Fishing at 4,500 feel Mean Sea Level already presents some problems for a few folks. Add a humidity of 15% and the air is becoming a little strain on your otherwise normal respiratory system. Add the 102 degree outside air temperature and the 48 degree water you are standing in and you have come up with the "Ideal fishing in Oregon scenario." And, so it is in central Oregon in August. In this already extreme fly fishing situation, there was an additional issue that had cropped up - a massive forest fire to the west, that was causing more particulant matter in the air but never-the-less, it was still a pristine fly fishing opportunity.Make sure you have a great guide along to help out too. It matters when you are guided by a professional in an area you don't know and Rodger Carbone of Carbone's Fly Fishing Guide Service came to the rescue.
While we were fishing for smaller rainbows, I had never fished the Crooked River before and it turned out to be a very worthwhile trip. Rodger knows the lay of the land out there and he also inspired my father-in-law to take some great pictures too. Here are a few of the Crooked River basin near Prineville Oregon.
Fishing just above the dam on the Crooked River, in stained water, which was moving at better than the average cubic feet per minute, made for some tougher fishing but the scenery and the company made up for the lack of cooperating fish!
No matter where we stopped and waded in, you had to take a few minutes and look around to take in the beauty and the scenery. Almost forgot a few times while I was there, what I was doing there!
I think next year, we'll build a new fly reel and name it after the Crooked River. Seriously, the place merits a reel named after it and I am gonna see to it that it happens! Stay tuned!
