Purists are going to hate this - but when I've gotten tired of fighting the wind and hiking way too many miles occasionally I will rig up a spinning setup with a slip float and get some nymphs wayyyyy out into the river at the campgrounds. Still haven't gone 20" but I've had several at 19".
Well shit, now I gotta bring my streamer rod AND my centerpin rig next time...
In my late teens I had a book that showed a couple of ways of rigging a spinning rod with a casting float and flies. I preferred a (
1/8 oz translucent chartreuse) non-slip Torpedo Float with snap swivels at both ends and a UL-LT spinning setup that could cast 1/32 oz lures for high lakes. I would
usually use one fly and make long casts, let sit, twitch-retrieve; repeat. But I would also rig it for lake outlets and inlets with a dry fly above the float and wet or nymph dropper at the end. With a shorter cast I would hold the rod high and try to make the dry dap on top in the current and the wet or nymph sink during a drift.
A couple of years ago I found the book, "Fish Don't Think: How to Catch Fish Using a Fly and Bubble" written by Bob Kayne. He likes to use a (slow action)
fly rod with a spinning reel.
To avoid having to carry 2 full setups, I started carrying a fly rod and reel for use where I had room for a backcast, and added a spinning reel. I have a small compartmented fly box that is carried around the neck on a lanyard with flies, torpedo float, a couple of spare snap swivels, and a couple of spoons, (classic 1/16 oz. Daredevle with SBH always seems to work if flies don't). Works pretty well!
Might that work on the Deschutes?