Wild section of Rogue River

[AlpineBoy]

I'm joining a friend on a rafting trip on the Rogue on October 14. We are starting at Alameda Park and ending at Fosters Bar. My friend doesn't fish, but he is willing to row the whole trip and let me fish off the bow. That's what you call a friend! I have never been to the area before, but it looks like I might have a chance to hook into some steelhead (half-pounders?), as well as coho.

I plan on bringing my 7 wt fly rod with a spool of floating line and a spool of Teeny T-200 (a full-head sink-tip).

Any suggestions regarding what would be my best best this time of year?

-Thanks,

AlpineBoy

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

I have floated that section a few times but we went all the way down. The number one lure this time of year is yarn balls or egg pattern flies. You can drift them all day and hook 50+ half pounds with some adults mixed in. I floated and fished for steelhead last year in October and we boated 100s of half pound steelhead all on yarn balls. You can use scent or not they don't seem to care. There is no bait allowed in the lower part of the wild and scenic section and that is why yarn balls work so well. There is some good water for a fly rod at the beginning of the float but there are many very deep holes that work best with a spinning rod and boon doggling or side drifting. We sell some Yarn made just for yarn balls in the link below. If you have any other questions about yarn balls or that section of river just let me know. Good luck.

 

[AlpineBoy]

Wow...50+ would be incredible. I'll definitely pick up some of your yarn. What color would you recommend?

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

Last year down there we were using hot pink, cerise, baby pink, shrimp pink and orange. We would mix them together and make different contrasting color yarn balls. You can make some with mostly hot pink with a small dot of white or half cerise and half baby pink. Just use your imagination! The fish loved them all.

 

[AlpineBoy]

What size hooks are you using?