# Floated lower Deschutes



## DLJeffs (Oct 31, 2020)

A buddy and I floated the lower Deschutes two days ago. Beautiful warm Indian summer day (are we still allowed to call it Indian summer even if we're floating through a section that requires a permit from the Warm Springs Reservation?). Saw two groups of river otters swimming and porpoising and sitting on a rock munching a fish. A golden eagle was flying along casting his shadow on a basalt lava cliff and had some dramatic sun on a columnar basalt butte late in the day. Unfortunately my DSLR was in the waterproof bag strapped behind me when we saw all that cool stuff so no pics. But we caught some fish, a few nice ones.

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## Nature Man (Oct 31, 2020)

Strikingly handsome fish! Bet they taste great! Chuck

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## DLJeffs (Oct 31, 2020)

Nature Man said:


> Strikingly handsome fish! Bet they taste great! Chuck


Yeah, the Deschutes redside strain of rainbows are particularly bright colored. I haven't eaten one so can't say how they taste.

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## Mike1950 (Oct 31, 2020)

Beautiful country


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## Ray D (Oct 31, 2020)

Beautiful fish. Sounds like a great trip.


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## Mike Hill (Nov 2, 2020)

Ok, Momma said I should count to 10 before I say something - I suppose the theory being that Mikey would cogitate over pending verbal effluvium before spewing. Well I did that and I failed! I saw this post on Sat. and thought I should give it some time before erupting with my eluciudation! So I waited the rest of Sat. and all day Sun. - but the tarrying did not one iota forge any semblance of idiosyncratic repression. The interim only served to heighten my presumption and anxiety. I must release all this acrimony - before I bust a gut! I (I hesitate to use the word hate - too harsh - so I choose dislike) dislike you tremendously! With that said, I'm relieved, but not....I now realize I am not content. A fortuitous lack of emotion? I ponder the reason for the startling perspective. I'm perplexed and just plain bumfuzzled! I do not customarily exhibit this type of jejune knee-jerk reaction. Discombobulated I am! To extricate my mind from these depths of my melancholy, I surmise that I must honestly assay the foundation of my misery! Is this emotion because you caught a pritty little fishy? No - that would be petty and beneath me! Was it because you were on the Lower Deschutes, experiencing nature while I was logging hours at my desk - not really, but might be cutting it close. Was it because the images were such that I could not ascertain either what fly was used or in what run you were successful? Possibly, however, since my desk is somewhere around 2,300 miles away - I would judge that to be superfluous information. So why? I had to dig deep, and I mean real deep - deep enough to render the exercise painful - exquisitely painful! It was, but also so liberating - so comforting to know that there was finally a solid and lucid rationale. One that made sense, was logical, and easily expected. The reason? I conclude that my sequitur was caused by you not taking me! There I said it - the truth is out. I can rest, I realize now that I am a victim of forced nonparticipation! With that revelation - you could have knocked me over with a feather. On second thought - just keep that feather and put it to better use on your next fly!

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 4


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## Wildthings (Nov 2, 2020)

Mike Hill said:


> Ok, Momma said I should count to 10 before I say something - I suppose the theory being that Mikey would cogitate over pending verbal effluvium before spewing. Well I did that and I failed! I saw this post on Sat. and thought I should give it some time before erupting with my eluciudation! So I waited the rest of Sat. and all day Sun. - but the tarrying did not one iota forge any semblance of idiosyncratic repression. The interim only served to heighten my presumption and anxiety. I must release all this acrimony - before I bust a gut! I (I hesitate to use the word hate - too harsh - so I choose dislike) dislike you tremendously! With that said, I'm relieved, but not....I now realize I am not content. A fortuitous lack of emotion? I ponder the reason for the startling perspective. I'm perplexed and just plain bumfuzzled! I do not customarily exhibit this type of jejune knee-jerk reaction. Discombobulated I am! To extricate my mind from these depths of my melancholy, I surmise that I must honestly assay the foundation of my misery! Is this emotion because you caught a pritty little fishy? No - that would be petty and beneath me! Was it because you were on the Lower Deschutes, experiencing nature while I was logging hours at my desk - not really, but might be cutting it close. Was it because the images were such that I could not ascertain either what fly was used or in what run you were successful? Possibly, however, since my desk is somewhere around 2,300 miles away - I would judge that to be superfluous information. So why? I had to dig deep, and I mean real deep - deep enough to render the exercise painful - exquisitely painful! It was, but also so liberating - so comforting to know that there was finally a solid and lucid rationale. One that made sense, was logical, and easily expected. The reason? I conclude that my sequitur was caused by you not taking me! There I said it - the truth is out. I can rest, I realize now that I am a victim of forced nonparticipation! With that revelation - you could have knocked me over with a feather. On second thought - just keep that feather and put it to better use on your next fly!


