Rogue River Rafting With Ferron Mayfield

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Ferron Mayfield scratched his goatee and tried to think of a good river story, while hoisting one of his 23 rafts into the shed as the season wound down last week.

It's part of the Southern tradition — hanging out on the porch and spinning a good yarn, said the 53-year-old Alabama native, in his melodious drawl.

For 30 years, Mayfield's front porch has been his raft or drift boat, since he left a government job in water treatment to seek adventure out West.

"You've got the podium, and you're the captain," said Mayfield, who operates Ferron's Fun Trips with his wife, Sue Orris. "We're in the entertainment business."

"He knows a lot of history of the river and the characters who lived on it, and he tells it in a way very few people can," said Margaret Bradford, friend of the couple. "And he has that drawl."

Mayfield said people in the South had to talk slowly because it was so hot and humid, as he launched into a story (shortened here for space purposes):

It was 110 degrees on the lower Rogue, he was rowing the baggage raft, wearing a red sweatshirt with a hood (he doesn't trust sunscreen) that he'd wet down to stay cool.

A bedraggled hummingbird stopped and licked his sleeve to hydrate, then "fluttered up and stuck his tongue right up my big nose," Mayfield said. "I think he thought I was a big red flower."
Mayfield said his mom told the best stories back in Childersburg, Ala., where Ferron had four brothers and sisters.

Older brother Darryl heard about the Rogue River when he ran into some Grants Pass folks while watching daredevil Evel Knievel's attempt to jump the Snake River in 1974.

"They said, 'People pay you to take them down the river,'" Mayfield said. "What a novel concept for a country boy from Alabama."

Darryl came out first, and Ferron followed, working summers before moving for good in 1977 and working for Bryce Whitmore and Wilderness Waterways.

"It was serf labor in the early days," he said. "The outfitters liked to pay you at the end of the season. If you loved the river enough you put up with it."

He spent his life savings, $2,000, on a mining claim as he and a few cohorts mined gold in the winter on Galice Creek, before, "The government persuaded me to give it up."
"The feds claimed we were just dirty squatters. I knew that wasn't true."

Mayfield said at a guides convention in Eugene in 1981, a BLM employee "was kind enough to explain it to this country boy."

"We've got all the money and lawyers in the world and we're out to get your ass," Mayfield recalled him saying.

"It turns out I was playin' without payin'. So I gave up gold mining."

Mayfield, divorced from his first wife, fell in love with Orris after they'd worked together for a few summers on the river. Orris, head of Rogue Community College's counseling department, handles the books and other business details for the business.

"I'd be lost without her," Mayfield said. "We're an odd couple. She's the Jewish girl from Boston, and I'm the country bumpkin from Alabama."

"Most people don't realize how intelligent he is," Orris said of Mayfield, an avid reader and world traveler. "He's amazing. He's a true Southern gentleman. We would get off exhausting days on the river and he'd help people carry bags to the campsite."

Above all, they have fun. Just listen to their answering machine:

"This is Ferron and Sue, and Ferron's Fun Trips. We're out having fun."

Ferron and Sue also sleep above the boat shed, in an outdoor bedroom.

Mayfield often takes his dogs Junior and Pupeye down the river, and customers are allowed to bring pets. That landed him a spot on the TV show "Animal Planet" a few years back.

He even took a cat and some kittens for a family on a half-day trip. Turns out the cats were the children's security blanket, following their mother's recent death from cancer.

Another family brought a parrot a few weeks ago.

"It added a real pirate theme to the thing," Mayfield said.

Every time Mayfield goes by Rainie Falls, he throws a flower in the river for Darryl, who drowned there in 1982. Darryl took off his lifejacket and dove in after a loose gear bag below the Middle Chute, Mayfield said. He was 37. Mayfield still uses his brother's drift boat. Mayfield was fishing in Alaska at the time of Darryl's death, earning enough money to put a down payment on his property.

Ferron Mayfield, the quintessential free spirit, can reflect on 30 years of fun on the Rogue River.

"America is more of a free country than people take advantage of," he said. "A lot of people do what's easy, or what their parents did. Others do stuff they're fascinated with. You end up working a lot of your life. It's best to at least halfway enjoy your work."

