Matching the hatch is the norm for pursuing rainbows, and many of the local anglers who spend a considerable amount of time on the Fall know that a big streamer on a sink-tip line can produce some of the big fish that lurk in the depths of the river.

Like most spring creeks, the bug life on the Fall is diverse and dreamy. I am not one of those anglers concerned with entomology and Latin, preferring to speak in terms of Parachute Adams and Elk Hair caddis. I have seen bright pink mayflies hatch on the Fall River. I have no idea what they were, but the fish seemed to like the Adams I used during that hatch. From December to March, the majority of bug life consists of midges and blue-winged olives. I am not a big fan of fishing midge hatches, although I've caught plenty of trout on Griffith's Gnats and midge clusters. These patterns, in Nos. 18-22, are definitely worth having in the fly box for a Fall River trip.

The blue-winged olive hatch is what I come for. This hatch is incredibly consistent, and comes off nearly every day from January-April. I like it because I know exactly what I'm supposed to be imitating and I have fished it enough to gain confidence in my patterns and techniques.

Like most mayflies, BWOs love overcast days. When the clouds are building to the south of my home in Bend, it's time to drop what I'm doing (usually not too much) and head to the Fall River. The bugs usually start to hatch sometime in the early afternoon and come off for an hour or two, depending on the weather. When conditions are right, the little bugs litter the surface and trout go nuts.

Even so, these fish are educated and don't fall for sloppy presentations, big monofilament or ugly patterns. Only good slack line and dead-drift presentations will turn fish. Sometimes it is necessary to go to the dreaded 7x tippets when 6x gets refused.

I generally leave my own creations at home and just purchase some tiny mayfly patterns at a local shop. (I hate tying anything that small.)

GETTING THERE Sunriver, Ore., is about 15 miles South of Bend on Highway 97. The Fall River is right in the back yard, about 8 miles from the Sunriver turnoff on Forest Road 43. The quickest way to get to the Fall coming from Bend is to take the Vandevert Road turnoff two miles south of the Sunriver turnoff, and catch FR 43 from there. The road parallels the river for its length. Anglers can pick up tippets, flies and advice at the Patient Angler in Bend (541-389-6208) or down the road in Sunriver at the Sunriver Fly Shop (541-593-8814). Guides are available through Fly & Field Outfitters (541-318-1616) and Deschutes River Outfitters (541-388-8191), although the river is pretty self-explanatory for anyone with moderate fly-fishing experience. Food, lodging and other amenities are available in Sunriver or Bend. — Justin Karnopp

In addition to dries, BWO emerger patterns can be deadly. One of my favorites is the RS2 in Nos. 18-20. Present the RS2 like a dry, but just under the surface. Another good way to present this pattern is behind a dry fly as a dropper. Tie a length of tippet 18 inches long off the hook bend of the dry fly and attach the emerger to it.

When the fish just aren't coming to the surface, nymphing techniques can be productive on Fall River. Because of its fly-fishing only designation, no additional weight may be attached to the leader for sinking nymph patterns to the depths where the big trout tend to lie. The only way to get down to these fish is to incorporate appropriate weight into the fly itself.

Since most of the productive nymph patterns are tiny, the best way to do this is to tie some Zebra midges, Pheasant Tails, egg patterns and Hare's Ears with tungsten beads. Little No. 18 tungsten beaded nymphs are the best producers on Fall River. Fish them underneath a strike indicator in riffles and plunge pools.

This past winter my friend and I were having a tough day. There were a few fish rising, but the hatch was waning. John tied on an olive streamer of mine that looks like a little minnow. He hooked a number of nice fish working that pattern underneath the logjams, and the fish went crazy for it. I assumed that they may have been taking it for a small sculpin or something. Since then I won't go to the Fall without a 2-inch olive rabbit streamer.