Month: December 2020

From high water to low water back to high water, North Coast rivers are all feeling the effects of the yo-yo syndrome. We’ve had some good storms roll through the area, bringing with them some decent river rises. Unfortunately, dropping flows have been as abrupt as the rises. This recipe does not make for quality steelhead angling. Having storms closer together keeping water levels a little more consistent, along with some snow in the hills, would be ideal. But this is 2020 and Mother Nature is going down swinging. And it looks like more of the same on the horizon. Storms later this week will bring the river levels way up, but they’ll descend just as quickly, making for a narrow window of opportunity.

The weather ahead
“We have two batches of rain headed our way,” said Scott Carroll of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The first system is forecast to arrive Wednesday afternoon and stick around into Thursday. A more significant storm is set to arrive Friday night and will linger through the weekend, with the majority of the rain falling on Sunday. The Smith basin could see an inch on Sunday, and we’ll see slightly less here locally. Rainfall totals for both of these systems combined is roughly 3 inches in the Smith basin, and up to 2 inches in Humboldt.”

New sport rockfish regulations coming in 2021
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the CDFW announced multiple changes to the sport rockfish regulations starting in 2021. Changes that pertain to the Northern Management area, which runs from the CA-OR border south to Cape Mendocino include:

• Elimination of sub-bag limits for black rockfish, canary rockfish and cabezon within the 10-fish Rockfish, Cabezon, Greenling (RCG) complex daily bag limit.
• A new sub-bag limit of five vermilion rockfish within the 10-fish RCG complex daily bag limit.
• The ‘All Depth’ fishery in the Northern and Mendocino Management Areas will continue each November and December, unless modified by an in-season action.

For the complete list of regulation changes, visit https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2020/12/29/new-recreational-groundfish-regulations-for-2021/
The 2020 rockfish season in the Northern Management area will close for boat-based anglers on Thursday, Dec. 31. Rockfish is open year-round for divers and shore-based anglers. For more information about recreational groundfish regulations, visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary#north

Mad River Steelhead Derby to start Jan. 1
The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association’s (NCGASA) second annual Mad River Steelhead Derby starts on Jan. 1 and run through March 31. Anglers must be signed up prior to Jan. 1 to be eligible to win cash and prizes. Only hatchery steelhead can be entered. The largest steelhead wins $500, second place $300 and third place $150. A youth division winner (16 and under) wins a $150 tackle gift card. In addition, anglers who submit a winning video of their catch in action get a $100 gift card to Bucksport Sporting Goods. Anglers can sign up online at www.ncgasa.org or in person at RMI Outdoors and Bucksport. Part of the proceeds benefit the Mad River Steelhead Stewards volunteer angler’s broodstock collection program that works in concert with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit www.madriversteelheaderby.com #madriversteelheadderby

The Rivers:
Smith
The Smith dropped back into shape on Sunday. Boat pressure was very light, and only a couple adult steelhead were landed. There continues to be no shortage of half-pounders. Should remain in fishable shape through Saturday before blowing out on Sunday. Might not fish until mid next week.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
The Chetco blew out over the weekend, reaching 9,000 cubic feet per second on Saturday, but was down to 5,100 cfs on Sunday night reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “It will be in prime shape this week before another big storm arrives to start the new year,” said Martin. “Plunkers caught a few steelhead Sunday in the high water. Catch rates tend to accelerate in early January on the Chetco, and often remain good through February.”
According to Martin, the Elk and Sixes are kicking out a few late salmon. He said, “Guides reported catching salmon and steelhead on Sunday on the Elk while the Sixes was still blown out. Salmon season ends Dec. 31 on the Sixes, but continues into January on the Elk, where fish will trickle in all winter.”

Main stem Eel
The main stem was fishable as of Wednesday and dropping quickly. Predicted to be at 1,300 cfs on the Scotia gauge by Thursday, but will begin to rise in the afternoon. Should remain fishable on Friday, but will likely blow out on Sunday.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork was below 300 cfs on Wednesday, but is forecasted to rise on Thursday. It should be fishable through Friday, but might be off color for the weekend. A few bright steelhead have been caught.

