Carpetbagger Tearing Them Up On the Umpqua River

Roseburg, Oregon. Guide Mike Springer of Springer’s Guide Service http://www.springersguideservice.com/ and Rogue Wilderness Adventures http://www.wildrogue.com/ reports 100 fish days for smallmouth bass on Oregon’s Umpqua River. Mike says, “The fly bite was awesome!” Mike sent along a couple photos including one of a Midnight Fire Carpetbagger Nymph that had survived “100 straight fish attacks” that very day. Mike also said something about crawdads, but I don’t believe him. Springer’s Guide Service http://www.springersguideservice.com/#top

Smallmouth bass fishing is great on the Umpqua River now.

A Midnight Fire Carpetbagger Nymph showing a little wear. The victim of over 100 bass bites.

Mid-June Happy on the Rogue

Some of my favorite spots along the Rogue River, Oregon require a half-hour or longer walk. The early season can be hit or miss for summer steelhead. For that reason I don’t often like to deal with hauling out the drift boat. An opportunity that I like to go “back to the roots.” Back to my early days of fly-fishing discover on the river. During the summer months this is often best done with an early start. Rogue Valley days can run in temperature extremes from morning 50°F’s to afternoon 90°F’s. This early June day was exceptional. The temperature never got above 75°F, and I was able to peruse several good locations. I found very little action, even with the smaller trout. In one stretch the shy bites did seem to come, though a bit grudgingly. Duly noted, and soon to be visited again.

“The happiest lot of any angler would be to live somewhere along the banks of the Rogue River, most beautiful stream of Oregon. Then, if he kept close watch on conditions, he could be ready on the spot when the run of steelhead began.” Tales of Fresh-Water Fishing, Where Rolls the Rogue, Zane Grey, 1928

Hiking in the early morning don’t be alarmed if something long and thin slides across your path.

The overhead canopy. An majestic Oregon white oak I’ve walked by a thousand times. Noticed for the first time.

Duck butts. Quietly observed. A female mallard and her ducklings.

The wary mother leads her brood away into the thick marsh reeds.

A Rogue River trout lost it’s shyness enough to try on a G.R. Hare’s Ear Nymph.

A mixed June sky. Clouds over the Table Rock Mountains.

Early June – Summer Steelhead on the Rogue River

Summer steelhead are making their appearance on the Rogue River. These early June fish can be quite hard to find. Good that they are ready biters, because that can make the difference in the higher water flows of June. With water releases at about 2200 CFS for the far upper river, the flow is about 2800 CFS where I was searching. Carpetbaggers, Brown Fork Tail Princes and G.R. Hare’s Ears are good flies to be swinging now. The Bead Head G.R. Hare’s Ear Nymph garnered the most strikes today.

High weeds along the bank show lack of visitations to this hole by either beast or man.

With the recent increase in flow, I found the river bank to bank where I started fishing.

A sleek early summer steelhead comes into view over the rocky bottom.

What the early summer steelhead lack in size, they more than make up in fighting spirit. Touch one!