Rogue/Gordon's fly a winner

[Cal]

Fished the Rogue near Shady Cove for three days at the end of last week. The fact that they finally received a good soaking rain made it seem like there might be a reasonable chance of hooking into a few late season steelhead, besides, our entire coast was blown out.

The fishing was pretty slow, not many fresh fish in the system. Did manage to land a few on brown stonefly nymphs and egg patterns. Lots of casting and moving around for a few hookups a day. Everybody and his brother has a drift boat.

Saturday morning there were 12 fly fishers working the riffles below the Lost Lake Dam. I managed the only fish I saw caught all morning on a sz 10 version of Gordon's nymph (pictured elsewhere on this site). Now, I will have to try it on the American for spring half-pounders and the fall run on the Trinity.

I noticed that Rogue fly fishers tend to use large rubber leg flies like the big ugly and a bright metallic green and red monstrosity called a Christmas Tree Ornament. Gives me a tying idea: a gold bead/silver body/gold leg fly I will christen the "hood ornament", probably put a propeller on the front of it, cast it quartering downstream and strip like hell.

Discharge from Lost Lake was 792 cfs
Fish count was at approx. 8500

If you go -- check out the Fishin Hole in Shady Cove and Pat's Hand Tied Flies on Hiway 62, a couple of miles out of town.

[Jeff F.]

I've used those Gordon's (tied by my friend Eric) on the American. Eric added a little more purple flash and some short black rubberlegs. Those flies were killer for a while in Jan/Feb. But I haven't got a fish on them since. Go figure......got more fish with the legs than the ones w/o.

[Jeff F.]

I've used those Gordon's (tied by my friend Eric) on the American. Eric added a little more purple flash and some short black rubberlegs. Those flies were killer for a while in Jan/Feb. But I haven't got a fish on them since. Go figure......got more fish with the legs than the ones w/o.