Small Stoneflies on the Lower Deschutes River
Yellow Sallies may not get the same attention as salmonflies and Golden Stones, but these smaller stoneflies can provide excellent dry-fly fishing on the Lower Deschutes River.
They often become more noticeable as the largest stoneflies begin to fade. The flies are smaller, the rises can be more subtle, and the presentations usually need to be a little cleaner.
When trout begin ignoring oversized foam patterns, a Yellow Sally may be the better match.
What Is a Yellow Sally?
Yellow Sallies are small stoneflies, generally pale yellow, yellow-green, or light tan in color.
They are much smaller than salmonflies and Golden Stones. Most effective Yellow Sally patterns fall somewhere around sizes 14 through 18, although the natural insects and preferred fly size can vary.
Because they are less dramatic than the big bugs, anglers sometimes overlook them. Trout usually do not.
Yellow Sallies can help bridge the gap between the main stonefly hatch and the river’s early-summer caddis, mayfly, and terrestrial fishing.
When Yellow Sallies Become Important
Yellow Sallies can overlap the salmonfly and Golden Stone hatch, but they often become more important as the largest adults begin to disappear.
On the Lower Deschutes, they are commonly associated with late spring and early summer. Exact timing changes with river section, flows, water temperature, and weather.
Do not rely on the calendar alone. Watch the streamside grass, shoreline rocks, and air above the riffles for small yellow adults.
Also watch the trout. Yellow Sally rises are not always splashy. A soft rise along a seam or riffle edge may be the only clue that fish are looking up.
Where to Fish Yellow Sallies
Yellow Sallies are strongly associated with riffles and well-oxygenated water, but the best feeding water is often found along the softer edges nearby.
Productive Water
- Riffle edges and current seams
- Soft water below faster runs
- Foam lines and shaded banks
- Rocky edges where stoneflies emerge
- Tailouts below productive riffles
- Inside edges with walking-speed current
Fish the transition water rather than concentrating only on the heaviest current. Trout often slide into softer lanes where they can feed without working as hard.
As always on the Deschutes, check the close water before wading into it.
Yellow Sally Fly Selection
Yellow Sally patterns should generally be smaller and more lightly dressed than the large foam flies used during the main stonefly hatch.
Dry Flies
- Yellow Sally Stimulators
- Larimer’s Yellow Sally
- Low-riding Yellow Sally adults
- Small yellow or golden foam patterns
- Yellow stonefly dries in sizes 14 through 18
A visible Stimulator or small foam pattern works well in riffles and broken water. In smoother seams or pressured water, a lower-riding pattern may produce better results.
Nymphs
- Small rubber-leg stonefly nymphs
- Yellow Sally nymph patterns
- Small golden or yellow Perdigons
- Compact amber or yellow bead-head nymphs
Keep the nymph proportionate to the insect. A large salmonfly nymph may still catch trout, but it is not a close match for a Yellow Sally.
A Simple Yellow Sally Setup
A standard trout outfit is all you need.
- Rod: 9-foot 4- or 5-weight fly rod
- Line: Weight-forward floating line
- Leader: 9-foot leader
- Tippet: 4X for most situations; 5X in smooth or heavily pressured water
A 5-weight offers plenty of control for the Lower Deschutes. A 4-weight can be enjoyable in lighter wind and more protected water.
Start with 4X. Move to 5X only when the water is smooth, the trout are cautious, or the smaller fly needs a more refined presentation.
Dry Fly or Dry-Dropper?
When trout are not visibly feeding on top, a small Yellow Sally nymph beneath a dry can be an effective way to start.
Once adults become active or trout begin rising, remove the dropper and fish a single dry. The lighter rig casts more cleanly and usually produces a better drift.
- Limited surface activity: Fish a Yellow Sally dry with a small nymph beneath it.
- Broken water: Use a visible Stimulator or small foam pattern.
- Smooth water: Choose a lower-riding fly and lengthen the leader if needed.
- Evening activity: Watch riffle edges, foam lines, and soft seams for rising trout.
How Yellow Sally Fishing Differs from the Big-Bug Hatch
Yellow Sally fishing is usually more refined than fishing salmonflies and Golden Stones.
The flies are smaller. The tippet is lighter. The rises may be harder to see, and the trout can become more selective.
Instead of pounding the banks with a large foam fly, pay closer attention to:
- Fly size
- Drift quality
- Riffle edges and soft seams
- Subtle surface activity
- Changing light and evening movement
That shift in approach is what makes Yellow Sally fishing worth its own place in the season.
Final Thoughts
Yellow Sallies may be smaller than the stoneflies that made the Deschutes famous, but they should not be treated as an afterthought.
As the largest bugs begin to fade, these small yellow stoneflies can keep trout looking up and extend the dry-fly fishing into early summer.
Carry a few sizes, watch the riffle edges, and do not overlook the softer water nearby.
Sometimes the smaller bug is the one that keeps the day going.
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