Rogue River early October

[BigD]

Will be heading down that way for a week in Early October, hoping to swing flies for trout and steelhead, looks like the salmon are in spawning mode that time of year (similar to up here).
Any advice to areas that have bank access (dont need to know what rock to stand on), for the Grants Pass area and above as well as any other streams/rivers that I should take a look at.
Assuming egg patterns that time of year.

Any good flyshops in the area?

Thanks

Dean

 

[eat, sleep, fish]

I'm not too familiar with the area right around GP for steelhead. What you'll want to do though is try and find spawning salmon and then fish the tail out / riffle just below them. Egg patterns will definitely be your best bet.

You can also head to the upper river. Starting at the hatchery and working your way back down should produce plenty of trout and steelhead that time of year.

 

[FishFiddle]

Hey Big D, That is one special river!! Wish I was closer. I know around Toueville Park there is quite a bit of wading access and also up river as well. I think by that time most guys will be nymphing but there should be good numbers of Summers and also some Half-pounders. I know a couple guides that could help you out if you are interested. My wife and I did just that last October and we brought 4 to hand out of 9 hooked for the day both from a boat and wading. That was a great day of fishing! There is quite a bit of info on this site about directions to bank access on the upper river if you have the time and inclination. Good Luck and send us a report.

 

[upperroguepirate]

D, i lived on the upper Rogue 5 yrs. make sure you have some deer hair caddis's. Steelhead on that river smack the heck out of them. orange or yellow caddis. mostly i used orange and the clear plastic bobber with about a 7 ft leader when i wasn't fly fishing in tough places to cast.

 

[BigD]

Well, got back on Sunday from our trip to Southwest Oregon, what a beautiful place with lots of great water to fish.
Fishing was not that productive for us we did the following:
- Circle Tour - Grants Pass to Crater Lake with the idea we would fish the Rogue on the way back down, but, ended up fishing the N. Umpqua to Roseburg, wife had a fish on for a bit on one run, but that was it. This was a long day, not getting back to the trailer until 10 pm.
- Fished the Hatchery area on Monday, got a few juveniles on egg patterns.
- Drifted from Shady Cove to Dodge Bridge on Tuesday, lots of small trout, hooked two nice steelhead, didn't land them though, all due to line management
- Wednesday, drove up to Salem and camped on the N. Santiam, fished it hard for two days, throwing egg patterns, nymphs and dries, no love.

All in all, not a very successful trip for hooking and landing fish, but, had a very relaxing trip.

Great state that you have, will be back next year to try a few different areas!

 

[halibuthitman]

I fished the N. Umpqua yesterday, the best fishing for me was upstream from Apple, nothing down near steamboat.. purple and black worked good in the morning but the fish went to only wanting black ( black muddler and also fished a stonefly ) for the whole mid morning and afternoon.

 

[eat, sleep, fish]

Sounds like a great time BigD