Idaho Fish Report

Trout fishing opens back up on the Rogue this Sunday, May 22. Only adipose fin clipped trout (hatchery) may be retained. 

Wild steelhead retention is now closed. Hatchery steelhead retention remains open. 

There are still reports of a few winter fish being caught, but most are pretty ready to spawn or already have. Anglers are also 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. Best bet for winter fish is to head upriver.

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 and some of the BLM access points around Galice. Using a side planner with a Brads cutplug, or quickfish/maglip plug wrapped with a sardine or tuna fished from the side planner are good bets as you are targeting migrating fish. Plunking a series of spin glows works as well.   Anglers are reminded that fishing is closed from Rainie Falls to 400 feet below the falls.

The Grants Pass stream gauge is on a slow and steady drop at 2,190 cfs and turbidity at 4 NTU. Temperature is in the high 50s. 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.