324.0 The Old Coast Highwayis the access to Otter Point State Wayside and Bailey’s Beach.  Travel on the gravel road to Otter Point State Wayside is not recommended for travel trailers or RVs.  Follow the trail to the beach.  The fishing for redtail surfperch is excellent.  Bailey’s Beach is listed by ODFW as a location to dig razor clams.  Motor vehicles are allowed on the beach from Otter Point south to Meyer’s Creek.

326.3 mile marker is the location of an access road to the north jetty of the Rogue River Estuary.

327.0 mile marker is the location of the community of Wedderburn and the access road to the north jetty of the Rogue River Estuary.

327.3              Rogue River Estuary

  The Rogue River is longest coastal river originating within Oregon while the length of its tidal reach is one of the shortest.  The catch rate for spring and fall Chinook is the highest or any of Oregon's coastal rivers ranging from low of 2000 to highs exceeding 15000 fish.  The Rogue River bar is one of the easier bars to cross.

  Know your harbor.  The location of the boat launches located in the tidal reach of Oregon's bays is available on the internet at www.boatoregon.com and click on Publications/Library and Forms. Scroll down to Boating in Oregon to Coastal Waters and click on your bay of interest to familiarize yourself with the conditions at the bar. Click HERE to see the navigation hazards for cross the Rogue River bar. Click HERE to see the Chartlette for the Rogue River Estuary. A visit to a Coast Guard Station only takes a few minutes and can only enhance the success of the trip. 

The Coast Guard has installed and maintains Bar Advisory Signs in most of the bays that have a Coast Guard Station.  Currently there are no Bar Advisory Signs located in the lower Columbia River Estuary, Nehalem Bay, Nestucca Bay and Alsea Bay. Bar Advisory Signs are diamond shaped and have the words “Rough Bar” painted in black letters on a white background with an orange border.  The signs have two flashing lights that are activated when the seas exceed 4 feet in height.  If the ocean conditions are not favorable for pleasurable boating do not cross the bar.  Good judgment is your best advisor.  Do not attempt to cross the bar if there is any doubt that it safe to do so.  Bar restrictions and closures not only apply to boats leaving the harbor but also to boats entering the harbor.

Shoal water, south side. Along the south side of the Rogue River channel are shoal water and gravel bars. This shoal water breaks to a height of six feet when a swell is running. Many boaters fishing inside the river or trolling between the jetties find themselves set into this dangerous area by northwest winds. If a vessel breaks down in the channel and is not anchored, the northwest wind and ebb tide will set it into this dangerous area within a matter of minutes.

Outer end, north jetty.  Breakers are almost always present here because of shoal water. When the sea is running from the west or southwest, it is particularly dangerous.

Outer end, south jetty. Breakers are almost always present. Even when it appears calm, there may be occasional breakers 1,000 feet outside the south jetty. When this sea is running from the west or southwest, this area is very dangerous.

The Rogue River channel lies along the north jetty. Under existing conditions, a channel 13 feet deep and 300 feet wide, extending from the ocean to the inner end of the north jetty, is provided. Boaters are urged to use and stay within this channel. The river entrance is subject to frequent shoaling and depth changes. Do not rely on charted depths.

Fishing Inside the Channel.  During recent years small boats fish just inside the bar and troll in an area between the north and south jetties. Frequently, there are a great number of boats in this area and they tend to crowd each other.  Because trolling is the most frequent fishing method lines can get caught accidentally in a boat propeller.  Should this happen the disabled boat should anchor immediately or call for aid.  A northwest wind or ebb tide could set a boat into a dangerous area in a matter of minutes.

  The Coast Guard maintain a seasonal lifeboat station in the boat basin from June through the middle of September and can be reached on VHF-FM channel 12. 

  The Rogue reef is located northwest of the entrance to the Rogue River Estuary.  The reef offers excellent fishing for salmon and rockfish for most of the year weather permitting.  Fish for lingcod and black rockfish in the kelp forest located just north of the bar.  The emphasis in the Rogue River Estuary is on Chinook salmon fishing and the redtail surfperch that enter the bay each year.

