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Spring, along with the accompanying nice weather, has arrived. And with it, comes a new set of angling opportunities. As the number of storms begin to decrease, we’ll begin to see some much-improved ocean conditions. With that, anglers will head to the jetties and beaches in search of rockfish and redtail perch. The California halibut fishery will also begin to take off, especially once the influx of freshwater into Humboldt Bay subsides. The same can be said for those in search of Dungeness crab in the bay. The lagoons, including Big, Stone and Freshwater, will also come into play. Both Big and Stone lagoons broke open numerous times this winter and should be full of trout and steelhead. Spring is also the time for salmon. The lower Rogue is one of the best fisheries on the coast for springers, and it’s been kicking out some large kings for weeks. The Klamath River’s spring-run fisheries fate will be decided in the next couple of weeks by the California Fish and Game Commission. And let’s not forget the nearshore rockfish and Pacific halibut seasons, both kicking off May 1. It’s been a very wet and long winter, but plenty of spring angling options are right around the corner.

Weekend marine forecast
Friday’s ocean forecast is looking plenty fishable, but winds will begin to increase through the weekend. As of Thursday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for winds out of the northwest up to 5 knots with northwest waves 4 feet at eight seconds and southwest 2 feet at 16 seconds. Saturday, winds will be out of the northwest 10 to 20 knots with northwest waves 6 feet at eight seconds and southwest 2 feet at 16 seconds. Sunday, winds will be 10 to 20 knots out of the north with northwest waves 10 feet at 12 seconds and southwest 2 feet at 17 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or https://www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor Classes April 19-20
Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) is conducting a Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor class in Eureka, CA. This course is offered at a reduced cost to commercial fishermen thanks to support from NIOSH, the U.S. Coast Guard, and AMSEA members. Classes will be held April 16-17, 2024 at the Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, # 2 Commercial St. Eureka, CA 95501. Hours are: 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April 16th, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. April 17th. Cost is free for Commercial Fishermen, $225 for all others. The class will cover these topics: cold-water survival skills, EPIRBs, signal flares, and MAYDAY calls, man overboard recovery, firefighting, flooding & damage control, dewatering pumps, immersion suits and PFDs, abandon ship procedures, helicopter rescue, life rafts, emergency procedures drills, and in-the-water skills practice. This course meets the US Coast Guard training requirements for drill conductors on commercial fishing vessels, 46 CFR 28.270(c). Register online at www.amsea.org or call (907) 747-3287.

Increased flows down the Trinity begin April 16
The April B-120 water year determination has been posted as “wet” with predicted inflow of 1,610,000 acre-feet into Trinity and Lewiston Reservoirs. A wet year requires 701,000 acre-feet to be released to the river for restoration purposes, out of an estimated inflow between 1,350 and 1,999 million acre-feet. This year’s recommended flows are scheduled to begin April 16, 2024. Flows will peak at 8,500 cubic feet per second on April 24 with a slow descend to maximize riparian habitat and vegetation objectives.

Visitors near or on the river can expect river levels to increase during the flow releases and should take appropriate safety precautions.

Landowners are advised to clear personal items from the floodplain prior to the releases. An up-to-date daily schedule of flow releases is available at the program’s website www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/. The public may subscribe to automated notifications of Trinity River release changes (via phone or email) at www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/flow-release-notifications/

Upcoming kids fishing derbies

On Saturday, May 18, 2024 all kids 15 years old and younger are invited to the Ruth Lake Marina for the Kids Free Fishing Derby. The event will be from 8 a.m. until noon. Kids must bring their own fishing poles and must be accompanied by an adult. There will be a hot dog feed at noon. For more information, call the Ruth Lake Community Services District at 707-574-6332 or visit https://www.ruthlakecsd.org/local-events/

On Saturday, May 18, 2023, all kids age 4 to 15 are invited to the Carrville Dredger Pond for the 50th annual Trinity Lake Lions Fish Derby. The pond is located five miles north of the Trinity Center. Registration is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The fishing derby will last until 11 a.m. Free fishing tackle will be provided to the first 100 kids registered. Kids must bring their own fishing poles, and only bait will be allowed. Prizes will be awarded in many categories, along with a grand prize.  Free hot dogs, chips and drinks for everyone. For more information, call Scott at 408-401-8333.

The Rivers:
Reminder: The South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mattole, Mad, Redwood Creek and the Chetco all closed to fishing March 31.

Main stem Eel
The main stem is dropping into shape. As of Thursday, it was running at 7,800 cubic feet per second at the Scotia gauge and should be down to 6,000 cfs by mid next week. It will need to get down close to 5,000 cfs before it’s fishable. The main stem Eel, from its mouth to the South Fork is open to fishing all year. From April 1 through Sept. 30, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used.

Smith River
The Smith is low and clear at 7.4 feet at the Jed Smith gauge as of Thursday, and dropping. Fishing pressure has been light and not a lot of reports of fish being caught. The main stem of the Smith will remain open through the end of April from its mouth to the confluence with the Middle and South Forks. The Middle Fork will also remain open through April from its mouth to Patrick’s Creek. The South Fork is open through April as well, from its mouth upstream approximately 1,000 feet to the County Road (George Tryon) bridge and Craig’s Creek to Jones Creek.

Lower Rogue
According to Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing, spring salmon are being caught in good numbers on the lower Rogue, but there are lots of boats and hit-and-miss action. “Schools are entering the river daily, with plenty of hatchery springers,” said Martin. “The second half of April is generally peak season. Anchovies and spinner blades are working best. 

Brookings ocean update
“Lingcod and rockfish action has been good out of Brookings on calm weather days, and this weekend looks especially nice, with light winds and swells down to 2 feet on Friday and Saturday,” said Martin. “The best fishing has been from Bird Island north. Surfperch action also has been very good.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

At the March Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting, the Council voted on and approved three alternatives for ocean salmon fisheries along the California coast for 2024. Alternatives one and two lay out severely abbreviated seasons with strict harvest limits for commercial and recreational salmon fishing. Alternative three, if selected, would shut down the salmon season for the second straight year. After reviewing and commenting publicly on the options, sport anglers had some hope of a salmon season, albeit a short one.

