A 2020 Williamson River Report

The Williamson River opened with a bang, and, mark my words, will be on fire this year! Drought years drive fish in the Klamath lake to find cool water. The big push usually happens in late July, but this year the trophy Redbands are already shooting up river. Here we are in mid June and the river is already clear and flowing at July levels. 

Fish low and slow in the sun and hit the riffles at dawn and dusk. 

Throw anything buggy. With the weather warming the Williamson has multiple prolific hatches. I like to fish emergers that mimic several insects at a time. The pbfe has always been a top producer, along with seal leaches and soft hackles. 

Mornings I love to fish poly leaders to adjust depth and swing, if you haven't tried the new LTS polyline system you owe it to yourself to try it. Its so versatile you can go to a nymph rig to a swing rig in the blink of an eye. 

Once the sun is up you had better switch to a sinker as the big fish retreat its warm rays. 

If you don't want to tackle the Williamson River on your own we would live to show you all of its intricatecies through one of our custom trips. To find out more about us go to southernoregonflyfishinng.com . 

Either way you have to experience the Williamson River. Its aggressive fish will leVe you shaking and wanting more. 

Rogue River Salmon Fly

The salmon fly hatch is a coveted time on the Rogue. These big meaty insects bring attention from almost every fish in the river. If you haven’t experienced a double digit day on the Rogue make 2019 your year. The Trout action will creep you busy all day, and Iull you into a comfortable pace until a heart stooping take from Steelhead will supercharge a already fast paced day! 

Rogue River 2019 Winter Steelhead Fly Fishing Report

There are a bunch of fish and the flows are amazing...espicially if you want to swing! if you want to swing flies for Rogue winter steelhead you better be thinking about the next couple weeks. The weather looks super inviting and will probably help the winter water temps which in my experience brings on the bite.

there are fish in the whole system but as the season matures I would look at the upper Applegate  and Upper Rogue.

I like to swing the riffles with these flows, it seems like the sun penetrates and warms the fish faster in these sections. I also choose big meaty flies for this time of year.

Of course nymphs and egg flies are still as deadly as ever. Break that Cabin Fever and get out after those winter steelhead!

Time to swing flies for those Rogue River Steelhead!

Swing Big for Rogue River Winter Steelhead!

Trout Spey Revolution and Southern Oregon!

There have to be a few instances when you can't spey for Trout, but I can't think of any...ok well maybe up stream dries. 

Join the Revolution!

The Trout Spey Revolution has begun and for good reason, it is deadly effective. With more and more Manufactures jumping on the trout spey revolution the fishing possibilities are endless. Companies like Airflo, OPST, Echo, and LTS all make tactical spey gear for both double and single handed fly rods. 

With todays short fat skagits I can throw mini intruders, monster zonkers, and huge meaty flies that I never could before. This has taken my Williamson river fishing to a whole other level. I was finding traditional skagits to long for some of the runs I fished before as they didn't leave me much room to strip. The Williamson is a fishery where the strip is an essential as those large Predatory Redbands like to see movement. With Todays shorter skagits, and switch lines you will have plenty of running line to strip after your swing. Beyond their "stripability" these short bruisers make it easy to cover all of the water column. all I have to do is carry a Skagit and tips. I fish from a light Polly intermediate to a 6' chunk of T7 with my 220 grn Commando Head, try doing that with at regular 6wt weighted forward. just think of the possibilities that a chunk of t7 will bring to your favorite trout stream...To the Williamson its been a revolution. 

If skagits and stripping aren't your thing, you can still join the revolution. Companies like LTS are making triple density scandis that turn over like butter and land so gently that they wont be noticed by even the wariest of trout. the cool thing about these type of heads is that they swing strait. there is no heavy back taper that swings lower than the fly. They also come in several different sink rates. from the FHI to the 135, they will cover any water you'll find. 


Its a brave new world, the Trout Spey Revolution has begun, those who have become part of its movement are growing their trout game exponentially, the sky seems the limit as to what new presentations we can come up with. With all these new tools at hand, you'll be able to open up areas you previously thought were out of your reach. More importantly, you'll rediscover the fun. Only one question remains...will you join the revolution?

My favorite Williamson River Damsel Fly Pattern Video is now on YouTube.

P.B.F.E is my go to fly on the Williamson when the fish are looking at damsels. In this video you will find the materials you will need to tie it along with tying instructions. I hope you try it on your home water.

PBFE  a top Williamson River Damsel Fly Pattern 

A YouTube Channel with the Williamson and Rogue River flyfishing at its center! : The Life Outdoorz

If you love Fly Fishing, Videos about Fly Fishing, and The Rogue and Williamson rivers you really should check out Channel The Life Outdoorz on YouTube.  This season we are committed to bring a ton of different content.

