Sorry it’s been so long since my last report. We've had a busy summer! Thank you to our guides and guests for their fabulous photos and river stories.
It hasn’t been the easiest summer season with spring salmon showing a bit late and the unusual heat here in Southern Oregon, but it seems despite this everyone has been eager to get outside and enjoy the river. We have been fortunate to have mostly blue skies and clean air despite neighboring fires. Many folks have asked about the river level and even though the river is low, this year has been similar to other low water years. Luckily the Rogue is a spring fed river and water flow is controlled by the William L. Jess Dam. The Rogue is a beautiful river, abundant with wildlife and almost always fishable (with only an occasional high, muddy day in the heart of winter). What an amazing resource. We count our blessings every day that we get to spend on the Rogue doing what we love.
Over the past few weeks salmon fishing has picked up with both spring and summer salmon in the river (the Rogue is lucky to have 2 runs of kings each year) and summer steelhead too.
Our guides will be fishing for salmon through September and for steelhead through November and often into the winter months.
We are headed into some of our most favorite fishing months of the year, August and September with combination fishing trips for salmon and steelhead.
There are/were 2 temporary changes on the Upper Rogue this year in conservation efforts to protect salmon including the closing of the Hatchery Hole to all angling until July 31st and the closure of retention of wild/native salmon from July 1st through the 10th on the sections of the Upper Rogue where this is allowed (currently Dodge Bridge and below). We encourage everyone to keep conservation in mind when on (or off) our amazing Rogue, our beloved and critical salmon and steelhead populations can use all the help they can get.
For more information about how to help the Rogue check out Rogue Riverkeeper.
- Rochelle and Charlie