Not a bad problem to have ... a Rogue, Williamson, Wood rivers, and Klamath Lake Report.

#SouthernOregonFlyfishing

This time of year is a hard time of year for me as its hard to choose between the Rogue, Williamson, Wood Rivers and the Klamath Lake. I guess we could have worse problems.

The Rogue is the go to, when we are talking about new fishermen. With the prospects of catching a ton of fish on dries it's a great way to introduce people to the sport of flyfishing. if you are looking to get a wife or one of your children hooked, the Rogue is a great option

Rogue River Cutty!

The Williamson is fishing well, but the best is yet to come. All the fish we have been catching are clean as a whistle, meaning they don't have any of the license on them from the lake. This is a sure indicator that the big push of fish lake fish haven't hit the cool waters of the Williamson. As the lake warms expect more and more fish to show up. As it is we are catching quite a few fish a day.

Williamson River Redband

Williamson Slab!

The Wood is in the same boat as the Williamson, but fish are already moving into the estuary. Fish from the wetlands bridge down. Watch for fish early in the morning and late in the evenings. Swing soft hackles across rising fish.

The Tranquil Wood River


 

The Locals

The Klamath/Agency  is fishing amazingly  well. Look for fish staging at the cool water. With the heat they are going to start pushing up the rivers. Strip leaches and emergers across rolling fish. Look for the foam lines along the mixing of the warm and cool waters.

The Klamath/Agency Lake is a consistent producer!

There you have it! If Southern Oregon isn't on your bucket list it should be. It has the water to match whatever skill level, and gives you the potential to catch the largest, meanest trout of your life. 

Good News...Winter Fishing in The Klamath Basin

As of January 2016 ODFW has opened all Klamath Basin Streams that don't have special seasons spelled out in the special regulations area, This includes a incredible fishery...The Sprague River. The reason I am so excited is that the Sprague is tributary of the famed Williamson River and Holds a ton of the Williamson bound fish in the winter. That means that the prospect of swinging up a trophy Redband Trout now exist all year in the basin. Be careful though, as the Sprague runs through mostly private ground and trespassing would be easy to do if you don't know the area. I will be hitting the river hard as soon as it opens, ill post a report soon. until then enjoy some Sprague River scenery.

Stop your cabin fever and hit the river! 

Bramill

Home of the winter Redband!

The Cure for Cabin Fever!

Sprague River Scenery--Klamath Basin Style

Williamson, and the Wood are still producing!

Even with this week's cool down, the Williamson and Wood rivers in the Klamath Basin the are fishing well. The river remains low and clear, but it's full of fish, and they are biting well. As the weather warms the basin's rivers will be outstanding. If your looking for a trophy trout trip of a lifetime,  look towards the basin.

Absolutely Awesome...and Free!

If you haven't read this yet you should! Quality. http://swingthefly.com/magazine/fall-2013-1-2/

Its been a busy week!

It has been a busy week. The Upper Rogue is starting to show summer steelhead. We have been hooking a few on swung flies. The river has raised and I expect them to shoot up!

The Klamath Basin is still producing, although the full moon has slowed fishing as of late. Swinging Flies with the small speys are still producing, which makes me happy, happy, happy, as there is no better way to fish!

Once the Rogue starts to drop and the moon goes away the rivers will come alive.

Here are a couple pictures from the last week.



Carrie with a Fish On



Nice Wood River Trout on the swing!

Nice little Rogue River Steelhead-- Good Job Seth, what a fight on a 3 wt.

Aaron with his first Wood River redband.

Klamath Grows Trout Big!

HOG!

Being a part of peoples memories!

The best part of my job is the smiles. I get to be a part of peoples memories. It is absolutely the best when families get together, and use me as a vehicle for memories. I got into guiding to help people catch fish, and promote the appreciation of wild rivers and the fish that lurk in their depths, but I have gained so much more. I am allowed to be a part of peoples memories, their lives,  a responsibility I don't take lightly. This is about way more than fishing, its about memories or even new lifestyles that are gained. I get to see people who have never held a fly rod, get bit by the fly fishing bug at their first tug. I've witnessed family bonds tighten with each released fish. No sir, this is way more important than fishing--this is life in one of its simplest forms. Man and nature--its good for the Soul. I am honored and privileged to be able to be a part of these memories. Here are some pictures from last weeks memories.


Fish Slime ...Naw! She had a ball!

He got good on the switch rod!

The smiles are what it's all about!

Bringing smiles gets addictive!

He's getting real good!

We may have came up with the ultimate Trout swinging line.

