The last few times I've fished the Rogue there have been multiple fish caught each trip. Ranging from the little 15" chromers we often see on the Rogue, to those mid 20" fish that have a bit more color to them. It's also been damn cold each time I've been out, with a pretty consistent fog for at least the first half of the day and water temps in the low 40's and even getting down to high 30's. I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of fish that are willing to chase a swung fly in this frigid water.
That was a close call, I managed to catch myself thank god, otherwise I would have been in for a real cold day. Time for some new studs.
I didn't find any coho but I did find 2 Steelhead with that fly. I wasn't really expecting to catch any Steelhead with that huge fly in the low & clear conditions that day. Just goes to show how much we get in our own heads about fly choice when all they really need is something that has a bit of movement.
I would expect with these recent and continuing bumps of rain and higher water that the remaining Steelhead that are in the Rogue are heading up their tributaries to spawn, but I'm sure you could find a fish here and there through the next few weeks.
One thing I know for sure is that I'm ready for some big bright steelhead on the coast. Now's the time to start dissecting the weather forecast and river levels. Nothing gets me pumped up like the thought of fishing the coast at just the right time when the Steelhead are pulsing up the river!
Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!
Article by Chris Myron
Photos by Marcus Mattioli & Chris Myron
