THE RIVERS

The North Umpqua

winter steelhead: February - April
summer steelhead: June 15 - November
trout: May - October

If central Oregon's Deschutes River is a trout fly fisher's dream, the North Umpqua is a steelhead fly fisher's nirvana. Often referred to as "steelhead graduate school," the North Umpqua will test any hardcore steelhead fly angler's knowledge and skill. This nearly 100-mile stretch of blue-green gem-quality water is a tributary of the Umpqua River and drains a rocky region of the Cascade Range south of the college town of Eugene, Oregon. The North Umpqua is in the running for the title of most famous steelhead river on the planet, and is simply a magical place to cast a fly.

Scott Howell knows this river like the back of his hand, and if it really is "steelhead grad school," Mr. Howell is "the professor." The North Umpqua offers fantastic fly fishing opportunities all year long.

Scott Howell on the North Umpqua:

"Few rivers are as rich with steelhead fly fishing tradition as the North Umpqua, and its noted camp water area may be the most famous stretch of steelhead water in the world. The North Umpqua is home to the most incredible summer steelhead south of the Canadian border. Its healthy runs of wild fish are big, strong, and very aggressive. I can't imagine a better place on the planet to fish steelhead with dry flies.

As winter approaches, some of the biggest steelhead in the state make their way up the North Fork. If you're chasing the dream of the 20-pound chromer, this is the river for you!"

The South Umpqua

winter steelhead: December - April

The South Umpqua River is a tributary of the Umpqua River and is the southern counterpart of the North Umpqua. This beautiful river runs on a stretch of a little over 90 miles and drains an area of the Cascade Range to the east of the town of Roseburg, Oregon. The South Umpqua's canyon is steep and rugged. Fly fishing on the South Fork can be fantastic and this river can become the perfect alternative to a slow or crowded day on the North Fork. Scott Howell loves fishing this water on the tail of the first big rain of the fall.

Scott Howell on the South Umpqua:

"The first big rains after Thanksgiving bring winter steelhead into the South Umpqua. Despite the fact there are other drift boats fishing conventional gear, as a fly fishing guide, I feel like this has been my own private fishery for years. I rarely ever see other fly fisherman. This makes for little competition, considering the gear anglers are generally fishing different water."

The Rogue River

winter steelhead: February - April
summer steelhead: August- December
king salmon: August - September
trout: May - October

The Rogue River originates near Oregon's famed Crater Lake National Park and traces an impressive 200 miles through the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest. The termination point of the Rogue's run is at Gold Beach, Oregon, a beautiful spot on the rocky Pacific coast. An original member of the 8 scenic rivers protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, the Rogue remains a pristine natural resource and an excellent fly fishing destination for anglers across the world.

Scott Howell on The Rogue River:

"The Rogue has been a part of steelhead fly fishing as long as people have been plying rivers for these magnificent fish. People are only now rediscovering what is quickly becoming known as the 'Rogue River Phenomena.' As far as numbers go, steelhead fly fishing doesn't get any better than the Rogue. Its user-friendly gravel bars and large numbers of aggressive steelhead conspire to create a dream scenario for the fly fisher just diving into the realm of steelheading. Even for a beginner, multiple hook-up days are the norm when drifting this river."

Coastal Rivers

Winter steelhead: January - March

Oregon's coastline is known for its varied landscape of rugged cliffs, broad beaches, and quaint lighthouses. This swath of coastline is also famous among steelhead and salmon fly fishers for its host of "nameless" or otherwise "secret" coastal rivers.

There is simply no better opportunity to hook a bright, fresh-from-the-salt chromer than at the mouth of some of Scott Howell's favorite secret coastal waters.

Scott Howell on Coastal Rivers:

"There are a seemingly endless number of coastal streams that are within striking distance of our home base. A lot of these are small rivers are untapped fisheries so I am not posting any names on the World Wide Web! These rivers host healthy runs of wild steelhead and are often fishable when our bigger systems are blown out and muddy. Where we fish depends on weather and river conditions on any given day."

Willamette River

Summer steelhead: April 15 - October

The Willamette River is probably most famous for the broad valley that bears its name. The beautiful “Rose City” of Portland, Oregon flanks either side of this river and a significant percentage of Oregon's population lives in this lush and agriculturally fertile region. The Willamette, flowing for nearly 190 miles, is fed by rainfall and despite providing an economic anchor for Portland, the Willamette’s miles of undeveloped flow are home to sturdy populations of fish and other aquatic species.

Fly fishing opportunities abound all along the Willamette's tremendous length and the easy accessibility to this rich natural resource makes it the perfect destination for traveling and early season steelhead fly anglers.

Scott Howell on the Willamette River:

"This is the earliest of our summer steelhead fisheries. These are primarily hatchery fish returning to Dexter dam above the city of Eugene. These are some of the biggest and strongest summer runs we will see all season. This makes for a convenient day of fishing for the traveling fisherman. Fly into Eugene and you are only minutes away from our fishing destination."