I leave Sunday for Roseburg, OR for 4 days of Steelhead fishing on the Umpqua river. I've never even been to Oregon, and never been Steelhead fishing. Fishing with Rich (Scrinch) and Eric Gunderson. They invite me along to add a little class and savoir faire to what would otherwise be a dull and boring fishing trip (Rich would probably add VERY to the "little class" remark). Really looking forward to another bucket list fishing trip. It's 80/50 temps in S GA, looking at 50/30's in OR. Brrrr! I'll need lots of "anti-freeze".
If time allows, I hope to meet up with Lee (Keta) in Medford before my flight home. At least I know I won't be the ugliest person in Oregon.
GA Mike
Sounds like fun ! Good luck, and safe travels !
The Umpqua is one-a-those beautiful Western river destinations. God forbid you get skunked, but even so, still worth it.
Good luck gents! Safe travels, bud!
Have a fun trip, hope to see you and hear about it.
https://www.oregonfishreports.com/fish_reports/183347/steelhead-fishing-has-been-steady.php (https://www.oregonfishreports.com/fish_reports/183347/steelhead-fishing-has-been-steady.php)
good luck compadre.
some years ago I was in Denver, Co. for business and spent some weeks there, I went to a local lake for some trout/salmon fishing with no luck, but liked it a lot, I havent return to that place to try it again, that put salmon and steelhead fishing on my bucketlist too
looking forward to see pictures of your trip
Have a great trip!! ;D
You will like that country up there, Mike —
Good fishing!
The guides know what they are doing.
Best, Fred
Have fun. Let me say that we are happy that you are fishing in Oregon and not BC. Scrinch stay strong.
Cheers:
Todd
It's always colder on the river. Bring some good gloves, knit cap, full body long underwear, and lotta good wool socks. Better to be too warm, than too cold
The North Fork Umpqua River is low and cold but rain is predicted starting Sunday. It was in the mid 20s this morning at Winchester. I hope the river rises, warms up and gets some color.
https://www.oregonfishreports.com/fish_reports/183437/umpqua-river-fishing-report.php (https://www.oregonfishreports.com/fish_reports/183437/umpqua-river-fishing-report.php)
(https://natwebsdww02.cr.usgs.gov/nwisweb/data/img/USGS.14319500.164275.00010..20220218.20220225..0..gif)
(https://natwebsdww02.cr.usgs.gov/nwisweb/data/img/USGS.14319500.117523.00065..20220218.20220225..0..gif)
The water temperature and levels are rising now but some weather guessers are predicting a "atmospheric river" starting this evening.
Darn. I remember the waiting game. After a good rain, it was usually bout 2 days(depending on the drainage type and section of the river to be fished) to hit the "new fish in the river" zone.
As of now the river is not coming up fast I hope it is in good shape for the next 4 days.
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=14319500 (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=14319500)
(https://water.weather.gov/resources/hydrographs/wnro3_hg.png)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/36/1583_28_02_22_5_26_07.jpeg)
Nice going Peaches... that ain't no Walleye!
Fished N fork of Umpqua. Caught 3 Steelhead today, and two small Cutthroat. All c&r. Wx was very good. 62 high, brief shower, not much wind. All 3 Fish are very different. Constant sometimes heavy rain forecast next 2 days. At least the temps will be in the 50's.
Beautiful trout Mike, what an awesome trip! - Jimmer
Nice! 2-chromer lady's and a big male startin to get some color. Glad you didn't get rained out early-on. They look like wild fish(have the adipose fin intact), godda let 'em go...What'ed they eat?
90%+ of the steelhead in the north fork are wild. The south fork drainage has most of the hatchery fish.
Nice Mike. I hope you were using a single action center pin reel !! ;D
Cheers:
Todd
Quote from: MarkT on February 28, 2022, 09:24:58 PM
Nice going Peaches...
Wally, I'm not up to speed on this, BUTT why PEACHES?????
The North Fork of the Umpqua River is TOPS for the most beautiful river I've ever fished.
I've spent my time south of where you are, most of my steelhead fishing has been on the Elk River, using the steelblue Lodge as my base camp. It is on the Elk River, 7 miles upstream from Port Orford, OR.
