The Crooked River is a premier Central Oregon trout stream with a robust population of native redbands. We offer guided walk and wade trips deep into the canyon to experience amazing wildlife, views, and epic fishery.
The River
The Crooked River is a tributary of the Deschutes River and flows into Lake Billy Chinook Reservoir from the east. The desert river flows for 125 miles before entering the lake but the best fishing can be found in the first 8 miles downstream of the dam. But fish can be found from the dam down to Billy Chinook.
Native redside trout reside in high numbers, upwards of 3,000 fish per mile, in the most populated sections of the river. This makes the Crooked a great fishery for beginner and experienced anglers alike because of the varied methods you can use on the river.
Beginner anglers can work on mending their line, hooksets, and casting on the small river that allows ample access to any level of wader. Be careful though, the rocks can be incredibly slippery at certain times of the year and cleated wading boots are recommended. The river offers an unintimidating atmosphere to learn how to read water and find fish on the fly.
Advanced anglers will welcome the challenge of making long casts in tricky currents to rising fish or working complex currents behind boulders and riffles with an indicator rig. Swinging soft hackles is another enjoyable way to make the most of the abundant mayfly and caddis hatches.
The Crooked offers some of the best hatches in Central Oregon and it is rare to visit the river when there is not some form of bug activity. Even in the winter midges continue to hatch and provide the opportunity for dry fly activity. But the spring and summer are the best times to target fish on dry flies.
Blue-wing olives, pale morning duns, and caddis are the most prevalent insects available during the warmer months.
The Crooked River below Prineville Reservoir is a tailwater which means it releases cold water even during the hot summer months. This means that even during July and August you may want to wader up rather than brave the cold water. When you book a trip the waders and gear are provided if needed but I am more than happy to work with the gear you want to fish.
The Trip
Crooked River guided trips are either full days or half days as it is less than an hour from Bend. Feel free the spend the morning fishing the river with us before heading out for a hike or brewery tour in Bend. The full-day trip includes all the gear you need for success plus a lunch.
The full-day option is an 8-hour day of fishing that usually starts around 7-8 am and wraps up around 4 pm. Of course, we are flexible with the timing of the trip and it can be customized to your day. But oftentimes we prefer to get a jump on the crowds and hot weather during the summer months so earlier can be better. The half-day option includes all the gear needed but does not feature a lunch on the river. The half-day includes 4 hours of guided time on the water.
I can tailor the trip to your wants, whether it be learning to cast more efficiently, reading water, or fly selection. There are endless options to make the trip custom to you. Maybe you want to escape the crowds, there are places to go for that as well.
Book a trip with me on the Crooked River to experience a fantastic guided experience just 45 minutes from Bend.
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