Upper Rogue River:

As of Nov. 1, anglers can again use bait, but only above the Shady Cove Boat Ramp.  Downstream from Shady Cove to Fishers Ferry boat ramp, only artificial flies and lures are allowed from Nov 1 through Dec 31. Soft beads and plastic worms are considered bait. 

All boat ramps are open.

Chinook fishing is closed. However, hatchery coho, steelhead and hatchery trout may be retained.

Late summer steelhead fishing was very good this past week and weekend. Fishing has been best above Shady Cove, with good floats and bank access. This week’s rain should keep fish moving around.  Coho should be about done for the year.

Trout anglers are especially encouraged to harvest adipose-fin clipped trout in the upper reach of river. Summer steelhead should continue through at least November in the upper Rogue. Black and black/purple flies have been the ticket for some local fly anglers. Copper johns and egg imitations will begin getting hot as fish start keying into spawning salmon.

As of Dec. 8, 28 new summer steelhead entered the hatchery, bringing the total to 1,299 fish for the year.

The hatchery recycled excess summer steelhead downstream this week. Some of these fish are tagged with colored and numbered tags in their backs. This is the last scheduled downstream release so anglers should get out there and target these fish, which were released at the Denman Wildlife Area’s Modoc access. Anglers should call 541-826-8774 ext. 226 if they catch these fish.

If you plan on releasing the fish, leave the tag in it, but please try and get a 4 digit number on the tag (please don’t report the phone number!!). Participants will be entered into a raffle for donated prizes including gift cards to a local sporting goods store and even a box of hand tied flies.  

Twenty-three coho swam into the hatchery ladder the week of Dec. 8, bringing the total to 297. The collection pond is typically sorted on Wednesdays, and new numbers are typically available to the public later in the week. Call into the Lost Creek Reservoir hotline or check the MyODFW.com fish counts page.

The weeks rain shouldn’t make much of a dent in the river above Shady Cove. Look for some color around Little Butte Creek and Touvelle. For the most current releases of water out of Lost Creek Reservoir, call 1-800-472-2434. For real time streamflow from USGS gauges on the Rogue click here.

Rogue River, above Lost Creek Reservoir:

No recent fishing reports. Expect snow. above 5,000 feet and a winter weather advisory for this week. The weekend may be nice. As of Wednesday morning, the Hwy 62 webcam at Union Creek showed bare pavement. Check this before heading up.

There are no public use restrictions on the Rogue River Siskiyou Ranger District, except for seasonal green dot road closures more around the Butte Falls region for deer winter range protections. 

More information on Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest lands can be found on their website or calling the RRSNF office. 

This reach was stocked from Prospect to Minehaha creek with 3,000 rainbow trout every week from Memorial Day through Labor Day, so there should still be trout around. With folks hunting, you may have the river to yourself!

All tributaries and the mainstem are open to trout fishing year-round with a daily bag limit of 5 trout. Trout are stocked from river bridge/natural bridge area in and above Minnehaha Creek from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Areas around the Union Creek, Farewell Bend and Woodruff Bridge can have pretty swift flows, and anglers should be aware of bedrock crevices when wading.

Above the Hwy 62/234 interchange, the river gradient starts to lessen. Target slower water at the top of a riffle, or pocket water within a riffle, or pools were fish are resting or waiting to ambush.

Flies, small spinners, or even drifting a nightcrawler under a bobber work up here. Pautske eggs on a small hook under a strike indicator work as well, just have some split shot above it. Fishing a bug and bubble will also do well here for anglers that use a spin caster rod.  Presentation is usually the key, get your bait down and free drifting with as little drag as possible. Water temperatures will be extremely cold so get your bait or fly and presentation right in front of trout.