Earlier this Summer the “ Substation Fire” spread to the lower Deschutes River and burned a significant area along the river. You can read more about it in this article from the Oregonian . I had the chance to fish the river in August and saw the devastation first hand. Although the area was scorched, there are signs of life all along the river. Small patches of green dot the charred landscape, pheasants, deer, wild turkeys and even porcupines can be seen up and down the
This past week I had the opportunity to fish with Rocky Conroy, Dan Radke and Kelly Reichner on the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. Rocky and Dan are both with Big Rock Sports out of Clackamas Oregon and Kelly is with Fisherman’s Marine Stores in the Portland area. We left Troutdale, OR around 4:30 AM and headed East on I-84. We met up with guide Forrest Foxworthy at Celilo Park near the mouth of the Deschutes and were headed up river by 6:30AM. The Deschutes is unique