That hope was quickly dashed. After pouring over the data and models at the current PFMC meeting being help in Seattle, the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Director Chuck Bonham did the right thing and recommended the Council via a signed letter to close ocean salmon fisheries on the California coast to minimize impacts to Sacramento and Klamath origin Chinook salmon stocks.

Without any fishing in ocean fisheries South of Cape Falcon or inland in the Central Valley, returns of Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon are projected to be 213,600, which is slightly above the 2024 conservation objective and guidance provided by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of 180,000 salmon. However, this is still well below the historic average.

Still to be determined: The fate of the inland Central Valley fall Chinook fishery and the Klamath River fall and spring-run Chinook seasons. At the April 17-18 California Fish and Game Commission meeting, season proposals will be heard from California Fish and Wildlife staff. These proposals will be decided upon at the May 15 California Fish and Game Commission meeting.

Marine forecast
Ocean conditions are looking good for Friday, but winds will pick up through the weekend. Friday is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots and northwest waves 4 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday is calling for winds out of the north 10 to 20 knots with north waves 9 feet at seven seconds. Sunday is looking a little worse with winds out of the north 10 to 20 knots and waves north 6 feet at seven seconds. Conditions can and will change prior to the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com/. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Upcoming events

Shelter Cove crab feed coming Saturday
Shelter Cove Fishing Preservation will be holding its Fourth annual crab feed fundraiser dinner and silent auction Saturday, April 13 at the Community Center/Club House in Shelter Cove. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased at the launch office. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/scfpinc.

Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor Classes April 19-20
Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) is conducting a Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor class in Eureka, CA. This course is offered at a reduced cost to commercial fishermen thanks to support from NIOSH, the U.S. Coast Guard, and AMSEA members. Classes will be held April 16-17, 2024 at the Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, # 2 Commercial St. Eureka, CA 95501. Hours are: 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April 16th, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. April 17th. Cost is free for Commercial Fishermen, $225 for all others. The class will cover these topics: cold-water survival skills, EPIRBs, signal flares, and MAYDAY calls, man overboard recovery, firefighting, flooding & damage control, dewatering pumps, immersion suits and PFDs, abandon ship procedures, helicopter rescue, life rafts, emergency procedures drills, and in-the-water skills practice. This course meets the US Coast Guard training requirements for drill conductors on commercial fishing vessels, 46 CFR 28.270(c). Register online at www.amsea.org or call (907) 747-3287.

“Wet” year designation for Trinity River
The April B-120 water year determination has been posted as “wet” with predicted inflow of 1,610,000 acre-feet into Trinity and Lewiston Reservoirs. A wet year requires 701,000 acre-feet to be released to the river for restoration purposes, out of an estimated inflow between 1,350 and 1,999 million acre-feet. This year’s recommended flows are scheduled to begin April 16, 2024. Flows will peak at 8,500 cubic feet per second on April 24 with a slow descend to maximize riparian habitat and vegetation objectives.
Visitors near or on the river can expect river levels to increase during the flow releases and should take appropriate safety precautions.
Landowners are advised to clear personal items from the floodplain prior to the releases. An up-to-date daily schedule of flow releases is available at the program’s website www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/. The public may subscribe to automated notifications of Trinity River release changes (via phone or email) at www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/flow-release-notifications/

The Rivers:
Reminder: The South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mattole, Mad, Redwood Creek and the Chetco all closed to fishing March 31.

Eel (main stem)
The main stem Eel is still big, but the color is coming around. It’s on a slow decent, but snowmelt is keeping it on the high side. Rain starting Friday will keep flows right around 7,000 cfs on the Scotia gauge through the weekend and likely into next week. It will need probably about 10 days of dry weather before it drops to a fishable level. The main stem Eel to the South Fork is open all year. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used from April 1 through Sept. 30.

Smith River
The Smith is currently running low and clear, with flows right around 2,900 cfs on the Jed Smith gauge as of Wednesday. It will continue to drop slowly through the weekend as the light rain in the forecast isn’t expected to increase flows. Fishing pressure continues to be light. The main stem of the Smith will remain open through the end of April from its mouth to the confluence with the Middle and South Forks. The Middle Fork will also remain open through April from its mouth to Patrick’s Creek. The South Fork is open through April, as well, from its mouth upstream approximately 1,000 feet to the County Road (George Tryon) bridge and Craig’s Creek to Jones Creek.

Lower Rogue
“Spring salmon fishing was fair on the lower Rogue River this week, as a mix of hatchery and wild kings move in from the ocean,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Big tides this week could giving fishing a boost, as river conditions are prime. The springer run is off to a better-than-average start, with a large percentage of hatchery fish.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, the ocean salmon season out of Brookings will run May 16-Aug. 31. “Halibut season opens May 1. Lingcod and rockfish action has been good on calm weather days out of Brookings. Surfperch fishing is excellent at Lone Ranch and Chetco Point.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

The statewide rockfish season opened April 1, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any type of announcement. Because the month of April is only open beyond the 50-fathom line, this falls under federal jurisdiction. Hence, the only notification that went to the public came from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And if you’re not signed up to receive email notifications or you don’t routinely check their website, you’re likely in the dark like most anglers. How it went down: Early Monday morning NOAA, along with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) sent out an email announcing an in-season adjustment to manage commercial and recreational groundfish fisheries. The intent of this action is to allow fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting rebuilding stocks like Quillback rockfish. This action went into effect April 1, 2024.

Along these same federal lines, NOAA and NMFS took emergency action, modifying a continuous transit requirement for CA recreational vessels. This modification will temporarily allow recreational vessels to anchor overnight and/or stop to fish for non-groundfish species inside the seasonal Recreational Rockfish Conservation Area off the coast of California, also known as the 50-fathom (91-meter) offshore fishery. This emergency measure allows boats to travel through state waters with rockfish on board and will prevent the possible cancellation of thousands of recreational fishing trips during the 2024 recreational fishing season off California.

What all this federal jargon means is it’s time to go fishing. In Northern Management Area, which runs from the California-Oregon border to Cape Mendocino (40°10′ N. latitude), the season is open for an ‘offshore only fishery’ through April 30. Fishing for groundfish will only be allowed seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line, and only shelf rockfish, slope rockfish and lingcod may be retained. Take and possession of nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenling are prohibited during the offshore fishery.

