Northern California & Southern Oregon Steelhead Fly Fishing

Fishing Headwaters - Following the Klamath River upstream

Fishing small water can be a delightful passtime. I’ve found most known waters worth fly fishing also have many other miles of water worth exploring, offering smaller fish but more intimate experiences. Fishing a river system top to bottom will give you a better understanding of the watershed as a whole and hopefully, a better appreciation for the complex pieces that come together to form our favorite beats. I whole heartedly endorse exploring your favorite waters by following the river upstream as far as it will take you…

Stand Here and Fish

In the not too distant future, we’re going to hit the rivers again. And when we do, you’ll have the best view in the house. Missing sharing our passion with you, we hope to see you soon!

Brandon Worthington presents @ Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman

Brandon Worthington presents “Fishing the seasons in the Mythical State of Jefferson" at Diablo Valley Fly Casters

Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman, Tuesday November 19th

The Gardens at Heather Farm, Camelia Room
1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek

Join Brandon Worthington of Worthington Fly Fishing for a multimedia presentation to explore and learn about their seasonal approach to the best fly fishing opportunities in Far Northern California and Southern Oregon. He’ll emphasize strategies, tactics and timing for Summer and Winter Steelhead as well as endemic Redband Rainbows on the Rogue, Klamath, Umpqua and beyond.

Sink Tip Care

It’s a sink tip mess. And it’s probably one you’ll have too occasionally.

We’re gearing up for Fall Steelheading in Southern Oregon, and it’s crucial to sort out your tips prior to hunting chrome. It’d be a shame to loose a prized fish due to a tip failure, and though it’s rare, it happens. If you’re that guy that dredges and has had a few root wad encounters, this especially applies to you…

Check your tips by:

• Inspecting both loops for cracks/core exposure/cuts/chips. Once the braid shows, its especially vulnerable.

• Run your fingers down from tip to tip and check for damage throughout.

• Hold one end in one hand. With your other hand, pull the length of the tip through your fingers, applying about 5 lbs of pressure. Feel for stretchy, compromised, weird or soft spots.

IF you have a compromised tip, it often breaks in this final test.

I’m probably in the minority of Steelheaders who needs to inspect their gear so regularly but it also applies to lines/tips stashed in the garage which may have moved well past their prime. Synthetic materials do have an expiration date.

Knowing your gear will give you more confidence and more trust in the process of swinging flies for steelhead and as every steelheader worth his green water would say, confidence is key to success.

Tight Lines!

Fly Fishing Southern Oregon Winter Steelhead

From December - April the rivers and streams of Southern Oregon see noteworthy runs of Winter Steelhead. The wide variety of river types across the region allow anglers the ability to stay in good fishing conditions in all but the worst winter storms.

Most Southern Oregon Steelhead gradually make their way upstream over the season, but all rivers in our area feature a few fast running fish that make it into their spawning areas in a flash. It’s never a bad idea to target these fish early and high in the system as these can often be the largest, meanest and most memorable of the season.

When’s the best time to go?

Any time you can!

By February, nearly all of the Southern Oregon streams we guide have fishable numbers of Steelhead, and we simply target these fish based on which of our 7 area steelhead rivers provide the best conditions for the trip. We run our trips out of Ashland, OR and the greater Rogue River Valley, allowing easy day trips to all but the Coast and North Umpqua River.

Later in the season, including March and April the upper reaches of our rivers are typically fishing the best and have high concentrations of steelhead. We love fishing the spring months as water temperatures are often a bit warmer, the days are longer and the stream side vegetation is bursting to life. The Upper Rogue is a great, spring, steelhead river.

Winter Steelhead fly fishing in its truest form is actually quite simple. Most of the challenge to catching these fish on a regular basis can be boiled down to two main factors: Conditions, and location. I have found steelhead will eat a bottle cap in the right mood, and when fishing is tough, but conditions are good, I’d bet you that X-Ray river goggles would show that all the great water you were fishing didn’t have any fish in it after all. This is where the river knowledge of a local guide can come into play and help you find the fish of a thousand casts with more predictability.

