USA Troutfishing Oregon

Oregon is one of my favourite States in USA.
This photo probably helps to show why -

Crater Lake
Oregon













The snow-clad slopes of Crater Lake are actually the source of one of USA's great rivers - the Rogue. For years I had read about the fantastic salmon and steelhead fishing that was to be had on this long, wild river. From Zane Grey to Hemingway, writers had waxed lyrical about the qualities of this wilderness waterway.
As there is hardly any road access to the lower reaches, we decided to take the Rogue River jet to explore the river. This leaves from Gold Beach where the river meets the Pacific Ocean.















Not long after we left, we began to see boats anchored in the river, braced against the strong current with rods poking out the back. Most of the rod owners were tucking into beers taken from vast chilly bins so it seemed fishing was quite a passive sport on the Rogue.















The most passive were the characters in a group of SUVs, that had rod holders attached to the front bumpers. Each rod holder held a spinning rod that had obviously been cast across the river and then jammed into the rod holder while the owner retreated to the cabin and the chilly bin contents!











Although it was early in the salmon fishing season, the driver told us there had been a small run of fish a few days ago. This was one of them.





40 lb King Salmon







Oops!


Further up the river, it was time for a lunchstop. There was a choice of three lunch venues. The first was Fried Chicken and the boat was nearly emptied as all the already overweight people headed for another intake of fat and cholesterol. We settled for a sandwich - what willpower! We took a walk around the small settlement of Gold Hill that was several hour's drive from Gold Beach, there being no road up the river. Although the Rogue is another dammed river, it is this section without road access that gives the river its 'wilderness' ranking.






Photo taken from the campground
after our lunch







I got the chance to fish the Rogue further up the river a few days later. We had travelled up a highway that ran alongside the Smith River, near the California border. I knew that the Smith was a steelhead river too but it was a long day's drive that did not permit a fishing break.
We passed through White City heading for Crater Lake but there was enough time for a fish in the Rogue above White City. A few small resident steelhead were landed but nothing to get too excited about. I also fished that evening up a tributary that had the Hidden River salmon hatchery parked about a mile up. There were some big trout above the hatchery but I had to leave before the evening rise. It was a stinking hot day and the fish were sluggish. I saw plenty of anglers but no one with a fish on.
We did watch a salmon being landed below the hatchery. It was a black fish in poor condition and nothing like its fresh silver cousin we had seen a hundred miles back down the river.
Further up the Rogue, we came to a large waterfall that looked a serious fish barrier and the water below the falls was too fast to fish.


Upper Rogue River









USA angling buddies had told me not to miss the huge trout that were being taken from the Williamson River which flows into the lake not far from the town of Klamath Falls. Trouble was they did not tell me where to fish it. I drove up and down the river but found no public access - every road to the river ended up at private property. All these had big signs saying No trespassers. There was no place where I could sneak down to the river and use my usual 'I'm just an ignorant Kiwi and don't know your local regulations'.
In desperation, I drove up the main highway and acessed the river at a public campground. But I had gone too far up - the river was just a stream here and not likely to harbour ten pounders. It was pretty water though and no other anglers to be seen.


Upper Williamson River










I fished up a few hundred yards but did not encounter a fish. Maybe there were no fish this far up. Then I came to a big pool that had a quiet riffly patch on the far side of the river. It was easy to reach from my side so cast a nymph to the far bank and let it drift down right alongside the bank. Bang! A take at last. It was not too long before a respectable brown lay at my feet.













Putting it back, I once more advanced on the riffle as the fight had taken place downstream so any other fish there would not have been disturbed. Two more browns were taken from that riffly pool, the best going 3lbs. All considered - a good result. I did miss out on the big trophy fish downstream but I had been emphatically reminded what great access we have to our rivers and how we should fight to retain this privilege.

3 fish pool