Van Duzen
Flowing at just below 200 cfs as of Wednesday. Wednesday night’s rain has the flows reaching 600 cfs on Thursday morning. Muddy conditions are likely through the weekend. Reports have been hard to come by so far, but there should be some steelhead around once it clears.

Mad
The Mad has been the place to be for winter steelhead. The river isn’t plugged with fish, but there are some really nice fish being caught each day. Following rain on Wednesday night, the river is predicted to blowout on Thursday. Will likely be off color through the weekend. Muddy conditions haven’t slowed the angling pressure.

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

Low Flow River Closures begin Oct. 1
North Coast rivers that are regulated by low flow closures, including the Eel River, Mad River, Mattole River, Redwood Creek, Smith River and Van Duzen River will begin angling restrictions on October 1st, except for the Mad River, which went into effect September 1st. The Department of Fish and Game will make the information available to the public by a telephone recorded message updated, as necessary, no later than 1 p.m. each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as to whether any stream will be closed to fishing. The rivers can be opened up at anytime. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is (707) 822-3164. NOTE: The main stem Eel from the South Fork to Cape Horn Dam and the Mattole River will be closed until January 1, 2021

Areas subject to low flow closures:

Mad River: The main stem Mad River from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to Cowan Creek. Minimum flow: 200 cfs at the gauging station at the Highway 299 bridge.

The main stem Eel River from the paved junction of Fulmor Road with the Eel River to the South Fork Eel River. Minimum flow: 350 cfs at the gauging station near Scotia.

The South Fork of the Eel River downstream from Rattlesnake Creek and the Middle Fork Eel River downstream from the Bar Creek. Minimum flow: 340 cfs at the gauging station at Miranda.

Van Duzen River: The main stem Van Duzen River from its junction with the Eel River to the end of Golden Gate Drive near Bridgeville (approximately 4,000 feet upstream of Little Golden Gate Bridge. Minimum flow: 150 cfs at the gauging station near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.

Mattole River: The main stem of the Mattole River from the mouth to Honeydew Creek. Minimum flow: 320 cfs at the gauging station at Petrolia.

Redwood Creek: The main stem of Redwood Creek from the mouth to its confluence with Bond Creek. Minimum flow: 300 cfs at the gauging station near the Highway 101 bridge.

Smith River: The main stem Smith River from the mouth of Rowdy Creek to its confluence with Patrick Creek; the South Fork Smith River from the mouth upstream approximately 1000 ft to the County Road (George Tyron) bridge and Craigs Creek to its confluence with Jones Creek; and the North Fork Smith River from the mouth to its confluence with Stony Creek. Minimum flow: 600 cfs at the Jedediah Smith State Park gauging station.

The transition to steelhead season is taking a bit longer than we had hoped. To date, steelhead fishing has yet to really take off on popular rivers like the Smith and Chetco. The lower Eel has yet to see big numbers of steelhead as well. The lone bright spot has been the Mad River. It’s probably a safe bet that more steelhead have been caught on the Mad than all of the other local rivers combined. There’s been a good mix of wild and hatchery adults, and the river is full of half-pounders. With another round of rain predicted for Friday, all of the coastal rivers should get another good rise. And with each rise comes the possibility of more ocean-bright steelhead. And that’s all we can ask for.

Weather ahead
Between now and Tuesday, we could see anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain from Del Norte to Humboldt, according to Kathleen Zontos of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The bulk of the rain will fall on Friday, when we could see 1 to 1.5 inches,” said Zontos. “Another half could fall in the Smith basin on Saturday morning and Humboldt could see up to a quarter inch. The next chance of rain will be Sunday into Monday but this one is uncertain. Right now, the models are showing a half-inch falling in Southern Humboldt and a quarter in the Smith basin.”

