Frustrated but hopeful, seeking generous OR advice

[Seekingwildtrout]

Greeting Oregon fishers,

I’m hoping you can help a confused Coloradoan with general, not specific info. I realize I’m not a contributor here and haven’t earned anything but am asking guidance from anyone willing. I know this is gonna be long, I apologize in advance.

I’ve been fly fishing wild trout streams in Colorado and elsewhere for 45 years. I love small to medium streams and rivers and wade fishing with dry flies, primarily. In Colorado, every little creek in elevation has wild brookies, browns, bows or cutties. My wife and I have taken 3 trips to beautiful Oregon and really want to retire there. I love mountains, forests, rivers, and waterfalls and she loves the ocean and wine; this all = Oregon. The problem is, in my research, I’m struggling to come to the conclusion that I will be able to find enough creek/stream/river fishing for wild trout, despite what I thought was a preponderance of forests and river systems.

I am not naive; I fully understand you guys have a paradise of steelhead and salmon fishing and people come from the world over to fish there. I don’t doubt I would be thrilled to occasionally or accidentally catch either of those, but I also know myself and I don’t think focusing on that is for me. I’ve been reading fly fishing books and online stuff for decades; just being honest that fishing big swift rivers, spending hours working a hole or casting all day or days for one bite, combat crowded fishing, big tackle…I know that wouldn’t be for me, especially when I’m in my 60s and 70s. I love wading in pocket water or shore casting to cruisers on high alpine lakes with a dry or dry/dropper and catching trout, even if they are small.

I have searched a lot on the internet and bought two ‘fishing in Oregon’ books (for some reason there doesn’t seem to be any or many current ones????). if you want an exercise in frustration , try to find anything on the internet for ‘oregon’ and ‘trout’ and not get steelhead results.

It just seems to me, alarmingly, that the rivers and feeder streams don’t necessarily have abundance of wild trout. OR, is it just that most don’t care and they aren’t targeted or written about? We want to be anywhere from central OR (bend area) to southern part of the state. I just got back from a week around Medford/Ashland and went up into the rogue valley and even the Umpqua region. BIG, fast rivers even in august, and the tribs I saw were fast. When I looked them up, all I saw was hatchery rainbows, not wild browns or brookies. I know you don’t have the elevation I have here, is that the issue?

I’m looking for honest feedback to talk me off the ledge or give me hope to keep searching…in that part of the state, SW or south central, or even closer to central and Bend, am I going to have a chance to find numerous small to medium streams that have wild brookies or browns or even rainbows? Are they pushed out or eaten by the salmon and steelhead? Are they pushed out by stocking of hatchery fish? When I see the huge Rogue, I assume, if it was Colorado, I find tributaries and hike upstream and I get smaller wadeable water with wild trout, hopefully bigger than 7 inches. Or all the places you have waterfalls show pretty tumbling creeks below them that I feel should have trout. IS THIS POSSIBLE? I hope so. Are the ‘trout’ streams overrun with sea-run fishers for half the year or is there a chance to get away from that crowd maybe futher upstream or in smaller creek?. Are the small rivers closed a lot to protect the steelhead/salmon??? Also what about clean clear mountain lakes, not huge reservoirs? Are there tailwater rivers in central to southern OR that have big wild trout below dams? Tons of those in Colorado. We are feeling dejected about our hope to retire there as I can’t retire where I can’t trout fish regularly.

Here’s an example of frustration: we drove to the coast and brookings and along the way drove along the most gorgeous stream, the middle fork of the smith. Unbelievably clear and clean and rocky, pocket water….i was drooling, figuring that river has to be full of wild trout, and good sized ones. But when I looked it up, sure enough it was all about the steelhead runs and the big ‘holes’ everyone goes to, and oh by the way there are some native rainbows. Is there a lot of rainbows or you might catch one or two in a day?? Are they 8 inches or maybe 12-15? There just is no info even on fly shop websites. I have nothing against the salmon and steelhead guys, you guys are, as a whole, more passionate than any group, and go through a lot for your craft, I’m just being honest with what I’m passionate about my whole life and don’t expect to change in my 60’s and beyond. I started out on small brookie streams in the smoky mountains and in denver, I can get to at least 30 good streams or alpine lakes within a 2 hour drive, all with wild trout of different sizes.

I’m truly hoping there is something I’m missing. I am grateful for ANY guidance or hope or general info or suggestions for research. We still have a few years so I won’t be crowding up anyone’s streams. You have a ridiculously beautiful state! Everyone here always has a look when we say we love Oregon; but we always say it’s the most underappreciated natural beauty in the US. If anyone needs any advice or suggestions for Colorado fly fishing, let me know if I can help. Thank you gentleman and ladies for any help and for reading this book! Fyi, if I find another good forum I may post this there as well, please no offense, just trying to increase my chances for feedback.

