North Umpqua

[AndyK]

I am just back from a three-night/ two-day trip to the North Umpqua with my wife and daughter. We stayed at the Steamboat Inn.

My wife Terrie and I before supper at the Steam Boat Inn:
http://karamanos.us/Fishing/steamboatinn1.jpg

On our first full day there, I hooked a steelhead in the middle of the afternoon in the Station Hole. I was using a sink tip line and a #4 Sculpin pattern. The steelhead ran upstream to the top of the hole and then back downstream. After a short fight, I started looking for the best place to land the steelhead when it threw the hook.

The second full day, I hooked a steelhead in the morning in the Kitchen Hole. This fish took an Olive Intruder. I was also using a sink tip line. This fish ran upstream past me. When I started applying more pressure to bring the fish in, it also threw the hook.

These were the only two steelhead we hooked.

We did manage a side trip up Steamboat Creek to the holding area. Lee, the fish watcher, said there are now 220 steelhead holding there.

http://karamanos.us/Fishing/steamboat1.jpg

My daughter, Heather did have one good take, but she reacted too soon and pulled the fly from the steelhead's mouth. She did work on her spey casting and is getting proficient. This is a short video of her casting in the Station Hole:

Spey Casting Video (http://karamanos.us/Fishing/spey1.mov)

In the time we were there, I only saw one other fly fisherman hook (and land) a steelhead. Water temperature above Steamboat was 56-57 degrees in the mornings; below Steamboat it was in the mid 60’s in the evenings.

[etacada]

thanks for the report!!

cb

[TallFlyGuy]

Wow, Your daughter probably casts better over her left shoulder than me :grin::grin:.

I circle spey, or snap T it when I go river left....

Sounds like the Umpqua river system is a "has been" river. I don't think Ive talked or heard from anyone who has done exceptionally well there with a fly swinging. ON the other hand, Those same people say they will go back even if they don't catch anything, simply because of the surrounding beauty of that river.

Justin

[C-lice]

I would not say that the river is a 'has been'. There are just not many fish yet this year--less than half the fish of any of the previous 10 years except for 1999.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/fish_counts/winchester_dam.asp

It will improve. What you see now is holes that usually have 6 fish in them that have maybe 2 or 3, or are barren of fish altogether. Saturday I looked downstream fro Mott Bridge and saw 2 salmon in the bridge hole and two steelhead way down at the head of Sawtooth. That's it. There just aren't the numbers there yet. By the first part of September there'll be plenty of catchable fish.

I don't think many people do well there with a SWINGING fly, especially when the water is low and warm. That doesn't mean one can't do well...when the fish are in.

[Two Fister]

Sounds like the Umpqua river system is a "has been" river.

Yep, no fish in the N. Umpqua. I'd suggest that everyone stay far away from it. Nothing to see there, just keep moving.... :)

TF

[clacksteel]

Thanks for the report Andy! I hope to get a chance to fish that river soon!

[Tony1831]

Yes, this has been a less than stellar year, but there are fish in the system. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a "has been" but it's not like the glory days of the 80's, that's for certain.

Steamboat Inn is one of my wife's favorite places on earth and we stay there a night or two every time we go home. For those who haven't stayed there, you don't know what you are missing. For a wonderful night of rest and a fantastic meal this place is HARD to beat. Try Cabin 8 (the downstream end) for your next stay, it's our favorite.

[Tony1831]

Andy-

after looking at the first pic in your post I think we were there the same time. We stayed overnight the 12th.

[chromeseeker]

Justin,

I couldn't agree less about your assessment of the N. Umpqua.

The river is TAYLOR MADE for swinging flies and when there are decent numbers of fish in, this may be the most effective way to fish the river. Fishing skaters is also highly effective and on some runs, may be THE most effective way to fish. Some of the most notable anglers on the river (Frank Moore, Scott Howell) absolutely suck fish out of the river on skated and swung flies.

But if word gets out that the N. Ump is a "has been" river, then hey, that ain't such a bad thing!

CS


Wow, Your daughter probably casts better over her left shoulder than me :grin::grin:.

I circle spey, or snap T it when I go river left....

Sounds like the Umpqua river system is a "has been" river. I don't think Ive talked or heard from anyone who has done exceptionally well there with a fly swinging. ON the other hand, Those same people say they will go back even if they don't catch anything, simply because of the surrounding beauty of that river.

Justin

Andy-

after looking at the first pic in your post I think we were there the same time. We stayed overnight the 12th.

[steel_beaver]

Wow, Your daughter probably casts better over her left shoulder than me :grin::grin:.

I circle spey, or snap T it when I go river left....

Justin

Yup, same here:redface:. Great report and picks/video. I'd have to give it another try before I move back north.

S_B

[AndyK]

after looking at the first pic in your post I think we were there the same time. We stayed overnight the 12th.

Nope, we were there last week, 25 - 28 July.

BTW, Steamboat is one place I can always take my non-fishing wife. She loves it up there, even when I am gone most of the time fishing.

[Steelie Mike]

Great report and a wonderful place to stay and fish. I have only driven through that area and have only fished the lower river back when I really did not know what I was doing. Thanks for sharing.

[Tony1831]

Nope, we were there last week, 25 - 28 July.

BTW, Steamboat is one place I can always take my non-fishing wife. She loves it up there, even when I am gone most of the time fishing.

I guess I'm just getting senile then...

Don't take this the wrong way, but the skirt your wife is wearing is what prompted me to think we were there at the same time.

You're right about the wife loving that place, mine does also, and like you I spend the majority of my time on the river. My wife likes to sleep in, relax on the deck with a cup of coffee and a book, take a nap, then go to the massage house and that's ok with me :wink:

[cphatts]

Thanks for the report Andy. I'm glad to hear you had some action. Those NU can be tough to hook, but they are even tougher to land!

[TallFlyGuy]

Justin,

I couldn't agree less about your assessment of the N. Umpqua.

The river is TAYLOR MADE for swinging flies and when there are decent numbers of fish in, this may be the most effective way to fish the river. Fishing skaters is also highly effective and on some runs, may be THE most effective way to fish. Some of the most notable anglers on the river (Frank Moore, Scott Howell) absolutely suck fish out of the river on skated and swung flies.

But if word gets out that the N. Ump is a "has been" river, then hey, that ain't such a bad thing!

CS

Just telling you from what I know and the people I talk with. All are very proficient with the fly rod. Perhaps the numbers are down from past years. This time of the year there should be Catchable numbers in there. I've also heard the same thing from others on other boards. I'll have to head down there and give it my own assessment.:grin:

Justin

[Joe Schwab]

Andy, Good shots! I lurk over here once in a while and am getting ready to move over to the "dark side" commonly called fly fishing. I did a bunch of it in Alaska but as you probably know went to bait/plug slinging when I got back here. Kind of losing my interest in that now.

Time to break out the gear and gittr' done! Nice picture of you and Terri. Heather looks talented as usual. Say hi to the family and I might run into you out there. I could use some lessons. Joe