ROGUE RIVER

To find out more about conservation, management and outreach efforts on the Rogue River, check out the Rogue River page on the ODFW Web site.

River users can find stream flows and temperatures for several Rogue River reporting stations at this website: Rogue River levels.

Rogue River, lower: chinook, summer steelhead, “half-pounders”

Fall chinook are spread from the bay all the way through the lower river. Anglers fishing chinook in the estuary have had mixed success. Some boat anglers are fishing the early morning in the lower river and then heading to the bay to fish the tides. Summer steelhead and “half pounders” (in-mature summer steelhead) are in the lower river and anglers are doing really well.

Flows in the Rogue River are running higher than normal due to the cold spring and winter snow pack. Anglers will want to keep track of the weather and water temperatures and can expect chinook to move more quickly out of the bay this year.

On an annual basis ODFW seines the Rogue River at Huntley Park (approximately 8 miles upstream of highway 101) from July 15 to October 31 to monitor salmon and steelhead migrating upstream. Anglers wanting to fish the Rogue will find this information valuable in planning when to fish. ODFW will post this information every two weeks starting July 31.

Rogue River, middle: steelhead, chinook, trout

Early run fall chinook are in the river near Grants Pass, and anglers are doing really well on Kwikfish with sardine wraps and roe. Anglers are reminded to be prepared for record or near record summer flows in the river this year.

The Rogue is open for adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout. All nonadipose fin-clipped (wild) rainbow trout and all cutthroat trout must be released unharmed.

Rogue River, upper: steelhead, spring chinook, trout

Summer steelhead are making a good showing on the upper Rogue, although pressure is low. Good success on summer steelhead has been reported below Dodge Bridge using yarn balls. Fly anglers report success on caddis nymphs and traditional steelhead patterns, with chartreuse being an effective color. Fishing for chinook is now closed between Dodge Bridge and Cole Rivers Hatchery. The river between Dodge Bridge and the old Gold Ray damsite remains open for chinook through August 31. A total of 643 summer steelhead and 4917 spring chinook have entered Cole Rivers Hatchery as of Aug. 4. Anglers are reminded that trout fishing can be very good on the upper Rogue as well, and to be prepared for record or near record summer flows in the river this year.

Rogue River, above Lost Creek Reservoir: trout

The Rogue River above Lost Creek Dam will be stocked with trout this week. The premier summer trout fishery in the Rogue watershed is the river above Lost Creek Reservoir. This section of the river will be stocked weekly with rainbow trout through Labor Day. Most campgrounds and high use public access sites are stocked, and a map of stocking sites is available. Naturally produced trout are available in tributary streams, along with the South Fork and Middle Fork Rogue River for anglers wanting to fish more secluded areas. Brook trout dominate the tributaries of the upper Rogue, but rainbow, cutthroat and some brown trout are also available.

Still water flows are twice what we'd normally expect at this time of the year so ... yikes.

__________________
"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous

Hey Fred;

What's up this year? A buddy of mine in Colorado was complaining that all the rivers and streams were running high real late this year and the fishing season was off by a good month or two on most of his waters due to this.

Take care

Terry

__________________
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

Good morning Terry; or rather Good Afternoon.

Snow pack in the 'West' this past winter was off the charts. Mountains in Nor-Cal had upwards of 600 inches of snow on the ground; here our snow pack was 150 to 200 per cent of normal.

Then a very cool spring and early summer .. so this stuff just sat there, and sat there and ..... When the normal Summer heat finally came (a month later than normal) it was "Kattie Bar the Door." When the heat hit eastern Montana all that water got dumped into the the feeder streams, into the Missouri River, then on to the Mississippi. End game was thousands of miles of flooding.

Here on the Rogue, the Corp of Engineers are still dumping water into the river at twice the normal rate (3500+ cfs vs 'normal' 1,700 cfs) just to keep pace with the snow melt. Gather that's likely to continue until some time later this month.

If your a 'fluff chucker' it's really screwing up the fishing. We're not using sink tips to fish for Summer Runs, we're using lengths of bike chain.

Ah well, off to Montana 9-1 and most of those rivers have dropped back to normal flows. Time to give the 'locals' in Hamilton (Bitterroot River) another lesson in 2-hander casting. That was a total hoot a few weeks back; doubt more than a hand full had ever seen one of those rods (save for a clip on U-tube). Only problem is it's damned tough to see a size 10 (or smaller) fly (save for a waker) out at 70-90 feet.

Have my new 'Boo rod' in the mail to me now, so that should also be fun to cast with the 'back to normal' flows on the Bitterroot. And more than a proper match for the river. Which reminds me, haven't looked at the flow gage info (Darby, MT) in a couple of weeks.

These flow gages are the "Cat's Meow" for great "SWAG's" (Sophisticated wild a$$ guess) as to what to expect before you walk up to a river/stream.

Fred

__________________
"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous

That's right! Forgot about the how much white stuff you guys got this year and how it kept coming even late in the season!

The Bitterroot is going to be great for you! Some real nice fish out of those waters and even more beautiful scenery plus you can swagger around with the new wading stick and impress the locals

Have to call up my Dad tonight and break the bad news that a buddy of his from the 442 passed away this weekend. Not looking forward to that.

Take care

Terry

__________________
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

Ah Terry, first is good news. The last very bad.

My Father in Law, one of the greatest People to walk this Earth, is also past. Close to 30 years ago saw a picture of him and his new wife (Eva) just after they were married. He's in his Army Unni .. couldn't make out the rank on his shoulder, but who cares?

Asked him where he'd served during WW2; up to that point he was a closed book on that subject. WWII History

Ah Shxt! Been there (on a tug boat pulling barges) and could describe the place(s) to a tee. Folks, there is nothing, and I do mean nothing, there save for you have to be there.

Where next? Italy, where. Been there and had a reasonable familiarity with the ground (Monte Casino) et al. (Reading only, but once you see the photos, there's no mistaking it for what it is.)

It was like I'd opened up a ton of pent up memories. Years back Joan and I were in Italy and driving from 'A' to 'B' and looked up through the windshield of the rental car. Miles away and I pointed up and told her about what went on, and that her Father had been in the thick of it.

Car turned left .. she just walked around in silence. Perhaps a better understanding of her Father?

Ward was one of the true 'get to meets' I've ever been privileged to meet. Another who took me 'under his wing' was Warton Funk; long retired '1 Star.' But that's another story.

fae

__________________
"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous