Anglers are still catching spawned out “kelt” or down-runners

Rogue River - Middle - Grants Pass, OR (Josephine County)


by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
4-7-2022
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Trout fishing is closed on the Rogue between April 1 and May 21. This is to protect out migrating wild steelhead smolts. The Rogue is still open for steelhead and salmon fishing, with a valid Combined Angling Tag in possession.

Wild steelhead can be retained above Hog Creek boat ramp from Feb. 1 through April 30. Wild steelhead must be 24 inches long to harvest, with a limit of 1 per day/3 per year zone wide in aggregate with other SW rivers where wild steelhead are allowed to be harvested (consult regulations). 

Anglers are still catching spawned out “kelt” or down-runners. These fish are much more colored up and have a sunken looking belly or appear skinny. If handled properly, they may return to spawn again.

Wild Chinook salmon may not be retained above Hog Creek boat ramp until June 1. Spring Chinook anglers are picking some up along the Rogue Trail below Graves Creek. Anglers are reminded that fishing is closed from Rainie Falls to 400 feet below the falls.

Anglers are catching steelhead regularly from Gold Hill to Robertson Bridge. Now through April is a great time to fish the Rogue for winter Steelhead. Winter Steelhead from an acclimation project near the Baker Boat ramp should see some hatchery fish beginning to stack up as well. 

The Grants Pass the stream gauge is on a slow and steady fall after peaking over 2,000 cfs on Tuesday.  The Wednesday morning reading was 1730 cfs, river temperature 49 but expected to climb over the next 2 warm days, and turbidity at 10 NTU. Current flow, temp and turbidity conditions for the Rogue can be found at the USGS stream gauges here, or checking the City of Grants Pass water page’s river data here.





More Reports

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Thursday, April 7th, 2022
Umatilla River: Spring Chinook fishing to open on Umatilla River April 16
: ODFW Recreation Report
Gerber Reservoir: The reservoir remains at 12 percent full
John C Boyle Reservoir: Fishing is improving for warmwater fish as they move into the shallows
Upper Klamath Lake: ishing is slow but will improve in late April
Klamath River - Upper - OR: Klamath River Fishing Report
Lake Of The Woods: The lake is mostly ice-free but with a very thin layer of ice in some areas
Pilcher Reservoir: The reservoir is now ice-free
North Fork Sprague River: Flows are high at 187 cfs
Wolf Creek Reservoir: The ice is gone from Wolf Creek Reservoir
Wood River: Fishing for brown trout should be good on opening day
Agate Lake: The reservoir has a good concrete boat launch and is 97 percent full
Applegate Reservoir: The lake elevation is now high enough that Copper boat ramp is now usable
Ben Irving Reservoir: Ben Irving was stocked with trout a couple weeks ago
Cooper Creek Reservoir: Cooper was stocked two weeks ago, meaning there should be lots of trout available
Coos River: The winter steelhead fishing season is still officially open
Coquille River: The winter steelhead fishing season is still officially open
Diamond Lake: With a mix bag of weather its hard to say how the fishing will be at Diamond
Emigrant Reservoir: The reservoir is currently at 12 percent
Expo Pond: Expo pond received another 1,500 legal rainbow trout the week of April 4
Fish Lake : The reservoir is slowly filling
Floras Lake: Recently stocked, anglers could potentially pick up some nice-size rainbows or native resident cutthroat trout
Garrison Lake: Just last week, 500 trophy rainbow trout went in
Howard Prairie Reservoir: The lake has no ice, but access is limited
Hyatt Lake: Open water is available but the reservoir still extremely low
Illinois River: The Illinois is closed to trout and steelhead
Lake Selmac: Weed growth is down and all boat ramps are accessible
Lemolo Lake: Lemolo is starting to fill, but the boat ramps are currently closed
Rogue River- Lower: Fishing conditions are low and clear


4-5-2022
THE DALLES, Ore.—ODFW has set the following regulations for a spring Chinook fishery on the Hood River: Open for adult hatchery...... Read More