What conditions to look for?

In general we look for a dropping or somewhat stable river in winter and spring. As each system in our region reacts differently to storms, rain, snow, melt and erosion, we rely on the experience hundreds of days a year on the water to help us stay on the fish and give our guests the highest chance of success.

Both swing fishing with spey rods and indicator fishing are effective ways to take Winter Steelhead. Higher water and heavy currents are the norm, as well as cold water that slows fish metabolism. Deep water nymphing is by far the most productive method, but there is no higher challenge than swinging up steelhead in the winter. Patience and persistence can benefit you greatly.

How to catch them?

To catch winter steelhead, a good place to start is with a 7 or 8 wt rod for both swing fishing and indicator fishing. Remember, spey and single hand setups are different!

For swinging winter steelhead, try a short Skagit style shooting head, a 10ft sink tip of T-11 or 14 and a large fly that will stand out against the often faster and colored water of winter. Look for water with a walking pace. Think low, and think slow. Swinging up these fish is a matter of patience, determination and efficiency.

To be in the zone nymphing, adjust the depth of your (heavy!) fly to be 1.5 times the depth of the water you intend to fish and focus on a long dead drift. Remember when nymphing deep it takes a few seconds longer for your flies to hit the fish zone. Cast further upstream in the lane with a longer cast to compensate and then get good at stack mending to continue the drift down stream.

Worthington Fly Fishing has learned the intricacies of successfully catching Southern Oregon Steelhead on the fly and we love connecting our guests with the Northwest’s most fabled fish. If you’re looking to learn more about Winter Steelheading in Southern Oregon and having a great day on the water consider booking a trip with once of our local guides to unlock the mystery of these these amazing fish.

Tight lines!

A Few Favorites from 2018

What a year!

We had memorable fish, the best company and great river conditions as a daily theme. As we turn the page on 2018 and into 2019 we’re looking back on some of our favorite shots and moments from another year on the river.

It was and will continue to be simply amazing out there. Thank you and cheers to 2019!

Five Favorite Flies for Fall in Northern California

Good Friend and former guide Craig Nielsen writes a great read about choosing flies for fall fishing in the North State.

http://www.shastatrout.com/five-favorite-flies-for-fall-in-northern-california-2

Who needs a lucky fishing Hat?

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.

Fly-Only Regulations begin on the Upper Rogue River: A few tips to ensure your fish swims away.

Signaling one of fly anglers favorite times in Southern Oregon, September 1st brings Fly-Only regulations (pg. 36) to the Upper Rogue River, Oregon.

During this time period Fall Chinook and Summer Steelhead surge into the upper river where water and weather conditions are perfect for fly anglers seeking a quality and fun angling experience. This year the Rogue is forecast to host and is beginning to see an epic, large return of both Chinook and Steelhead.

Many tactics are used on the Upper Rogue River including Spey casting with two handed rods (a local favorite), indicator nymphing from drift boats and the time tested "Rogue River twitch."

Which ever angling method you choose to utilize while fly fishing on the Upper Rogue River, take note many of these prized fish are wild and the utmost care should be taken when fighting, handling, photographing and releasing them. A study by Trout Unlimited shows mortality is much higher when fish are exposed to over 30 seconds of air (Do better then that, PLEASE) and that barbless hooks also increase survival rate. As local guides, we do our best to follow TU's recommendations and because we are on the water most days during the Fall, we tend to encounter quite a few fish.

To ensure your fish swim away strong, I recommend using a rubber net bag that is much larger then the anticipated fish to be caught such as PNW landing nets. If you plan to take a Grip N Grin, prep your shot so when it's picture time, you can count the seconds of air exposure to the fish. I aim for 3 seconds or less out of the water. Better still, if the angler and conditions allow, try for a shot that keeps the fish mostly submerged. Your fish will thank you when it sprays your face with a fan of cool water after it darts back to the depths.

