I should start off by noting that I had never been to the North Umpqua in the winter but I was able to spend some time on the water and talk with a few people along the way this past weekend. First things first, when walking down to the river and then wetting my line, I went through some out-of-body experience. Coming from New England, I’ve seen a bunch of pictures, heard the stories and just hoped I would make it there one day. So when I got there with my girlfriend and dog, I was in a pretty good place.
First thing I noticed was how clear the water was – we surely spent a great deal of time just trying to spot some steelhead but our wishful eyes couldn’t locate any. With that being said, the water is currently a bit more clear than folks seem to like when targeting winter steelhead. The river itself is also pretty low for this time of year, an all too familiar story around Oregon these days with not much rain in the forecast. All this being said, the lower, clear water made for river travel a bit less daunting. In Roseburg and around Mt. Thielsen, daytime temps were up to 60 but when riverside, temps were averaging 40-45 and reaching 50 in the sun. This seems like it will be the trend for at least the next week but of course a bit colder with no sun.
You’ve probably guessed by now that we didn’t encounter any steelhead but the trout sure were happy. Lots of reports of people getting in to aerobatic fish. Consider throwing something smaller and dull in color or large and flashy – pick your poison. Current water conditions have steelhead second guessing more than they already do.
I was fishing the Redington Dually II, 11′ 6″ #8 and a Hardy Marquis Salmon 2, paired with a Scientific Anglers Skagit Spey Head, intermediate 510 GR hooked up with a 10 foot long RIO Skagit MOW Tip. While the 13′ 6″ Dually would have fished this heavier set up more effectively, I still felt good with the confidence boost of knowing my flies were getting down into the zone no problem.
The Dually II comes with some upgrades from the previous model without hardly effecting the price point, coming in at $299.99. The 8 weight version of this rod is meant just for this type of fishing while giving you a fun, medium-fast action rod. When we compare the previous model to this one, we see that this version is lighter, has improved tip stability and an updated handle. The lifetime warranty, alignment dots and matte brown finish make this rod an excellent choice if you’re just getting into this game or simply looking to add another option to your quiver.
After enjoying the river itself, we made our way up to Toketee Falls and then Mt. Thielsen for some spring time backcountry skiing. With the river not holding a lot of people this time of year and surrounding spring time air, consider treating yourself soon. Was surely a weekend to remember.