OK I put this over in Google Translate and I think I see the problem now....you didn't get to go Ha the nerve!

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## Mr. Peet (Nov 3, 2020)

Mike Hill said:


> Ok, Momma said I should count to 10 before I say something - I suppose the theory being that Mikey would cogitate over pending verbal effluvium before spewing. Well I did that and I failed! I saw this post on Sat. and thought I should give it some time before erupting with my eluciudation! So I waited the rest of Sat. and all day Sun. - but the tarrying did not one iota forge any semblance of idiosyncratic repression. The interim only served to heighten my presumption and anxiety. I must release all this acrimony - before I bust a gut! I (I hesitate to use the word hate - too harsh - so I choose dislike) dislike you tremendously! With that said, I'm relieved, but not....I now realize I am not content. A fortuitous lack of emotion? I ponder the reason for the startling perspective. I'm perplexed and just plain bumfuzzled! I do not customarily exhibit this type of jejune knee-jerk reaction. Discombobulated I am! To extricate my mind from these depths of my melancholy, I surmise that I must honestly assay the foundation of my misery! Is this emotion because you caught a pritty little fishy? No - that would be petty and beneath me! Was it because you were on the Lower Deschutes, experiencing nature while I was logging hours at my desk - not really, but might be cutting it close. Was it because the images were such that I could not ascertain either what fly was used or in what run you were successful? Possibly, however, since my desk is somewhere around 2,300 miles away - I would judge that to be superfluous information. So why? I had to dig deep, and I mean real deep - deep enough to render the exercise painful - exquisitely painful! It was, but also so liberating - so comforting to know that there was finally a solid and lucid rationale. One that made sense, was logical, and easily expected. The reason? I conclude that my sequitur was caused by you not taking me! There I said it - the truth is out. I can rest, I realize now that I am a victim of forced nonparticipation! With that revelation - you could have knocked me over with a feather. On second thought - just keep that feather and put it to better use on your next fly!



Mr. Hill, after reading such ramblings, one thought and image repeatedly surfaced...Rango

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## DLJeffs (Nov 3, 2020)

Gee Mike, I don't know what to say. I could say I didn't mean it. I could apologize for causing you to spew discombobulated ravings while shackled to your desk, 2,300 miles away. I could say I used a two fly rig all day - one of my own golden stonefly designs on point and a small caddis imitation as dropper, and 9 fish out of 10 took the stonefly. And then it hit me... the only acceptable retort is....neener neener neener.

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## Gdurfey (Nov 3, 2020)

I’ll just say I wish I were there. On my bucket list, sounded like a great day!

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## Mike Hill (Nov 4, 2020)

Ok, wasn't 100% sure what neener meant. Had to look up on the net. Guess I lived a sheltered life! Oh, and to show how out of touch I am, I also had to look up Rango and my only respite is that chameleons don't have forked tongues! 

Never been able to go to the places to catch those colored up rainbows. Are they the predominate variety there? Ours around here aren't nearly that colored up. Just wondering - was the stonefly a dry or did you use an indicator?


