Chinook salmon fishing is closed through remainder of year. Be aware of salmon nests (redds) in the gravel on tailouts and margins and avoid wading on these mounds and depressions.  

Nov. 1 through the end of the year, fishing from Fishers Ferry upstream to the Shady Cove Boat Ramp is artificial flies and lures only, no bait allowed. From Shady Cove upstream to Cole Rivers Hatchery, bait can again be used. Anti-snagging gear restrictions are in place for the Hatchery Hole (Cole Rivers Hatchery Blocker Dam to 1200 feet downstream): no more than 1 hook and a leader length less than 6 feet.

Anglers are catching summer steelhead regularly. Anglers can only retain hatchery trout (5 per day) and hatchery steelhead.

Cole Rivers Hatchery recycled 1,022 summer steelhead to the Modoc Access at the Denman Wildlife Area in mid-October, and anglers are still reporting catching this fish. They should be throughout the upper river, and fishing should be good. 

As of Nov. 3, 36 re-run steelhead had made their way back to the hatchery, as well as 17 new fish. The total summer steelhead for the year is 1584 fish, roughly 53 percent of the likely total run for the year. There’s still a lot of summer steelhead fishing to be had over the next month. 

A very good push of 257 coho also entered the hatchery ladder, bringing this year’s coho total to 298 fish.  

Flows coming out of William L. Jess Dam are at 908 cfs and nearly 46 degrees. Anglers fishing the upper river will have to drift their lures/bait/flys pretty much over fish to get them interested in a strike. Temperatures further down river warm up a bit. 

Locally-owned and operated tackle and fly shops in Medford, Shady Cove, and Ashland have excellent gear and very fresh bait, local flies and knowledge that is specific to the Rogue and to your particular technique. Go check them out and offer them your support.

For the latest fish counts, call into the Lost Creek Reservoir hotline or check the MyODFW.com fish counts page.

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.