Fishing On The Rogue River

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The Rogue River is an amazing sport fishery for salmon and steelhead, having over 215 miles of fishable water. The Rogue River is floatable for drift boat fishing from the hatchery at Lost Creek Lake to the Pacific Ocean. This page will focus on fishing the lower Rogue from Grants Pass to Gold Beach. Every day you spend fishing on the Rogue River presents incredible scenic beauty, great whitewater thrills and a chance of chasing the wily Rogue River salmon or steelhead.

The Rogue River is fishable year around with a variety of anadromous fish charging up stream out of the Pacific. The year of angling begins with the winter steelhead run that peaks around March. Most anglers targeting this run need to be ready for foul weather, however, the reward can be some much bigger fish. Most fish during the winter steelhead season weigh between 10 and 16 pounds.

Spring kicks off with the first run of salmon which many folks call "springers". The "springers" are the most aggressive fighting salmon in the river, exhibiting tail dances and many powerful runs. The peak season for the "springer" in the Grants Pass area is the month of May. In pursuit of these tenacious fish it is recommended that you check the river flows and temperature in preparation for productive angling in the first few hours of daylight.

Late August through November is the main event for Rogue River fishing. As the hot days of summer start to cool, the big fall run of Chinook salmon begin to enter the lower Rogue Canyon. The fall Chinook can weigh as much as 71.5 lbs. (The record salmon was caught by Grant Martinsen of Grants Pass in 2002). The Chinook average 20 to 40 lbs. These salmon tend to have a more predictable bite but not as big a fight as their spring time counterparts.

Most anglers target salmon until mid September when the fall steelhead arrive. These ocean going rainbow trout are the beauties of the Rogue fishery, with their bright vibrant colors, fresh from the saltwater and a "freight train attitude." The steelhead has more fight per pound of any fish in the Rogue with incredible aerial displays on almost every fish hooked up. The fall fishing on the Rogue is truly unique in late October when Coho Salmon arrive, presenting the opportunity to target many different species in a multi-day outing and sometimes even in the same day.

Hellgate Recreation Area

The Hellgate Recreation area begins at the mouth of the Applegate River, about 7 miles west of Grants Pass, Oregon. The area features 27 miles of class I and II rapids, 11 boat access facilities, 4 campgrounds, and numerous undeveloped sites to fish, swim, picnic, camp, sunbathe, bird watch, photograph nature, and generally enjoy the river the way you choose. Grave Creek marks the end of the Hellgate Recreation Area of the Rogue River and the beginning of the Wild Rogue.

In the Hellgate Recreation Area the Rogue River begins relatively wide and slow, moving through agricultural fields, foothills, and a lot of private property interspersed with public land. As you float downriver the canyon gets progressively deeper and rockier and you get a sense of leaving civilization behind even though a road is always within a quarter mile of the river's edge. That sense of leaving civilization is a reality as the amount of pubic land surrounding the river increases, human development decreases, nature takes over, and your opportunity to get food, water, gas, medical assistance, and a nice warm bed diminishes. Hot summer weekend days the crowds boating this section of river are at a peak. Some people have said it is like being at Disneyland, but everyone usually has a smile on their face. The river is beautiful and fun!

There are no limits on the number of people, no fees, and no permits required for private use of the river and public lands in the Hellgate Recreation area. There is a 14 day camping limit on all public lands. There are many businesses offering guided river trips, shuttle services, equipment rental, lodging, and supplies to assist you in your visit to the Rogue. River guide businesses are required to have a BLM special recreation permit and state guide license to operate.

Common use of the Hellgate Recreation Area includes whitewater rafting, drift boat fishing, bank fishing, commercial jetboating, camping, scenic driving, swimming, picnicking, and sun bathing. The river is most often floated in a day, but overnight trips are possible. The first 14 miles of this section of river has a lot of private land along its banks, so the public is asked to be courteous and respect private property.

There are 4 developed campgrounds, operated by Josephine County Parks, on this 27 mile stretch of river. Camping is also allowed on undeveloped public land along the Rogue between Hog Creek and Grave Creek. Because of the large amount of private property between the mouth of the Applegate River and Hog Creek, camping is not allowed along this stretch of river, except in the developed campgrounds.

