Anglers should not be concerned when they see that the Crooked looks like a big swatch of double-mocha coffee. The discoloration is the result of large amounts of suspended fine sediment. The Metolius is one of the largest spring-fed rivers in the United States. It is surely a candidate for the most beautiful and a must-see for visiting anglers, the scenery alone is worth it. The river bursts from a spring surrounded by ponderosa pine at the base of Black Butte near Camp Sherman.
Shades range from aquamarine in the deep chutes to royal blue in pine-shaded back eddies.
One can usually see to the bottom - more than ten feet deep. After concentrated efforts by TU, Central Oregon Flyfishers, and Oregon Trout, the Metolius is now managed as a wild trout stream. It is now believed that large wood is important to the river. Big trees, such as old-growth ponderosa pine, fall into the water and redirect currents. This creates side channels, gravel, islands, shelter and pools.