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## DLJeffs (Nov 4, 2020)

Sorry, Mike, had to rub it in a little. It seems like the fish population in most trout water is usually dominated by one species or another. Rainbows seem to prefer the freestone, cold water, faster moving mountain streams. Brown trout are more adaptable, can handle larger temperature variations and higher levels of pollutants. They're also extremely carnivorous and a big brown that takes up residence in a nice pool will decimate the smaller fish. I watched a huge brown make two passes at a duckling one day on the Yuba River. You often find a predominance of brown trout in slightly warmer water - we caught mostly browns when I fished southern MIssouri / northern Arkansas water years ago. You also get a lot of big browns in tailwaters below dams. Brook trout (actually a char rather than a trout) like the smaller, higher elevation water, don't grow as large (generally) and are prolific breeders. Water that contains brook trout needs to have a steady population of bigger fish to control the brook trout population. If the larger fish are taken, the small brookies will take over, consume all the eggs of the other fish, until you end up with a population of stunted growth brook trout (I've watch it happen on more than one Colorado stream in my lifetime). Cutthroat seem to be the most fragile of the trout species. They like very clean, cold water. They are often considered "easy to catch" relative to other trout species, making them more gullible or something. On the Deschutes River here in Oregon rainbows are the predominant species. They call them "Deschutes redsides" because of the bright red gill operculums and red stripe down the side. They refer to them as a "strain of trout" rather than an actual subspecies. Just like the McCloud River strain. Both of those have been used to create rainbow trout populations all over the world, most notably New Zealand's rainbow trout.

We used nymphs rather than dries. Saw only sporadic rises all day, nothing that was worth trying to target with dry flies. There was a decent October caddis hatch but the fish weren't chasing the adult flies. I suspect the golden stonefly I had on was working because the trout were taking it as an October caddis pupa, or as a drowned adult caddis. Here's a shot of my stonefly. I used to tie them in a realistic style for display.

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## Mike Hill (Nov 4, 2020)

Well, here in Mid Tenn - there ain't no native trout. Only tailwaters and winter put and take meat fishing. Only native in Tennessee is the southern strain of brookie. In and around GSMNP only - usually above 3000 ft. What I consider my "home" river is the Caney Fork - 'bow, brown and brookie.
They vary the strains of 'bow that they raise and stock, but seems like the bigger ones tend to look like the Fraser Valley strain with an occasional Kamloops looking one. Most look like one of the more silvery variety of redbands - but who knows? Browns get kinda big. Some 6 years ago someone pulled a 28# from a deep hole. It took us 25 years of work to finally get the TVA, the Corps and the TWRA to get their act together and manage the river for insects and trout and not just generation and flood control. The result was a lot a fish and some very big fish. Friends of mine were regularly catching 30" fish. I only could figure them out during times of heavy generation in the winter - and would catch both big browns and big rainbows on streamers. A few years back, they also stocked brookies and they did real well - I was regularly catching 12"+ up to my biggest that was 15". Then came repairs to the dam and what we call the "bikini hatch". Dam repairs took a few years to accomplish, but during the time, they released a lot of water - not all of which was below the thermocline but from the spillway gates and raised water temp up enough to shorten the trout-holding part by 50%, which resulted in poor growth, over-fishing of the big browns by the bait and Powerbait guys, and the obliteration of the brookies - some by the browns, but most by virtue of water temperature beiing too hot. Unfortunately, along with the dam repairs, there came the "bikini hatch". A couple of businesses started up renting kayaks and canoes. Hordes of drunk college and high school kids would descend the river - on just about any day of the week. Won't even go through the debacle of that, but they generally floated a large part of the now shortened fish holding stretches. Always had a bikini hatch, but we could schedule around them and/fish the lower reaches to avoid them. But with the shorter stretches, that did not often work out - the lower stretches were not holding trout. If the generating schedule was such that you could get in very early ahead of the hatch or very late and get in behind the hatch you could fish with some small bit of it being a good experience - as long as you could overlook all the trash and broken glass that they left. There is broken glass all along the river bottom now - I've taken to floating more than wading now because of it. Flies catching most fish are mainly small midges and small nymphs and soft hackles. Some guys tend to do good with leeches and wooly buggers. These are not generally wiley wild fish - oh the big holdovers are, but not the young ones - they are used to eating fish pellets! Generally the biggies hold deep - out of range of fly fishing except at night and in times of prolonged high generation rates - during which time the stripers also come up stream and you have a chance of catching a 40 pounder then also.

