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  • Angler hooked into a steelhead with bent rod with guide getting ready to net his catch.

Rogue River Fishing

The Rogue River flows 215 miles from Crater Lake to the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most consistent fisheries in Southern Oregon.


The Rogue is one of the original eight wild and scenic rivers and luckily remains so, lined with evergreen forests and  much wildlife including  black bear, river otter, black tail deer, bald eagles, osprey, great blue herons, water ouzel, Canadian geese, beavers, and mink.  The Rogue is also known for its salmon and steelhead.  Chinook king salmon, Coho silver salmon and both  winter and summer run steelhead make the Rogue River an angling destination.  There isn't a month of the year that you can't catch either salmon or steelhead on the Rogue River.  A guided fishing trip  is a great way to see and experience what the Rogue has to offer.  

Rogue River Fishing Guides

Our guides fish the Upper Rogue River between the towns of Shady Cove and Gold Hill, about 20 miles outside of Medford, Oregon and the Middle Rogue River near Grants Pass. The natural beauty of this stretch of the river has been preserved with parks and wildlife areas and is home to legendary fishing holes perfect for back bouncing, running plugs, bobber fishing, side-drifting and fly fishing.  Our guides fish for Chinook king salmon May through September,  summer steelhead July through December and winter steelhead, January through April.

Rogue River Fishing Trips

Our guides fish the Rogue River year-round.  Below we have highlighted the peak of each season.  Peak of the season often translates to more salmon and steelhead caught, but also more anglers and boats on the river.  Before and after the peak times are still great times to catch fish, but also offer a quieter fishing experience.  We hope this helps you plan the fishing trip that's right for you.

Fish the Rogue River year-round for salmon and steelhead.

"Springers" Spring Salmon

Peak of the season 
mid May through June

The Upper Rogue is where you will find the hardest fighting and best eating salmon of the year. 

Spring salmon can range between 10 to 40 pounds and are well worth getting up before the sun!

Summer - Fall Salmon 

Peak of the season 
August

Summer Steelhead

Peak of the season 
August and September

Sunny skies and abundant salmon and steelhead in the Upper Rogue make this the most pleasant and consistent time of the season to catch fish. 

Summer - Fall salmon tend to be larger than their spring salmon cousins, weighing in at around 20 to 40 pounds and tend to have a more predictable bite. 

Summer steelhead, are smaller than salmon, often weighing 5 to 20 pounds, but their distinctive bright chrome skin, powerful fight and aerial displays, make these fish a highly sought-after catch. 

Fly Fishing for Summer Steelhead

Peak of the season 
September and October

The Uppermost section of the Rogue, during these months, is designated as fly only. 

This is the best time of the year for traditional fly fishing and "bug and bubble" spin casting. 

At this time, the quantity and quality of steelhead in the upper river is at its peak and the pressure from anglers on the river is much less than during summer months. 


Gear and Bait Fishing for Summer Steelhead

Peak of the season 
November

The 1st two weeks of November are some of the best steelhead fishing of the year on the Rogue River. 

On November 1st the regulations change from fly only (September & October) back to allowing the use of tackle and bait.  Due to this change, the steelhead bite is particularly aggressive. 

Winter Steelhead

Peak of the season 
February through April

Our guides fish the classic winter steelhead runs of the Upper and Middle Rogue and the Applegate River (its tributary) for winter steelhead,  prized for their power and size.  

With the Rogue Valley's mild winters, winter steelhead fishing is a great way to get outside.

Seasons

The Rogue River flows 215 miles from Crater Lake to the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most consistent fisheries in Southern Oregon. We fish the Rogue River year-round for salmon and steelhead. Learn more »

Licenses

You may purchase 1, 2, 3 and 7 day licenses that include your combined angling tag which allows you to keep salmon and steelhead. Get license »

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