Brandon Worthington presents @ Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman
Brandon Worthington presents “Fishing the seasons in the Mythical State of Jefferson" at Diablo Valley Fly Casters
Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman, Tuesday November 19th
The Gardens at Heather Farm, Camelia Room
1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek
Join Brandon Worthington of Worthington Fly Fishing for a multimedia presentation to explore and learn about their seasonal approach to the best fly fishing opportunities in Far Northern California and Southern Oregon. He’ll emphasize strategies, tactics and timing for Summer and Winter Steelhead as well as endemic Redband Rainbows on the Rogue, Klamath, Umpqua and beyond.
Take your grandkids fishing
Southern Oregon Steelheading is heating up and this week Spencer experienced what it’s all about on his first fishing trip to the Rogue River with his Grandpa Gordon. Fly Fishing creates memories that last a life time, and Spencer’s first Steelhead is one he’ll never forget!
Summer Steelhead on the Rogue River run July-December with famous Fly-Only Regulations September 1st-October 31st.
The Upper Rogue River offers a wide variety of enticing Steelhead water that lends it’s-self to a variety of fishing tactics and the steelhead here can be taken with both dead drifted and swung fly approaches. We love swinging for these fish with two handed rods while wading, though drift fishing from a driftboat is also extremely effective.
Drop us a line to experience one of the West’s best steelhead fly fishing destinations!
Rogue and Klamath River Fishing Report
Rogue River Fly Fishing Report
Early November fly fishing been a continuation of late October conditions with high pressure, perfect blue skies and low and clear water. Steelhead a spread out throughout the upper and middle river with more trickling in. Most days we have seen several opportunities per person in our boats with several fish being sizable! We could use some rain, and a mix up of the high pressure would be great. We are hopeful for the storm we see in the extended forecast.
Our fly fishing guests have been enjoying the river with both nymphing and spey/swung fly tactics, finding the bite to improve over the afternoon as temperatures rise.
Fly Fishing on the Klamath river has been good to great with our fly fishing guests being presented with many opportunities at adult and half pounder steelhead each day. Nymphing continues to be most productive, but then, when is it not? Colder nights have begun to drop water temps and we are beginning to find more steelhead in what I would call “traditional” steelhead water.
Flows are near average seasonal lows and fish are responding well to egg patterns as we approach the tail end of Salmon spawning season. The fall colors are excellent, bright oranges, yellow and reds. November and December are some of our favorite months on the Klamath River.
Rogue River Fly-Only Fishing Report!
Here Will Jonson and I cover the start of Fly Only on the Rogue River
Spey Weekend with Jon Hazlett September 9-13, 2016 @ Rogue Steelhead Lodge
Join Brandon Worthington, Jon Hazlett and Steve Eadie for three days guided steelhead fishing on the Upper Rogue River, Oregon.
This trip will focus on all things steelhead and Spey with an evening presentation and a full immersion of spey knowledge. Come learn from the Pros!
Trout on the Mind
There is a time each season to turn the page. But at least for me it's just a few pages. Fresh Summer Steelhead will be back in two months on the Rogue, and I can't wait!
Trout season is vamping up in the state of Jefferson with many options for fishing. Locally, the Salmon flies and Golden Stones are working their way up river on the Rogue. While the main stem is still closed for another week, the Holy Water is open and fishing well. Farther south, folks are getting in their casts on rivers like Hat Creek, and Sacramento among others.
Recently I headed north to fish a river I had only wet a line in many years ago. The Mckenzie is what all the guide books say it is. Beautiful, clear, cold and productive. The native Redband trout here are as pretty as anywhere I've seen. They're also incredibly strong for their size.
Mckenzie Redband Trout
Craig Nielsen with one of dozens
But even with the all the Trout fishing to be done, never discount the Klamath for a nice day out swinging flies for steelhead. Bevan, all the way from Tasmania wanted to swing flies and is pretty darn accomplished for not having any native salmonids to target! We had a really productive day with four good fish hooked and several other yanks. The Klamath never ceases to amaze.
Bevin from Australia for some late spring chrome on the Klamath
Bevin BENT with some late Spring Chrome!
Third Sunday Spey put on by The Ashland Fly Shop
Third Sunday Spey, put on by the Ashland Fly Shop this Sunday was a success too. A few guys showed up and got tuned up. This is really one of the coolest things a shop can do to keep people stoked on getting out on the river with the long rod.
Ashland Fly Shop Delivery Service
Rogue River Salmonfly Hatch
Just around the corner, the upper Rogue River opens for general trout fishing. I'm booked opening weekend but have some dates scattered through out the last of May and early June if you are interested in a float trip. Awesome fun!
