Looking Forward to Spring Fishing

Endless summer continues to trouble much of the west, making for a tenuous snow pack in the Cascades and neighboring states. Hope for snow in the next few months to feed our rivers. But in the meantime, take advantage of any nice weather and go fish.

Thankfully, winter weather appears to return next week with highs in the low 40s. Hopefully, this can bolster the snow and leave us some runoff for spring. In the meantime, contemplate your fishing goals for this year and look below to find a spring trip for you this 2026.

Book a Spring Special

March 1st through April 21st is The Fly Fisher's Place spring special. Central Oregon hosts some fantastic spring fisheries like the Fall, Crooked, and McKenzie Rivers. Take advantage of our discounted trips to access some premier early-season action. Lunches or snacks are not included in these trips.

Float Trips: $450

Wade Trips: $375

Early Season Fishing in Central Oregon

Opening day on the Lower Deschutes from Warm Springs to Trout Creek is April 22nd, and the general opener is May 22nd for rivers like the Upper Deschutes and the Metolius above Allingham Bridge.

Spring Lower Deschutes Redband ate a rubberlegs.

Early season is an awesome time to get on Central Oregon rivers. The Lower Deschutes produces some great fishing after a long hiatus from anglers during the 4-month closure. The weather can be variable, of course, contending with wind and spring rain, but some days are stunners, with clear skies and warm afternoons.

Of course, with spring comes the emergence of salmonflies on the Lower Deschutes. This hatch is popular and a ton of fun when the fish are keyed in on the bugs. It takes some work, but the aggressive eats and hard-fighting redbands are worth the tough casting and wading under trees and bushes. The days before the bulk of the emergence can be just as good or better, if you don't mind fishing subsurface with big nymphs; also, there tend to be fewer anglers on the water.

The McKenzie is another underrated spring fishery. March-early May can be a great time to catch one of the best hatches on the river, the March Browns, as the redbands are eager to take these big mayflies off the surface or prey on the emerging nymphs.

Get Dates for the Primetime Hatches

Spring fishing is a great time to knock off the rust and get the first day on the water. Whether you want to sharpen a particular skill or access some new water by boat, there is a trip for you this spring. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or to book a trip. You can also contact the Fly Fisher's Place to get on the books.

If you plan to fish the salmonfly hatch, I recommend getting your dates secured quickly. I am all but booked for the prime weeks of the hatch. My available dates are May 17th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd, and June 2nd.

If small dries and delicate presentations are your preference, then think of booking a trip from mid-June to the end of July for fun caddis action on the Lower Deschutes.

Hole-in-the-wall camp on the Lower Deschutes