Chasing Big Trout During the Salmonfly Hatch Deschutes

There is nothing quite like the chaos of the salmonfly hatch Deschutes anglers wait for all year. It's loud, it's buggy, and it's arguably the most exciting window of time for anyone with a fly rod in Central Oregon. If you've ever seen a three-inch insect that looks more like a small bird than a fly fluttering toward the water while a twenty-inch rainbow trout launches itself into the air to eat it, you know exactly why people lose their minds over this. ...

April 27, 2026 · 6 min · Johanna Wallen