• Friday Guide Flies- We tie and describe some the files that make us successful on the Williamson, Sprague, and Rogue Rivers - Every Friday at noon. 
• Spey 101- all the questions you were afraid to ask about spey fishing will be answered here. 
• Home Waters- Southern Oregon has so much to offer we feel blessed to live here and fish here. So blessed we feel like we have to share it with all of you! 

Thanks again for reading this blog. I know we haven't been updating it as much as we should, but that's going to change this season. Next Friday will be our  first Friday Guide Fly, but until then check out this video of a fun trip Aaron and I had on the Williamson River. 

Get your swing on! A Rogue River Report!

The Rogue is in good shape if your looking to swing. We have done well in the shallow stuff early and late and hit the shade and holes midday. Like most Steelhead this far from the ocean the Rogue fishes well swinging naturals! On cloudy days we have even rose a few fish skating. I like to hit it when the water temps are at their highest level in the day, when the fish are moving. I concentrate on the tailouts right before a big white water section. If the suns out forget skating, throw on a skagit and hit the holes. Fish are consistently being caught from the canyon to the top. The trees are just starting to change, making the October Rogue a river you’ll never forget. Get out there! 

Southern Oregon’s Williamson River is heating up!

After a slow start we are starting to see a few more fish hitting the system, but the best is yet to come as the Lake warms. The cold water migration seems to be a bit later this year due to a couple of things.

1. We had a wet spring and early summer. March dumped and early June added to the lake levels with some cold water. 
2. The Klamath Tribes called water early to keep water in the lake, as this would help the juvenile Cwaam get to Harriman Springs before the summer sun heated it to dangerous levels. 
3. The weather has been cooler than normal. The lake hasn’t warmed to the point of pushing fish up the river. 

These are three things that will make Williamson the July fishery to be on!  The rest of June can be great as well, all it takes is a week of harsh sun to push a big pod of fish up the river. If you have been waiting to fish the river I wouldn’t wait any longer. The crowds haven’t hit yet and the river is clearing fast. 

Hit the riffles until the river clears and the algae clears. Once the algae clears hit the deep stuff. 

I like to swing softhackles, and buggers at depths, to match the conditions.  

Up your Trout flyfishing game with the Single Handed Spey!

The time Is now for Rogue River Winter Steelhead

Coming to the net!

Time to enjoy the Upper Rogue!

With fresh fish showing daily, and March rains making the upper stretches of the Rogue more appealing to the winter brutes, the time to hit the River is now. 

With the river at fall levels, the Rogue is a fly fisherman's dream. We are currently running at 1450 cfs at Dodge Bridge, but with the showers that will fluctuate. the color is from clear to emerald (stretch depending) and its in perfect shape for those sinking scandi's with normal patterns. I tend to concentrate on shallow rocky runs this time of year for swinging as the fish warm quicker and become more active in that type of water with the colder temps. Of course nymphs and egg patterns will take a ton of fish.

Its a perfect time of year to get out and shake off those cobwebs. if you need some help or advice feel free to call me at 541-951-6952 Nate

 

The Rogue River Fall Steelhead

There are a ton of different rivers out there, but the none of them are like the Rogue! The Upper Rogue is lined with amazing colors. It’s orange, reds, and yellows will mesmerize you until you get sucked back into reality with a straight line grab from its one of thousands of fierce native Steelhead. 

The Rogue fishes well most of the year, but the fall can be amazing! 

September through October orange dominates my fly selection but as the clouds persist in November and December I turn to black, purple, and blues. 

Fall is a great time to bring out the Lts triple density Scandi that matches the water your swinging. I primarily fish these lines until the water gets below 45 degrees and I I need to swing huge intruders. The triple density scandies allow me to swim my fly in any chosen water column. 

On the cold water days I pick runs that are on the shallow side and in the sun. Steelhead are always looking for that 50 degree temp. If they have to bask in the sun to do it they will. The same holds true in the early fall when water temps are high. Fish will search out the deep water. People always look at me funny when I switch to a skagit and heavy tips in the middle of a early fall day, but if you think about it the fish are going to move to the deeper pools as the sun warms the river. Remember the water temps in any river vary by depth and the radiant sun can warm a fish in 40 degree water. You have to pick the water you and runs to swing affording to those variables. 

Your swing game will substantially increase in its effectiveness as you figure these things out, and fall is the perfect time to test your theories due to the changes that happen during this season. 

If you hung up your swinging rod, pull it back out. Come to the Rogue and observe the fish activity compared to the the conditions. With the amount of fish that are in the Fall Upper Rogue, you can shorten you Steelhead learning curve... and who doesn’t want that? 

This is the season! A 2017 Rogue River Fishing Report!

