Rogue River Summer Steelhead Report

Flows continue to be lower then seasonal but water clarity and temps are perfect. Wet wading in the evenings is wonderful, and fish are being caught throughout the day.

Fires surrounding the area are causing smoke in the valley but anglers take note: Smoke reduces sunlight on the water and is essentially CLOUD cover. Fishing is good, come get some!

Drop us a line to set up your guided Steelhead trip on Oregon’s famous  Rogue River.

760.424.9682

Pure Gold on the Klamath River

Lots of ups and down with the holiday season. With the weather and fishing that is! Flows bumped, and bumped, and bumped, receding nicely. Winter fish are on the move, still a bit lower in the systems. But there coming, sooner than we think. Iv'e been on the South Coast a few days here and there...

Flows are perfect now, and fishing is good! It's only the start of the season, and it will hold through April. They're around, just follow them up.

Pure Gold

Full Swing

It's safe to say it's Steelhead season on the Rogue and Klamath. And man, it's been a FUN couple of weeks too. Here are a bunch of photos, in some what sequential order of lately. Many of them are first Steelhead, first Steelhead On The Swing and first Rogue River Steelhead...

Getting it dialed

Fish the green

Tug is the Drug

Little ripper in fast water

Yeah, that's another one

Just have to add, Paul got six fish in three casts. Insane.

Ken Too, AM Hen

Dennis, bent after a morning of searching

KS Wild Dinner

The annual fundraising dinner was super fun and successful. I am really pleased to have had a trip to offer to their silent auction. Amazing local food and many great folks, organizations and businesses volunteering their time, services or trips to help an organizations that ensures we have wild places in Southern Oregon and Northern California. Check them out if you haven't. kswild.org

Klamath River

My mind is creeping a bit.  The Klamath is clearer than I have ever seen right now, just gorgeous. The Salmon are surging up, still fresh, not on their reds quite now and the Chrome is just behind... It's only going to get better, and you don't have to fish T-14 right now either. Sweet.

Looking back up on the Klamath

The Shadows Longer, The Mornings Cooler.

Fly Only on the Upper Rogue River

Is an absoloutly fantastic time to be out on the river. The Oregon Ash along the banks are just beginning to show their receding color.  A deep green, slowly loosing its depth, not yet fall colors, but soon. The air is crisp in the morning, the surface of the water dances in the first rays of sun. It's quiet too. The Salmon crowds have left, no more 0 dark thirty hustle and bustle at the ramps, just a slow trickle of the quiet side of angling.

Bright Mornings, Brighter Fish.

The Steelhead are here. You have to want them, as they are never an easy fish. This isn't Trout fishing in Montana. Stay focused, because each cast, each swing, each drift could be the one that makes a slow day become your most memorable.

Leonardo Didn't Think it was Gonna Happen...

The water is on the drop again, the Chin-Hooks are dropping down on their Redds. It looks like it might be time for one last hoorah with the Scandi lines. Maybe even a Skater.

One final note: There are a lot of things happening in the Rogue Valley right now. First, if you value clean water, and pristine natural places, attend the public meeting in Grants Pass, wear blue, and stand up against nickle strip mining in our headwater streams. http://smithriveralliance.org/action-alerts/  

You may have also noticed if you are out there much, the Discovery Tours operator out of Touvelle Park is quite disrespectful to the common fisherman, and other recreational users. Comments of your experiences and interactions would be greatly appreciated on this matter too. (541) 582-1118 Ex. 22 or http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkFeedback&parkId=72

One last cool note. Rogue On the Fly! Check it out! http://www.ashlandflyshop.com/rogue-on-the-fly/

Fly Only=The Whole Dang River to Ourselves.

Fly-Only on the Upper Rogue River.

Jami Montesi, barefoot, with a great Rogue River Wild Buck

September 1st is a significant day to me for a couple of reasons. For one thing, the Upper Rogue is now under fly only regulations, and I couldn't be happier. It's nice to know if you get out early, that there is a very strong chance your fly will be THE FIRST thing that fish sees that day that interests it. It's not some sardine wrapped plug, or a gob of roe and yarn. Just a clean, hopefully personally tied attempt to catch that fishes attention, elicit a curious response, and awaken the predator. YANK!

September 1st is also the date that, for the last two years running I found my first hatchery Steelhead. Now, I shouldn't take all the credit for this one, as I was just the one on the sticks, making sure we could get with in casting range. But since I had the pleasure of of removing this fin-clipped prowler from the system, I'll take the tally mark.

Another Wild Fish of the Week.

The flows are still up a bit, so this week getting flies down a bit has been helpful. More salmon have moved into the system too. Today we saw the first few (just a few) lower down in the tailouts staging. I bet they're gonna fill in fast over the next few weeks. Cheers!

Lost Lead, Different Rods, Fresh Fish

The morning started out Smokey. Not nearly as bad as last week where it was hot and dry and I should have been wearing a mask. But it still lingered in the still morning air. Sounds like the Stouts fire is getting contained, slowly but surely.
The Salmon guys were all jockeying at their put in as I crossed the bridge. I'm so glad I don't play that game...
I had the pleasure of taking Craig Neilson of Shasta Trout out for some Early Steelhead. Of course, wanting him to get into them, I made a pretty bold move right off the bat and anchored in a spot that past experiences have taught me to avoid. One of those spots I know holds fish, but you take a chance and it's awkward swinging from the boat. I felt the anchor lock in a slot as soon as it touched down. We had to cut the rope after a few minutes fighting to get it back. No fish there either.

This beautie came a few runs later. I stumbled out of the boat when I heard the reel sing. I don't think Craig had made more than three casts, maybe half of his shooting head out. 
After a celebratory beer, I stepped out and not half a dozen casts later, chatting away, not paying any attention, WHAM! And then slack. So it goes. Don't throw it out there til' yer' ready.
Nice.

We finished the day swapping rods and lines. I cast a few of Craig's Anderson Custom Rods and they cast as nice as they look. He tried out the Douglas DFX 7116-4 I have been demoing. All Before noon.

Go get em'