Middle Rogue Steelhead

[Langenbeck]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/FD535BA6-938E-4CB9-BF30-89E60B18CD6D_zpsbxxcm7lr.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/gordonl/media/FD535BA6-938E-4CB9-BF30-89E60B18CD6D_zpsbxxcm7lr.jpg.html)
A very slow start with lots of high water and a poor salmon run. Caught and released this fish on the swing. Have only hooked 5 adults this year and landed 2
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/C19CC513-3596-488E-8483-1117596C3569_zpstcusiyfs.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/gordonl/media/C19CC513-3596-488E-8483-1117596C3569_zpstcusiyfs.jpg.html)

[Terry Thomas]

Hey Gordon. It's been a while, thanks for the post.

[Darian]

Nice catch and the top photo is a beaut!!! :cool:

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Must be nice to live on the Rogue River.......

[STEELIES/26c3]

My spidey senses were tinglin' the other day when someone on this board asked about the Rogue R.
I was thinking to myself, this is about the time when Gordon starts posting photos of fall steelies.
and PRESTO!!
Here you are~

[Langenbeck]

The rains continue and the Rogue is up and colored. In Grants Pass we have now had over 13" of rain in October, with a normal of less than 3"s. Gasquet on the Smith River is over 23"s for October. A combination of prolonged high water and a poor salmon run has made this my worst October ever. This season have hooked 5 adult steelhead and this time last year the number was 52.

Some eye candy five years ago today.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/29SteelheadTwo24Oct2011.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/gordonl/media/29SteelheadTwo24Oct2011.jpg.html)

[STEELIES/26c3]

Yah that's too bad on the salmon but the extra rain will ultimately be a good thing.

Nice steelie hen though it appears she got nipped on the nose (rostrum?) as a young lasse...

[Rockman]

Nice fish Gordon!

[Tim P]

Thanks for the report Gordon. That fly looks like it might not be a TBH (trusty bead head), but it's hard to tell from the pic.

I've been watching the river forecast at Grants Pass (http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?GRAO3), looks like more high water coming, ugh.

I've only fished below Hellgate at flows of 1200-1400, so I'm curious what you regard as "impossible" flow levels on the middle Rogue. Obviously higher water usually means off-color too, but I'm wondering if you have a (personal) flow threshold where you'll tell yourself "Nah, I'm gonna tie flies instead".

Seems like there's a few places close to GP where the Rogue is quite broad (compared to the more canyon-like areas down below).

In any event it sure looks like another year where I won't be making it up there.

[Langenbeck]

Tim P: My threshold is about 2,300 cfs as there are some of my favorite places I can not wade to in higher flows. Also want the clarity at 8 NTU,s or less. The Grants Pass City Water Treatment Plant is the only place that publishes NTU readings. Hope this helps.

[STEELIES/26c3]

ok... I had to look that up, hahaha~

NTU: A nephelometer is an instrument for measuring concentration of suspended particulates in a ... Nephelometers are also used for measurement of visibility with simple ... the turbidity standard unit is called Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), .

[STEELIES/26c3]

and I thought a Nephelometer was an instrument used to measure the dream-induced fear index of Winnie the Pooh caused by Heffalumps and Woozles...

[Mark Kranhold]

I think everyone got bamboozled by the nephelometer :eek: