Rogue River Southern Oregon

Hello, I've been fishing the Rogue river this summer and fall. I've been finding it hard to find good reports on the rogue.. i can read the reports in the paper.. and the information from the department of fish and wild life.. but for whatever reason... id like to hear how other people are doing.

i did a search for the rogue on this forum and found nothing. which surprises me because theres 4 pages about the umpqua.. and both are world class fisheries. kind of strange...

anyhow.. this summer and fall ive been sticking to the upper rogue (from gold ray dam to cole rivers fish hatchery).. i keep hearing about how slow steelheading is this year.. and since ive never fished the river before this summer... i have nothing to compare it to.

so, we are consistently hooking metal brains... im wondering what other peoples experiences are.. you dont have to give up your holes or gear... but a few stories would be nice.. i have several.

Just Jake,
Welcome to the BB!! I'm sure someone will come along soon with some answers to your questions.
Doug

Just Jake - check this site out.

Tim

http://www.flyfishjefferson.com/

hey, thanks for that link. that is exactly what i was looking for. it looks like ill have to register for that forum as well.

but since im here, i might as well let you know how things have been going for us.

the two biggest things ive noticed are keeping your drifts dead and fishing where you ordinarily wouldn't.

we've been dead drifting nymphs and use some form of egg pattern up top. this has proven devastating for us. in fact just yesterday the lot of us hooked up 13 fish off the bank.. no boat, just a good productive stretch. we also dont place our indicators down and dirty in the rocks.

lately ive been pulling good sized fish further down between the usual riffles. this even to me is really unexpected.. theres hardly any channel and its just flat rocky bottom.. this isnt to say the riffles arent producing either.. but in the last few weeks i havent been catching any half pounders either. just some big hens and bulls.. both native and clipped hatchery and the last 3 outings i havent run into the usual smolts that i was getting sick of.

for some reason ive always heard the hatchery fish dont fight like the natives.. but im finding them to be fighting about the same.

so to sum this all up.. put your indicators lower down on your leader, keep your drifts dead by keeping that line mended right, and fish different water. if you keep your technique right you will catch fish.

id tell you some good runs, but after discussing this with my fishing buddies and a few episodes of combat fishing id rather keep our patterns and our holes a secret. learn to read the water better.. remember that they like the seams, but they will also break the rules once in a while too.