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## Wildthings (Nov 4, 2020)

Great thread!


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## DLJeffs (Nov 4, 2020)

Tailwaters behind dams are sure a mixed bag. They can be incredible fishing and other times, when not designed or operated properly, they destroyed the fishery and were downright dangerous. The White River below Bull Shoals Dam killed people every year because they'd start running water for power generation and people weren't prepared.

Your "bikini hatch" reminds me of the "splash & giggle hatch" we called it on Meramec Springs in Missouri. Or the aluminum hatch on the Green River below Flaming Gorge. During the summer it was just something you learned to expect and deal with, usually by concentrating your fishing early and late, which coincidentally was usually better anyway. It was always interesting to see the topless chicks come by in a canoe, waving and laughing. On the Green River is was the guide boats. I'd go to the take out, called Little Hole, before daylight, and hike up about two miles before starting to fish. Then I'd fish until the drifters started coming through. Hike back down, go back to the lodge for a piece of pie and a nap, and then go to the dam around 3pm. Then fish downstream behind all the drifters. Funny story - buddy and I were floating the Meramec on July 4th (I know, weird day to decide to float but it was actually pretty good). A game warden stopped by and checked our licenses and we chatted. When here comes a canoe with a couple high school kids. He waves them over, checks their cooler and it's got about a case and half of beer. He checks their ages and says they're too young to possess alcohol. He made them open every can and pour it out right there on the gravel bar. We were going "wait, we'll take it" but the game warden wanted to make a point. It had to be torture to those high school guys, probably scraped together all their spare change to get that beer..

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## Gdurfey (Nov 4, 2020)

Doug, love both fly patterns; the presentation one is incredible!!!!!!!!!!

Both of you come back to Colorado and lets fish for a week. I know the spots; won't promise I know flies or anything, but I can put you on the water!!! I just don't get out very often...….well, the past 5 years, hardly at all. I need to change that!!


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## Mike Hill (Nov 4, 2020)

DLJeffs said:


> Tailwaters behind dams are sure a mixed bag. They can be incredible fishing and other times, when not designed or operated properly, they destroyed the fishery and were downright dangerous. The White River below Bull Shoals Dam killed people every year because they'd start running water for power generation and people weren't prepared.



When that is all you got - it's all ya got and it is a good thing! Would I rather have cool mountain streams to fish it - absolutely, but I have no choice other than move - and the boss says that ain't gonna happen. The Caney, the Elk, and the Duck give me an option that saves 6 to 8 hours of travel just to fish in the mountains - something I don't have the option to do very often. The people who have died on our tailwaters are generally a - drunk, b - anchored in current, or c - fall or otherwise fill up their waders and can't get up. The horn warning that the release is going to start is actually pretty loud and can be heard a couple of miles downriver. Past that, you just need to be aware of when it is scheduled. They very, very rarely do a release that is not planned. Always note water level on some stationary point on the bank or a stickup. When you see a lot of debris, extra flow and the water rising at your point - start getting out. Most places you have a bit of time before you need to hit the shore from when you notice the debris and flow - unless you have a deep run to cross. I had to cross to the other side one time, get out and walk a ways and across a highway bridge to get to where my truck was parked. I was fishing at an island, but had accessed from the side that was deep - only a few inches below the top of my waders - the water doesn't raise but about 6" to 9" that far down, but that was enough.

Wish Wolf Creek Dam below Lake Cumberland in Kentucky wasn't so far - no bikini hatch, and although they had the same thing happen because of dam repairs, it is supposedly coming back without much pressure - and they have 75 miles of cool water.



