Is Catching Fish the Point? Golden Stones on the Upper Rogue

Fly fishing is a jigsaw of pieces: technique, location, equipment and knowledge. The fly fishing world focuses mostly on these, yet they’re often not at the heart of fishing experience.

Golden Stones and an AJ Thramer bamboo rod on the Upper Rogue.

This was shaping up to be the first year in several where I missed the stoneflies on the Upper Rogue, and though the Goldens aren’t quite the event the salmonflies are, technically they still qualify.

So Tuesday, I chucked work and floated the Upper Rogue with Dave Roberts, who figures in a lot of my fishing history. Dave and I first met on the Upper Sacramento during the 1997 season, and I suppose we hung out together because we both fished bamboo rods.

Dave and I became friends to the extent that he was the best man at my wedding nearly two years ago, and we always have a good time on the river.

The trout were tight to bankside cover. Cast close, or go fishless.

Yesterday, we caught plenty of small trout (11″-13″), but never got the “big bite” that’s often part and parcel of the stonefly hatch. Temperatures rose into the low 90s, and the fly selection didn’t seem that important.

More important was casting tight to cover, which leaves you feeling alternately god-like (when the cast lands right) and clumsy (when it lands in the brush).

In truth, the fish were a bonus; Dave and I hadn’t spent much time fishing together lately, so the time on the river together was a bigger victory than a 16″ trout would have been (I’m not sure I can say the same if I’d landed a 24″ steelhead).

Since Dave loves bamboo fly rods but doesn’t baby the things, we fished a couple. I went with a strong Thramer hollowbuilt 8.5′ 5wt while Dave fished a Mike Shays Para-15 and a Volcano Rods 8′3″ 5wt.

Today’s fly fishing lessons?

Cast close. Fish a bamboo fly rod and a big fly. Go where the Golden Stones are hatching. And have friends.

Tomorrow’s Plan?

The L&T Nancy is filling the role of responsible adult, so she’s on a business trip back east. That means it’s just me and the Wonderdog, so I’ll probably see a fair amount of fishing over the next few days. This is a tough time of year — the bugs seem to be happening all at once, and the choices can be maddening.

A lake? Upper Sac? Backcountry? I don’t know. But you’ll know only slightly after I do.

See you on the river, Tom Chandler

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