Sarah Whitfield — Deschutes River Outfitters

About

Sarah Whitfield is one of the Pacific Northwest's most respected fly fishing guides, operating a boutique guiding service focused on the rivers of central and southern Oregon. With sixteen years of professional guiding experience, Sarah has built her reputation on the Deschutes River, where she specializes in both the famed redsides rainbow trout fishery and the river's late-summer steelhead runs. Her intimate knowledge of the Deschutes canyon, from Warm Springs downstream to the Columbia confluence, encompasses every riffle, tailout, and camping spot along more than a hundred miles of fly-only water.

Sarah's approach to guiding reflects her background as a competitive fly fisher and certified casting instructor. She is meticulous about casting mechanics, believing that improving a client's casting ability yields far more fish over the course of a trip than simply finding the right pool. Her steelhead guiding, which involves traditional down-and-across wet-fly swinging with both single-hand and Spey rods, draws anglers who appreciate the meditative, methodical nature of the classic steelhead game.

Beyond the Deschutes, Sarah guides on the Rogue River for summer steelhead and the McKenzie River for its exceptional resident rainbow trout fishing. She is active in Oregon's wild steelhead conservation community and volunteers as a mentor for youth fly fishing programs throughout the state.

Specialties

Rivers & Waters