The state-run nearshore fishery is expected to open May 1 and run through Sept. 30.

Marine forecast
Offshore ocean conditions aren’t looking great for Friday, but the weekend looks a little better. Friday is calling for northwest winds 10 to 20 knots and northwest waves 14 feet at 12 seconds. Saturday is calling for winds out of the south 10 to 15 knots with northwest waves 6 feet at nine seconds and northwest 3 feet at 17 seconds. The wind will decrease slightly Sunday, coming out of the north 5 to 15 knots. Waves will be from the northwest 4 feet at five seconds and northwest 7 feet at 14 seconds. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com/. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Upcoming events
Bass Tourney coming to Ruth Lake April 6
The Alderpoint Volunteer Fire Department is hosting the Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Bass Tournament on Saturday April 6th at Ruth Lake. Check in is Friday night between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. or Saturday morning between 4 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. This is a catch and release tournament with a 13-inch minimum length. Blast off is 6 a.m. or at first safe light. For more information, call Thomas Bruce at 707-223-6258 or Roger Coleman Jr. at 707-223-3858.

PFMC meeting in April regarding salmon season alternatives
At their April 6-11 meeting in Seattle, the Council will adopt final regulatory measures for analysis by the Salmon Technical Team (STT). Final adoption of recommendations to the National Marine Fisheries Service will also occur and is tentatively scheduled for April 11. Preseason Report III: Council-Adopted Management Measures and Environmental Assessment Part 3 for 2024 Ocean Salmon Fishery Regulations will be available online in late April at www.pcouncil.org. Public written comments can be made on the PFMC e-portal for Agenda Items E2 and E6 regarding the Salmon Season Alternatives (1, 2, or 3-closure) at https://pfmc.psmfc.org/Meeting/Details/3041

Shelter Cove crab feed coming April 13
Shelter Cove Fishing Preservation will be holding its Fourth annual crab feed fundraiser dinner and silent auction Saturday, April 13 at the Community Center/Club House in Shelter Cove. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased at the launch office. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/scfpinc.

The Rivers:
Reminder: The South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mattole, Mad, Redwood Creek and the Chetco all closed to fishing March 31.

Eel (main stem)
The main stem Eel is back on a slow decent after a small rise early Thursday morning. Flows were around 13,000 cubic feet per second on the Scotia gauge and dropping. Needless to say, it remains high and off color. It will need up to 10 days of dry weather before it drops to a fishable level. The main stem Eel to the South Fork is open all year. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used from April 1 through Sept. 30.

Smith River
Last week’s storm pushed the Smith up and over 13 feet on the Jed Smith gauge. It was back in prime condition by Monday and should remain that way through the weekend. The latest rise should flush some of the last spawned-out steelhead downriver and could bring in a few fresh ones. The main stem of the Smith will remain open through the end of April from its mouth to the confluence with the Middle and South Forks. The Middle Fork will also remain open through April from its mouth to Patrick’s Creek. The South Fork is open through April, as well, from its mouth upstream approximately 1,000 feet to the County Road (George Tryon) bridge and Craig’s Creek to Jones Creek.

Southern Oregon rivers
“The Chetco closed for the season on Sunday, bringing to an end a steelhead run that was plagued with high water and non-stop rain,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “The run was large on the Chetco, with good spawning escapement, but slower-than-normal fishing because the river was blown out more than it was fishable. Attention now shifts fully to the Rogue, where spring salmon season is off to a great start. Plenty of hatchery springers and lots of wild salmon are showing in the catch. Conditions should be prime this weekend for boaters anchoring and fishing anchovies with spinner blades.”

Brookings ocean update
Lingcod and rockfish action is good out of Brookings when the weather cooperates reports Martin. “Lingcod are in shallow water spawning. Surfperch action has been excellent at the north jetty, Chetco Point and Lone Ranch. Pacific halibut season opens May 1. The ocean salmon season is expected run late May through August out of Brookings, with a two-fish daily limit for kings or hatchery coho. Final season dates will be approved at this weekend’s PFMC meeting in Seattle.

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

The California Fish and Game Commission unanimously approved changes to the 2024 groundfish season opening dates, fishing depths and bag limits in a press release issued Wednesday. The 2024 groundfish seasons are expected to be reviewed and approved by the Office of Administrative Law and take effect in state waters in early April. The Commission and California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff have worked diligently to expedite the adoption of state regulations to allow boat-based anglers to get on the water beginning in April. Until the 2024 regulations are approved, the 2023 regulations remain in effect.

Once the regulations become effective, CDFW’s Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations web page will be updated with 2024 regulations. Before fishing, anglers should refer to this web page for the season openings and other regulatory information.

Press release from CDFW:

In 2023, most groundfish seasons offshore of California were cut due to exceeding federal catch limits on quillback rockfish, a now federally-declared overfished species. The new changes provide additional fishing opportunities compared to 2023, but come with new requirements that anglers need to be aware of. The new regulations are anticipated to be effective in early April.

The measures adopted by the Commission will work in combination with regulations for federal waters and serve to largely avoid quillback rockfish in their primary depth range between 20 fathoms (120 feet) and 50 fathoms (300 feet) off the coast of northern and central California. One key element of the new regulations is the availability of new waypoints that define a 20-fathom boundary line, which allows fishing to occur only shoreward of this line. Within several groundfish management areas (GMAs), a 20-fathom or 50-fathom ‘Inshore Fishery’ will take place during the 2024 season, allowing opportunities to retain nearshore, shelf and slope rockfish, lingcod, cabezon and greenling.

Alternatively, during months when there is an ‘offshore only fishery’, fishing for groundfish will only be allowed seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line, and only shelf rockfish, slope rockfish and lingcod may be retained. Take and possession of nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenling are prohibited during the offshore fishery.

Divers and shore-based anglers will continue to be exempt from boat-based season restrictions affecting rockfish and other federally managed groundfish, which allows for year-round diving and shore-based angling, in line with current regulations.

The Commission also approved a requirement that a descending device be carried aboard and available for immediate use on any vessel taking or possessing any species of federal groundfish. Descending devices are used to send fish back to the depth from which they were taken resulting in considerably higher survival rates for rockfish suffering barotrauma compared to being released at the water’s surface. Members of the public, along with representatives of recreational fishing organizations, have recently advocated for a descending device requirement in order to improve survivorship of released fish.