Wildlife along the Rogue River

The Rogue River boasts an abundant variety of wildlife. Given its rugged terrain and lush vegetation it is a natural habitat for many animals that have thrived in this river corridor for millions of years, undisturbed by urban development or large human populations. Since 1968, the lower Rogue has been protected by the Federal Government's Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Today visitors to the Rogue River are often lured by the opportunity to see black bears, bald eagles, salmon and river otters. Other animals that are often seen on the Rogue include Osprey, deer, geese, vultures, Great Blue Herons as well as a wide variety of ducks. Less common sightings include rattlesnakes, beavers, mink, newts, gray foxes, and mountain lions.

The black bear is the smallest of the three bears species found in North America. Their current range is restricted to relatively undisturbed forested regions, like the Rogue River. Though they generally have shaggy black hair, the coat can vary in color from chocolate-brown to cinnamon to blond. Oregon is home to about 25,000 to 30,000, (the most of any state in the lower forty-eight) with most of these bears inhabiting southern Oregon. They have an excellent sense of smell but poor eyesight.

The black bear is an omnivore and will eat herbs, nuts, berries, salmon, crayfish and trout and will seek out food within orchards, beehives and agricultural croplands. They may scavenge garbage dumps or trash bins of businesses, homes or campsites. They seldom attack humans unless cornered, threatened, or wounded. They are less likely to attack humans than grizzly bears and typically flee for cover as soon as they identify a human visitor. They can live 20-25 years in the wild, but average around 10.

Salmon

There are two types of salmon that spawn in the Rogue River, the Chinook (or King) and the Coho. An easy way to tell the difference between Coho and Chinook is that the Coho develop hooked jaws and teeth and have a pronounced red color to them. A spectacular sight on the Rogue is to see the salmon congregating at the mouths of side streams and creeks to take advantage of the cool water coming in.

There are two runs each year, one in the spring and one the fall. The salmon travel up to 150 miles upstream to reach their spawning grounds and can be seen trying to jump up Raine Falls during the fall run in late August. Once the salmon enter the river to spawn they no longer feed, but are very aggressive and strike at objects, which is how they are caught by anglers. In the fall of 2002 a world fly-fishing record was broken when a 71.5 lb. Chinook Salmon was caught at the mouth of the Rogue in Gold Beach by Grant Martinsen.

Rep. DeFazio and Sen. Wyden Introduce New Legislation to Protect the Rogue

American Rivers today applauded Representative Peter DeFazio and Senator Wyden for introducing legislation that would designate 40 Rogue River tributaries as Wild and Scenic Rivers. The legislation, known as H.R. 2890/S. 1271, would protect 143 river miles and over 78,000 acres of riverside land.

The Wild Rogue is among the nation’s most iconic wild rivers. It was one of the original rivers designated under the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the Rogue remains a world-class whitewater rafting destination. The river and its tributaries are also home to the second largest runs of salmon and steelhead in Oregon (outside of the Columbia River system). These runs are the cornerstone of multi-million dollar fishing industries in the region. A recent economic study by ECONorthwest determined that Rogue River recreation annually generates $30 million to the state of Oregon, including 445 jobs. Another study by ECONorthwest found that the salmon runs of the Rogue provide more than $1.5 billion in economic benefits to West Coast residents each year, including the sport and commercial fishing industries and the overall quality of life in the area.

However, many of the Rogue’s significant fish-bearing tributaries are threatened by clear-cut logging, road building and illegal mining, and these impacts are also felt by communities and businesses which rely on the health of the river. Due to these threats, the Rogue was listed in America’s Most Endangered Rivers: 2008 Edition, and American Rivers has been working with a large coalition of over 70 business supporters and local partners as part of the Save the Wild Rogue campaign to permanently protect these tributaries through both Wild and Scenic and wilderness protections.

