Rogue rafting trip - first time fishing

[Modest_Man]

Headed to the Rogue August 5th through the 10th. We're rafting from Almeda Bar to Foster Bar, passing through the wild and scenic area.

Looking at the regulations it's open for trout, 5 per day, fin clipped, 8" minimum. Open for Chinook and Coho (fin clipped of course), and fin clipped steelhead.

The only special regs I'm confused about is this -

• Use of bait allowed in mainstem Rogue River except from Foster Creek upstream to
Whiskey Creek, where all angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures Sept. 1 to
Oct. 31.

So bait is fine until Sept 1 even from Foster Creek up to Whiskey Creek?

I've never been to the Rogue, and need to plan on what to fish for and what gear to bring. Looks like there should be some summer steelhead, maybe some late spring Chinook as well. How about trout? What do people use for setups? I can only bring 2-3 setups, I'm thinking 4wt fly rod for trout (What are good patterns?), a steelhead setup (spinners, drifting, bobber and jig?), and maybe one for Chinook? No idea what to throw for them.

If anyone has info, or tips, or anything helpful please let me know. I have no idea what to expect. How about tackle shops nearby that could help me out?

This is going to be me -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=509wDwt8iVw

:dance::dance::dance:

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

Yeah, bait isn't closed until september.... Theres gonna be "a lot" of water... its about double the flow for what it usually is, and the more water, the tougher that place is to fish... I think it'll be manageable though. What will be in there is summer steel/ half pounders and early fall chinook, as well as resident trout. Most of the fishing I have seen done in there has always been off a boat, which rafts arent easy to fish from, because of all the gear that makes them heavy, and no anchor. "The Rogue River Twitch" is a popular way to fly fish from a boat, I dont know if it'll be possible for you, but what I have seen is a lot of dark, ie Black and brass bead headed flys, and you row back against the current, with your flys 50- 75' out in front of you and you twitch the flys back in towards you then let your rod tip sink allowing the flys to sink in the current, and this technique does great for half pounders. Little black and brass spinners do great in there, dragging them behind your boat as you go will pick up steelhead. I will recomend fish the mouth of every cold water tributary that you can, that water in there will be at or near 70 degrees, and those fish in from the ocean will be looking for a cool water break, also a lot of the fall chinook actually spawn in the wild and scenic area in the numerous side creeks, some will be staging under them, and also the up river fish will be taking breaks in the cooler water. Drift fishing yarn/ beeds/ corkys on the bottom will produce steelhead/ salmon combined with scent or bait, is a technique in there, as well as just straight up plunking at camp, ghost colored Spin N Glows are the favorite below foster bar, so I am sure they'd work good in there.

 

[Modest_Man]

Thanks much. Great advice. This is a rafting trip that I'm bringing fishing gear on, so it's pretty much going to be hiking and exploring after we set up camp, and maybe fish a bit in calmer sections.

 

[Mad dog]

Worms and corkies fished in all of the steelhead looking water....worms slay the steelhead on the Rogue! Beadhead Ugly bugs fished under a float in the same riffle water is another proven Rogue steelhead killer! Both of these methods will take trout as well! I have seen some decent trout feeding on various hatches at times but it is hard to persue trout with a river full of big fish! Salmon holes are salmon holes and with the higher flows this year there will probably be fish all the way up to rainie falls by early august. I like good roe for Rogue fall chinook! I wouldn't even waste my time with other baits while chinook fishing!

 

[Modest_Man]

Worms as in pink plastic worms yeah? Any particular color/size/brand?

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

I think he's regarding earth worms.

 

[Modest_Man]

I think he's regarding earth worms.

Ah. Heh. Easier than looking at 20395 varieties of almost the same plastic worms!