Another key element of the new regulations is the division of the central GMA at 36º N. latitude (near Point Lopez). This split provides opportunities to anglers in areas south of 36º N. latitude which historically have little to no catch of quillback rockfish.

To protect vermilion rockfish, another species for which catches have exceeded allowable federal harvest limits in recent years, the sub-limit will be reduced to two fish within the Rockfish, Cabezon and Greenling complex 10-fish limit, in the Mendocino, San Francisco, central and southern GMAs. The vermilion rockfish 4-fish sub-limit will remain for the northern GMA.

All recreational GMAs in California are scheduled for six months of all-depth or inshore fishing opportunity in 2024. A summary of the 2024 seasons for each GMA approved by the Commission is provided below.

• Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco and Central GMA North of 36º N. Latitude:
  • Jan. 1- Mar. 31: Closed
  • Apr. 1 – Apr. 30: 50 fathoms offshore only fishery
  • May 1 – Sept. 30: 20 fathoms inshore fishery
  • Oct. 1 – Oct. 31: 50 fathoms offshore only fishery
  • Nov. 1 – Nov. 30: 20 fathoms inshore only fishery
  • Dec. 1 – Dec. 31: 50 fathoms offshore only fishery

More information can be found here.

PFMC meeting in April regarding salmon season alternatives
At their April 6-11 meeting in Seattle, the Council will adopt final regulatory measures for analysis by the Salmon Technical Team (STT). Final adoption of recommendations to the National Marine Fisheries Service will also occur and is tentatively scheduled for April 11. Preseason Report III: Council-Adopted Management Measures and Environmental Assessment Part 3 for 2024 Ocean Salmon Fishery Regulations will be available online in late April at www.pcouncil.org. Public written comments can be made on the PFMC e-portal for Agenda Items E2 and E6 regarding the Salmon Season Alternatives (1, 2, or 3-closure) at https://pfmc.psmfc.org/Meeting/Details/3041

Englund Marine saltwater seminar coming March 30
This Saturday March 30, Eureka’s Englund Marine and HASA will host a saltwater seminar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Englund Marine store located at 590 W. Waterfront Dr. Guest speakers include Charles Loos, who will speak on bar crossing basics. Travis Chambers of Time and Tide Marine will speak on engine maintenance. Tim Klassen will talk about anchor fishing for Pacific halibut in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Del Stephens is back in Humboldt and will explain deep-water lingcod, Albacore and Bluefin tuna techniques. Raffles will be held in between speakers. For more information, visit https://www.englundmarine.com/pages/seminars.html.

Steelhead rivers openings/closures
After Sunday, March 31, the South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mattole, Mad, Redwood Creek, Mattole and Chetco rivers will all be closed to fishing. The main stem Eel, from its mouth to the South Fork, is open to fishing all year.

From the mouth to Fulmor Road, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used from April 1 through Friday, May 24, 2024. Only barbless hooks may be used from May 25 through Mar. 31, 2025.

From Fulmor Road to the South Fork, it’s open all year. From April 1 through Sept. 30, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. Only barbless hooks may be used from Oct. 1 through Mar. 31, 2025.

The main stem of the Smith will remain open through the end of April from its mouth to the confluence with the Middle and South forks.

The Middle Fork will also remain open through April from its mouth to Patrick’s Creek.

The South Fork is open through April as well, from its mouth upstream approximately 1,000 feet to the County Road (George Tryon) bridge and Craig’s Creek to Jones Creek. Only barbless hooks may be used from Sept. 1 through Apr. 30. The bag limit remains the same at two hatchery steelhead per day.

Sections of the Klamath and Trinity rivers are open to fishing but are subject to in-season changes. For more information, visit nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=209090&inline.

Eel River steelhead returns
For the week ending March 17, a total of 15 adult steelhead (female 7, male 5, unknown 3) were observed migrating upstream through the VAFS fishway according to Andrew Anderson, an Aquatic Biologist with PG&E. This brings the season total to date for adult upstream migrating adult steelhead to 191 (female 90, male 70, unknown 31) and 33 subadults for a total of 224. This count doesn’t reflect the entire population; it only includes the fish who travel over 150 miles to make it to the fish ladder at Cape Horn Dam. Many salmonids spawn in tributaries downstream. For more information, visit www.eelriver.org/the-eel-river/fish-count/.

The Rivers:
Mad, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen and Redwood Creek
All have just peaked and are dropping, but won’t be in fishable shape prior to the season closing after Sunday, March 31.

Main stem Eel
The main Eel is high and dirty and back on the rise. It’s predicted to reach 37,700 cubic feet per second Thursday evening. It will take at least a couple weeks of dry weather to drop it back into fishable shape. It starts to fish once it drops to right around 5,000 cfs.

Smith
The Smith will be blown out for a couple days but should be back into fishable shape by the weekend. Flows should be right around 8,750 cfs (10.9 feet) at the Jed Smith gauge Saturday morning.

Southern Oregon rivers
Steelhead season is coming to a close on the Chetco with high water, something anglers were forced to deal with since January reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “The river was closing in on 4,000 cfs Tuesday evening, but expected to blow out again with rain mid-week,” said Martin. “Steelhead fishing closes March 31. Most Southern Oregon anglers have switched gears to springer fishing on the Rogue, where fishing is off to a good start. Guides averaged a fish or two a boat last week, but catches dropped the first part of this week because of high flows. Expect good conditions this weekend. Anchoring with anchovies and spinner blades is the best bet.”

Brookings ocean report
According to Martin, lingcod and rockfish action has been good out of Brookings. Stormy weather is expected Wednesday through Friday, and winds could make fishing tough this weekend. A few salmon are being caught by bottom fish anglers, a good sign for later this summer. Ocean salmon seasons will be finalized in early April, but a late-May through August chinook season is expected out of Brookings.

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

As if we haven’t had enough rain this winter, another potent storm is about to take aim at the North Coast. From the South Fork Eel north to the Smith, we’re looking at anywhere from 2 to 3 inches of rain combined with snowmelt to impact the rivers. All of the rivers will see a substantial rise in flows, turning green water to brown. With the final week of the season right around the corner, and more rain on tap next week, it’s likely the South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mattole and Redwood Creek, won’t recover prior to closing. The Smith will remain open through April, and the main stem Eel is open year-round. It would be nice to get a few more days on the river, but I’m not holding my breath.

