You just have to love the Rogue! The Rogue River boasts one of the largest Wild Steelhead runs in the lower 48. This is one fishery that will live up to the hype. Summer Steelhead peak September to October, while Winter Steelhead peak from March to May. But there are always fish in the river system somewhere...

 

 

The fact that these fish stay in the river so long also makes them return to their smolt-like feeding habits. This creates a rare opportunity in the steelhead world; when conditions allow we have seen ten pound fish slurping down BWO’s by the buckets. One of our most effective methods to catch these brutes is to nymph fish, or swing soft hackles, matching the hatch.

 

The Rogue River boasts large runs of Chinook, Coho, and Steelhead. The Upper Rogue consists of some of the best fly water in the Pacific Northwest, and remains fly-fishable to flows equaling 3000cfs, but is prime around half that.

 

If you get cabin fever, the Upper Rogue River has a ton of holdover Steelhead fishing. This is one of my favorite times of the year for fishing on the Rogue, as you will have the river mostly to yourself.

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Steelhead:

The Rogue Steelhead is in a class of its own: the summer fishing run starts pouring its way into the Upper Rogue late July, and lasts clear into March. Over the summer the Steelhead will come readily to a well-swung fly.

 

The fact that these fish stay in the river so long also makes them return to their smolt-like feeding habits. This creates a rare opportunity in the steelhead world; when conditions allow we have seen ten pound fish slurping down BWO’s by the buckets. One of our most effective methods to catch these brutes is to nymph fish, or swing soft hackles, matching the hatch.

A nice Rogue River Steelhead hen.

The Rogue boasts a robust wild Steelhead population, even allowing an angler to keep a wild fish over 24” February through March, although we encourage our clients to release all wild fish. There are plenty of stocked hatchery fish if an angler would like to keep one.

 

In the months of March and April we find a mix of winter and summer fish. Summer fish will stay in the Upper Rogue until the winter fish, who are smaller in number but the larger in size, make their way up. Winter fish seem to act more like the "typical" steelhead as they don’t seem to stay in the river as long. Both runs of fish become more challenging as the temperature dips below the mid-forties—making it only productive to nymph.

 

Regardless of what time of year you are fishing, hooking into a Rogue Steelhead is a treat you won’t soon forget.

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Trout:

The Upper Rogue River is often overlooked, but it provides a ton of great trout fly fishing water. From the famous Holy Water to Fisher's Ferry, there are numerous hatches that raise wary trout. We fish them all; from the winter midday BWO hatches to the giant October catch hatch.

But there is one hatch that no one should miss and that’s the late May and Early June Salmon fly hatch. During this hatch the Upper Rogue becomes crazy with fish action. On a good day you can expect to raise well over twenty five trout and you might even coax a steelhead. With all the action this is a great time of year to introduce someone to the sport of fly fishing as the action is constant. It’s also a great time to get the wife and kids on the river.   

 

The Rogue River above Lost Creek is now open year round. So cure that cabin fever and wash the dust off your lines in this great Southern Oregon fishery.

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