Bend, Ore.
The In-Place for the Outdoors Crowd

Bend barely fits the "town" criteria because its popu-lation has boomed to over 75,000 in recent years. Of course, that's because people have discovered what a cool place it is. For anglers, there are tons of possibilities. The main waterway is the Deschutes River, which has three distinct sections, each with its own seasons and characteristics: The upper river is a sleeper brown trout haven; the middle section, a productive rainbow river until the dead heat of summer; the lower Deschutes, by Warm Springs, the classic steelhead fishery. Area lakes are some of the country's best for trout, and river fishing for smallmouths is also possible. Non-angling diversions in this high-desert climate include golf, skiing in winter, whitewater rafting, and sensational upland bird hunting to the east. Elevation is 3,600 feet, which is not a major issue, and there are cultural events aplenty. Bend is still a relatively affordable place to live, although the increase in residents means that's changing, seemingly by the month.

Photo courtesy of: Fly and Field Outfitters.