Oregon

Rogue River Float Trip

Grants Pass

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Accommodations

Cabins

Season

September-November

Species

Juvenile Steelhead

Ideal For

All Anglers

An Adventurous Float Trip Down Oregon's Rogue River

The Helfrich family is literally etched into the history of modern drift boat design and running the classified rivers of the northwest. Tight Lines has been family owned and operated since 1925 and is currently owned by Jeff Helfrich. Jeff has assembled a crew of true river masters – some of the most professional drift boat oarsmen known in the northwest! Jeff and Tight Lines operate a multi-night trip down a 42-mile stretch of the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River in the coastal mountains of Oregon. On a trip down the Rogue River, you will experience breathtaking class 3 and 4 rapids, beautiful scenery, and typically cooperative fish! You will spend 3 nights in perfectly situated wilderness lodges and 4 days on the river. The main focus of the fishing is for the ‘Half Pounder’ (juvenile steelhead). The Rogue River trip with Tight Lines is ideal for groups, families, and fly anglers of all skill levels!

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Lodging Details
Each night on the Rogue River trip you stay at a different riverside wilderness lodge. They are nothing super fancy, but offer clean and comfortable beds, hot showers, and great food!

Night #1 – Black Bar Lodge
Black Bar Lodge was named after gold miner William Black. Black was murdered near this property, put into his boat, and shoved off down the river. The mining claim here dates back to the late 1800s and the property was actively mined until the early 1930s. Miners built the lodge in 1932 and are currently used as a stopover by anglers and other river enthusiasts. Each cabin has two twin beds in clean and comfortable rooms, with hot showers and breakfast and dinner cooked and served by the Tightlines Staff!

Night #2 – Marial Lodge
The lodge and the community of Marial were named after the first proprietress of the lodge, Marial Billings Akesson. Marial was raised on the river and operated Marial Lodge until 1967. The lodge now accommodates hikers in the spring, rafters through the summer, and commercial fishing trips in the fall. The lodge has always been known for its good old-fashion family hospitality and there are usually some other guests to add to the social setting! Each of the lodging units has two twin beds and family-style breakfast and dinner are served in the main lodge

Night #3 – Illahe Lodge
Illahe Lodge is a fourth-generation family business that has been providing lodging with meals to people visiting Oregon’s Rogue River since 1942. The lodge grows much of the produce that is served in their large garden and orchards. Lodging is in a variety of room configurations and there are double beds available! Dinner is typically a Thanksgiving-style feast with eggs to order in the morning!

Food and Beverages
All meals are home-cooked, western cuisine, and served family-style. Breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room at each lodge and lunch is on the water with your guide. The Tight Lines staff typically does the meals on the first night at Black Bar Lodge.

Lunches on the Rogue River are a memorable experience, featuring fresh-caught hatchery steelhead or salmon broiled over hardwood coals along with a selection of fresh salads. Breakfasts and dinners are served at the comfortable wilderness lodges we stop at each of the three nights along the river.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
The whitewater is certainly adventurous and the trip is very popular with non-anglers! The scenery and wildlife viewing opportunities are endless makings for great photography! There are also several trails in the canyon for hiking.

Internet / Communications
There is no internet or cell phone service while in the Canyon and no telephones are accessible until the third night at Illahe Lodge. The Tight Lines staff does carry a satellite phone for emergencies.

General Information
From its origin in the High Cascades near Crater Lake, the Rogue River carves its way through Oregon’s rugged coastal Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and is a national “Wild and Scenic River.” The Rogue River Canyon is full of breathtaking scenery and whitewater! There are several class 3 and 4 rapids that you cover during the four-day trip. The history, wildlife viewing opportunities, and whitewater are easily as much fun as the fishing!

