What to bring
Seasonal Fly Fishing Essentials
Bring waders, boots (studded boots are recommended for the Rogue), rain gear and layers. For Rogue summer steelhead trips, sun hoodies and sunscreen are essential, as well as wet wading socks for early summer trips. For winter steelhead, don’t forget gloves and lots of layers. For Upper Rogue salmonfly trips, waders are not needed as we will be fishing from the boat. The Upper Rogue is tough wading, so if you need a wading staff be sure to pack it.
Spey Essentials
Bring appropriate rods, lines, sink tips, leaders, flies and heads. If you’re not sure, let’s chat! If you don’t have it, i can provide it. I always bring extra set-ups to compliment what you might have. We will chat in advance on what you have and what your needs are. For summer steelhead, I prefer 5-7 wt Speys, with a combination of Scandi and Skagit lines. Winter steelhead requires 7 and 8 wts and Skagit lines. Again, we can talk about specific equipment upon booking, including flies, sink-tips, and so on.
Salmonfly Trips
Salmonfly trips are pretty simple. You just need a 4,5, or 6wt rod, some 7.5’ 2x leaders, and some dry flies. We float, we cast, and wait for the grabs! Rods, leaders and flies are available too!
Lunch
I do not provide lunch, so be prepared with your own lunch, snacks, and drinks. A small soft cooler works great in my boat. I always have coffee, extra water (you need a water bottle), and often some wild game snacks for the boat.
License & tags
required credentials
You will need either an Oregon Annual Angling License plus a Combined Angling Tag or a Multi-Day License, where the Combined Angling Tag is included. Also required, for winter steelhead only, is a Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation. Don’t forget this validation! To purchase these, set up an account with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and purchase online and/or through the MyODFW App. If you have any questions contact me or ODFW at 1-800-720-ODFW. Here’s a link to their website to get started.
Where to stay
Upper Rogue Steelhead or Salmonfly
Medford is your destination. We have a great little airport if you are flying here. There are a number of good hotels near the airport. Also, there are some newer hotels near Interstate 5 Medford exit 27. Avoid any non chain hotels in downtown Medford, as they can be seedy. Campgrounds are limited to Valley of the Rogue State Park and Rogue Elk Campground.
South Coast Winter Steelhead
Gold Beach is your destination. It’s a 3.5 hour drive from Medford. There are a number of decent hotels in Gold Beach. I suggest reading some reviews and pick one that meets your needs. There are of course several Airbnb/VRBO type houses there as well. One in particular that I like can be found here:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/720912379717384768?source_impression_id=p3_1735873840_P32W1nSI6m1MTVay
There are several campgrounds near Gold Beach, including Indian Creek and Huntley Park.