While these extremely wet winters may not bring much joy to steelhead anglers, but they’re a blessing for the fish. The extra water will go a long way in helping the steelhead reach their spawning grounds and also provide a helping hand for the juvenile salmonids as they begin their journey down to the saltwater.

PFMC to hold public hearing on salmon season alternatives
A public hearing will be held in Santa Rosa, CA  on Monday, March 25. The purpose of this public hearing is to receive comments on the proposed management alternatives in preparation for adopting final salmon management recommendations at the April 2024 Council meeting. A summary of verbal comments heard at the hearings will be provided to the Pacific Council at its April meeting. This public hearing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriot in the Sonoma Room, 175 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401.

Details on how to attend the public hearing and PFMC meeting, as well as instructions to provide public comment, can be found at www.pcouncil.org

Englund Marine saltwater seminar coming March 30
On Saturday March 30, Eureka’s Englund Marine and HASA will host a saltwater seminar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Englund Marine store located at 590 W. Waterfront Dr. Guest speakers include Charles Loos, who will speak on bar crossing basics. Travis Chambers of Time and Tide Marine will speak on engine maintenance. Tim Klassen will talk about anchor fishing for Pacific halibut in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Del Stephens is back in Humboldt and will explain deepwater lingcod, Albacore and Bluefin tuna techniques. Raffles will be held in between speakers. For more information, visit https://www.englundmarine.com/pages/seminars.html.

The Rivers:
Mad
The Mad is still a little high and off-color, which won’t change anytime soon. With the steelhead season closing after March 31, it’s unlikely it will be anything close to green, especially with Ruth Lake spilling dirty water.

Main stem Eel
The main Eel is still high and just starting to turn olive green, running at 12,000 cfs at Scotia Thursday. But that’s about to change as it’s predicted to peak at 33,600 cfs Sunday morning following rain on Friday and Saturday. If we see an extended dry period lasting around 10 days, it could come around into fishable shape. But that doesn’t appear to be the case as rain is back in the forecast for mid next week. The main stem Eel, from its mouth to the South Fork, is open to fishing all year. From April 1 through Sept. 30, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork has been fishable since the weekend, and has been in great shape the last couple days. Scores however, haven’t been good. Most boats have reported skunks or maybe hooking into one or two fish per day. But with the rain coming, Thursday looks like it will be the last fishable day of the season. Flows are predicted to jump over 7,000 cfs at Miranda by Sunday morning and additional rain is forecast for mid next week.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen is still a little on the high side, but the color was coming around.  All of that will be a moot point as it will blow out on Friday, likely putting an end to the season as it closes after March 31. Flows are predicted to peak at over 9,000 cfs at Bridgeville Friday night.

Smith
The Smith has been in great shape all week, running at just under 9.5 feet at Jed Smith gauge Thursday. The river is clearing, but the rain on the way should help. It’s predicted to peak at over 12.5 feet (13,100) cfs early Sunday morning and should be in prime shape next week. Reports have been hard to come by as most anglers have called it a season or moved to other rivers.

Southern Oregon rivers
“Steelhead fishing has been surprisingly good on the Chetco, with lots of downrunners and a few bright fish,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Local guides are getting four to eight steelhead a day, side-drifting roe and Corkies. Fish are spread throughout the river. The end of last week produced a good spring salmon bite in the Rogue, with most boats getting a hatchery fish on Thursday and Friday. Plunkers also caught springers with Spin-N-Glos. A few later steelhead also are being caught.”

Brookings ocean report
Lingcod and rockfish action has been very good out of Brookings, with limits for charter boats reports Martin. “A nice variety of blue, black and canary rockfish are being caught. Rough weather could side-line anglers this weekend. Surfperch fishing also has been good.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

After a sometimes tense-filled week of meetings in Fresno, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) released its ocean and inland salmon season options Monday. The PFMC took a precautionary approach in setting the season alternatives, though some would argue they didn’t error on the side of caution enough. While more Chinook salmon returned from the ocean to spawn last year than in 2022, there’s plenty of evidence pointing to the fact the harvest models CDFW has used to measure salmon ocean abundance numbers are outdated. So, when the final options appeared in print for the first time Sunday, some in the industry were alarmed that we could be setting ourselves up for another year of overfishing if the abundance numbers turn out to be less than predicted. Though still heavily restricted or banned in some zones, there is opportunity up and down the coast for both recreation, commercial, and inland harvest.

New in 2024, CDFW has put in place in-season management and harvest limits, which are new concepts in management of commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries off California. Given the low abundance forecasts and spawner returns in recent years, it is crucial that any limited salmon fishing ultimately authorized be managed to ensure most of the fish return to the river this fall. Use of these strategies in 2024 ocean fisheries is expected to keep catches within pre-season projections.

For the California KMZ, which runs from the Oregon-California border to latitude 40°10’ N and includes Humboldt County, the three alternatives currently on the table are:

Alternative 1: June 5-9; July 3-7; August 1-6, September 1-3, 27-29; October 18-20.

Alternative 2: July 4-7; August 1-4, 29-31

Alternative 3: Closed

In-season action may be taken to close open days when total harvest is approaching a statewide harvest guideline of 10,000 Chinook during June through August, and 5,000 Chinook during September through October.

Open seven days per week. All salmon except coho, two salmon per day. Chinook minimum size limit of 20 inches total length. Size limit of 24 inches in alternative 3.

These three alternatives are identical for the entire state of California.

To view all of the salmon management alternatives, visit www.pcouncil.org/documents/2024/03/table-2-2024-recreational-management-alternatives-for-non-indian-ocean-salmon-fisheries-council-adopted-march-11-2024.pdf/

Up next
Next in line is the public hearing in Santa Rosa, CA March 25. The purpose of this public hearing is to receive comments on the proposed management alternatives in preparation for adopting final salmon management recommendations at the April 2024 Council meeting. A summary of verbal comments heard at the hearings will be provided to the Pacific Council at its April meeting. This public hearing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriot in the Sonoma Room, 175 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401.

