Lower Rogue

[ricards]

Any reports on half-pounder action on the lower Rogue? Thanks.

[Morrison's Lodge]

I just fished the Lower Rogue last weekend and the "halfpounders were in.
We fished from Foster Bar to Cougar Lane and hit pods of fish both days.
Zac

[ricards]

Thanks for the update, Zac. Do you indicator fish or swing flies? Would you care to recommend a couple of productive patterns? I'm headed up there next week.
- Steve

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In Sept/Oct there is no real need to indicator fish the Lower Rogue River.

The Upper Rogue will be colder in October so indicator nymphing is good up that way.

[loganmike]

SO, What delineates the general "upper" vs. "lower" rogue? I am planning on heading to the grants pass area in October. Would that be upper or lower?

thanks
me

[huntindog]

my dad fished it yesterday and had a 30 fish day..

[ricards]

SO, What delineates the general "upper" vs. "lower" rogue? I am planning on heading to the grants pass area in October. Would that be upper or lower?

thanks
me
Grants Pass would be upper. Gold Beach/Agnes would be lower.

[jbird]

Grants pass is not the upper rogue. There is the upper, middle and lower. Anything above gold ray dam is upper. savage rapids dam to gold ray dam is arguably either the upper or middle. Savage rapids down thru GP Merlin and Galice is the Middle. I would consider raine falls the division between the middle and lower. The whole wild and scenic stretch below rainie falls is where the middle fades to the lower. The middle and lower is 1/2 pounder country. They are rarely motivated to climb fish ladders since they do not have a spawning instinct at this point in their lives. So any fish above savage rapids is arguably an adult, spawning steelhead. However, that dam is coming down. Gold rey may not be far behind it.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Jbird

That really help us get an idea where we are talking about on your river.

I have fished down low below Agness and way up near Medford so I don't really know the river that well.

**I have to say it again, you are looking very well lately.

[jbird]

Thanks Bill. Ive been working out ;-)

Theres one more, lesser known section...the upper, upper rogue. This is the section above lost creek reservoir. No anadronomous fish in this stretch, but some great high country trouting and fantastic scenery.

[ricards]

Grants pass is not the upper rogue. There is the upper, middle and lower. Anything above gold ray dam is upper. savage rapids dam to gold ray dam is arguably either the upper or middle. Savage rapids down thru GP Merlin and Galice is the Middle. I would consider raine falls the division between the middle and lower. The whole wild and scenic stretch below rainie falls is where the middle fades to the lower. The middle and lower is 1/2 pounder country. They are rarely motivated to climb fish ladders since they do not have a spawning instinct at this point in their lives. So any fish above savage rapids is arguably an adult, spawning steelhead. However, that dam is coming down. Gold rey may not be far behind it.

Okay, for our purposes we are interested in the half-pounder run that is more prevalent in the "lowest" part of the river. Anyone going up to the Rogue should be aware that the Lobster Creek Campground is undergoing renovation and closed to camping. I am assuming that traditional wet-fly patterns (such as the Silver Hilton, Green-Butt Skunk, etc.) swung on a floating line or intermediate sink tip is the ticket for the smaller steelhead. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm headed up there next week.

[jbird]

Yep, most guys swing for 1/2 #rs. They are not picky all you gotta do is find them. They tend to roll and splash alot so this helps in locating them. While the traditonal wet flies work great, nothing outproduces a woolly bugger. There will be adult fish down there now too. They tend to move up quickly thru the canyon this time of year but you definitly have a shot at connecting.

[ricards]

Thanks, jbird. I guess I'll have to tie up a few buggers. I'm guessing that you fish them with a floating line.