[Fred Evans]

Well winter steelhead fishing is almost a history lesson at this point. Actual count was just a tick short of 9000 through the counters.

Spring Salmon are now runing in good numbers through out the Rogue System. Just at 5000 fish so far through the fish counter at Gold Ray dam. (Gold Ray is about 10 miles due north of downtown Medford). From Gold Ray you've got about 30 more river before you hit THE DAM (Lost Creek). Nothing gets by Lost Creek unless it's pinned in the claws of a hawk.

Water level now running at a constant 2400 to 2700 cfs, up from 700 just a few weeks ago. Dumping ton of water from lake bottom to cool down river due to potential for fish diseases.
Fred

 

[Fred Evans]

Quick update from latest flow/fish count. Stream flow at 3212 so up anothe 500cfs from above report. Spring Chnk count past the Gold Ray counter (just north of Medford, OR) now at 7,225 in upper river. One interesting thing is three summer run Steelhead also went past the counter.

Hummmmm, these babies usually don't start to show until mid July.

 

[Fred Evans]

Well, several thousand springer's in upper river now. Lots of lead chuckers (2oz and beads on 4-6 foot leaders) trying their luck. Have hooked 3 so far; first one darn near spooled me, the second was landed and released, the third one actually broke a Type IV sinking head. That will teach me to go to 20# tippet material.

Bad news is to increase the "sportsman catch" the game dept has opened up the very top end section (beyond what used to be the deadline) to fishing. Now the buggers are packed into a narrow strech of water and the twits will be using heavy spoons and treb. hooks .... and it's legal. Go figure.

Will go up there to night just so I can watch the zoo unfold; don't expect it to be pretty.
fe

 

[Fred Evans]

6-5-2001 report. Corp. of Eng. has dropped the water flow from 3200 cfs to 1711! This will really school up the fish ... and how many are there now you ask. Over 16,000 fish in the top end of the Rogue by actual count.

Preferred fly is heavily wted. kelly green body with a bright red head. Go get 'um.
Fred

 

[Fred Evans]

Water flow now at 1400 cfs and well over 28,000 spring Chnk in upper 15 miles of river. So why can't I hook these sons of a guns. Actually the bankie's are now snaging far more than fair hooking. But bless 'um the long, the short and tall. If fish is foul hooked I've not seen a single instance where the fish was not properly released.

Maybe there's hope for these guys yet?
FE

 

[andre]

Fred,

I guess in my mind if they know the fish has not been hooked legally. Then proceed to land it rather than clamping down on the spool snapping the line, it has been improperly released

 

[Fred Evans]

Well it's the end of the Spring Chnk run with a tick over 30,000 fish through the counter. Summer run fishing is still pretty slow with only 400 some in upper 15 miles of river.

Fish are holding in pods so if you find one, you've found several. If you're -0-, MOVE.

Fishing pressure is as light as a feather so you'll find you have most places pretty much to yourself. One major bar that's 20 minutes from down-town Medford this past Friday-Sunday had myself and perhaps one other person in a 1000 yards of river. From the bar you can see another 1000 yards up-down stream .... nobody.

To paraphrase Mr. Greeley: 'move south young man.'
fe

 

[Fred Evans]

Probably the 'final' Spring Chnk count to upper Rogue just shy of 32,000 fish. Also 800 summer runs through the counter.

Water flow continues at 1800 cfs so fish are moving fast; concentrate on top 15 miles of river unless your in a drift boat.
fe

 

[juro]

Amazing numbers! Glad to hear the Rogue is hosting a great run this year.

Wish I were there!

 

[Fred Evans]

8-14-01 info for upper Rogue:

1800 cfs out of dam at 57.7 degrees water temp.

1041 summer runs through the counter plus 33,122 spring chnk.

Recommend fishing "way up" or over large number of fish hanging out off the mouth of Little Butte Creek. Cool thing about LBC is it's about a 20 minute drive from down town Medford.

Life is good and I'm out the door for a short drive. :>)

 

[Fred Evans]

Juro, what makes it even better down here is you could put just short of the ENTIRE population of Jackson and Josephine Counties (Ashland-Medford-Grants Pass) into Seattle's Baseball and Football stadiums. A little "SRO" probably, but not much.

Lots of fish and darn little pressure except for extreamly public spots. Most of the "fishermen" around here will not walk beyond sight of their cars. Walk another 50 yards and the rivers yours. Even in the 'thick of things' it's not unusual to have only one or two people working over 500 yards of beach.
Life is good.
fe