Details on how to attend the public hearing and PFMC meeting, as well as instructions to provide public comment, can be found at www.pcouncil.org

NOAA provides opportunity for public comment
On March 12, NOAA Fisheries announced an opportunity to comment on the development of the 2024 ocean salmon management measures for commercial, tribal, and recreational salmon fisheries off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. “These comments will be used by the Pacific Fishery Management Council to make final recommendations for the 2024 management measures. The Council will develop alternatives for 2024 ocean salmon fishery management at the March 2024 Council meeting before selecting the recommended 2024 ocean salmon fishery management measures at their April 2024 meeting.”
Written comments may be submitted via the Federal register notice and must be received electronically or in hard copy by April 5, 2024, prior to the April 2024 Council meeting.
NOAA Fisheries will publish a final rule in May 2024 to implement these management measures.

Klamath/Trinity fall salmon allocations
The recreational allocations, or quotas, as proposed by the PFMC will range from 3,135 to 6,059 adult fall Chinook in 2024 across the three alternatives. These represent the highest quotas since the 2019 season.

Englund Marine saltwater seminar coming March 30
On Saturday March 30, Eureka’s Englund Marine and HASA will host a saltwater seminar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Englund Marine store located at 590 W. Waterfront Dr. Guest speakers include Charles Loos, who will speak on bar crossing basics. Travis Chambers of Time and Tide Marine will speak on engine maintenance. Tim Klassen will talk about anchor fishing for Pacific halibut in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Del Stephens is back in Humboldt and will explain deepwater lingcod, Albacore and Bluefin tuna techniques. Raffles will be held in between speakers. For more information, visit https://www.englundmarine.com/pages/seminars.html.

The Rivers:
Mad
As of Thursday, the Mad was down to 10.6 feet (4,500 cfs) and dropping slowly. It’s still off color, but it should start to turn green after the weekend, and conditions should be good next week. It will likely be bigger than normal, but the color should be much improved.

Main stem Eel
The main Eel was running at 23,500 cfs as of Thursday afternoon, and has a long way to go before it’s down to a fishable height. The main stem Eel is open year around, from April 1 through Sept. 30, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork was down to 4,500 cfs Thursday, and is on the drop. The color is starting to come into shape, and it was turning green. It will be fishable by the weekend, but it will be big. Conditions should be much improved by later next week.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was under 2,000 cfs as of Thursday and dropping slowly due to snowmelt. Once it gets below 1,000 cfs it should start to turn green and will be fishable, but still very big. Conditions could be good late next week if the rain holds off.

Smith
The Smith is still a little big, sitting at 11.5 feet (10,000 cfs) as of Thursday. Water conditions will be about perfect for at least the next week. The fishing hasn’t been great for the past few weeks and reports have been tough to come by as the fishing pressure has remained very light.

Southern Oregon rivers
“High water continues to make what little is left of this year’s steelhead season tough,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “The Chetco blew out again over the weekend and likely won’t fish until this weekend. With a dry spell now in the forecast, expect good flows for steelhead as the season winds down. A few late fish could still arrive, along with downrunners headed back to the ocean. 

The Rogue was high and off-color to begin the week. A few spring salmon have been caught, and fishing usually improves in late March. April and May are prime time. Only hatchery springers can be kept. A few late steelhead also are arriving.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

Following a year of a complete salmon shutdown across the board, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) is again taking a precautionary approach in setting the 2024 ocean salmon seasons, even though ocean abundance forecasts have increased over the prior year for both the Sacramento River and Klamath River Fall Chinook.

When the PFMC released its first, and not final, ocean sport salmon season options Thursday, March 7, the news wasn’t good for salmon anglers statewide.

For the California KMZ, which runs from the Oregon-California border to latitude 40°10’ N and includes Humboldt County, the three preliminary alternatives currently on the table are:

Alternative 1: May 25-28; July 4-7; August 29-31, Sept. 1-Oct 15

Alternative 2: July 4-10

Alternative 3: Closed

This is just the first iteration, these will likely change a few more times between now and Monday when the meetings conclude.

From latitude 40°10’ N to Point Arena, which includes Shelter Cove and Fort Bragg, the three alternatives are the same as the CA KMZ.

Yet to be determined are the fishing seasons within the Central Valley and Klamath/Trinity Rivers. It’s widely believed both will be heavily restricted with regards to retention of fall Chinook. To view all salmon management alternatives, visit pcouncil.org/annual-salmon-management-process/.

Up next, the PFMC will hold a public hearing March 25 in Santa Rosa to receive public comment on the three proposed regulatory alternatives. The PFMC will then meet April 6 through April 11 in Seattle, WA to procedurally finalize the closures. Details on how to attend the public hearing and PFMC meeting, as well as instructions to provide public comment, can be found at pcouncil.org.

Northern Management Area 2024 rockfish season options
Also coming out of the PFMC meetings are the options for the 2024 recreational groundfish fishery as recommended by industry advisors. Currently on the table are four options for the Northern Management Area, which runs from the California/Oregon border to the 40°10′ N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino). The season will be closed from Jan. 1 through March. April will be open for an offshore fishery only, at depths greater than 50 fathoms (300 feet). From May through the end of September, the nearshore fishery will be open at depths of less than 20 fathoms (120 feet). In October and December, it will be back to an offshore fishery. In November, we’re back to a nearshore fishery, which will allow rockfish/crab combo trips. No retention of quillback and yelloweye, and expect sub-bag limits for copper and vermilion rockfish.
It is anticipated the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) will take final action to adopt regulations for state waters on March 26, 2024. CDFW expects the changes will be consistent with and complementary to the in-season actions taken at the March 2024 Council meeting for the recreational groundfish fishery in federal waters. Modifications are expected to include changes to season dates and depths, including use of the 20-fathom boundary line.

Weekend weather
According to Jacob Boomsma of Eureka’s National Weather Service office, after a couple dry days Thursday and Friday, we’re headed back to a wetter pattern for the next few days. “The first, smaller system will arrive Saturday,” said Boomsma. “In the Smith basin, they could see 1 to 1.5 inches while Humboldt could see a 1/4 to 3/4 inches. A more robust storm will arrive Sunday, and the Smith basin could see up to 3 inches in the higher elevations. Here locally, we could see up to 2 inches. The next system will arrive on Monday and will spill into Tuesday. Another inch to 1.5 could fall in the Smith basin, while Humboldt will see a 1/2 to 1 inch.”

