Gold Beach
The Springer action remains steady on the Rogue with a mix of good days followed by slow ones but that is springer fishing. Guide Steve Huber reported on Monday 5-21 that counts are holding steady at an average of two fish per day. Big days are when they hook six and land four and others produce just a couple of take downs and one to the boat. Steve and his clients have been enjoying the action on the lower Rogue for nearly two months but this fishery will wind down soon. Steve will be bouncing between the Rogue and the lower Klamath beginning June 1st. He will be on whichever river he feels that the odds of great fishing are on. Last season we saw one of the biggest returns in 10 years on the Klamath and if I was a betting man I would place my money on Steve fishing the Klamath as soon as flows drop. Pictured below if just one of many big fish caught on Steve's boat last June.

This past weekend this writer took a road My web designer Kip and his five year old son Austin were along for the ride. We arrived Saturday 4-28 afternoon, checked into the Pacific Reef Resort and were impressed with the ultra spacious and spotless ocean front rooms. After enjoying a prime rib dinner just a block from the hotel at Spinners we turned in early as Steve wanted us at the put-in well before first light. We met Steve at 4:45 Sunday 4-29 and there were a handful of boats already anchored up on one of Steve's favorite spots. Dropping back a combo of spinners baits and straight blades we had our first hookup within 30 minutes, a beautiful 20 pound hen that took us a good three hundred yards downstream before we got her to the net. The rest of the morning, we watched boats around us hook and land a handful of fish. We had three more takedowns, none of which stuck for more than a few seconds. Water conditions were still a tad high and slightly  colored but there were fish pushing through. Steve treated us to delicious breakfast burritos cooked on board and we passed the day talking fishing, family and watching the river go by. With the sunny weather and good company the time passed by quickly.
While the fishing on this day was not spectacular I could see why these packages are so popular. The Pacific Reef accommodations were first class (we both opted to upgrade to the ocean view suites, I recommend you do the same). I can't remember the last time a prime rib dinner this good (with cocktails) cost less than $35 pp and Gold Beach is a great "small" town. It was a family favorite when I was a child as my dad introduced us kids to steelhead and salmon fishing here back in the 60s and 70s. The Rogue is back on my "fish every year" list and it should be on yours. With a building spring run, solid fall fishery and still small town charm I am already looking forward to our next trip.

Steve is offering an all inclusive package with salmon fishing, lodging at the ocean front Pacific Reef Resort with $40 dinner credit and breakfast cooked on the boat for about the price you would expect to pay for just fishing. Steve and his cohort Bill Divens are sold out on this package but you may luck out by grabbing a late cancelation.