Redtail surfperch enter the bay in spring.  The perch fishing along the south jetty of the Rogue River Estuary has an excellent reputation for consistent catches of redtail surfperch.

Chinook salmon of the Rogue River are famous for the flavor of the spring run Chinook salmon. 

The Rogue River has both a spring and fall run of Chinook salmon, but it’s the spring run that generates the excitement.  Both the spring and fall runs are dominated by 4 year old fish. 

  The spring run of Chinook salmon begins during the first half of April and runs through May and into June.  The best fishing usually occurs during late April through mid May and last into June.  Spring Chinook, unlike their fall cousins spend very little time in tidewater.  They enter the river as soon as they arrive.  The high stream flow of spring is the trigger that initiates the upriver migration.  Some Chinook pause briefly at the head of tidewater while others continue upriver to the spawning grounds.  The Chinook are reluctant to bite when the water temperature of the river falls below 52 degrees.  The spring Chinook’s exception to their fall cousin’s behavioral pattern of tidewater acclamation provides anglers with the opportunity to fish for upriver bright salmon whose flesh is at its optimum quality.  The best fishing for spring Chinook occurs upriver from Elephant Rock.  Understanding the water conditions is the key to successful fishing.  Under normal conditions the color of the water is emerald green and the Chinook swim upriver on the inside of the river bends and the slower moving water below gravel bars or deep holes that is 4 to 6 feet deep.  During low water conditions the water becomes extremely clear and the Chinook seek refuge by swimming in the darker water that is 8 but no more than 10 feed deep.  When the water is flowing high and is stained or off color the Chinook resume their normal swimming pattern at depths of 4 to 6 feet or shallower.

  The most productive fishing is from anchored boats, but fishing from the bank is almost as good.  Competition is keen for the best fishing locations.  Local anglers often monopolize the most productive locations by anchoring on them for several days at a time.  Most boaters double anchor.  The primary anchor should be a 40 pound Kedge style anchor.  Visiting anglers should arrive early to claim a spot at the most productive location.  Attach a buoy to the anchor line and release the boat from the anchor line when a Chinook is hooked.  The angler is free to fight the fish returning to the buoyed anchor line once the Chinook has been landed.  Anglers fishing from the bank use the same tackle and angling methods employed by anglers fishing from boats.  Of course, the ability to move in a boat is a big advantage.  Anchor in the shallow water in a manner that positions the boat on the inside of a curve and fish for Chinook salmon from the inside out.  Fishing with an anchovy rigged with a single treble hook and fished with a tight spin is a local favorite, but fishing with a Rogue Bait Rig and anchovy combination using the G spot spinner blade in gold and green or gold and chartreuse is the most productive.  The Rogue Bait Rig accounts for most of the spring Chinook caught followed by straight anchovy or a Spin–N–Glo sweetened with salmon roe or with a spinner with a hammered gold back and the front painted with 50/50 green and chartreuse spinner blade.  Fish these baits with a spreader using a 36 inch leader line and a 12 inch sinker dropper line.  Use a heavy enough sinker to keep the bait on the bottom but light enough to walk the bait to the desired location.  Usually, sinkers weighing 2 to 8 ounces are sufficient.  To be successful present the bait at various depths ranging from 4 to 10 feet depending on water clarity to intercept salmon migrating upriver in the shallow water lane. 

  The Rogue River Estuary Jetty is one the most popular locations to fish for returning fall Chinook salmon.  The Rogue River Estuary is one of Oregon's smallest deepwater bays and easily becomes overcrowded by anglers trolling for fall Chinook.  Chinook salmon begin arriving about the first of August with fishable numbers returning the last half of August peaking in September and running into October.  The best fishing occurs early in the run from the Highway 101 bridge seaward as the Chinook salmon move into and out of the bay with the tide awaiting the freshets of the seasonal rains.  During the years with heavy snowmelt runoff originating in the Cascades returning fall Chinook forgo their typical fall migration behavioral pattern and migrate immediately upriver, in some years, as early as July.  Troll with the incoming tide in the jetty channel along the north jetty from the jetty jaws to the Highway 101 Bridge or with the outgoing tide from the head of tidewater along the north shore towards Jots Resort then seaward to the jetty jaws.  The entrance to the Port of Gold Beach in the jetty channel is a deepwater hot spot that produces a lot of fish.

