The opening of steelhead fishing on the Deschutes River last week was much anticipated in the city of Maupin. “The whole town of Maupin is excited,” said John Hazel, owner of Deschutes Angler Fly Shop, in anticipation of the opening. “I would expect a good number of fishermen. We are one of the best steelhead rivers in Oregon,” he explained.
Even after 45 years of fly fishing, Paul Anderson will tell you he is still learning. Anderson, a well-known fly casting instructor and avid outdoorsman, is the proud owner and sole employee of Flyfishing Strategies Fly Shop, a business that has managed to thrive alongside the ever-changing cycles of salmon and steelhead that swim in the nearby Columbia River.
It was a good year for pikeminnow anglers in the Columbia and Snake rivers. More than 3,000 people registered for the 2018 Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Program. Combined, they spent more than 23,000 angler-days catching and removing 180,271 of the salmon-eating fish, which helps protect young salmon and steelhead from predation.
MAUPIN – What started as a senior class project has turned into a popular physical education curriculum. Back in 2008, South Wasco County senior Kris Belozer organized a fly fishing program to help local youth understand the rules and regulations of the sport, while fishing renown bodies of water across the Pacific Northwest. His goal is to establish a baseline where kids gain a love for an activity that will last a lifetime.
