Deschutes River Camp Trip

The Deschutes River is one of the most unique fisheries in the US. The stronghold of wild, redside rainbow trout in their native environment is also as wild and scenic as it gets.

Several large whitewater rapids and a lack of public road access make this an adventure in itself outside of the exciting fishing opportunities. We will be guided by Sterling Dillingham of Sterfly Guide Service through the canyon for 3 days of fishing and 2 nights of camping on the river. This trip is full of adventure, scenery, wildlife, great fishing, fantastic food and lifelong memories.

Overview:

The Salmonfly hatch can start as early as late April. It can also start as late as early June. In recent years, the early May trips have been consistently good fishing with fewer folks than later in the month. The section we fish is closed until the end of April. We have had these early trips be full of big bugs and fewer folks. It does vary year-to-year based on water temps, but early May promises great fishing. It always has been for us and it's the timeframe that we love.

The peak of the season is traditionally Memorial Day Weekend, which can be a zoo as you can imagine. The early May trips are far more secluded, and the fishing has typically been fantastic. The fish are not always keyed in on the big topwater flies as much as they will be later in May, but they are usually more aggressive and less picky than later in the month. While we are looking for fish to eat big stoneflies, we are prepared with PMD patterns and plenty of beadhead nymphs if needed.

Because of some unique fishing regulations, (see more in FAQ below), you will likely not catch huge numbers like you can in other famous trout streams. You have to work for your fish, but most anglers find this more rewarding than standing in the front of a drift boat for three days.

We will be fishing 3 days and spending 2 nights on the river in camps that are clean, comfortable and basic. These are set up and torn down every day by the baggage crew.

Expect a cot and a tent, a camping chair and a nice area to eat dinner. Beyond that, we are in a remote canyon with little in the way of amenities.

However, there are several nice restrooms at most of the popular camp areas. So we are not that remote. There is a private road close by as well as the occasional house or cabin, so it is not too deep in the wilderness for most folks.

Our 3 Day Campout looks like this:

You can fly into Bend or Portland.  The starting point is about an hour from the Bend airport and close to 2.5 hours from Portland. The shop is an hour from Portland on the way to the river.  We can typically arrange to have you picked up for the trip if you are staying in Hood River, the Dalles, or Maupin as we drive through all of those towns on the way to the river.  If you fly into Bend, then you will be on your own until you meet us at the ramp.  

Day 1: May 7 - Arrive in area, prepare gear, stop by the shop on your way to the river. Folks from out of town often stay in Madras, but Hood River or the Dalles are both nice options.

Day 2: May 8 - Arrive early at Trout Creek Campground. (time tbd). Prepare your gear, suit up and hit the river for a full day of fishing.

Arrive at fully arranged campsite in the evening. Your guides and camp staff will prepare a nice, filling meal and enjoy a great sunset in a scenic canyon.

Day 3: May 9 - This is typically the pinnacle stretch for nice fish in good numbers. The middle 12 miles of this float holds the most trout per mile with some of the biggest, strongest fish in the river. We fish this HARD all day, and then repeat the evening from the first night, sharing tales of the ones that got away and staying up sometimes a little too late.

Day 4: May 10 - We fish hard, but do find ourselves back in a public access area by mid-day. We tend to hit the exit ramp by mid-afternoon, thoroughly exhausted and satisfied with our trip, ready to do it again next year.

2025 Hosted Trip is sold out. There are a few select openings during the salmonfly hatch.

$1950 - 3 Days / 2 Nights (Double occupancy / 2 anglers per tent/boat)

This is the same price that you will receive if you book this yourself through the guide service. (Also, this is a great deal...)

Cancelation Policy: Like most destination travel trips, deposits and other payments are non-refundable if you cannot make it after you have paid. We will do our best to help you find a replacement if you experience a hardship and cannot make it. Additionally, trip insurance may help you recover some losses in some cases. It is highly recommended.

Who is best suited to this destination? This trip does require physical exertion, more than a traditional trout fishing trip. Fishing from a boat is not allowed, so anglers must be able to get out of a tall drift boat several times per day. Wading on the Deschutes is not easy. There are big, slick rocks and it is not full of gravel bars and riffles. Be prepared that wading on the Deschutes can be strenuous.

What is the total capacity for this trip? We can take a total of 6 paid guests on this trip. The permits allow us to have groups of up to 12 total: 6 paid customers, 3 guides, 2 hosts from Big Y Fly and 1 camp chef/bag boater.


How do I book this trip? Call us, email us, shout it in the streets. Ok, the last one probably wont work, but calling or emailing certainly will. You can also contact Sterling Dillingham, who is the licensed guide that is providing the trip. We are not taking a commission from him and he will be handling all payments as he is the licensed guide for this trip.

What fishing gear do I need? For your fishing gear, you will want a 9'0" 6wt (preferred) or 9'0" 5wt rod with floating line as well as at least one backup per two anglers. You will also want waders, good boots (studs preferred), sun clothing, a hat and sunglasses. A wading staff is also helpful. This river is slick. Bring plenty of flies from big foam stuff to stimulators, parachute adams, green drakes, beadhead pheasant tails, hare's ears, bring it all.

What camp gear? You will want a sleeping bag, fresh clothes every evening, toiletries, a pillow and a headlamp or flashlight. Bring a large dry bag if you have one in order to keep your stuff dry. They can be arranged if you need to borrow one.

Bugs? Mosquitoes are not usually a problem this early in the season, but bug spray is cheap.

Wildlife? Animals are abundant. We have seen elk, deer, wild horses, bobcats, coyotes, rattlesnakes and bighorn sheep on this section. The snakes are the only thing we have to be careful of. That and ticks... and poison oak, there is plenty of that too.

Where are we floating? We will be fishing the Lower Deschutes River, OR. We will start at Trout Creek Campground and float approximately 32 miles to one of the boat ramps in Maupin, OR. Madras is the closest town to the start of the trip.

Are there rapids? Yes. There are. Whitehorse is a long, technical class IV rapid that requires experience and skill. Beyond Whitehorse, there are several large class II-IV rapids that will keep your heart rate up in between fishing spots.

No fishing from a boat? True. Not only that, but you cannot fish on river left for much of the trip. This leaves a ton of fish untouched for most of their lives. It helps keep the playing field level as everyone has to put in at least a little work for their fish. You will quickly find your experience deeply rewarding when you have to put in some footwork to catch these beauties.