760-424-9682
Pure Gold on the Klamath River
Smile for the camera. Maybe the last Fall Buck I will see until next year
Lots of ups and down with the holiday season. With the weather and fishing that is! Flows bumped, and bumped, and bumped, receding nicely. Winter fish are on the move, still a bit lower in the systems. But there coming, sooner than we think. Iv'e been on the South Coast a few days here and there...
Flows are perfect now, and fishing is good! It's only the start of the season, and it will hold through April. They're around, just follow them up.
Pure Gold
Klamath River Recap
Here's a brief slideshow of my last month, spent mostly on The Klamath River. I have to admit, I was a little spoiled. Being run out of the Scott River Lodge, a five-star accommodation with Chef's cooking allowed me to focus on the best parts of being a Steelhead Guide. Thanks to all the fine folks I had the pleasure of fishing with, Tailwalker Fly Fishing, Mike Folden of Freedom on the Fly, and Craig Nielsen of Shasta Trout.
The more time I spend on a river, the more it seeps into my core. Like when it rains on a cotton sweater, at first the drops bead up, temporarily warded. But as the mist continues, the drops coalesce and become larger before sinking into the fabric leaving a dark trace of where they had rested, just above the surface.
The more time I wade a river and feel its tug behind and around my legs, the more memories and fondness I have for it. After these last four weeks on the Klamath River, I am more drawn there than ever before.
Georgeous Klamath River Hen. I got a kiss on the Cheek for this one.
Rivers have many sides, as complex as any personality. At times, the river had a predictable steady mood. In others, secretive, key thrown out of reach and lost.
Though I'm more inclined to think it was this family of otters...
Art's First Steelhead on the Swing
Deep Breath
Who says you can't swing flies from the boat?
Hey Derek, I think the term is "Corked!"
Mike Folden with a Freedom on the Fly Klamath Buck. Check out his awesome lodge on the Scott River, The Fin & Horn Lodge.
It was this big!
Well, maybe this big
When you seek Steelhead, no matter the river, there is always an element of variability. I have come to expect and look forward to it. It's what makes Steelhead angling so satisfying. That you can't walk up to a piece of water and say, "there's a big one here, eating zebra midges that lives behind that rock," may not be for everyone. But for those that like surprise encounters with something new, because each Steelhead we find is almost always a new face, it's the promise your fishing will never be stale, and each opportunity you get with these magical creatures will be memorable.
Source: Worthingtonflyfishing.com
Full Swing
Paul and Ken, fishing bros, firing them out there by day two
It's safe to say it's Steelhead season on the Rogue and Klamath. And man, it's been a FUN couple of weeks too. Here are a bunch of photos, in some what sequential order of lately. Many of them are first Steelhead, first Steelhead On The Swing and first Rogue River Steelhead...
Getting it dialed
Fish the green
Tug is the Drug
Little ripper in fast water
Yeah, that's another one
Just have to add, Paul got six fish in three casts. Insane.
Ken Too, AM Hen
Dennis, bent after a morning of searching
KS Wild Dinner
The annual fundraising dinner was super fun and successful. I am really pleased to have had a trip to offer to their silent auction. Amazing local food and many great folks, organizations and businesses volunteering their time, services or trips to help an organizations that ensures we have wild places in Southern Oregon and Northern California. Check them out if you haven't. kswild.org
Klamath River
My mind is creeping a bit. The Klamath is clearer than I have ever seen right now, just gorgeous. The Salmon are surging up, still fresh, not on their reds quite now and the Chrome is just behind... It's only going to get better, and you don't have to fish T-14 right now either. Sweet.
Looking back up on the Klamath
Toothy Encounters Possible
The glassy tail-outs are filling in. After jockeying, rolling, and jumping, many of the Fall Salmon are doing what they came here to do now. They travel 150 miles to spawn and die in the same gravel that they emerged from. I make a point to stand up and observe each flat as we drift down to our next run. The Salmon's timeless ritual never gets old to me. Each day, more and more of these ever darkening torpedoes drop down from the safety of the deeper pools for one final dance.
But not all of them!
Dylan maxing out a 7wt.
There are still some pretty damn snappy fish out there. This big guy took an intruder right on the hang down. He didn't want to move at first but eventually he came in.
Sure looks good in that http://www.pnwlandingnets.com/
Rogue Chinook
We may have also gotten completely burned by a hot Steelhead a bit earlier in the day, but since that fish was having nothing to do with staying on a hook...
The Shadows Longer, The Mornings Cooler.
Beautiful Scenery Around Every Bend
Fly Only on the Upper Rogue River
Is an absoloutly fantastic time to be out on the river. The Oregon Ash along the banks are just beginning to show their receding color. A deep green, slowly loosing its depth, not yet fall colors, but soon. The air is crisp in the morning, the surface of the water dances in the first rays of sun. It's quiet too. The Salmon crowds have left, no more 0 dark thirty hustle and bustle at the ramps, just a slow trickle of the quiet side of angling.
Bright Mornings, Brighter Fish.
The Steelhead are here. You have to want them, as they are never an easy fish. This isn't Trout fishing in Montana. Stay focused, because each cast, each swing, each drift could be the one that makes a slow day become your most memorable.
Leonardo Didn't Think it was Gonna Happen...
The water is on the drop again, the Chin-Hooks are dropping down on their Redds. It looks like it might be time for one last hoorah with the Scandi lines. Maybe even a Skater.
One final note: There are a lot of things happening in the Rogue Valley right now. First, if you value clean water, and pristine natural places, attend the public meeting in Grants Pass, wear blue, and stand up against nickle strip mining in our headwater streams. http://smithriveralliance.org/action-alerts/
You may have also noticed if you are out there much, the Discovery Tours operator out of Touvelle Park is quite disrespectful to the common fisherman, and other recreational users. Comments of your experiences and interactions would be greatly appreciated on this matter too. (541) 582-1118 Ex. 22 or http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkFeedback&parkId=72
One last cool note. Rogue On the Fly! Check it out! http://www.ashlandflyshop.com/rogue-on-the-fly/
Fly Only=The Whole Dang River to Ourselves.
Fly-Only on the Upper Rogue River.
Jami Montesi, barefoot, with a great Rogue River Wild Buck
September 1st is a significant day to me for a couple of reasons. For one thing, the Upper Rogue is now under fly only regulations, and I couldn't be happier. It's nice to know if you get out early, that there is a very strong chance your fly will be THE FIRST thing that fish sees that day that interests it. It's not some sardine wrapped plug, or a gob of roe and yarn. Just a clean, hopefully personally tied attempt to catch that fishes attention, elicit a curious response, and awaken the predator. YANK!
September 1st is also the date that, for the last two years running I found my first hatchery Steelhead. Now, I shouldn't take all the credit for this one, as I was just the one on the sticks, making sure we could get with in casting range. But since I had the pleasure of of removing this fin-clipped prowler from the system, I'll take the tally mark.
Another Wild Fish of the Week.
The flows are still up a bit, so this week getting flies down a bit has been helpful. More salmon have moved into the system too. Today we saw the first few (just a few) lower down in the tailouts staging. I bet they're gonna fill in fast over the next few weeks. Cheers!
Rogue River set for a great Fly-Only
Fish Counts: 1054 Water Temp: 61
Fishing on the Upper Rogue River has been quite good as of late. A few weeks back I noticed fish seemed to be kegged up in a few likely spots. Flows were low, temps were higher (but still acceptable) and more than a few people new where to look.
Case and Point. Keith with a standout!
With a bump in the flows to encourage Fall Chinook Salmon to begin their migration, I took a recon trip out to the coast with Kellen Igou (who knows more than a few things spey) http://www.ashlandflyshop.com/blog/fly-fishing-gear-conservation-news/kellens-bugged-out-brindle-bug/
While time and place didn't come together for us on that trip, nothing beats 2am starts and mid day naps. Yawn.
Back up river however the flows have shaken the fish up and dropped the water temps a bit. Fly only is a week away, the Fall Chinook have arrived and we are finding these...
What More do you Need?
Lost Lead, Different Rods, Fresh Fish
The morning started out Smokey. Not nearly as bad as last week where it was hot and dry and I should have been wearing a mask. But it still lingered in the still morning air. Sounds like the Stouts fire is getting contained, slowly but surely.
The Salmon guys were all jockeying at their put in as I crossed the bridge. I'm so glad I don't play that game...
I had the pleasure of taking Craig Neilson of Shasta Trout out for some Early Steelhead. Of course, wanting him to get into them, I made a pretty bold move right off the bat and anchored in a spot that past experiences have taught me to avoid. One of those spots I know holds fish, but you take a chance and it's awkward swinging from the boat. I felt the anchor lock in a slot as soon as it touched down. We had to cut the rope after a few minutes fighting to get it back. No fish there either.
This beautie came a few runs later. I stumbled out of the boat when I heard the reel sing. I don't think Craig had made more than three casts, maybe half of his shooting head out.
After a celebratory beer, I stepped out and not half a dozen casts later, chatting away, not paying any attention, WHAM! And then slack. So it goes. Don't throw it out there til' yer' ready.
Nice.
We finished the day swapping rods and lines. I cast a few of Craig's Anderson Custom Rods and they cast as nice as they look. He tried out the Douglas DFX 7116-4 I have been demoing. All Before noon.
Go get em'