  Troll along the north jetty with a plug cut herring, Rogue Bait Rig and anchovy combination or with a rainbow colored spinner with green accents or a spinner with a hammered gold back and the front painted with 50/50 green and chartreuse spinner blade.  The Rogue Bait Rig is comprised of a G–Spot spinner blade positioned ahead of beads and slip tied–double hooks and is sold complete and ready to fish at local bait and tackle shops.  Tackle shop operators can advise which of the Rogue Bait Rigs is the most productive.  The swift current of the Rogue River requires the use of sinkers up to 12 ounces.  Attach the Rogue Bait Rig to the top leg of the spreader with a beaded chain swivel.  Bait with an anchovy and you’re ready to fish.

Coho salmon enter the bay as early as August, but typically in September peaking in October and running through the first half of November.  The best fishing occurs early in the run trolling either a plug cut herring, a Rogue Bait Rig with green and gold blade or a straight anchovy baited to a treble hook, spinners, hoochies or streamer flies against the incoming tide from elephant rock seaward.  Troll these baits behind a wire spreader or a diver in the upper half of the water column.  Trolling in the bay with rainbow, chartreuse or pink colored spinners or spinner bait combinations are also effective options.  Remember coho salmon prefer bait trolled at speeds from 3 to 5 knots. 

White sturgeon and green sturgeon are common in the Rogue River Basin from tidewater upstream to Agness.  White sturgeon enter the Rogue River Estuary in small numbers from February through August.  The catch rate averages 20 fish per year.  Most of the sturgeon are caught by anglers fishing for salmon.  Fish for sturgeon in the large hole underneath the Highway 101 Bridge and in the hole ¼ of a mile upriver from the Highway 101 Bridge.  Use mud shrimp, sand shrimp or herring for bait in the bay and sand shrimp, crawdad tails or herring in the river.   

Bank fishing access along the Rogue River is fisherman friendly.  There is good fishing from the bank off of Jerry's Flat Road or the north bank road.  Jerry's Flat Road (FSR #33) parallels the south shore of the Rogue River to the community of Agness.  The north bank road is accessed through the community of Wedderburn.  The most productive bank fishing locations are at the Ferry Hole, Huntley Bar, Orchard Bar, Kimball Creek, Lobster Creek, Kunkleberger Bar and Quosatana Creek.  Bank anglers use size 00, 0, 1, 2 or 4 Spin–N–Glos with Mylar wings in Fire Tiger, Grey Ghost or Silver Bullet patterns fished with 24 inch leaders and sweetened with small piece of salmon roe with the sinker attached directly to the spreader.  The Rogue Bait Rig and anchovy combination with the G spot blade in green or chartreuse is equally as effective. The beach at Gold Beach is an excellent location to fish for redtail surfperch and a fair location to dig for razor clams.

Rogue River Estuary Jetty – the fishing for perch in the shallow water channel that parallels the south jetty has the reputation for excellence.  Fishing for bass is limited to the deepwater channel that parallels the north jetty.     

Rogue River Estuary boat launches are located on the south shore at the Port of Gold Beach and on the north shore at Jot’s Resort.  An improved boat launch with restrooms is located on the north shore at the Ferry Hole.  The Ferry Hole is accessed through the community of Wedderburn via North Bank Rogue River Road.  Boat launches on the south shore are located at Huntley Park, Lobster Creek and Quosatana Campground.  The boat launches located at Quosatana Campground and Lobster Creek are improved ramps operated by the U.S Forest Service.  The boat launch located at Huntley Park is an unimproved boat ramp operated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.  The south shore boat launches are located in campgrounds and have restrooms available.  There are several unimproved boat launches located in Agness.

