Coho are pretty much done. There’s still summer steelhead that will continue to trickle into the hatchery over the next month and anglers are still picking up these fish. Anglers will likely start encountering down-runner summer steelhead (also known as kelts) that have recently spawned. Please handle these fish with care and release them. 

Wild winter Steelhead can be retained after Feb. 1, upstream of Hog Creek. Only 1 fish with a minimum length of 24 inches can be harvest per day as part of the daily limit, and 3 wild fish in aggregate for the year in the Rogue and other waterbodies of the SW zone where wild steelhead may be harvested. Consult the 2022 sportfishing regulations and SW zone for more information. 

As of January 5, 1 coho entered the Cole Rivers Hatchery ladder, bringing the year’s total run to 2,495 fish. The run is most likely over and is 200 percent of the 10-year average! An additional 114 new summer steelhead entered the ladder bringing the years total to 2,865 fish, with 57 re-run fish making it back to the hatchery as well. Likely this represents about 80-90 percent of the years run. Fish will continue to trickle in through February. The first winter steelhead of the year has not yet shown.

When much of the rest of the Rogue is muddy or blown out, the upper river above Rogue Elk Park is in much better shape, depending on what Big Butte Creek is flowing at. Above Big Butte Creek near Casey and McGregor Park will always be the less turbid water.  Currently the McCloud Gage is reading 1,060 cfs and the Dodge Bridge gage at 1750 cfs.  You can check all the USGS Rogue gauges here.