The rivers:
Mad
Wednesday’s storm pushed the Mad to 14.4 feet (10,600 cfs) and it’s back to big and muddy. With more rain and snowmelt predicted for the weekend, it won’t be green any time soon.

Main stem Eel
The main Eel reached 91,000 cfs Wednesday afternoon on the Scotia gauge. Needless to say, it will be blown out for the foreseeable future. The main stem Eel, from its mouth to the South Fork is open to fishing all year. From April 1 through Sept. 30, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork peaked at over 25,000 cfs at Miranda Wednesday and is also big and brown. It’s predicted to be down to 5,800 cfs by the weekend before it goes back on the rise following more rain on the weekend. It’s going need to stop raining soon or it may not be fishable prior to closing at the end of the month.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen peaked at over 10,000 cfs at Bridgeville Tuesday evening and is running high and muddy. It will be on the drop from Wednesday through Saturday afternoon, but more rain is in the forecast over the weekend which will put it back on the rise. Like the SF Eel, it will need a week of dry weather before it turns green.

Smith
The fast-clearing Smith went above 17 feet at the Jed Smith gauge Tuesday evening. It’s predicted to drop through Friday before it goes back on the rise Saturday. It will be fishable Thursday, but the water will likely be over 12 feet. Friday looks to be the best day with the height being under 11 feet and dropping throughout the day. There should be some fresh steelhead around and as well as some downers making their way to the ocean.

Southern Oregon rivers
After dropping back into shape for the weekend, with decent steelhead action, the Chetco blew out again Monday and is expected to be high and muddy all week reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “It could fish on Friday, but more rain is expected over the weekend,” said Martin. “High water is expected to continue into next week. The Elk and Sixes are also high and muddy, and the Rogue will be muddy with melting snow as inland temperatures warm a little this week.”

Brookings ocean report
According to Martin, rough weather has kept Brookings ocean anglers at the dock, but there is a nice window Thursday and Friday to get out of Brookings. “Lingcod have been biting on calmer weather days. Rockfish action has been very good. Sport crabbing has been poor.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

If the forecasts from Wednesday’s Oregon Ocean Salmon Industry Group Preseason Planning Meeting are accurate, we could be in for another lean year when it comes to Chinook salmon fishing along the California coast. It could also result in another complete ocean and river closure to Chinook fishing state-wide in an effort to protect Chinook stocks. Though the ocean abundance numbers for both the Sacramento and Klamath Rivers are higher than 2023, they are still extremely low considering that all ocean recreational and commercial salmon fishing and all salmon fishing in California rivers was closed last year.

According to the report, there are supposedly 178,200 Klamath River Chinook swimming in the ocean in 2024. While this number is still very low, it’s 75,700 more than what was forecast for 2023. From 2011 through 2022, the average ocean abundance for the Klamath was roughly 278,000.

For the Sacramento River, the report forecasts 213,622 Chinook to be swimming in the ocean. This represents the 2nd lowest number in the last 15 years, However, it’s 43,800 more than predicted in 2023.

In 2023, the preseason ocean abundance on the Sacramento was 169,767 while the postseason numbers came in at 139,500. A difference of 30,267 Chinook. For the Klamath, the preseason number was 102,500 while the postseason estimate came in at 174,000. That’s a difference of over 71,000 salmon. Using the current models, these forecasts can have huge variations as seen above.

The fate of both the Sacramento and Klamath Rivers will be decided at the PFMC meeting March 6-11 in Fresno. There’s a high probability that major restrictions will once again be in place for all of our salmon fishing in 2024. And don’t be surprised if one of the three ocean salmon alternatives included the words “closed.”

Next up is CDFW’s annual salmon information meeting, which will be held Friday, March 1. This meeting covers 2023 spawner abundances returning to the Central Valley and Klamath Basins, 2024 abundance forecasts, and management context guiding the development and implementation of 2024 ocean salmon fisheries. How to join the webinar and a link to the agenda can be found here.

The weather ahead
According to Kathleen Zontos of Eureka’s National Weather Service office, we’re in for a rainy and snowy weekend on the North Coast. “The main rain front will arrive Thursday,” said Zontos. “The second front will arrive Friday and Saturday, but it’s looking like this will produce more snow than rain. Over the 72-hour period from Thursday morning to Sunday morning we’ll see some impressive rainfall totals. In the Smith basin, we’re looking at 3 to 6 inches, with the highest totals falling in the mountains. In the Mad/Humboldt area, we could see 3 to 5 inches. The South Fork Eel/Mendo area could see 4 to 5 inches. Sunday we’ll continue to see lingering showers. Rain will continue early next week along with snowmelt that will keep the river levels up.”

The Rivers:
Mad
The Mad saw some of the best conditions of the season the last two days, and that isn’t saying much. The river was down to 8.5 feet with some visibility Wednesday, but it’s now back on the rise and headed towards 12 feet by Thursday evening. A few fish were caught Tuesday and Wednesday, but overall scores have been low. Hatchery returns are on the low-side as well.

Main stem Eel
The main Eel was starting to turn green Wednesday, but was big. Thursday’s rain dashed any hopes of the river dropping into shape anytime soon. Flows are predicted to reach 43,000 cfs at Scotia by Saturday morning. Will need a couple weeks of dry weather before it drops into fishable shape.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork was in fishable shape Tuesday and Wednesday and a few boats took advantage drifting in the Benbow/Miranda areas. The river had good color, but flows were still on the big-side. Reportedly, the fishing was tough, but a few were caught. It blew out again Thursday morning and won’t fish again until at least late next week, depending on how much rain falls and snow melts early next week.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was down to a fishable height the last few days, but blew out again Thursday. Flows are predicted to reach 4,400 cfs Thursday evening at Bridgeville. If the predictions hold, it could be fishable by mid-week.

Smith
The Smith was back on the rise Thursday morning after a little more than two inches of rain fell in the morning. It’s predicted to peak at just under 14 feet at Jed Smith Thursday night and should be on the drop through the weekend. Will likely be the only game in town for some time. Fishing has been tough, but hopefully this rise will bring down some spawners and bring in some fresh fish.