Fishing on the Rogue River: On 10/03 Odfw reports: To find out more about conservation, management and outreach efforts on the Rogue River, check out the Rogue River page on the ODFW Web site. River users can find stream flows and temperatures for several Rogue River reporting stations at this website: Rogue River levels. Illinois River level near Kerby

Rogue River, lower: Chinook, coho, summer steelhead, half pounders

Chinook fishing continues to be pretty good in the bay as Indian Creek Hatchery fish have started to return. Coho numbers should continue to build through the end of September and into October. Anglers can only keep adipose fin clipped coho. Boat anglers fishing up river are having good success side drifting eggs for Chinook and steelhead.

There are steelhead and half pounders throughout the river. Most anglers are picking up fish while fly fishing or tossing spinners.

On an annual basis ODFW seines the Rogue River at Huntley Park (approximately 8 miles upstream of highway 101) from July 15 to Oct. 31 to monitor salmon and steelhead migrating upstream. Anglers wanting to fish the Rogue will find this information valuable in planning when to fish. ODFW will post this information starting in August. Anglers can sign up to receive these counts by email.

Rogue River, middle: steelhead, trout, Chinook

Chinook anglers will want to enjoy fishing in the middle Rogue through the weekend, because angling for Chinook closes between the Hog Creek boat landing and the Gold Ray dam site on Oct. 1. Fishing for summer steelhead peaks this time of year near Grants Pass. Good early returns of summer steelhead to Cole Rivers Hatchery mean that steelhead are available. Casting Panther Martins with black bodies and gold blades can work well for steelhead in this section of the Rogue. The flow at Grants Pass was 1390 cfs and the river temperature was peaking around 62F on Sept. 24.

Rogue River, upper: steelhead, trout, spring Chinook

Fishing in the upper Rogue between Gold Ray and Cole Rivers Hatchery is limited to artificial flies only this time of year, any type rod and reel permitted. Please see the angling regulations for additional details.

Big returns of summer steelhead await anglers on the upper river. A total of 2,687 summers have entered Cole Rivers Hatchery as of Sept. 20, the second highest total since the year 2000, and 139 fish were new arrivals. Good numbers of trout continue to be caught as well. Releases from Lost Creek Reservoir have decreased to 1,200 cfs.

Rogue River, above Lost Creek Reservoir: trout

Fishing should be good through October for trout stocked. Most anglers are fishing either PowerBait or salmon eggs on light gear, although casting spinners and flies will work as well. In addition to stocked trout, wild rainbow, cutthroat, brown, and brook trout are found in the river and many of its tributaries.

ILLINOIS RIVER: trout, steelhead

The Illinois River below Pomeroy Dam is open for trout fishing. In the summer the Illinois fishery is basically a catch-and-release fishery on wild trout. Adipose fin-clipped trout may be kept, but typically these fish are available only in the lower river.

Crabbing: The Port of Gold Beach allows crabbing from the marina docks but crab pots and rings cannot be left soaking over night and children under must wear lifejackets. You must provide your own lifejackets for your children. Crabbing from the marina docks has been good this summer and fall from the Highway 101 bridge seaward depending on the amount of freshwater runoff from rainfall and/or snowmelt from the Cascades.

The bay clams common to Oregon's Bay are not present in the Rogue River Estuary at Gold Beach in large enough numbers to be of interest to recreational clam diggers.

Internet Links of Interest for the Rogue River Estuary.

Click on 2012 to view the NOAA tidal projections for your area of interest.

Plan for future recreational activities in the Rogue River Estuary by clicking on the Tidal Projections from 2012 through 2013.

Click HERE to see the 10 day weather forecast at Wedderburn.

Click on the Northwest River Levels to view the height of the river level for the Rogue River.

Click HERE to see the navigation hazards for cross the Rogue River bar.

Click HERE to see the Chartlette for the Rogue River Estuary. Return to the top of the page.

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