Dining out in Ashland, Oregon

Dining out in Ashland is a must when you come to town. Just a short stroll from any of the downtown hotels you can find a plethora of delightful options.

• Pie + Vine

  House-made pasta, wood-fired pizzas, balanced wines, excellent service and outdoor seating. Need I say more? Absolutely, its just that good! Brandon gets the boar bolognese every time and theres never been leftovers.

• Standing Stone Brewery

  Standing Stone not only has an elaborate choice of house brews and local wines but their delectable menu is sourced from local ingredients most coming from their own farm only 1 mile away from the brewery/restaurant in downtown Ashland.

• Ostras!

  A touch of Spain in Ashland. This place has incredible tapas with excellent house drinks. Anything with their romesco sauce will leave you wanting to lick the plate clean.

• Taquiera Picaro

  Mexican done right with an Ashland touch and an excellent margarita! Quick, delicious and even nutritious if you can resist their exquisite carnitas!

• Louie’s

  Enjoy a meal and a beverage on Ashland Creek or order free delivery to your hotel room. Louie’s is great! We highly recommend their new bowls, nice and nutritious, makes for a marvelous meal.

A River Trip Away

I find excitement in exploring what’s around the next bend; be it following the hatch on my local streams up river, the upcoming Steelhead season (spoiler alert: Steelhead are already here!) or floating a new Wild and Scenic River to celebrate one year of marriage with my amazing wife, Bridget.

In 1968, the Wild and Scenic Rivers act was passed into law in the same time period as other hallmark environmental works like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. These laws help preserve the wild places we enjoy, and so many other ecosystem goods and services we often take for granted. Oregon alone has a plethora of protected waters worth experiencing, and while I am fortunate to guide several designated Wild and Scenic Rivers locally, there is something so exciting about floating a new one together.

The week before our trip, it became clear we were racing the unrelenting clock of diminishing river flows as the tail end of a healthy snowpack year descended off the high Wallowa Mountains, lowering river levels inches per day. Our scheduled launch date was just in the nick of time. Pushing off, the river was barley floatable. But once we were around the first bend and looking forward to four days and three nights ahead in a remote river canyon, our concerns of low water were swept away as our horizons filled with enchanting views and dancing water…

Fishing was of course part of the menu for this trip, but only an appetizer to the main course of solitude, scenery, quality camping, boating and wildlife viewing.

The river lent itself to classic freestone fishing approaches and after a few tinkerings of tactics and a few rods rigged, I settled for a dry dropper rig, finding the fish and water required little more than a good drift and being mindful of my shadows. Mornings were best and the river holds beautiful, wild Rainbow Trout, a few Bull Trout and abundant, large Whitefish. In fact, the Whitefish were the largest I have ever encountered, often pushing 18-20 inches.

Aiming to cover 40 some odd miles in 4 days, and at such a low flow meant covering long distances in technical, boulder strewn waters. The boating was demanding, but the miles melted away, and time, as it does in timeless places like the Wallowa-Grand Ronde, was replaced with the suns position in the sky, growing shadows on the water, and evening needs to find suitable camps, of which there were many.

Our first wildlife encounter was stunning, a Golden Eagle swooping to the right bank, talons extended, it’s prey squealing for life. The eagle soon flew off to a near cliff, perhaps disturbed by our presence, then to our astonishment, the large weasel that had just been screaming bloody murder picked itself up and slinked into the bushes, gravely wounded or hardly hurt, we couldn’t tell…

Later, bright white shapes along the right side of the river piqued our interest, until the Mountain Goats came into focus and our jaws dropped. We floated right upon a family group of 7, working their way downriver at a clip much faster than I would have imagined. Their powerful hind quarters and sure footed hooves propelled them over the uneven rocks, muscles rippling. Disinterested in our presence, they ate, drank, played and cooled off in the sand while we floated by.

Not long after, but on the opposite bank, a group of Big Horn sheep escaped the afternoon heat on the rivers edge and allowed us another great opportunity to observe more of the canyon’s permanent residents. Like the goats before, they seemed disinterested in us, as if they knew we were transient and would soon be on our way to leave them to go about their lives as they did yesterday and will continue tomorrow.

Four days and three nights, even in a place like this, still goes by too fast. I feel you could spend a life time in places like this and still only partially grasp its entirety. We had a great trip, and I’ll mark this as one of my favorites. It’s one Bridget and I plan to repeat, perhaps a little earlier in the season with more water in the river to aid our progress, and perhaps a few days extra to forget time, enjoy more fishing and enjoy a river trip away.

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

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

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.

Trout on the Mind

There is a time each season to turn the page. But at least for me it's just a few pages. Fresh Summer Steelhead will be back in two months on the Rogue, and I can't wait!

Trout season is vamping up in the state of Jefferson with many options for fishing. Locally, the Salmon flies and Golden Stones are working their way up river on the Rogue. While the main stem is still closed for another week, the Holy Water is open and fishing well. Farther south, folks are getting in their casts on rivers like Hat Creek, and Sacramento among others.

Recently I headed north to fish a river I had only wet a line in many years ago. The Mckenzie is what all the guide books say it is. Beautiful, clear, cold and productive. The native Redband trout here are as pretty as anywhere I've seen. They're also incredibly strong for their size.

Mckenzie Redband Trout

Craig Nielsen with one of dozens

But even with the all the Trout fishing to be done, never discount the Klamath for a nice day out swinging flies for steelhead. Bevan, all the way from Tasmania wanted to swing flies and is pretty darn accomplished for not having any native salmonids to target! We had a really productive day with four good fish hooked and several other yanks. The Klamath never ceases to amaze.

Bevin from Australia for some late spring chrome on the Klamath

Bevin BENT with some late Spring Chrome!

Third Sunday Spey put on by The Ashland Fly Shop

Third Sunday Spey, put on by the Ashland Fly Shop this Sunday was a success too. A few guys showed up and got tuned up. This is really one of the coolest things a shop can do to keep people stoked on getting out on the river with the long rod. 

Ashland Fly Shop Delivery Service

Rogue River Salmonfly Hatch

Just around the corner, the upper Rogue River opens for general trout fishing. I'm booked opening weekend but have some dates scattered through out the last of May and early June if you are interested in a float trip. Awesome fun!

760-424-9682