I have been fishing the Deschutes River since the late 1980's. It was the first river that I learned to fly fish on - and remains the most challenging. This Central Oregon river originates at Little Lava Lake where it begins as a trickle and by the time it hits the Warm Springs Reservation, its flows become steady and tumultuous.
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| Ready for an adventure on the Deschutes River |
Fortunately, fly fishing anglers can fish this river throughout the year (not all sections) and flows remain steady due to the feeding water of various smaller tributaries.
With my two week vacation already underway, I decided (with the strong encouragement from J) to fulfill one of my last cataraft challenges - running the White Horse Rapids on the Deschutes. White Horse is well known by any serious local fly fishing angler or white water enthusiast. Its large boulders, narrow lines and fierce waves provides the criteria for its class III+ rating and I've even seen it listed as a class IV. A number of deaths have been recorded here and many boating accidents.
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| White Horse Rapids |
Last week, I tied about 100 flies in preparation for my trip. If this sounds like a lot of flies for a single two-day trip, you are correct. My supply was very low and I wanted to stock up on my two favorite fly tandem - the Prince Nymph/Pheasant Tail dropper rig. During a fly fishing tip to Maupin with J on a Valentine's Day get away in 1997, we met an expert fly fisherman at the lodge that we were staying. He told me that this set up was what he fished sub-surface on the Deschutes 90 percent of the time. J and I went on to have a stellar day fishing the Prince/Pheasant Tail and I've fished this rig with success ever since.
So, my adventure began on Sunday morning at 4:30. I had set my alarm for 5:30 but, on cue, I was restless in anticipation for the trip. I finished packing a few items that remained from a list created the previous day. With a kiss to my sleeping girl's foreheads, a kiss and a hug from J and a pat on the head for Golden Joe, I was off (sorry pal, I know you wanted to make the trip).
I arrived at Trout Creek Campground and boat launch at about 8:00 a.m.where I was greeted by a BLM Ranger. He checked my gear and when asked if I had a device for storing human waste, I grimaced. See, when I purchased the cataraft, the salesman asked if I wanted to purchase such a device and, at another hundred bucks or so, I respectfully declined and was not persuaded that I would need one as the local river trips I mostly run are favorable for timing nature's call and I was confident that the longer out of town trips would have available restrooms. It never crossed my adventure-tuned mind that owning one was required by law.
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| Morning on the Deschutes River |
I sold to the ranger that I could drive the 45 minutes to Madras to locate such a device but pleaded a bit for a break and asked if there was any way another item could be considered for this purpose. He said that if I could locate a "sealable" container, he would let me go on my way. I scrambled to find something that would retain liquid. He said that plastic bags were not allowed for this purpose. After searching the cab of the ole Toyota T-100 I emerged with a grin that only good fortune - and an ounce of imagination - can bring and said "This will work!" I showed him my recently purchased Starbucks coffee mug. He explained that he would allow that to pass his test but only if it had a tight seal to prevent water from leaking. I poured some water inside the mug, pressed extra firmly on the drinking tab to create a seal and presto!...no water escaped! I must one day create and name a fly in memory of this experience -Perhaps a good name for this fly would be the Starbucks Emerger?
The ranger checked my BLM boater's pass and Warm Springs Tribal permit (which, as it turns out, I didn't need because I was primarily floating on a stretch where no fishing is allowed on their property which runs river left side of the Deschutes) and wished me well.
The ranger checked my BLM boater's pass and Warm Springs Tribal permit (which, as it turns out, I didn't need because I was primarily floating on a stretch where no fishing is allowed on their property which runs river left side of the Deschutes) and wished me well.
I purchased a $65 shuttle to have my truck/trailer driven to Harpham Flats, some 37 miles downstream.
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| An old homestead built by railroad workers |
The first few miles were wonderful. No wind, blue skies and a terrific hatch of Caddis flies. There were a few guided drift boats that entered the river just before me so I got some left-over water to fish. At one location I saw some Redside Trout feeding on Caddis' that were dropping from an overhanging tree limb. I positioned my cataraft just downstream and tried for an hour to hoax the unsuspecting trout to my Elk Hair Caddis pattern (which I tied the week earlier). He made a few good attempts at the bug but due to the location of the tree's hanging branches, I wasn't able to perfectly place the fly. I lost a couple of flies trying but finally gave up.
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| Large rock formations line some sections of the Deschutes River |
The first day of fishing was very good but was hampered a bit by increasing windy conditions. I caught several trout on the Prince/Pheasant Tail setup, saw lots of Osprey, Kingfishers, Great Blue Heron and deer.
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| An Osprey perches high above the Deschutes River |
I arrived at Whiskey Dick (honest) Campground in mid-afternoon to set up camp. This campground, like all others on this stretch of the river, is primitive. There's no electricity, no fresh water and the only access is by boat. Since the guided boats had traveled ahead of me I settled on the first campsite I found.
This was seemingly a nice area to pitch my REI Half-Dome tent. It was well shaded and close to the river. Upon inspecting the site I caught a glimpse of a snake's tail (not yielding a rattle) entering some thick grass on a trail leading north. I wasn't looking forward to walking through this tall grass-lined trail to access the nearby restroom. I proceeded to remove my two large dry bags which contained my tent, table, chair, clothing and miscellaneous camping stuff (As usual, I way over-packed).