Have also fished the Sixes and Coquille rivers. A dozen trips or so with my sons over the years. I should post those photos.
There is still NO BETTER photo than a GRIP and GRIN ;D Photo!!! Looks like a great trip for you.
Wayne
Thanks for the report and photos, Mike —
I took the liberty of re-orienting and straightening the (1) photo that was sideways.
Best, Fred
Quote from: El Pescador on March 01, 2022, 04:40:22 PM
Wally, I'm not up to speed on this, BUTT why PEACHES?????
Mike lives in Georgia, Georgia is known for peaches, we could call him worse but the rules here do not allow it.
Quote from: El Pescador on March 01, 2022, 04:40:22 PM
Quote from: MarkT on February 28, 2022, 09:24:58 PM
Nice going Peaches...
Wally, I'm not up to speed on this, BUTT why PEACHES?
We like Mike! He's actually a Tarheel living in Georgia... you can't always control what you do for love but he's a peach about it none the less!
He probably holds it against me for tagging with Peaches but I'm sure it's better than other things he's been called in the last!
Looks like fun, those fish look like rockets
(https://alantani.com/gallery/36/1583_02_03_22_1_56_52.jpeg)
Look like your having a good time Mike, thanks for taking us along, cheers Don.
now thats how a planned fishing trip needs to be.
nice one!!!!!
Like This ????
very nice, gentlemen!!!!!
Ah a bit north of me. Classic last pic, lol.
Finally made it home about 1 AM Saturday morning. Scrinch gave me a ride to the Medford airport on his way to CA. Keta drove over (through the snow) from Klamath Falls to join us for breakfast.
He's on a diet so he only ordered one pancake. I've been trying to teach him how to use a fork, but he can't seem to "grasp" the concept.
GA Mike
HA! Keta looks like he can handle all them calories just fine. Lookin good Lee.
Randy, the Chetco! Don't miss-out. I've only fished it twice but it's wild and scenic and a close relative in many ways to the Smith R. in Calie.
'Thru the snow' is why I changed my mind and went west lol.
G is there a place you haven't beat me to? I may be able to fish soon.
I slashed in a driveway across the slope behind my house to join the top so I have a round-about now. My driveway has consumed me since I got here. I lost count at about 100 yards of rock and gravel. Knocked down 21+ trees, built a pumphouse, ran 4" drainage everywhere.
Burned thru a bunch of greenbacks. Boat motor is next! (I hope).
I have lived in "snow country" most of my life and usually deal with it, up untill the week before I drove over the pass to visit the steelheaders.... the "worse" previous snow drive was 300 miles on packed snow/ice in a blizzard. The trip over was only 20 or so miles on packed snow on the way home it rained on the packed snow then froze. Trucks were chaining up in the road a empty log truck stopped in front of me then after coming to a stop slid back and to the left into the oncoming lane. The only thing that saved me was I was doing the same thing. Trucks jacknifed in the ditches andwat looked like a fatal accident about 10 miles from KF. 16 miles of hell. Worse than the 40 mile drive on black ice a few years ago because going off the road would be a 500-800 foot drop.
Wow Lee. One of the last trips up while moving I recognized the black ice from my days in Nebraska when I was a yout. Saw two overturned vehicles that had passed me earlier. One looked like it was fatal. I didn't look.
Quote from: Keta on March 12, 2022, 01:05:53 AMI have lived in "snow country" most of my life and usually deal with it, up untill the week before I drove over the pass to visit the steelheaders.... the "worse" previous snow drive was 300 miles on packed snow/ice in a blizzard. The trip over was only 20 or so miles on packed snow on the way home it rained on the packed snow then froze. Trucks were chaining up in the road a empty log truck stopped in front of me then after coming to a stop slid back and to the left into the oncoming lane. The only thing that saved me was I was doing the same thing. Trucks jacknifed in the ditches andwat looked like a fatal accident about 10 miles from KF. 16 miles of hell. Worse than the 40 mile drive on black ice a few years ago because going off the road would be a 500-800 foot drop.
Geez, Lee, I'm glad you made it home okay. I didn't realize it got that bad. Heading south I had to drive through just a bit of snow on the pass, but nothing dangerous at all.