Southern Oregon rivers
After a slow February, steelhead fishing took off on the Chetco this week, with the handful of guides still fishing reporting two to six fish per boat reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Plunkers also have been catching steelhead from shore with Spin-N-Glos,” said Martin. “A mix of fresh and spawned out fish are being caught, with quite a few hatchery fish on the lower end, many of them brand new. A storm on Wednesday likely will blow the river out by Thursday. The Elk and Sixes also received fresh steelhead over the weekend and early this week. New steelhead also arrived on the Rogue River just above Gold Beach. A few jet boaters are now anchoring, hoping to get the first spring salmon of the year.”

Brookings ocean report
According to Martin, the lingcod and rockfish action has been hot out of Brookings, although rough weather returned Monday, and big swells are expected through the weekend. “Lingcod are spawning in shallow water. Thick schools of rockfish are biting near Bird Island and House Rock.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council released its “Review of 2023 Ocean Salmon Fisheries” report last week and the news was better than expected. Based on an ocean abundance of 102,500 Klamath River fall Chinook thought to be swimming in the ocean last fall, forecasters predicted roughly 39,858 adults would return to the river. Fortunately, the run was a little more robust than the preseason predictions. A total of 65,904 adults returned to the river, with 41,623 escaping to natural spawning areas. This was a whopping 176 percent of the preseason prediction of 23,614 adults and exceeded the spawning escapement target of 40,700. The estimated hatchery return was 21,964 adults. Jack (2-year-old kings) returns to the Klamath basin were 11,673, including 9,470 that escaped to natural spawning areas. In 2021, 54,225 adults returned along with 10,350 jacks.

Spawning escapement to the upper Klamath River tributaries (Salmon, Scott and Shasta rivers), where spawning was only minimally affected by hatchery strays, totaled 7,765 compared to 9,169 in 2022. The escapement in 2023 to the Shasta River was 4,747 adults. Escapement to the Salmon and Scott rivers was 1,355 and 1,663 adults, respectively.

The above river return and escapement numbers reflect no ocean commercial or recreational salmon fishing as well as salmon closures on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers. According to the report, an estimated 53 fall Chinook were harvested in the Klamath River basin recreational fishery in 2023. Tribal adult harvest was 2,091 (Yurok: 423 adults; Hoopa Valley: 1,668 adults), which was 112 percent of the tribal allocation of 1,872.

In 2023, recreational angling for salmon in the Sacramento River and its tributaries was closed as well. A total of 133,638 hatchery and natural area adult spawners were estimated to have returned to the Sacramento River Basin in 2023, slightly lower than the 164,964 predicted. Fall Chinook returns to Sacramento River hatcheries in 2023 totaled 28,026 adults and 4,920 jacks, and escapement to natural areas was 105,612 adults and 7,013 jacks.

With the Klamath Dam removal project in full swing, what our ocean and river salmon seasons will look like in the coming year is still a work in progress and will be flushed out in the coming weeks.

Next up is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Annual Salmon Information Meeting, which will be held via webinar on Friday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. State and federal fishery scientists will present information on topics such as last year’s spawning escapement, estimates of forecasted ocean abundance, and management goals for 2024 sport and commercial ocean salmon seasons.

Following the Salmon Information Meeting webinar, California representatives will work together to develop a range of recommended ocean fishing season alternatives at the March 6-11 Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Fresno, CA. Final season recommendations will be adopted at the Council’s April 6-11 meeting in Seattle, WA.

Salmon information meeting details can be found on the CDFW’s Ocean Salmon web page.

The weather ahead
According to Kathleen Zontos of Eureka’s National Weather Service office, it’s looking like we’ll have a dry weekend. “The next chance of rain is Monday into Tuesday,” said Zontos. “Most of the rainfall will be in the Smith basin, where they could see 3/4 to 1 inch of rain over the two days. In Humboldt, we could see a 1/10 to 1/2 inch. It doesn’t look like it will have much of an impact on the Humboldt rivers. Following a dry Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are looking wet with the possibility of another Atmospheric River.”

The Rivers:
Mad
As of Thursday, the Mad was just above 11 feet (5,400 cfs) and dropping quickly. It’s forecast to drop to 8.75 feet by Monday, but a small system will bump up the flows slightly. It should be back on the drop Wednesday, just in time for another big storm coming Thursday.

Main stem Eel
The main stem Eel was down to 48,000 cfs at Scotia Thursday, and is still big and muddy. It’s not forecast to drop to a fishable level before the next rain event moves in later next week.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is back on the drop after reaching 17,000 cfs at Miranda Tuesday morning. It’s predicted to drop through mid-next week and there could be an opportunity for green water prior to the next storm arriving Thursday or Friday.

Van Duzen
Similar to the South Fork Eel, the Van Duzen is on the drop following a peak of 8,150 cfs Tuesday near Bridgeville. If the forecast holds through next week, there’s a chance the river could be fishable Wednesday. It will likely be a short window as flows are predicted to rise Thursday as the next rainy system arrives.

Smith River
The Smith is on the drop and conditions should be excellent over the weekend, with river levels right around 9.5 to 10 feet at Jed Smith Park. A slight rise is forecast for Monday that will do more good than harm. Conditions look good for Tuesday/Wednesday, but another bigger rise is predicted for Thursday. The river was high over the weekend and early this week. There were a few boats who opted to drift, and some that plunked. Scores weren’t great for either. The fishing pressure has been pretty light.

Southern Oregon rivers
The Chetco remained high the past week, but is dropping into shape for the weekend reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Expect a mix of fresh steelhead and spawned out steelhead, said Martin. “The run is winding down, mainly because of the prolonged high water in January. The Elk and Sixes fished over the weekend, as less rain fell in Port Orford compared to Brookings and Crescent City. Fishing was fair, with a fish or two per boat. The Rogue also dropped into shape Tuesday. The Umpqua continues to be the best bet for steelhead in the region.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, the ocean out of Brookings looks like it will fish Thursday and again over the weekend. “Big swells on Friday will likely keep boats at the docks. Lingcod fishing was good last week out of Brookings before the stormy weather returned.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.