I love the fall. We are picking up fish daily. If your looking to swing some flies right now is the time to do it as the river is in great shape! Nymphing is always productive. Remember the upper Rogue is open for flies only making less crowded. Get out there! 

Mono Shooting Line...Gotta Love it

I love fishing Mono shooting line. Check out this Video to see why!

We are losing our Public Land....but its not by who you think.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a proud supporter of our Nation’s Public lands. I am a proud member of BCH who’s moto is “Public Land Owner.” I am the Oregon volunteer TRCP Ambassador, and the Rogue Chapter NWTF president. Both of these nonprofits advocate and lobby to keep public lands in public hands and are #publiclandsproud. I have also written articles explaining why public lands are so important to the west, its economy, and families. I am constantly speaking out against and land being turned over to the state. I had a hard time understanding why people were trying to dissolve BLM managed lands, but after this week I am starting to understand the push back.
I digress; I am a guide /outfitter who services Southern Oregon. I grew up in the rural community of Chiloquin Oregon, a once booming town that is now depressed and beaten like most of rural America. Chiloquin depends on Federal Lands. Like most rural towns, it is all, but lost because of political mismanagement of those Federal Lands. Politics and ignorance, not proper science, brought the timber industry to its knees. Shure there were small cases where the timber industry was in the wrong, making the bottom line outweigh the responsibilities to the environment, but these were few in Eastern Oregon. Extreme cases were presented like generalities, and the Timber Industry became the devil in the eyes of Americans that never smelled a hint of mountain air. It was an easy sale to a population that turned the corner into becoming more urban than rural—an easy sale that brought Chiloquin, and other rural towns across the west, to ruin. Chiloquin’s five timber mills became none within a decade. Southern Oregon was cast into a depression that it has yet to get out of. Many people don’t know that when money is made from the federal land resources that lie within the borders of a state, law dictates that the feds pay a surcharge to that state. This surcharge was mandated to pay for schools, roads, law enforcement, and such. States and their rural communities were able to meet budgets and provide the services communities needed. Besides the revenue that came in from the timber sales, the timber harvest provided jobs, both in the woods and in the mills. This all came to a screeching halt in the nineties, along with it the lively hood of a whole rural culture, which lasted for many generations. It also created budget gaps that keep growing. For Oregon these timber dollars are set to be reduced from $86.4 million to $7 million that’s a 91.9 percent reduction this year as the timber money has dried up! Who’s going to feel that? Not Portland, Not Eugene, but rural Oregon. So ya, I can see the push against federal land (although state or private ownership isn’t the answer).

If the economic ramifications weren’t enough, the environment was set on a course that would prove to be devastating. The Lodgepole Pine forest that fed the Chiloquin mills is predominately federal, and due to federal red tape, is all locked up. Politics governed foresters, not common sense science. Harvest was no longer allowed to be a management tool, leaving the high desert forest a sea of brown that turns catastrophic when it’s hit by lightning. To add insult to injury, this is same tinderbox is where the remaining rural Oregonians live. The trees, that they were told they were the devils for cutting, are now standing dead skeletons that remind them daily of the ignorance that was forced on them. These forest savvy communities know that proper harvest would have slowed the pine beetle that created the vast brown landscape that they now fear during the late summer lightning storms. So ya, I can see the push against federal land. 

So when a Rural 5th Generation Oregonian, who has been completely jerked out of his culture by the misaligned management, gets told by the BLM that he has to wait up to 18 months, for an Environmental Study before he can even be considered for a special use permit …I can start to see the push against federal land. The wood river wetland a decade ago was a cattle pasture. Today, it’s so environmentally sensitive that there has to be a study to see if my boat might hurt the road that I have to drag it across. On top of that, I only asked for 10 trips or less on the permit. What’s more infuriating is that there is a permit in place for another guide doing the same thing, just with a 3 foot smaller boat. The fact that I didn’t get the permit really doesn’t hurt me that much, as I will use private land, but it’s this type of Thinking and Bureaucracy that has put our federal lands on the chopping block. The BLM turned down my permit fees and trip fees, a portion of which would have gone back to the county. I realize that this is a small amount, but it’s not the amount I’m pointing out, rather the ideas and mismanagement of our federal lands.
Hear me well when I say, this is the root, the very root of the federal land grab. The States have to make up for the %91 reductions in timber funds. If we citizens are going to #keeppubliclandsinpublichands we have to demand better management. We have to responsibly use its resources. We have to put common sense before politics. If we don’t the budgets will win, and our public lands will end up in the hands of the state, then eventually the timber companies anyhow. It’s Time to Attack the Root… Demand Proper Management…if you don’t it will be sold.

For those of you who like to gather feathers the same time your casting them. Fins and Feathers Rogue River style.