PS:Fyi I just saw a great article someone posted on this site about best fly fishing rivers in Oregon and it actually talked about non-steelheads a lot! Super encouraging. It seems like more opportunities in central Oregon, but the wife loves Ashland down south so in driving range of rogue watershed and maybe Klamath area? is there a lot within 2 hours of Ashland? Even down into cali is fine.

Not sure if it will work but i've attached a few pics of colorado browns, brookies, rainbows and cutthroats

Tim

Argenziano10@yahoo.com

 

[pcstock]

Metolius River, Crooked River, all of the high mountain lakes etc etc. etc. Any river that does not end up flowing to the Columbia will have trout.

Get this book. Unbelievable resource and inexpensive

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fi...h-edition-madelynne-diness-sheehan/1125581283

 

[Admin]

Those are some beautiful fishies and great photos. Welcome aboard!

 

[TheKnigit]

I completely believe that what you are searching for can be found here.

Some of the issues that you might be having with searching for trout fishing might be semantics. The way I understand it, we don't have very many "wild rainbow" trout in our streams especially west of the cascades. All of these fish are typically considered steelhead, especially once they hit a certain length. What we do have though are a lot of cut throat trout. A lot of the rivers west of the Cascades have decent populations, but can be over looked by salmon and steelhead runs and even their searun brethren. You might try searching for cut throat trout fisheries, and see if that improves your results.

Brown trout fishing in Oregon seems to be talked about mostly in lakes and reservoirs. There are a lot of rivers and streams that have populations, but they aren't discussed outside of the Deschutes that I see. The upper Rogue, Upper North Umpqua, Deschutes, and Sprague all have fishable populations.

The brook trout fishing in Oregon might leave you missing Colorado, at least based on what I have seen online. We have a lot of streams that have them. Almost every stream in the Cascades is chalk full of them. However, they tend to be on the smaller side of your 7" mark. Most of what I tend to catch are a lot of 4"-6" fish with the occasional 8"+.

There will need to be a masterclass on the over complication of Oregon's regulations later. The long story short for when trout waters are open for fishing is that it can vary heavily depending on the special regulations for any particular body of water. The general rule of thumb is that streams and rivers are open for fishing from Memorial Weekend to the end of November, where lakes are open year round.

As far as the spread of populations go I tend to look at it this way. From the coast to the foot hills of the Cascades is cut throat trout waters. The Cascades are a mixture of brown and brook trout waters. The smaller the water the more brook trout you will find. East of the Cascades are home to the redband rainbow trout. Especially the closer to the desert you get.

I am not sure how far up stream on the Rouge you went, but I bet if you get up higher you would find what you are looking for. Below Lost Creek Reservoir the Rouge is decently large, and very much considered a steelhead and salmon river. Although there is most definitely some good trout fishing to be had. Once you get above Lost Creek, especially above the town of Prospect, the Rouge turns into a lovely little river with good brown and cut throat trout fishing. Brook trout can be found in almost all of the tributaries and the farther up stream that you go.

Hop over the mountains to Klamath Falls and you have the Williamson and the Sprague. Both can be fantastic fishing for red band rainbows. Stop about halfway between Medford and Klamath Falls, on the north sides of highway 140, and you have the Sky Lakes Wilderness. Almost 114,000 acres of hike-able high alpine wilderness with over 200 bodies of water (according to google). Most of which have fish of some sort.

 

[Irishrover]

Plenty of small trout streams to fish out here in Oregon. The Owyhee River is an option for browns (an introduced species to Oregon aka German Brown) https://www.tu.org/magazine/fishing/desert-brown-town/

In Central Oregon, come out in May for the great salmon fly hatch on the Deschutes River.

https://www.bestfishinginamerica.com/OR-Deschutes-Salmon-Fly-Hatch.html or for a small stream hit the Fall River north of La Pine.

The Knight has a lot of the area covered like the Williamson and Sprague also in that general area is the Sycan and further Chewaucan rivers.

https://myodfw.com/articles/easy-angling-southeast-zone

The Brook Trout is also an introduced species in Oregon, not a true trout but a member of the Char family. ODF&W has been trying to eradicate this fish from our waters for years and on many rivers and lakes there is no limit on size or quantity that you can take.

 

[troutdude]

Get this book. Unbelievable resource and inexpensive

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fi...h-edition-madelynne-diness-sheehan/1125581283

X2. Maddy's book has a WEALTH of valuable information!

