For most of us, December 21 marks the first day of winter. December 1, however, marks the first day of winter for steelhead anglers in the Rogue. That is the day when winter steelhead fishing begins.
This year, for the first time, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) placed a ban on harvesting wild steelhead from the mouth of the Illinois River to Cole Rivers Hatchery. The regulations changed for the lower Rogue and Illinois River, too (see the temporary harvest restriction notice here). As always, check ODFW’s zone regulations before you go fishing.
Why change the regulations related to the harvest of winter steelhead in the Rogue and Illinois Rivers? ODFW is responding to very low returns of wild half-pounders (immature steelhead that return to the lower Rogue River after spending less than a year in the Pacific Ocean) in 2022 and 2023. The half-pounder returns in those years were so low that ODFW is concerned about the long-term persistence of the population. Restricting harvest of wild winter steelhead will ensure that more wild fish will survive to spawn this year and produce as many eggs as possible.
ODFW biologists think that the extreme drought in 2021 and 2022 was the major contributor to low half-pounder returns in 2022 and 2023. The severe, multi-year drought led to very low stream flows during those summers. In turn, the low flow levels contributed to warm water temperatures in creeks that usually provide good summer rearing conditions for rainbow trout/ steelhead.
Like ODFW and many others, we are concerned about two consecutive years with low returns of half-pounders. And we are working hard to develop restoration projects that will improve freshwater conditions for winter steelhead (as well as a multitude of other native wildlife species that are found in and along Rogue Basin streams).
Monitoring observations of low numbers of ordinarily abundant wildlife forces us to take stock of the Rogue River Watershed Council’s efforts to protect and restore the habitats that these animals rely on. In early 2025, and along with numerous partner organizations, we will release a thirty-year strategy to restore stream and streamside habitats in five watersheds used by winter steelhead.
Finding ways to increase and protect instream flows and improve fish passage throughout the Evans Creek, Little Butte Creek, Trail Creek, Elk Creek, and Big Butte Creek watersheds will be an important component of this plan. Other ecological restoration activities that will make conditions better for native fish like winter steelhead include reconnecting streams to side channels and floodplains, installing large wood structures, rehabilitating streamside forests, and improving fish passage conditions at diversion dams and road culverts.
The Rogue River Watershed Council and our partners are looking forward to the challenges that come with implementing our long-term plan. If we are successful, native fish like winter steelhead will be more resilient to extreme drought conditions and ODFW will not need to revise fishing regulations for these incredible animals in the future.
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