Lower Umpqua River
The mainstem Umpqua river begins west of the town or Roseburg where the north and south forks combine. From here it flows just over 100 miles to the Pacific Ocean near the town of Reedsport. The stretch of river has developed into one of the premier smallmouth bass fisheries in the United States. The lower Umpqua is crystal clear in the summer and you can see virtually every fish holding along the bedrock ledges and in the deep pools. This is a great fishery for the hardcore smallmouth addict and full of action for kids or anyone who just likes catching a lot of hard fighting fish. Most of the time I am pretty much a trout/steelhead sort of guy, but this smallmouth fishery is fantastic!
The lower Umpqua is mostly a flat water fishery but be careful if you float because a few of the rapids you will encounter can be very rocky, technical and potentially dangerous to the inexperienced boater.
The Fish
The lower mainstem Umpqua river is all about the smallmouth in the summer. These smallies are very aggressive and put up a tremendous fight on a light rod. You can realistically expect to hook 50 or more bass per day on a guided float. These are nice sized fish too, up to 5lbs., with the average size somewhere in the 10-14 inch range. Biologists say there are about 5000 fish per mile and I don’t doubt it a bit. Just hang over the edge of the boat and watch as you float by, it seems like you can see them all.
Another opportunity on the lower Umpqua is the huge Shad run in May and June. These 3-5lb fish hammer flies and fight like crazy! After a day of wearing out your arm on these fish you will understand why they are called the “poor man’s tarpon”. Although the shad return to this river in staggering numbers, they do tend to school in certain locations and a guide is a tremendous help to find the fish.
Winter and summer steelhead move through the lower river of course, but fly fishermen mostly pursue these fish farther upstream in the forks. The summer fish are moving through quickly looking for cooler water upstream and in the winter there is just a lot of water in the lower river.
Spring and Fall Chinook salmon runs are very healthy on the Umpqua and provide some great fishing for very large fish. This is again mostly a gear angler’s fishery and the fly fishing opportunities are very limited. Then again, a 30-40 pound salmon on a plug is an awful lot of fun! There are also Coho salmon available in the fall and a strong fishery exists in the lower estuary.
Going Fishing
Roseburg is a good sized town near the confluence of the North and South Umpqua rivers. You can find all services here and plenty of hotels. If you want to stay closer to the coast, Reedsport is also a full service small town. There are nice campgrounds and state parks along the beach. River access is fair with Hwy. 38 paralleling the river in many areas, but quite a bit of the shoreline is private property. Just find the pullouts and county parks and follow the trails to popular spots or better yet, bring a drift boat or hire a local guide. The Big K Guest Ranch is the premier spot to stay right on the most productive section of the river. They have very comfortable cabins where you can do-it-yourself or hire one of their guides to take you out and show you exactly where the big ones live.
Guides We Know And Trust
Gary Lewis - Gary's Guide Service is located in Roseburg Oregon witch is in Southern Oregon near the South Umpqua River. Gary Lewis has been guiding fisherman for over 20 years. And has been featured in magazines such as American Angler, Sports A Field Fly Fishing The West, and also appeared on ESPN, and Fly Fishing America. Gary started fly-fishing at the age of 7 and has been tying flies and fly-fishing ever since. Gary has also mastered the techniques of fishing with bait and artificial lures. In this way you get the best of both worlds when fishing with Gary's Guide Service. Gary has some of the most professional qualified guides in the area working with him to make sure that you will have a great fishing experience.
Todd Hannah - Oregon fishing guide Todd Hannah offers what many people are now saying is the best fishing charter service in the Northwest. When you book a fishing trip with Oregon fishing guide Todd Hannah, you will be fishing the Umpqua River or nearby popular Oregon Rivers from comfortable heated jet boats and drift boats. The Hannah family has been fishing these waters for over 40 years now and use only the very best top quality fishing tackle. Lodging and meals are available. Todd Hannah specializes in accommodating large corporate groups. Your fish are cleaned and cared for. Scenic float trips for photography and bird watching are a specialty.
Don't Miss in the Area
If you are this close to the coast spend a day exploring the Oregon Dunes or just relaxing at one of the many state parks along the scenic coastline. You can often find miles of beaches and very few people.
The lower Umpqua Valley near Roseburg is well known for outstanding wines. If you appreciate good wine, schedule a day to visit and sample at the many craft wineries in the area, you may be very surprised at the number of fine wines you will enjoy.
