Umpqua River

North Umpqua River Fly Fishing

Flowing from the high Cascade Mountains, the North Umpqua River is a gem of southwest Oregon. Douglas fir, cedar and spruce cover the canyon in which the emerald waters navigate their way to the west toward their confluence with the South Umpqua and eventually to the Pacific Ocean..

The North Umpqua is one of the most famous – if not the most famous – steelhead rivers in the lower 48. It is steeped in tradition created by generations of fly-fishermen that have come to its banks. These fish are large, bold, and fight incredibly hard.Their aggressive nature drive them to go air-borne for a skated dry fly as well as respond well to other techniques.

North Umpqua River Summer Steelhead

Through the summer season, efforts are focused on the shaded hours of the day: early and late when the sun hasn’t hit the water. Skating flies is a common and popular means to fish when on the North Umpqua. Traveling along the North Umpqua vehicle, anglers access a number of pools and runs in a given session. Light two-handed rods equipped with scandi-style lines are the most common tool for fishing in the summer. When light does hit the water, we often shift to fishing light tips with unweighted leeches. For mid-day tip fishing, scandi lines are replaced by skagit heads.

North Umpqua Winter Steelhead Fly Fishing

The winter steelhead season is an amazing time on the North Umpqua. We love spending time in the Umpqua forest, putting our flies in some of the deep pools and runs. Winter steelhead are elusive at times, however, the fish are big, wild, and beautiful. Rewards can be more than worth the effort. There is a chance to connect with a fish of a lifetime in the winter; every season we have the chance of catching a very large fish. We guide the winter season from the beginning of January through the end of March. When conditions allow, we may utilize the boats to float certain sections of the river, accessing more great water. This is a great option for anglers looking to fish from the boat, dead drifting longer runs of the river. It can also be done in addition to swinging: fishing out of the boat between runs we pull over and fish. Seven and eight weight spey rods are the most common spey set ups for swinging in the winter.

The walking and wading on this river can be physically taxing. Some trails have large boulders and hidden rocks making the approach a hassle. We take our time getting down to each run and put no pressure on you to race against the clock.

 

Renton’s River Adventures operates under special use permit from the Umpqua National Forest. We are an equal opportunity service provider