River's Bend Fly Fishing Guides - Bend, Oregon

Josef B.

My brother and I decided to fish the Lower Deschutes while spending a few days in Bend. After calling a handful of guides, we decided to go with Nic from River's Bend Fly Fishing given that he was quick to answer his phone and was extremely helpful in answering all of our questions prior to our trip.

Nic was on top of everything from the moment we met him in the morning and he surpassed all of our expectations throughout the entirety of our trip. He was also very well prepared and has a top notch boat and fishing gear. My brother and I both caught a ton of fish and honed in our casting skills thanks to Nic's patience and willingness to help us improve our fishing. On top of being a great guide, Nic was also a pleasure to be around and is full of good humor and stories. We will definitely use Nic next time around and I would highly recommend him to anyone who is looking to have a great fishing trip.

David B.

Nic and River's Bend Fly Fishing are second to none. Nic took me on my first fly fishing trip. As a rookie to fly fishing Nic took his time to teach me the basics of fly fishing. He was patient and extremely knowledgeable. We had a great day on the river and I will definitely be using his services again in the future.

Paul Z.

As a slowly improving fly-fisherman, I attempt to visit as many rivers as I can and recruit the local guides to assist me in enjoying my day on the water. Nic, from River's Bend Fly Fishing, provided me with one of my most memorable fishing trips in a long time. Prior to departing from Texas to go to Oregon, I searched the web for fishing guides in Bend and came across Nic's company. He was very responsive to my inquiries and tailor made a trip to my wants. Not only that, he prefished a few locations a few days prior to our date. Not many guides would call you up 2 days before to tell you that your planned destination wasn't fishing well and offer up other better options.

I found Nic to be incredibly knowledgeable about the area we were fishing from its climate down to the real estate market. On the water I got an education about the nuances of dry fly fishing, but most importantly, Nic put me on a BUNCH of fish. If I was a better fisherman and/or had better eyesight to see the miniscule flies, I could have probably double my catch total. Nonetheless, I was extremely pleased.
I can not recommend Nic highly enough and he has cemented his status as my go-to guide in Oregon.

Russ L.

I've spent a lot of time fishing on Oregon rivers and have used a variety of guides to explore new water. Nic with River's Bend Fly Fishing is top notch.

Last winter I joined Nic to try to find some steelhead and at his recommendation we spent the day on the Santiam River. It was beautifully miserable cold day and Nic's enthusiasm for being on the water was contagious. The first place we pulled out Nic told me exactly how to fish the run and where I could expect a fish. 10 min later I hooked into and landed a beautiful 36" native. The rest of the day was full of bumps and runs and we ended up bringing 2 fish to hand when it seemed like everyone else in Oregon was struggling to find any action.

I've fished the Salmon Fly hatch on the Deschutes for the last 15 years with varying degrees of success. This last spring I decided to hire Nic to take me out for a day during the hatch. We fished water I had passed over year after year and I had one of the most successful trips ever. Nic put me into more, larger, fish than I ever remember getting.

I will definitely be hiring River's Bend Fly Fishing again. Nic's knowledge of fly fishing Oregon rivers is second to none.

Matt B.

Had an awesome time fishing with Nic during my first steelhead trip to Oregon. He was knowledgeable, easy going, and demonstrated great patience teaching me to spey cast for the first time. I myself have guided in Colorado for five years and know all the variables that go into an enjoyable day on the water. Nic knows how to assess expectations and manage the day in a way that suit the client appropriately. You can trust that you will be in good hands with Nic as your guide.

Gil T.

This was my first visit to Bend since 1984 and we were looking for the ideal way to spend a day enjoying the natural splendor there. What better way than fly fishing with a local guide, right?

For me, this would be a great chance to try my luck on some new water but for my 14 yo son, this would be his first time fly fishing so finding success would be the difference between "let's do that again!" and "no, not this time Dad". Luckily for us, Nic at River's Bend took great care of us and we both had a wonderful time. After discussing our situation in detail, Nic recommended a trip to the Crooked River for the day which turned out to be an ideal choice, after all.

The Crooked River is one of those really special places that is a fantastic blend of gorgeous scenery, amazing geology and top notch fishery. With Nic's advice, both my son and I enjoyed a terrific day catching the native Redside rainbows and whitefish who are fortunate enough to call this home. It's an amazing stretch of water with smart, lively fish that demand a knowledge of local entomology and correct presentation. Fortunately for us, we had both thanks to Nic's help and we both enjoyed catching these hard-fighting trout while also learning some new casting and presentation techniques that were key for this type of fishing. A freshly prepared hot lunch at the river's edge was also a really enjoyable and delicious highlight to our day.

The final result? My son had a great time and we now have a new father-son activity to share together. But without the wonderful service and expertise from River's Bend, however, this may not have been the case. If you're in the Bend area and wish to experience all that this spectacular fishing region has to offer, then you owe it to yourself to book a trip with River's Bend Fly Fishing.

Bill J.

My family and I enjoyed a fantastic day with Nic on the Crooked River. We were a diverse group ages 3 to 40+ with different levels of experience. Nic picked the perfect spots; got everyone into some nice holding water; selected the right flies; and we all caught plenty of fish. Nic is a patient and effective instructor and an absolute pleasure to spend the day with. An A+ outing all around. I highly recommend him.

Patrick D.

My girlfriend and I were visiting family in Bend and decided to try our hand at fly fishing. I'm not really much of a fisherman - thus, not really much of a man - and had never fly fished, so going the route of using a guide felt like the best option. I was led to Nic through the recommendation of a friend and was very thankful to I did. Nic not only did a stellar job of guiding us down the beautiful Deschutes River, he gave us our first fly fishing lesson, which in turn landed me my first ever fly fishing catch - a majestic 18" brown trout. Nic said that it is very rare for a novice to land a fish their first time out, but I countered by informing Nic how awesome I am. I think it was at that point that he wished he'd never met me. All jokes aside, I would highly recommend Nic and River's Bend Fly Fishing to anybody, novice or experienced. Great guy, highly informed, professional, patient and very personable.