DLJeffs said:


> Your "bikini hatch" reminds me of the "splash & giggle hatch" we called it on Meramec Springs in Missouri. Or the aluminum hatch on the Green River below Flaming Gorge. During the summer it was just something you learned to expect and deal with, usually by concentrating your fishing early and late, which coincidentally was usually better anyway.



Granted, the fishing is often better early or later - except on the Caney - it is a lazy man's fishery. There are no hatches to speak of - the insect load is always underwater or on the bottom - except for midges, but midge nymphs take the day rather than dries. They always seem to be hatching. Had fun during the cicada hatch though! No real need, dictated by the fish, to get out too early, which is good as it takes between 1.25 to 1.5 hours for me to be in the water, fly at ready, from my front door. I do like to be there before day break, because in the summer, there is always a mist rising and when the sun breaks over the hills, the sun turns the mist golden and you are standing in water surrounded by a gold mist. Absolutely worthy of thanksgiving!

Unfortunately they are usually generating early and late - just the times I'd like to be on the water - away from the bikini hatch. Fishing is not all that good during generating - I've never known anyone to do consistently good under normal summer generation. We do, however do pretty well on either rising or falling water (particularly rising) - the fish's preference seems to change year to year. The idea is to get in early, before they stop generating, float down a little and pull into shore and wait until the water falls and then drift ahead of the bikini hatch. Now, sustained generation, especially in the winter, can be great.



DLJeffs said:


> It was always interesting to see the topless chicks come by in a canoe, waving and laughing.



No comment!

BTW nice ties - love the fantastic realistic. A little black stonefly nymph is about the only matching I try to do - used to do pretty well, but not so much the last few years. Used to try to match scuds, but never did well with them and I was ridiculed by buddies - my nickname with a few guys was/is Caneyscud.

I've never tied a realistic. We don't have much to match here. In the Smokies, that is something else, but there is such a dirth of insects, that the trout are often very hungry and will hit anything small as long as you don't spook them. Many, many Smokies trout are caught on a little Royal Coachman or a Green Royal Coachman.

I need to tie realistics someday - if just only to say I can. Only "fun" flies I tend to tie are full wing salmons (not many married wings - tying on a big married wing is stressful!!) and a few Rangeley type streamers and it's been a few years since I did that for auctions. Last auction I tied for was for breast cancer and I tied all the "normal" flies in pink. Took me a few months to find all the materials I needed - had to dye a couple. We've got a couple of real good salmon tiers around here - one a doctor that has a dream - and I mean a dream tying room! Stocked with stuff I drool over - he has people who send him stuff I can't find to buy. We won't even talk about his desk.


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## Mike Hill (Nov 4, 2020)

Gotta live up to my "Bard" moniker. Really happened and my DSLR was at home - I don't usually wade with it and completely forgot about the point and shoot in my vest. Saw an eagle the same day.

World of the tailwater

In the wee hours of the morning, my life is the embodiment of a living, breathing dichotomy. Awakening with a wry little smile, I knew I had dreamed of the river, big brown trout, and sweet 3wt bamboo rods. My body screams – “Where’s the coffee”, while my brain questions the sanity of getting up this early on a perfectly good Saturday. Oblivious to the cacophony, the hairs on the back of my neck tingle. Betraying logic, they forewarn that this pre-dawn moment was the premonition of a great day ahead.

The Caney Fork River, in its precociousness, is not usually an early morning river and you don’t “have” to rise early to fish it. But this morning I wanted to avoid the “canoe hatch” – a seemingly endless chain of loud, alcohol guzzling paddlers with their beer coolers in tow. The quintessence of modern reality, the “canoe hatch” puts a damper on quality fishing experiences.