Tight Lines,

Brandon Worthington

Check out Ashland, OR for your next fly fishing trip

Ashland, Oregon has it all - Food and Wine, accomodation, entertainment and a plethora of outdoor recreation opportunities, including outstanding regional fly fishing destinations such as the Rogue and Klamath Rivers.

At Worthington Fly Fishing we have you covered on the water and ensure your fly fishing experience is everything you could have hoped for. But to see why Ashland is such a stand out for your next getaway, check out Vogue Magazines recent article about where to eat, drink and stay and play while you are here.

Tight Lines,

Rogue Steelheading Under Smokey Skies

Summer Steelhead fishing is very good under smokey skies in the Rogue Valley. Depending on wind direction, the smoke varies between clear, blue skies and the campfire following beauty...

Every run feels fishy right now.

Fishing in Smoke is much like fishing on a cloudy day, if you can bear it. Yesterdays fish came at 12pm and 2pm.

Tight lines,

Brandon Worthington

Spring Fly Fishing in Southern Oregon

Southern Oregon + Northern California Fly Fishing Report

As the rivers in our area continue to fish well for winter steelhead, warmer, brighter days signal that the end of the season is in sight. Between storms and as waters clear, the observant angler can look in shallow tail-outs and see the occasional fish digging redds and dropping eggs.  It's a special dance to witness and one I hope goes well for the fish who are ensuring their legacy and our continued opportunity to fish.

As waters warm through the spring months, wild trout in the Klamath and Rogue become much more active and feed on the bounty of aquatic insects and baitfish.

Both the Rogue and Klamath Rivers see strong hatches of golden stoneflies and salmonflies early in the season. On the Rogue, most fish are small but Cutthroat to 20 inches or more can show themselves from the deep over hanging branches of the upper river in May.  Dry fly fishing in the early mornings and evenings can be non-stop action and trips are a perfect addition to a spring weekend in Ashland, OR.

Meanwhile, on the Klamath River, swarms of stoneflies, caddis, and damsel choke the reeds and air, but the fish seldom feel the need to surface for them. Turbid waters, bouldery chutes and heavy water require skilled subsurface presentations. Serious anglers love this fishery and are often rewarded with high quality Redband Trout. We fish out of framed fishing rafts and the whitewater between fishing ensures a high adventure fishing trip.

Worthington Fly Fishing guides both the Rogue and Klamath rivers in Southern Oregon and takes pride in sharing exceptional guiding and outstanding days on the water. Join us in 2018 to kick off your trout season!

Plan Your Trip

760-424-9682

WorthingtonFlyFishing@gmail.com

Rogue River: Steelhead, Spey, Swinging flies

What a nice time to be out fishing on the Rogue River. Water temperatures are perfect for wet wading, the mornings are cool and crisp, and there are even a few dandy fish around.

I'm still seeing consistent fishing. While the North and other Rivers are becoming stale, many of the Rogue fish are bright and feisty, willing to chase. We're having a lot of fun out there.

Rogue River Summer Steelhead

I do my best to keep thing relatively up to date here. But I admit I am not the best. When fishing is good, I find it hard to prioritize a few paragraphs at the screen.

Summer steelhead have been in greater abundance early this year. Usually good fishing is a month or so later. Now, I have a theory as to why Summer fish seem to be arriving a few weeks earlier each of the last five years, but I have no proof. Just my guiding and fishing observations.

Five years ago, Gold Ray dam near gold hill was removed. It was a major obstacle, with poor fish passage and which also created a thermal barrier down stream. With the dam removed, there is no thermal barrier allowing early summer steelhead to quickly ascend to the upper most river and mill around.

Personal fishing and other reports have the River producing good fishing and good fish. I have been fishing a variety of techniques and all have gotten attention. More grabs than gook ups over all, but a few to the dry as well.

Early Rogue Steelheading consists of warm weather, pleasant evenings and mornings where  we employ all methods of Spey and swing angling. There is a place for a popped skater to a dredged dumbbell eye fly in each day. July only gets better.