The Rogue just happens to fish well during the Oregon waterfowl season and at the request of several of my clients we now offer a Fins and Feather trip. The trip consist of hunting ducks when they are flying (mornings and evenings) and Swinging Flies as the water warms. If this is your thing Check out the video below! Winter Steelhead are starting to show.

Swinging for winters!

Fins and Feathers

You all know about the Rogue Rivers reputation for steelhead fishing, but I'll bet you never thought about its potential as a Waterfowl Habitat. The Rogue, around Medford Oregon has many slews and back water timbered areas. These areas attract large numbers of migrating, Mallards, Widgeon, Wood Ducks, and other puddler ducks from the middle of November until the season closes late January. During this time of year the Rogue is also full of late summer, fall and winter run steelhead.

Rogue River Winter Steelhead

 

 

With the addition of my new Lowe 1756 boat and 37efi Mud Buddy, I can now offer a new adventure apply named "Fin and Feather" trip. the trip starts with a run down the river,. we set the decoys in the back slew that the duck prefer that week, pop up the warm boat blind, have a warm breakfast and harvest ducks. Just imagine, producing your own wood duck flank feathers, and duck steaks. Once the ducks stop flying and the river warms to its highest temp for the day we pick up the decoys and hit several top producing steelhead runs.

Please note the voice you hear is telling our

dog Gunner to SIT Not the other word that sounds like it

 

This type of trip is a tradition among locals. For years, outdoorsmen have provided a Thanksgiving feast, or a Christmas dinner from the bounty the Rogue gave them. If you’re looking for a different adventure this is it.

Rogue Teal

Why a Sinking Scandi?

Low Flow

The winter can be a productive, yet frustrating time for those of us that love to swing steelhead flies. The flows can fluctuate from outrageous to fickle all in a weeks time. Most swing fishermen know how to handle the high flows: just throw on a Skagit, Heavy Tip, and Toss half of a chicken, but what do you do when the flows subside and the water turns gin clear? The temps tell you, that you have to hug the bottom, but if you dared to huck wench cable in this type of water you would nuke every run you hit. What's left, throw a scandi and hope the sluggish fish will take a fly hi in the water column? Sure the scandi will present the fly like it was landing on a tempur-pedic , but it wont invoke the lazy take of a winter fish as they prefer the fly to be in their face. Most of us use to stay home when these conditions presented themselves, but if your like me that felt like giving up, so I searched hi and low for as solution. That solution took me to the Scandinavian Countries! Those guys had the answer--sinking scandis! These sinkers had light enough tips that I could present a fly snuggle soft, yet deep. There was one problem with these sinkers though, the swung like junk. The rear taper of the scandi contained the bulk of the heads weight, making a single density scandi  swing with the rear deeper than the fly. This was a huge problem and I swore that I would never use a sinking scandi again, that was until LTS sent me some Triple Density Heads. LTS built their heads so that the thin front taper was the fastest sinking portion of the line, and the least sinking portion was at the back: why didn't anyone else think of this? it was pure revelation. Now when I swing low and clear, I am able to make super soft cast that will put the fly near the bottom, at the winter fishes preferred level...Giving me no reason to hang my rod up when such levels exist. if you find yourself sitting on the couch due to conditions, jump out of the box and figure out what it takes to put a fly in front of a fish. come fish with us we will show you some of our out of the box winter methods .....tight lines  

Rogue Winter

Winter is as good as any time to get off the couch!

Swing it!

Conditions like these demand a Triple Density Scandis  

Any day fishing is better than.....

  

Micro-Speys or Switch Rods who cares

With all the great switch/micro-spey gear that is out there they should draw your attention. Not all water is spey water, but all water can be 2-handed water! See what Nate has to say about these cool little rods.

Do you know what to do with your running line?

I have been asked to share my "hook and grab" line management technique, so here it is!

September Steelhead! A Rogue River Report!

If you are waiting for the Rogue to start to fish well, don't. We were catching fresh fish as early as July, but it seems to have really turned on as of late.

Touvelle area always fishes well this time of year, but fish can really be found anywhere in the upper Rogue!

Swing October Caddis emergers, or my Halloween Fly. Switch to something bigger mid day when the fish are escaping the overhead sun and looking for deeper water.

Of course nymphs always work, I like to throw nymphs that look like Nymphs, but the otis bugs hook their share of fish every year.

My trailing fly in September  and October will always be a egg pattern of some sort. Lately I have been fishing pink, and doing well! I know, I know, I have be quoted as saying, "If your not fishing orange your not fishing the the Rogue!" Well, some chrome bullets have made me to eat those words lately!

Remember, pegged beads are illegal during the fly only season!

So if your looking for a time to fish the Rogue for Steelhead, the time is now!

Steely Bugs

Swinging 

Beautiful Cutt

Working the Run!

Beautiful Wild Hen!

Fish On!

The Release 

The RUN!