WILD BLOG: Springer Fever spreading in southern Oregon's Rogue River
UPDATED March 30, 2010 / 5:30 p.m.

GOLD BEACH, Or. - It's hard to understand what overtakes one when the first report of spring-run salmon hits the rumor mill, internet, and the Rogue Outdoor Store. In my case, it caused me to drop all steelhead gear immediately and focus on jet boat safety checks, maintenance, and springer rigs.

These football-shaped Chinook are the prize of the West Coast. They're mean fighting machines that can scream out yards of line on an initial run. Spingers will test gear to the end of its limit.  They run the river in brutal conditions that some can’t believe anyone would be involved with.

This is the beginning of Spinger Madness on Oregon's South Coast.

The run arrives: We had the opportunity to fish three days last weekon the Rogue River, concentrating, primarily, on the tidal section. Fishing was variable. There were extremely good days mixed in with days where none of the local boats and guides caught fish.

This was the same story last year in March, although there seem to be more fish, particularly hatchery fish, this year so far.
 
Last Monday, we hooked up two springers for our efforts and landed only one. Corey Garvin was treated to his first spring Chinook, while Tony Hobbs was schooled on the fact that these rockets can change direction quickly and get under the boat, running along the bottom chine. Even with Spectra line, the rigging cannot survive this quick move on the part a hot springer.

We fished in the tidal section next to Denny Houston, one of the best guides on the Rogue. Denny landed 3 fish to our two hookups.  Denny had landed a total of five fish that day, including a double upstream in the morning before we arrived at the ramp. Out of some 14 t0 20 boats, there were perhaps as many as 20 fish caught with the bulk of the fish in the 20-pound class and of hatchery origin.
 
Changing from day to day: On Tuesday, a different story developed on the lower Rogue. Local favorite Monty Moncrief was on the water with Jim Morrison and found no action in the same section of the river. In fact, on Tuesday the crowd increased based on Monday’s report, and the fishing fell off of a cliff. Monty observed at least 20+ boats seeing only one steelhead landed for the day.
 
We were back on the water Wednesday with local sports writer Larry Ellis, Ken Range and Joey. We landed two springers while hooking up 4 for the day. Ken released a wild fish in the 20-pound class and Joey kept a hatchery female of about 22. This was an interesting and fun day, full of action.
 
Our bait rigging: Chris Shaffer of Pautzke’s had sent a video link and Pautzke’s Nectar to the house for Joey and I to try on the Rogue. We cured a few anchovies in accordance with his instructions, in the video to the right.

First set on the inside rod with this rig and bang, down it went stripping 50 yards of line in a single run. I grabbed the rod and tried to hand it off to Larry while placing my thumb on the spool.

BAD NEWS!

The springer felt resistance and smoked my thumb, broke the 25-pound mainline, taking the yellow anchovy, spreader, and terminal rig while leaving Larry and I looking at each other in dismay with more than half a spool of 25-pound Maxima line gone forever.

Larry is extremely fun to fish, incredibly knowledgeable, and helped make that day an incredible day for all of us.
 
The fishing Thursday again turned to the poor side for Monty Moncrief, Joey and I.  Weather set in with a NW wind of about 15 to 20 mph with rain and hail. Staying under the top most of the day, we waited for the take down as the river colored and began to rise. The Rogue River bar had become rough with the weather system and we speculated that this may have been the difference between the good results Wednesday and poor results on Thursday, who really knows. Few boats were on the river, we saw no fish caught.
 
Look for fishing in the Rogue to pick up as we move into April. The current storm is just what the doctor ordered as the river will rise pushing more fish into the system. We will be back on the water next week as many days as the completed honey do’s will allow. Our strategy need to be different as the run progresses.

-Paul LeFebvre, Rogue Outdooor Store

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