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06/14/2012 - Fishing Report
UPPER ROGUE HOT FOR SPRING CHINOOKSouthern Oregon fishing reportThe spring chinook run has been hot in the Upper Rogue River recently, with most guides catching multiple fish on each trip.The highest stretches of the Rogue have been best, because of the cooler water, while the warmer weather may turn off the bite further downstream.Places such as Casey Park, Takelma Park and Rogue Elk Park have all been winners.“There’s a lot of fish,” Troy Whitaker of U-Save Gas and Tackle said. “Every guide that I’ve talked to has been hooking three or four every time out.”The hot fishing being reported by guides is reflected in the data being collected at Cole Rivers Hatchery.The returns of spring chinook to the hatchery are the highest since 2004, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.The only downside in the upper river is that anglers can only harvest hatchery, fin-clipped fish, above the old Gold Ray Dam site.Anglers can harvest wild chinook below the Gold Ray Dam site.ODFW reported that along with the strong run, it has improved fish numbers by releasing 1,401 adult spring chinook in the vicinity of Gold Hill.The best bet for boats has been sand shrimp with roe, along with a K-15 Kwikfish with a sardine wrap.The salmonfly hatch also is beginning on the upper river, which is a highlight for fly-anglers.MIDDLE ROGUEThe spring chinook run has been slow in the middle Rogue and Grants Pass area, but there have been some summer steelhead reported.Whitaker suggested running a small plug to target salmon and steelhead.Panther Martins with black bodies and gold blades have worked well for both steelhead and trout.The Rogue River reopened for trout fishing May 26. Only adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout, 8-inch minimum length, may be harvested. All cutthroat trout and non-adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout must be immediately released.LOWER ROGUEThe best part of the spring chinook run on the lower section of the Rogue River appears to have come to an end, with the warm weather and lack of rain keeping the bite slow.Denny Houston, a long-time fishing guide in the area, said that fishing hit the skids early this past week.“The water really started to warm up and they just aren’t biting,” he said. “The only thing that would make it perk up again is a rainstorm, and I don’t see any of that in the forecast.”Although there were some good moments during the spring run this year, Houston described the overall run as “average” for the season.Early mornings are usually the best for late season spring chinook. Boat anglers are faring the best, but bank anglers are picking up the occasional fish.Summer steelhead have been moving up river, but there is very little fishing pressure. Most of the steelhead are being caught by spring chinook anglers.LOST CREEK RESERVOIRLost Creek Reservoir seen good numbers of rainbow trout including some holdover and larger stocked trout averaging 14- to 16-inches long.Boat anglers have been doing well by trolling lures or bait/lure combinations, or by still fishing with bait near the head of the reservoir.Bank anglers have been doing well at many of the developed access points, as well as off the walkway to the water control tower. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass is improving with the warmer water temperature.Smallmouth action has definitely picked up near shore. Smallmouth bass were hitting salmon flies cast along the face of the dam recently.HOWARD PRAIRIE RESERVOIRLarge trout to five pounds have reportedly been caught at Howard Prairie recently. Trollers fishing with ford fenders were catching some trout recently, along with anglers still fishing with PowerBait.The reservoir was stocked with over 100,000 rainbow trout last fall. Bass and panfish have been very active recently, biting a variety of lures and worms.o o oPast blogsCLIMBER ON MOUNT HOOD FALLS TO DEATHPHOTO GALLERY: THE ROGUE RIVERIS BLOSSOM BAR OREGON’S DEADLIEST RAPIDS?VIDEO: HOW TO RUN (AND NOT TO RUN) BLOSSOM BARNATIONAL CHAMPION TREES FOUND IN JOSEPHINE COUNTYBONUS BIG TREES: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS IN SOUTHWEST OREGONBONUS BIG TREES: TOP 10 TALLEST TREES IN THE UNITED STATES
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