Mad River Steelhead Derby to start Jan. 1
The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association (NCGASA) is hosting its second annual Mad River Steelhead Derby from Jan. 1 through March 31. Anglers must be signed up prior to Jan. 1 to be eligible to win cash and prizes. Only hatchery steelhead can be entered. The largest steelhead wins $500, second place $300 and third place  $150. A youth division winner (16  and under) wins a $150 tackle gift card. In addition, anglers who submit a winning video of their catch in action get a $100 gift card to Bucksport Sporting Goods. Anglers can sign up online at www.ncgasa.org or in person at RMI Outdoors and Bucksport. Part of the proceeds benefit the Mad River Steelhead Stewards volunteer angler’s broodstock collection program that works in concert with the  California Department of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit www.madriversteelheaderby.com

2021 Fishing license
A reminder that it’s the time of the year to purchase your 2021 sport fishing license, which is required for residents 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptile in inland or ocean waters. The cost of a new resident sport fishing license is $52.66. A North Coast salmon report card, which will run you $7.30, is required for all anglers taking salmon in the Smith River System or Klamath-Trinity River System. If you plan to fish for steelhead, you’ll need to purchase a steelhead report card, which will cost $8.13 this year. The Dept. of Fish and Wildlife does not accept cash for fishing licenses. For more info, visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/fishing

Reduced-Fee sport fishing licenses available
Reduced-cost fishing licenses are available in 2021 for $8.38 at CDFW offices (instead of $52.66) for disabled military veterans and recovering service members. For those 65 or older on reduced income, licenses are available for $7.98. For more information on all CA fishing licenses, visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/fishing#44521417-free–reduced-fee

Rockfish season to close Dec. 31
The 2020 rockfish season in the Northern Management area, which runs from Cape Mendocino to the OR/CA border, will close for boat-based anglers on Thursday, Dec. 31. Rockfish is open year-round for divers and shore-based anglers. For more information about recreational groundfish regulations, visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary#north

Mattole River opens to fishing Jan. 1
The Mattole River will open to fishing on Friday, Jan. 1 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stansberry Creek. Only artificial lures may be used and barbless hooks are required. The Mattole is also regulated by low flow closures, with a minimum flow of 320 cubic feet per second at the Petrolia gauging station.

The Rivers:
Other than the South Fork Eel and Van Duzen, all North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Smith, main Eel, Mad, and Redwood Creek were open to fishing as of Thursday. Be sure and call the low-flow closure hotline, 822-3164, to determine if the river is open prior to fishing. CDFW will make information public by a telephone recorded message each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as to whether any river will be open or closed to fishing. Rivers will not automatically open to fishing once the minimum flows are reached.

Smith River
There aren’t many adult steelhead around right now, reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “The river is full of half-pounders, it seems like all the tailouts are loaded,” said Coopman. We had a lot of rain on Monday night and the river came up quite a bit. Hopefully we’ll start to see the adults show up soon.”

Mad River
There are a few adult steelhead around but not a ton, according to Justin Kelly of Eureka’s RMI Outdoors. He said, “There’s fish scattered from the hatchery down, but the lower river seems to be producing better. Right now, there’s about an even mix of hatchery and wild. There’s also a large number of half-pounders in the river now. I can’t remember seeing this many.” Flows are predicted to reach 2,600 cfs on Saturday morning and will likely be muddy through the weekend.

Main stem Eel
The main stem has been fishable since earlier in the week. There are some adult steelhead in the lower river, but fishing has been slow. Following the rain on Friday, the river is predicted to peak at 4,500 cfs on Sunday afternoon.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork has been closed all week due to low flows. Predicted to peak at 2,000 cfs on Saturday night following Friday’s storm.

Van Duzen
The Duzen closed on Thursday, but that should be short-lived. Following Friday’s rain, it’s predicted to reach 2,400 cfs on Saturday morning. Will take a few days to clear, but could fish by mid-week.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
The Chetco has been in prime shape for steelhead but fishing has been slow the past week, reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. He said, “Since the river came back into shape at the end of last week, only a handful of adult steelhead and a couple late-fall salmon have been caught. Catches rates could jump any day, but it may be closer to New Year’s Day before fishing gets decent,” Martin added.

According to Martin, the Elk and Sixes both blew out with Monday’s rain. “The further up the Oregon Coast anglers go, the higher the rivers are. Late salmon were caught on both rivers over the weekend but overall action has been slow. A few guides are now anchoring and running plugs for steelhead on the lower Rogue, but are still awaiting the winter run to begin arriving,” said Martin.

