Best Flies for the Deschutes River — What Actually Works
Our guide to the top producing fly patterns for the Deschutes, based on years of fishing this legendary Oregon river.
The Flies That Actually Work
After years of fishing the Deschutes, these are the patterns we always have in the box. Not theory — what works.
Elk Hair Caddis
Dry FlyThe workhorse of the Deschutes. Al Troth's classic caddis imitation has been fooling trout on Western rivers for 50+ years. High-floating elk hair wing, visible on fast water. No dry fly box is complete without it.
Buy $2.75 each →Chubby Chernobyl
Dry FlyThe high-vis attractor that outfishes everything on the Deschutes during stonefly season. Foam body floats all day, visible from 30 feet, and serves as a perfect dry/dropper rig indicator. When the Chubby is out, fish eat it or eat what's hanging below it.
Buy $2.75 each →Stimulator
Dry FlyThe Stimulator excels as a golden stonefly imitation during summer, but fish eat it all season long as a general attractor. The palmered hackle and elk hair wing create a buoyant silhouette that pushes water and grabs attention in fast runs and pocket water.
Buy $2.75 each →Pheasant Tail Nymph
NymphFrank Sawyer's classic mayfly nymph imitation has been catching trout for 70 years. The slender pheasant tail body imitates PMDs, BWOs, and a dozen other mayfly species. Fish it dead-drift under an indicator or as a dropper below a dry fly.
Buy $2.50 each →Rather not pick them individually? Our Deschutes River Fly Box includes all the essential patterns — 20 flies, $69.
Get the right flies for this river
We've done the research. Grab a river-specific box and show up ready to fish.
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