Fishing on the Rogue offers an exciting opportunity for anglers of all skill levels. The Tight Lines guides are specifically targeting the half-pounder steelhead using the famous Rogue River “twitch”. The boats are all set up to accommodate two anglers in each. The clients sit side by side in the front and there is not a seat in the stern for safety reasons. When fishing the “twitch” both anglers swing their flies out of each side of the boat while the guide works the boat back and forth across the run. This is a great way to get beginners and kids into fish right away! The half-pounders do respond to surface flies and can be caught by dead drifting dries and covering pocket water along the way. The guides are very accommodating and use several different techniques, but the “twitch” is certainly one of the most popular!

The average steelhead and the targeted fish are half-pounders in the 14-16 inch range. There is very occasionally adult steelhead in the 4–8-pound range that are caught as well. The river also does get a fall run of salmon and when Chinook or coho salmon are available, the guides will target them with gear if you are interested. The salmon are rarely caught on flies.

Boats and Equipment
The guides are fishing clients out of Mckenzie-style drift boats, with 2 anglers per boat. While drifting and fishing from the boat, both anglers sit side by side in the front. A raft is used as a gear boat and to transport lunch each day. There is not a seat at the stern of the boats for safety reasons. A 5 or 6-weight fly rod with both a floating line and a short intermediate sink tip is the preferred rig for the half-pounders.

Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the outfitter.

2025 Pricing (based on double occupancy)
$2,550.00 per person

2025 Trip Dates
Sept 1 – 4 (12 spots)
Sept 6 – 9 (12 spots)
Sept 11 – 14 (12 spots)
Sept 16 – 19 (12 spots)
Sept 21 – 24 (12 spots)
Sept 26 – 29 (12 spots)
Oct 1 – 4 (12 spots)
Oct 6 – 9 (12 spots)
Oct 11 – 14 (12 spots)
Oct 16 – 19 (12 spots)
Oct 21 – 24 (12 spots)
Oct 26 – 29 (12 spots)
Oct 31 – Nov 3 (12 spots)

Included

(4) days of guided fishing
(3) nights of outfitted camping/lodging
All meals, non-alcoholic beverages, beer, and dinner wine
Use of rod/reel, flies, and tackle (we always suggest bringing your own)
River usage fees

Excluded

Airfare
Transportation to Grants Pass the day before the trip starts
Hotel and meals in Grants Pass the day before the trip starts
Transportation to the put-in (Grave Creek) on the first day of the trip
Shuttle cost for your rental/personal vehicle to the take-out (Hog Eddy)
Oregon fishing licenses and permits
Liquor and any other specialty drinks or mixers (BYO)
Transportation from the take-out back to Medford on the last day of the trip
Gratuities for outfitting crew
Hotel, meals, etc on the day the trip ends

Rogue River Float Trip (Southern Oregon)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
A non-refundable deposit of 50% per person is due at the time of booking for all trip packages and reservations, and final payment if due 90 days prior to arrival. All trip cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. For all cancellations, payments and deposits are non-refundable unless the trip can be re-sold. If a cancelled package is resold by either the outfitter or by Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, then a full refund will be sent minus a $100.00 per person Yellow Dog cancellation fee. In the case of cancellation by the client, both deposit and final payment may be transferred to another guest or angler for those same (original) dates if facilitated and arranged by the client. Along with your trip invoice, you will receive a liability waiver and medical information form that must be signed and returned along with your payment. In the rare event that there are insufficient reservations for the launch, the outfitter reserves the right to alter the departure date or location, or to cancel a trip entirely. There will be a full refund for any trips canceled by the outfitter. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages. Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance for this trip.

Payment Terms for All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings
Unless otherwise noted on your invoice, for all trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required after receipt of the confirmation email to secure guides and reservations. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required upon receipt of confirmation email to confirm your reservations.

Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a secure payment portal – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com to gain access.

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Standard Forms of Payment

Debit card (fee-free) and credit card (3% convenience fee) - to pay via card please utilize the customer payment portal. If you need assistance, reach out to 406-585-8667 ext. #3
Wires - please include name and/or invoice number for reference on your wire. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com for wiring instructions. (client is responsible for wiring fees)
Physical check - please include your invoice number in the memo. Mail checks to 213 S. Willson Ave. Bozeman, MT, 59715

If you have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (406) 585-8667 ext. #3. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT.