A full day Steelheading in September requires a good set of sunglasses and, for most, a lucky fishing hat.
But for Galen, maybe not! He seemed to buck the trend that luck is attached to a hat, or indeed, a necessary part of the equation at all.
What a beauty from the Rogue River during Fly-Only regulations.
My good friend and guide Stuart Warren went out to see what we could find. We were not disappointed. With the strongest Salmon Run in years on the horizon and fresh chrome steelhead in the river, it's go time!
760-424-9682 to Book a trip for Chrome Rockets
Join Brandon Worthington, Jon Hazlett and Steve Eadie for three days guided steelhead fishing on the Upper Rogue River, Oregon.
This trip will focus on all things steelhead and Spey with an evening presentation and a full immersion of spey knowledge. Come learn from the Pros!
The glassy tail-outs are filling in. After jockeying, rolling, and jumping, many of the Fall Salmon are doing what they came here to do now. They travel 150 miles to spawn and die in the same gravel that they emerged from. I make a point to stand up and observe each flat as we drift down to our next run. The Salmon's timeless ritual never gets old to me. Each day, more and more of these ever darkening torpedoes drop down from the safety of the deeper pools for one final dance.
But not all of them!
Dylan maxing out a 7wt.
There are still some pretty damn snappy fish out there. This big guy took an intruder right on the hang down. He didn't want to move at first but eventually he came in.
Sure looks good in that http://www.pnwlandingnets.com/
Rogue Chinook
We may have also gotten completely burned by a hot Steelhead a bit earlier in the day, but since that fish was having nothing to do with staying on a hook...
Beautiful Scenery Around Every Bend
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/
Fish Counts: 1054 Water Temp: 61
Fishing on the Upper Rogue River has been quite good as of late. A few weeks back I noticed fish seemed to be kegged up in a few likely spots. Flows were low, temps were higher (but still acceptable) and more than a few people new where to look.
Case and Point. Keith with a standout!
With a bump in the flows to encourage Fall Chinook Salmon to begin their migration, I took a recon trip out to the coast with Kellen Igou (who knows more than a few things spey) http://www.ashlandflyshop.com/blog/fly-fishing-gear-conservation-news/kellens-bugged-out-brindle-bug/
While time and place didn't come together for us on that trip, nothing beats 2am starts and mid day naps. Yawn.
Back up river however the flows have shaken the fish up and dropped the water temps a bit. Fly only is a week away, the Fall Chinook have arrived and we are finding these...
What More do you Need?