Types of Fish on the Rogue River

SteelheadSteelhead

In case you aren't familiar with these fish, Steelhead are an ocean going rainbow trout and truly are a fabulous sport fish. They fight hard and can readily be caught on flies. They are still the most popular fish that we fish for at Morrison’s. There are various ways to fish for Steelhead. We can accommodate fly-fishing as well as conventional techniques at Morrison's.

Chinook SalmonFall Chinook

Also known as Kings, fall Chinook start showing up in front of the lodge about the last week in August and continue through the month of September. The technique for Chinook is bait & lure. Guides like to get on the river early, first morning light. Average Chinook are in the 35 – 45 pound range but a 50 - 60 pounder is not uncommon.

Coho SalmonCoho Salmon

Coho runs have been rather late arriving to our area of the Rogue for the last 2 seasons, showing up in late October and early November. Coho are very difficult to target and are generally caught incidentally while fishing for Steelhead. They are usually bright and truly a beautiful fish.

Spring Chinook or "Springers"

Spring Chinook "Springers" come in May. Springers are a bit more difficult to catch than the fall Chinook, but the quality of the fish is often superb. Guides will usually fish for Springers upriver from Morrison’s near Grants Pass.

Trout

Our area of the Rogue does not have a resident trout population, so we count on the migration runs for fishing. We will see some sea run Cutthroat Trout during the fall among the Steelhead. Another option is Trout on the upper Rogue, just below Lost Creek Dam. This is a stocked trout area known as “The Holy Water” offering a great Salmon Fly hatch in June. It’s about a 1 ½ hour drive from Morrison's, with great fly-fishing opportunities. The upper river in the Shady Cove area (1 ½ hour drive) also offers trout in the spring and fall.