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Deschutes National Forest
1001 SW Emkay Drive
Bend, OR 97702
(541) 383-5300
Ochoco National Forest
3160 N.E. 3rd Street
Prineville, OR 97754
(541) 416-6500
Crooked River National Grassland
813 S.W. Hwy. 97
Madras, OR 97741
(541) 475-9272
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Recreational Activities
Rivers and Streams
Crooked River
The
Crooked River experience is one of rugged, dramatic canyons, enthusiastic
fish, Wild and Scenic tracts, bald eagles and kingfishers, and cool,
spring-fed headwaters. The river maintains a wild feeling,
even in the most popular sections. Well-known locally for dependable
fishing and routine rattlesnake sightings, this comparatively small
river produces and supports excellent populations of trout and
whitefish. In 1984, the Crooked River yielded the runner-up state
record inland redband trout of 4 pounds, 9 ounces.
The main stem, formed by many tributaries like the South Fork,
North Fork, Howard Creek, Wolf Creek, and Beaver Creek, flows over
100 miles northwest to Lake Billy Chinook and is a major tributary
to the Deschutes River. In general, you will find a variety of deep
pools, shallow riffles, rocky shorelines, and channels full of boulders
and cobbles throughout the length of the Crooked River. A few meadow
portions are the only exceptions. Water levels fluctuate with spring
runoff and the irrigation season.
The North Fork of the Crooked River originates in the Ochoco Mountains
75 miles east of Prineville, and has many smaller tributaries like
Deep Creek as inputs to the main river. Angling is fair for wild
rainbow trout. The South Fork of the Crooked River begins about
60 miles east of Bend. It has been stocked annually since 1981 with
Deschutes red sides and also contains a few Smallmouth bass and
brown bullheads. The South Fork is open only to angling with artificial
flies and lures and has a reduced (2 trout per day) catch limit
for trout. Check the regulations for details. The North and South
Fork meet along the Post-Paulina Highway about 25 miles east of
Prineville. From this point downstream to Prineville Reservoir,
the river is severely affected by overgrazing and irrigation withdrawals
and support only skimpy numbers of Smallmouth bass and brown bullheads.
Source: “Fishing Central Oregon-Third Edition”,
1998. Geoff Hill, Brooke Snavely, and Raven Wing. Sun Publishing,
716 NE 4th Street, Bend, Oregon. http://www.sun-pub.com
| Vehicle Access: |
From highway 27 south of Prineville and along the Post-Paulina
Highway east of Prineville. |
| Fishing Access: |
Along State Highway 27 |
| Launch Points: |
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| Fish Species Present: |
Inland redband
trout and whitefish |
| Physical Characteristics: |
Size: Main stem 100 miles; Depth: Level fluctuates; Elevation:
3620'-1940' |
| When/How to fish: |
Water at 40°F & the 7 mile stretch below Bowman Dam at
Prineville Reservoir. Get a weekly fishing report from
ODFW. |
| Popular Fishing Methods: |
Fly Fishing, bait-plunking, drifting |
| Bait/Lure Fishing Method: |
Cheese, power bait, single egg, night crawlers, and spinners |
| Fly Fishing Methods: |
Over-the-head, line-mending, dead-drifting, down-and-across
nymphing |
| Insect Hatch/Flies to Use: |
Check the Crooked Rive Major Hatches chart below. Flies to
consider are the Beadhead Grammarus-Hyalella Scud. |
| Camping Information: |
Poison
Butte Campground, Deep
Creek Campground, Devil's
Post Pile Campground, Cobble
Rock Campground, Chimney
Rock Campground, Lower
Palisades Campground, Lone
Pine Campground, Upper
Lone Pine Campground, Greenwood
Campground, Stillwater
Campground, Castle
Rock Campground |
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Crooked River Major Hatches
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Insect
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Flies
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| Midges-Chironomindae |
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Afternoon, Evening |
Palamino, Griffith's Gnats, CDC Midge, Suspender
Pupa, Brassie, Serendipity, Para Midge #18-26 |
| Blue-winged Olive-Baetis sp |
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Afternoon (Duns) Spinner Fall: Morning, Dark |
Flashback Pheasant Tail, RS2, Captive Dun,
Comparadun, Sparkle Dun, H-V12 Parachute, Biot Spinner #16-24 |
| Mahogany Dun-Paraleptophlebia sp |
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Afternoon |
Beadhead P.T., Featherdusters, Parachute
Adams, Comparadun #14-16 |
| Scuds |
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Morning, Afternoon, Dark |
Olive, Tan and Orange Scuds #10-18 |
| Grannom/Mother's Day Caddis-Brachycentrus |
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Afternoon, Evening |
Cased Caddis, Sparkle Pupa, X-Caddis, Henryville
#14-16 |
| Green Sedge-Rhyacophlia |
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Afternoon, Evening |
Green Rock Worm, Soft Hackle, CDC Caddis,
Elk Hair Caddis, #14-16 |
| Spotted Sedge, Hydropsyche, Little
Sister Sedge, Cheumatopsyche |
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Afternoon, Evening |
Serendipity, Sparkle Pupa, CDC Caddis, X-Caddis,
Elk Hair Caddis #12-18 |
| October Caddis-Dicosmoecus |
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Evening |
Cased Caddis, October Caddis Pupa, Stimulator
#6-12 |
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Insect
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Flies
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Source: Hatch Chart Prepared by Jeff Perin, In "Flyfisher's
Guide to Oregon" by John Huber, Wilderness Adventures Press, 1998,
used with permission.
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