Grabbing my fishing gear, a stale sausage biscuit and my ancient Stanley Thermos filled with strong dark roast coffee, I jump into my truck and surrender to my muses. Arriving at the river, I abandon discretion and resolve that this morning I’m going to wade wet. With my pulse quickening and clutching my rod and fly pack, I venture forth on a quest for one of my favorite and more secluded fishing spots. Covertly slipping into the river before the break of day, I finally relax and in the dim predawn light experience a moment of intimacy with God’s Creation.

The Great Smokey Mountains have their smoke, but the Caney Fork River has its mist. Cold water interfacing with hot, humid air awakens the mist from its slumber. Exhibiting deep primal instincts, tendrils of this mist entwine my world and encompass me in a cocoon of near silence. Exquisitely, the minute suspended water droplets achieve near faultless isolation from the babel of the world. Basking in my separation, all I can sense is the mist. The only sounds the mist allows is the soft gurgling of the water and the occasional soulful lowing of a cow coming down to get her drink.

In deep introspection, I am only vaguely aware that I am standing thigh deep in the cold clear waters of the Caney Fork. Suddenly the sun decides to peek out from behind the surrounding hills, splitting the heavens wide open and spilling its golden treasure. Preoccupied with its daily ascent, the morning sun serendipitously turned my mist into a golden mist. At that instant my world turns golden. Everything is golden – the air, the water, the shadows – everything. Mesmerized, I blissfully stand at peace, somewhat dumbfounded and speechless, taking in all of God’s Golden Splendor. Could it get any better I was thinking? Little did I know!

Within the blink of an eye, those little hairs on the back of my neck began tingling again. Something was stirring, but what? I didn’t have long to wait. Even before I am able to see him, I hear the harsh rasping call of a Great Blue Heron. Instinctively, I pivot toward the sound, and he materializes - a big prehistoric flapping shadow, backlit by the rising sun. As he nears, my focus is clearer and I distinctly see swirling golden vortexes of air turbulence rolling down both wings and off his wingtips. Illuminated by the rising sun, they glow intensely. Revealed to me at this instant was something that I was taught, had read about and knew was there, but had previously remained unseen. Time for me stopped. I knew I was in the presence of a great, living, all-powerful Creator. Instinctively I prepare to fall to my knees in thankfulness, but I quickly remember I was thigh deep in a cold river. Absent my usual cognizance, I stand with an open mouth sporting a smitten, reverential look. I have often said that I more often experience the Presence of God when I am out in His Natural Creation than when I am around people, and this moment is no exception.

God did not reveal the secrets of the Universe to me today, but He did once again reveal His Greatness. I almost feel that my life is complete – this day certainly is. I could leave, this moment, (without having caught a fish) and feel fully content. Joie De Vivre?

Caneyscud

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## DLJeffs (Nov 4, 2020)

Nicely written. That's what fishing is about for me, takes me away from the world for awhile.

Regarding realistic flies - the problem with them is they take a long time to tie and don't work worth a darn. Most of them don't have enough movement, don't trap any air, don't have any translucency... I tried that realistic stonefly and have never caught a fish on one. PLus, you aren't as willing to toss it into a tight lie because you have so much time invested. I don't salmon fish but I suspect those full dress salmon flies have the same problem, even if you use cheap domestic alternatives to the rare and expensive original feathers. There was a guy in Vermont who claimed he was putting together a book on realistic fly tying. He wrote and asked for several flies for photos, etc. The book never appeared and I never got my flies back. That happens way too often in the fly fishing world. I think those were the last ones I tied.

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## DLJeffs (Nov 4, 2020)

Gdurfey said:


> Doug, love both fly patterns; the presentation one is incredible!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Both of you come back to Colorado and lets fish for a week. I know the spots; won't promise I know flies or anything, but I can put you on the water!!! I just don't get out very often...….well, the past 5 years, hardly at all. I need to change that!!


 Thanks for the invite Garry. I was born in Golden and went to Mines. So I've fished quite a bit of Colorado.

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## FranklinWorkshops (Nov 4, 2020)

I did not realize that there was an open contest for "Bard of Wood Barter." I think Mike should be awarded that awesome honor to accompany his "Bard of Barbecue" title.

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