Oregon ·
Deschutes River Fly Fishing Report - August 16, 2026
DESCHUTES RIVER
ReportAUG 16 — 23, 2026
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Flow
3940CFS
DESCHUTES RIVER AT MOODY, NEAR BIGGS, OR
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Water Temp
67.8°F
Updated 2026-08-15
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Weather
61–88°F
Patchy Smoke
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Clarity
Clear
Check post-storm
Flow is running at 3,940 CFS (gauge height 2.73 ft) and water temperature is 67.8°F — right at the upper edge of the comfort zone for trout, so expect fish to hold in deeper, shaded lies and seams through midday before moving to feed aggressively in the evening caddis window.
What's Working — Hot Flies
Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) Tan #20
18-20
Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) Olive #20
18-20
Egan's GTI Caddis - Olive #12
12-14
Parachute - Blue Wing Olive #22
20-22
Juju Baetis Tungsten #22
20-22
Egan's Thread Frenchie Jig - Olive #12
12
Tungsten Rainbow Warrior - Extra Heavy #14
14
Olsen's Straggle Stone Brown Barbless #12 - 32
12
Tungsten Pat's Rubber Legs - Tan & Brown #6
6
Tungsten Split Case Nymph - PMD #20
18-20
Black Zebra Midge(TBH) #20
20-22
Bionic Hopper - Tan #12
12
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caddis (Spotted Sedge) | 14-16 | Heavy | 6 PM - 9 PM |
| Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | 18-22 | Moderate | 9 AM - 12 PM |
| PMD (Pale Morning Dun) | 16-20 | Light | 10 AM - 1 PM |
| Midge | 20-24 | Moderate | 7 AM - 10 AM |
| Stonefly (Golden) | 6-8 | Light | 8 AM - 11 AM |
Best Time Window
- 6 AM - 9 AM: Midge and early BWO nymphing in softer inside bends and slower flats before the sun hits the water.
- 9 AM - 12 PM: BWO and PMD window — work the glassy flats and transition zones with small nymphs and dry-fly imitations on fine tippet.
- 6 PM - Dark: Prime evening caddis hatch — position in the tailouts and riffles, fish caddis dries and swing wet flies through the seams as light fades.
Guide's Tip
From the benchWith water temps at 67.8°F, trout will be stressed in direct sun during the 1–5 PM heat window — focus your midday effort on deeply shaded canyon walls and the cool, oxygenated water at the heads of rapids where fish stack up. Set your indicator depth to at least 1.5x the water depth and use enough split shot to keep your nymph ticking the bottom through the fast main-channel runs. As the sun drops behind the canyon rim around 6 PM, move to the tailouts and riffles and switch to a caddis dry — the evening hatch on the Deschutes in August is one of the best dry-fly shows in the West, and fish will be actively rising until dark.
Main Species
Redband Rainbow Trout
Steelhead
Brown Trout
