Today
97°F
Areas Of Smoke
N 8 to 12 mph · 2% precip
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Today’s verdict
Clear — a big 41°F swing through the day.
3,610 CFSFlow
57°F+1°Water temp3,610 CFS is on the low side for July — this stretch typically runs 3,620–4,080 CFS.
With flows lower than usual, wading is generally easier and more forgiving — but beds still shift and cold water saps strength fast, so read the water, stay within your limits, and check conditions on-site. You remain responsible for your own safety.
At 57°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
88°FClear
Wind NNW 9 mph
Sunrise 5:42 AM · Sunset 8:40 PM
Observed (2 hours ago)
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 17:00
Today
97°F
Areas Of Smoke
N 8 to 12 mph · 2% precip
Tonight
60°F
Patchy Smoke then Mostly Clear
NW 1 to 13 mph · 1% precip
Tomorrow
100°F
Patchy Smoke
NW 1 to 12 mph · 0% precip
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Size #12-16
Conditions are estimates from USGS data. Always assess on-site conditions and use your own judgment.
The gauge near Madras reads the lower Deschutes — the big-water trout and summer-steelhead reach anglers wade and float between Warm Springs and Maupin. It carries both flow and water temperature, so the conditions reflect the canyon water you'll actually fish, not the reservoirs above it.
Location
© OpenStreetMap contributors · © Geoapify
Helpful Links
Oregon fishing resources
Other Oregon rivers with live conditions
Oregon’s Lower Deschutes is a powerful canyon river famous for native redband rainbow trout—locally called redsides—and summer steelhead. Its swift currents, basalt banks and limited road access give it a rugged character. Trout fishing is available through much of the year, subject to current regulations and seasonal closures, while summer steelhead typically enter from July onward and are most widely distributed in fall. The signature trout event is the salmonfly and golden-stone hatch from May into early June. Caddis dominate many summer evenings, with PMDs, BWOs, midges and October caddis filling other seasonal windows. Trout anglers commonly use stonefly nymphs, caddis pupae, dry-dropper rigs and careful bank presentations; the strong current rewards heavy leaders and precise mending. Swinging wet flies or traditional steelhead patterns with single- or two-handed rods is the classic approach for steelhead. Floating is often the best way to reach productive water, but fishing from the boat is restricted on much of the lower river, so anglers stop and fish from shore.