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| Base Camp |
After setting up base camp I sat down for a breather - but only for a minute. I decided to grab a bottle of water from the cataraft and, upon returning to my chair, I saw the deadliest looking rattlesnake on Planet Earth! This snake was instantly given the name "Mr. Rattlesnake" and was an estimated 3 feet in length (later research revealed this to be a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake). He was uninterested in my appearance and slowly slithered toward a nearby tree. I tried to "shoo" him a bit with the assistance of the tip of my 9 foot fly rod for which I received only a whisper of a rattle. I thought for certain that Mr. Rattlesnake would, after being annoyed by my look of terror and poke with a 5 weight G-Loomis graphite rod, go on his merry way to eat someone else.
I was wrong.
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| Mr. Rattlesnake |
Mr. Rattlesnake meandered to the tree and disappeared but only for a few minutes. Upon observing him again, and reliving the fear and dread, I found that he now appeared occupied in thought - and my assumption was that he wasn't at all interested in leaving my new domain (which probably belonged to him moments earlier) which did not rest easy with me.
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| Mr. Rattlesnake - Not Leaving |
I grabbed my Nikon and took a few pictures and some video which should provide a glimpse of the experience. Instead of leaving, he returned to my tent.
Prior to this trip, I encouraged J to come with me and promised the girls that this adventure would gauge for us whether or not they could come on the next trip. I knew that this meeting with Mr. Rattlesnake would either make them want very much to come or scare them enough to never travel to the Deschutes River with me. As for J, she would be glad she didn't come along and I wouldn't blame her. Mr. Rattlesnake eventually left my camp.
I awoken the next morning with great anticipation to float White Horse Rapids. White Horse is only about a mile below the campground. This short drift is beautiful with tall canyon walls and picturesque rock formations.
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| Beautiful rock formations line the banks of the Deschutes River |
I didn't realize that I was so close to this famous rapid and actually found it by accident. I saw and heard the initial roar of White Horse upon rounding a bend. I thought that the run looked very exciting but somehow believed that it would look more intimidating. I pulled over and fished just above the rapid and then made my way up a trail to the railroad tracks. There, I saw the White Horse Rapids scouting area. Up higher now at a bird's eye view, the rapids appeared more impressive. I studied and charted my route after reading a small photograph shrine placed in memory of a girl that drowned there four years earlier during a church rafting trip (I later met a BLM worker who told me that she fell off a raft after being tossed as she sat on top of stowed camping gear. She was wearing her floatation device but struck the "Can Opener" rock and was forced under. It took 10 days to recover her and that was made possible by the lowering of the water level by adjusting flows at the Lake Simtustus dam).
The run through White Horse was exciting. My plan was to drift between the two "Camel's Back" rocks which would set me up to miss the first big rock located just downstream at river right. The force of the water pushed me over the first rock but I still had time to return to the line and avoid the upcoming "Can Opener" rock. My cataraft is really a great ride and even if I miss a line I'm confident that I can rely on its exceptional build and engineering to escape most situations.
About a mile downstream of White Horse is probably the best fly fishing pocket water that I've ever seen. Huge boulders with fast-walking-speed water made for fun and exciting wading and fishing. I caught one 18 inch Redside and I lost another much larger fish that took my line under a rock and snapped off.
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| Best ever stretch of fly fishing "Pocket Water" |
After this terrific fishing experience I continued my float toward my planned second night's stay at "Windy Flat" campground. I landed there at at 2 p.m. and, living up to its name, the wind began howling insistently. I decided that since I was capable of drifting all the way to my final location at Harpham Flats before nightfall, I might as well enjoy the drift and sacrifice what little fishing was to be had due to the wind for the rest of the day and the next. Strong winds and fly fishing do not mix well.
I pushed on down river passing through more beautiful scenery and watching a terrific display of wildlife. I saw a small herd of white tail deer which scattered upon seeing my blue cataraft.
As I made my way toward Harpham Flat, the wind became my enemy. When I lived on the Oregon Coast, I experienced 90 to 100 mile winds and I must say that at one point near the "locked gate" section of the river, I estimated a wind gust to be at about 90 mph. It struck my 16 foot cataraft as I was attempting to ferry to river right to avoid some upcoming rocks. It pushed me toward river left despite using all of my strength to keep the boat moving right. Just before striking the bank the wind gust ceased and I back-rowed quickly to escape a collision with the rocks.
I made it to Harpham Flat with about an hour left of daylight and called the shuttle and was delighted that they were able to immediately drive my truck there. They arrived only about 30 minutes later. On my way out of town I observed a river safety display that was created to remind boaters of the dangers that exist on the Deschutes River.
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| This drift boat was wrecked at White Horse Rapids in 2005 |
This was an amazing trip that I will not soon forget. It's inviting to say that I came away a bit disappointed but that's only due to the high winds that negatively impacted the fishing and that I experienced the beauty and quality of this amazing river without being able to share it with my family - but I'm also thankful they did not experience meeting Mr. Rattlesnake along a grassy path.