Swinging flies has to be one of the most exhilarating ways to catch Fish, and Double handers are the best tool for such a job, especially on rivers where fish become boat shy. I have found the I can reach out, way past the disturbance of my boat and oar strokes, with a switch rod, but a floating line with tips didn't provide the right angle to present the fly properly to fish holding mid depth. Guide's wouldn't be caught dead without their clear, or camo intermediate lines for these situations, but they don't cast well as a spey line. This is where I ran into problems, There are no Clear Spey type lines out there. I had tried throwing Skagits with clear Polly Leaders but I pulled the anchor and had a hard time trying to get the high floating thick Skagit to fish right. Sure they work great for the wide swings that steelhead like, but for the Williamson, and Wood River trout's preferred narrow swing they were nearly impossible. Thanks to Steve Godshall, I think we have overcame some of the obstacles that kept us from using our switch rods on these waters.  The line Steve built is a complete intermediate, with the first 19' a clear mono-core head that's subtle enough to lay on still waters without spooking fish, yet large enough to turn over large water soaked leaches. This head is driven by a short, Skagit style head that provides enough power to easily shoot line 70' or 80', which provides plenty of distance to get away from the boat. The line does take a little getting use to as its a complete 27 foot intermediate head on a 11'  4wt  rod but once you adjust its easy. The line is 295 grains and loads the rod well. As good as it cast, it fishes even better, exactly what I was looking for! Although we only had a couple hours to fish we managed to swing up a few fish--something that would have been hard to do just fishing tips. I love this line and can't wait to have one built for my 6wt. Steve Godshall is the Einstein of fly lines. After a some brainstorming we came up with a line that swings for weary Fish in some of the hardest places, Steve made my ultimate line come true--thanks Steve.

The Line Loads Well

On the Swing

Little guy

That's more like it

Best Place on Earth

      

The Ultimate Line

As I have stated before, swinging flies for Rogue River Steelhead and Trophy Redband Trout is my passion. Swinging, and two handed rods go hand in hand, but there is a huge lack of good switch lines when it comes swinging for trout. I love the castability of the Skagit, but don't care for the way it floats so high, and the hinging effect of when swinging with tips, a presentation that in my opinion lacks, the fishy movement that Williamson, and Wood River RedBands like. The other side of the coin is the fishy, slick, CLEAR, intermediate weight forward lines that is a super stealthy necessity when we are talking the Basin, but they detract from the long cast and fishiness of the best swinging tool known to Man--the Switch rod.  If I could design the perfect tool for trout swinging it would be a clear intermediate Skagit head with intermediate running line. Such a head would combine the best of both worlds. You could still get the supper swimming effect of a intermediate, that would allow you to cast to fish that are beyond the average single hander. Come on someone come out with a clear intermediate Skagit. Until then Ill just have to keep using the ole floating Skagit.




Wood River--Two Hands!



The Tug!

The Hecklers

Slick Line Scores



They eat Swung Flies!

Intermediate D loops just aren't the same!



The perfect line would bring more of these!

What is this thing we call Skagit?

As Steelhead season is just around the corner here on the Rogue River, and with the Williamson and Wood fishing well , I thought it might be fitting to introduce you to the swing. Those of you who know me, know that I love to fish the swing with the fly rod. For large rivers there is no better rod than the doublehander for this purpose. If your new to this form of flyfishing I have found a video that will help you understand the systems used, Enjoy...Nate

Klamath Lake is off the Hook!

The Klamath is off the hook right now! A good friend of mine, T.J.  had a great weekend over there! The fish are moving to cooler water as the lake warms, if you know where to go, you can catch these fish on the move. Use all your classic patterns and presentations. Please, remember if you get a real sluggish fish break him off or land him fast as he is probably heat stressed, then move—heck most of the good fish are in the cold water anyhow. If you have never fished the Klamath you need to. Check out T.J’s face book page at  https://www.facebook.com/hookedonlife?fref=ts

T.J. Red Band

More Color

Clean Fish

Lake fishing is hard work!

New Website!

I'm proud to introduce my new Website http://www.southernoregonflyfishing.com/ It's a work in progress so please check back often.

The Williamson River an old Friend!

Brent at the office.

The fish of the evening. 

I grew up fishing this river and always did well, but last night was better than I have ever seen it. A large part of that was due to Brent Hublitz of Trophy Troutfitters. He fishes the Williamson different than I ever have, which added some tools to my box. Brent clearly out fished me, even to the point of talking to a potential client on the phone while fighting a fish. Thank goodness I landed the biggest fish of the night or I would have to listen to how bad he out fished me  until I get him on the Rogue later this fall. Not really-we had a great time.

Awesome River

The one that go away in the Klamath Basin

I love catching Redband Trout this time of year they think they are steelhead. I am really sorry for the poor video, but its hard to video and fight a fish at the same time. I finally lost this fish in the tules, he was above five pounds!

What a sunset!

Redband Trout Food!

What a place!