweighted nymphs in the serface film were working well. I also did a little dredging with a lift at the end with a little success but if you can get them up top do it. I like the mornings on the week end because I think that after somebody's slogged through a drift it put's the fish down for several hours. There was a few green drakes comming off so this week end might be the "GREEN DRAKE" week end. Wind! need I say more if you can sit on a hole for a few hours to let it rest with nobody comming in under you and the wind stays down the evening can be a real hoot. Wade quietly and keep moving this week end could be great.

nufenchafel · 06-04-2003, 07:46 AM

Thanks for the tips, everyone! We caught four fish for two anglers on Saturday and five fish (all over 13") for three anglers on Monday. Didn't have much luck with nymphing, but they were hitting the #6 orange body yellow head stimulator off the surface or at the tail end of a drift. :grin:

PittsburghD · 06-05-2003, 06:14 AM

Evening. No question about it. From after dinner at 4:30 all the way 'til you can't see if your fly is actually on the end of your line. Fished many times in the morning and always wish I was eating breakfast and sleeping in instead. The large red submarines will drag you to the Columbia right after the sun sets!

By the way, what time of day did you get yours in?

---D :smile: