Rogue River Questions

BigJohnJohn

BigJohnJohn

Gone Fishing
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Getting ready for a family road trip in late August down in the Crater Lake NP area. Since it is a family trip it won't be focused on fishing but I usually try to get out here and there when I can. Looking for some suggestions on where to fish the Rogue. Doing some research online, it looks like hitting the upper Rogue (north fork) could be fun with the weekly stockings that happen up there. How is the access to the river in that area? Is the fishing pretty straightforward? I am hoping to get my kids onto some fish and for those that have kids catching is key....

Is the Holy Water area worth hitting? Discussion online seems mixed. Finally, worth trying to catch summer steelhead on the middle and lower sections?

Open to any other suggestions for that area. Fishing related or otherwise.

Thanks in advance,
John
 
Not a ton of experience, but I camped at Rogue Elk Park and was very happy with the runs above and below the park. Easy access and nice cold swing water.
 
I've only fished above the reservoir around Union Creek/Farewell Bend campground; lotsa fun and nice small water, especially this time of year.

BE SURE TO STOP AT BECKIE'S FOR PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers
 
Canuck from Kansas said:
I've only fished above the reservoir around Union Creek/Farewell Bend campground; lotsa fun and nice small water, especially this time of year.

BE SURE TO STOP AT BECKIE'S FOR PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers
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Thanks for reply. Do you think dries will still be working or should I be planning to nymph?
 
Late august, I would go with dries, but but have some small nymphs with you.

cheers
 
Any other thoughts on the Rogue River? Holy Water area? Worth trying to go for Summer Steelhead?

Thank again!
 
You might also want to check on the air quality, sue to the fires in northern Cali.
 
The flyshops in the area usually have up to date reports. One of them films a report weekly. I would start there. You could even check the old reports for the same time of year.
August is early for most of the steelhead that far up, I think. There may be some though. If you got your kids into half pounders it could be amazing. I think that hey would be way down low around Agnes still though.
 
Ashland Fly Shop has reports on website or call them. Good people. Late august not too early for steelhead. From the Cole Rivers Hatchery to Valley of the Rogue park there is a lot of access. Some good cutthroat water in upper river. Might be a bit warm for Holy Water but never know. I’ve never fished above the hatchery. ODFW has weekly online reports.
Crater Lake is near Diamond Lake and upper North Umpqua. Some good trout fishing there and may be closer, depending on where you are staying.
 
Robert Engleheart said:
Ashland Fly Shop has reports on website or call them. Good people. Late august not too early for steelhead. From the Cole Rivers Hatchery to Valley of the Rogue park there is a lot of access. Some good cutthroat water in upper river. Might be a bit warm for Holy Water but never know. I’ve never fished above the hatchery. ODFW has weekly online reports.
Crater Lake is near Diamond Lake and upper North Umpqua. Some good trout fishing there and may be closer, depending on where you are staying.
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What percent of the run is up that high? I have only fished much later than that. Is there a reasonable chance to catch multiple fish in August that far up? There is a chance to catch a steelhead in that river every month of the year. I am just curious if on Aug. 20 there are enough fish to burn dead dinosaurs for.
 
I don’t know about “multiple fish” on any river these days but they start seine counts July 15 at Huntley Park. I think the Rogue has a small run of early summer fish, what I was told by a guide, not like sSeptember or October, but they are certainly up to mid-river, Valley of the Rogue to Dodge Bridge by late August.
 
The Holy Water can be pretty fun. I haven't fished it that much in recent years. Some people complain that it hasn't been managed well and has declined but I've always had a lot of fun up there. Diamond Lake in the SE corner can be lights out this time of year. A few years ago I got ~20" rainbows on 3 successive casts, in addition to a probably 7 pound tiger trout.
 
If you do go for steelhead make sure you fish up high close to the dam. Once you get down past Shady Grove or so the water gets too warm to fish ethically(you can search for river gauges that have temps too). Good news is there is some walk in water near the dam. Make sure you get after it early though, the raft hatch starts at 10 and is thick! We floated that section in late July. Didn't get any fish but there were enough drift boats out to indicate somebody was catching fish.
 
I liked swinging bright little nymphs like a Prince. When I was there years ago. Seemed to get bit a lot.
 
I fished the "Wholly waters" once during a salmon fly hatch so thick it blocked out the sun.
I caught one very nice size RB 16/18"
The bug hatch was worth the trip.
N Fork is hit or miss with the planting. The fish don't last long.
Below the "Wholly waters" is got some nice summer steel and salmon.
 
Thanks for all the info everyone. As far as access points on the North Fork, should I stick with jumping in at the campgrounds and fishing up/down stream or is there plenty of access off the road?

Based off the comments here, we will stop in and hit the Holy Water and see what we can get into.

I'll post a report when we get back.
Thanks,
John
 
Think about where the planting truck would be able to get to the creek.
Also, the water is very cold.
 
BigJohnJohn said:
Thanks for all the info everyone. As far as access points on the North Fork, should I stick with jumping in at the campgrounds and fishing up/down stream or is there plenty of access off the road?

Based off the comments here, we will stop in and hit the Holy Water and see what we can get into.

I'll post a report when we get back.
Thanks,
John
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Grew up on the Rogue. Caught my first trout, my first chinook, and my first steelhead on that river. I could tell you a few spots but things have probably changed since I last fished it some forty years ago. Looking forward to your report. Take pics.
 
dirty dog said:
I fished the "Wholly waters" once during a salmon fly hatch so thick it blocked out the sun.
I caught one very nice size RB 16/18"
The bug hatch was worth the trip.
N Fork is hit or miss with the planting. The fish don't last long.
Below the "Wholly waters" is got some nice summer steel and salmon.
Click to expand...
I've seen the hatch there and it is phenomenal. On the north bank you can sight fish. South bank is good for us old folk The lower reaches below Shady Cove are great for steelheading, especially in the fall.
 
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