“Representative DeFazio and Senator Wyden have done a great service to the people of Oregon by introducing this Wild and Scenic legislation,” said Kavita Heyn, Associate Director of Oregon Conservation Programs at American Rivers. “Not only is the Rogue River an important resource that can help us adapt to climate change, it also fuels the state’s economy by offering unparalleled recreational experiences and economically important resources. We thank Rep. DeFazio and Sen. Wyden for being champions for this natural Oregon treasure. The Save the Wild Rogue campaign also hopes that they will also introduce 60,000 acres of wilderness protection which are necessaryto ensure that threats to the Rogue’s fish-bearing streams are minimized.”

A Wild and Scenic designation protects the land along both sides of a river, blocks dams and other harmful water projects, and preserves a river's free-flowing nature. It also helps protect and improve water quality, as well as the river's unique historic, cultural, scenic, ecological, and recreational values. Designation can also bring economic benefits to the surrounding region as well by supporting recreation and tourism and increasing the quality of life.

There are more Wild and Scenic Rivers in Oregon (59) than in any other state in the nation. In March, thanks to the efforts of American Rivers and our partners, President Obama signed the second largest Wild and Scenic Rivers package in history into law, protecting more than 90 new river miles in Oregon, bringing the nationwide total of Wild and Scenic Rivers to 252.

Course Of The Rogue River

The Rogue River begins at Boundary Springs on the border between Klamath and Douglas counties near the northern edge of Crater Lake National Park. Although it changes direction many times, it flows generally west for 215 miles (346 km) from the Cascade Range through the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest and the Klamath Mountains to the Pacific Ocean at Gold Beach Communities along its course include Union Creek , Prospect , Trail , Shady Cove , Gold Hill, and Rogue River , all in Jackson County ; Grants Pass , and Galice in Josephine County ,and Agness , Wedderburn and Gold Beach in Curry County . Significant tributaries include the South Fork Rogue River, Elk Creek , Bear Creek, the Applegate River , and the Illinois River . Arising at 5,320 feet (1,622 m) above sea level , the river loses more than 1 mile (1.6 km) in elevation by the time it reaches the Pacific.

It was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, which included 84 miles (135 km) of the Rogue, from 7 miles (11.3 km) west of Grants Pass to 11 miles (18 km) east of Gold Beach . In 1988, an additional 40 miles (64 km) of the Rogue between Crater Lake National Park and the unincorporated community of Prospect was named Wild and Scenic. Of the river's total length, 124 miles (200 km), about 58 percent is Wild and Scenic.The Rogue is one of only three rivers that start in or east of the Cascade Range in Oregon and reach the Pacific Ocean.The others are the Umpqua River and Klamath River . These three Southern Oregon rivers drain the mountains south of the Willamette Valley . The Willamette River and its tributaries drain north into the Columbia River ,which starts in British Columbia rather than Oregon.

History Of The Rogue River

The Rogue River in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Oregon flows about 215 miles (346 km) from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers included in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. Many public parks, hiking trails, campgrounds, and boat launches lie along or near the river, which flows largely through national forest lands.

People have lived along the main stem and its tributaries for at least 8,500 years. European explorers made first contact with the native people toward the end of the 18th century and soon began beaver trapping and other activity in the region. Clashes, sometimes deadly, occurred between the natives and the trappers. More intense and frequent clashes with European-American miners and settlers in the late 1840s and early 1850s led to a series of treaties that expanded white control of the land and restricted movement of native groups like the Takelma. The short intervals of relative peace stemming from these treaties did not last and led to the Rogue River Wars of 1855-56, at the end of which nearly all the natives in the Rogue River basin were removed to reservations well north of their homeland. After the war, settlers built cabins and established small farms along the Rogue River Canyon. They were relatively isolated from the outside world until 1895, when the Post Office Department added mail-boat service along the lower Rogue. As of 2009, it is one of the two remaining rural mail-boat routes in the United States.

Although the Rogue River supports large runs of sea-going fish such as salmon, their migration was blocked or partly blocked in the 20th century by five dams on the river's middle and upper reaches as well as dams on tributaries. Dam removal in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has generated controversy in part because the dams are used to generate electricity, to control stream flow and reduce flooding, to impound lakes for recreation, and to divert water for irrigation and other purposes. As of 2009, compromises had led to removal or planned removal of three of the downstream dams as well as removal of a partly-completed dam on a major tributary.