Coastal Winter-Steelhead Outing, January 27 – 29

January can be one of the slowest months for fly fishers here in the Rogue Valley; however, several streams along the Southern-Oregon coast can offer great fishing for winter steelhead. These streams range from small creeks to large rivers, and offer fly fishers options from drifting flies through small pockets to swinging flies through broad runs.

The Rogue Flyfishers and the Southern Oregon Fly Fishers are planning a joint outing to the coast, from January 27 through 29, to fish for winter steelhead. We will base the outing out of Brookings, which has a good variety of motels, RV parks, and restaurants. We will try to fish several of the streams in the area, but where we fish will depend on the conditions at the time.

Participants should bring equipment for both swinging and dead-drifting flies. For swinging flies, a seven or eight-weight Spey rod with a Skagit head and a variety of sink tips would work well. A single-handed eight-weight rod would be ideal for fishing the smaller streams. Bring a variety of intruder-style flies-from bright to somber for swinging, and egg pattern, large nymphs, and egg-sucking leeches for dead-drifting.

The winter steelhead on the coastal streams can be large, so 10 to 15-pound leader would be appropriate. Be sure to bring waders, a wading staff, raingear, and warm clothing. Beginning this year, you need to have a Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation in addition to your Angling License and Combined Angling Tag. We will focus on areas that offer good opportunities for fishing from the bank; however, the lower Rogue and Chetco Rivers do offer good opportunities for those that want to fish from their driftboats or rafts.

People interested in attending the outing should email me at tmdrhaight@infostructure.net by January 22 to get on the list. I will make a decision about what streams to target and when and where to meet, and I will send out that information to the people who have signed up. There is also the possibility that the streams could be blown out; thus, the outing could be postponed.

David Haight