Another book--also produced by Flying Pencil Publications--may be helpful:

"Fishing in Oregon's Cascade Lakes", by Scott Richmond.

You may also find other books from this long-time Portland based publisher too.

https://amatobooks.com/collections/fishing-books

 

[Seekingwildtrout]

this is awesome guys, thank you so much. I will be researching everything you said. Knight, I had not been aware of the sky lakes wilderness in that area, that is hugely promising. We did visit the rogue above prospect (the natural bridge and rogue gorge area) and it was huge there still but I thought it could get better if i could follow it upstream. one question, when you mention cutthroat country, are you mostly talking about sea-run or are there stream living cutts with nice colors and spots, etc...

and also, if there are westslope or similar-looking cutts in clear, rocky streams, that fills in any gap for me for brookies and far exceeds rainbows. i could survive on stream cutts and occasional browns, mixed in with small brookies and some redband bows

 

[TheKnigit]

Once you get above Farewell Bend Campground and Foster Creek it starts to shrink down a little bit more. There is definitely a decent stretch of the upper Rogue that is very fast and hard to fish around natural bridge and the gorge. You might also look at the Middle Fork of the Rogue and all of it's tributaries.

We have both sea-run (often called blue backs) and resident stream living cutthroat. Here is a link to ODFW species info page;

https://myodfw.com/fishing/species/cutthroat-trout

Most of what you will find in what I called cutthroat county are the coastal resident cutties.

 

[Davpot]

Once you get above Farewell Bend Campground and Foster Creek it starts to shrink down a little bit more. There is definitely a decent stretch of the upper Rogue that is very fast and hard to fish around natural bridge and the gorge. You might also look at the Middle Fork of the Rogue and all of it's tributaries.

We have both sea-run (often called blue backs) and resident stream living cutthroat. Here is a link to ODFW species info page;

https://myodfw.com/fishing/species/cutthroat-trout

Most of what you will find in what I called cutthroat county are the coastal resident cutties.

Thanks for your thoughtful inquiries Tim! And wonderful answers from all!! Lots if Experience and Sharing here!
Id say you got some Great Leads here Tim! Ive lived on the Westside most of 50 yrs, and so, With age Ive learned to be Patient! Bend to Medford should provide you with plenty of Action Tim! Now we have Wx and Fire to deal with! Its Stomped on my fishing a Good Deal! There are plenty of fine lakes and Creeks in your target area! Best Wishes Tim! Be Patient with yourself and Others…Davpot

 

[troutdude]

@Seekingwildtrout if you decide to chase after any of our Sea-Run cutties (A.K.A. SRC's or Bluebacks: given that name because their backs turn deep blue in freshwater streams)...this is the answer. The Borden Special fly was developed by famed Oregon blue back expert Bob Borden. They are truly legendary flies. Here are some variants.

You can get them from Mitch at Two Rivers Fly shop in Albany Oregon.

https://www.tworiversflyshop.biz/

 

[Seekingwildtrout]

and also, if there are westslope or similar-looking cutts in clear, rocky streams, that fills in any gap for me for brookies and far exceeds rainbows. i could survive on stream cutts and occasional browns, mixed in with small brookies and some redband bows

 

[Seekingwildtrout]

(A.K.A. SRC's or Bluebacks: given that name because their backs turn deep blue in freshwater streams).

this sounds cool, gotta look up some pics...

 

[Vintageflyguy]

BTW most of your browns will be wild as the ODFW do not stock many if any browns - also the East side has a lot of browns and Brookies - living here does have it advantages - both East and West

 

[troutdude]

@Seekingwildtrout I forgot to mention that Bluebacks also feed heavily on Crawdad fry...there stomachs are usually full of them. So anything that imitates a small crawdad would also work. Spinner fisherpeeps often use small brown Rooster Tail's with a brass blade, to mimic the small crawdads.

 

[Seekingwildtrout]

@Seekingwildtrout I forgot to mention that Bluebacks also feed heavily on Crawdad fry...there stomachs are usually full of them. So anything that imitates a small crawdad would also work. Spinner fisherpeeps often use small brown Rooster Tail's with a brass blade, to mimic the small crawdads.

Thanks! Sounds like between the cutts and steelies you guys swing a lot of streamers? I spent probably my first 10 years fly fishing just using streamers so some experience there but my last 20 have mostly been dry or dry/dropper

 

[TheKnigit]

It all depends on how you want to fish. Most times of the year you can swing streamers, nymphs, or dries and end up with an interested fish. You will need to double check the regs on the bodies of water that you fish at. Some waters have very specific rules such as the fly fishing only area of the North Umpqua.