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 weekend that saw slightly less rain than predicted, conditions on our steelhead rivers are starting to improve. Storms impacting our coast one after the other are what’s really needed to kick off the winter steelhead run, and that looks to be the case through the weekend. A good soaking is forecasted for Wednesday with another coming late Saturday and into Sunday. The Smith and the Chetco will see significant flow increases, but should remain fishable. Closer to home, Wednesday’s storm will likely turn the Mad, Eel and Van Duzen rivers muddy. But it’s possible they’ll bounce back by Saturday before the flows head back up. A few steelhead have made their way to the hatchery on the Mad and there should be plenty more behind them. The Eel and Van Duzen haven’t seen many boats or anglers yet, but you can bet there are steelhead around. If you’re looking to get out of the house this weekend, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a fishable river.

Weather ahead
Widespread rain is in the forecast for Wednesday, according to Kathleen Zontos of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “Rain is going to be heavy at times and we could see 1 to 2 inches,” said Zontos. “We’ll start to dry out on Thursday but there is a chance for some light rain, up to a tenth of an inch. The next system will move in sometime late Saturday night but the timing of this one is a little uncertain. The majority of the rain looks like it will fall on Sunday and linger into Monday. This system has the potential to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain over the three days, with the Smith basin seeing the higher totals. For the seven-day forecast ending next Tuesday, the Smith basin could see anywhere from 3 to 5 inches. The Mad and lower Eel could see 1 to 2 inches. Above normal precipitation is predicted in the Smith basin from Sunday through next Thursday.”

Oregon increases rockfish bag limit for 2021
Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, Oregon ocean anglers will be able to keep 6 rockfish instead of 5 according to a press release issued last Friday by the ODFW. Oregon anglers can keep any combination of black, blue, canary, yellowtail and vermilion rockfish as part of that limit, and have a sub-bag-limit of one China, copper or quillback rockfish. Anglers also can have one cabezon as part of the rockfish limit beginning July 1. The daily bag limit for lingcod remains at two, with a size limit of 22 inches. For more information, visit https://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2020/12_Dec/121120.asp

Mad River Hatchery ladder now open
The water running down the ladder to the river was turned on last Saturday. The hatchery hopes to begin spawning on Tuesday, Jan. 5 and then each following Tuesday.

The Rivers:
All North Coast rivers subjected to low-flow fishing closures, including the Smith, main Eel, South Fork Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek and Van Duzen were open to fishing as of Thursday. Be sure and call the low-flow closure hotline, 822-3164, to determine if the river is open prior to fishing. CDFW will make information public by a telephone recorded message each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as to whether any river will be open or closed to fishing. Rivers will not automatically open to fishing once the minimum flows are reached.

Smith River
The Smith was in fishable shape on Monday but was dropping quickly. There were a few boats on the river, with some side-drifting for steelhead and others targeting salmon. Reportedly, there were a few dark salmon caught on the lower river. The steelhead report wasn’t very good either. I heard of one adult steelhead along with some half-pounders being landed. Following Wednesdays, rain, flows peaked at 28,500 cfs on the Jed Smith gauge early Thursday morning. Conditions should be good for the weekend.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“The Chetco hit 5,000 [cubic feet per second] and blew out Sunday evening, but was fishable again Monday as flows dropped back below 3,500 cfs,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Fishing was slow for the plunkers, in part because of treacherous conditions at the Chetco River bar, which prevented new fish from moving in. More rain is expected this week; could fish Friday and Saturday if the storms are not too severe. Next week the Chetco may reach 14,000 cfs or higher, according to long-range forecasts.”

The Elk was fishable Monday at 3.6 feet but was clear and fished slow, according to Martin. “A few late kings were caught. It will be a good option after this week’s rain. The Sixes was turning green and dropped to 2 feet Monday evening, but by Wednesday could blow out for several days,” added Martin.

Mad
The Mad is forecasted for a steep rise on Thursday as flows are predicted to reach 1,400 cfs early in the morning. Will likely be off-color through the weekend. Visit the Mad River Steelhead Derby website to view the current leaderboard.

Main stem Eel
The main stem was fishable on Wednesday and might remain so through early Thursday. It’s predicted to rise all day Thursday, reaching 4,800 cfs on Friday morning. It will likely take a few days of dry weather before it clears.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork opened on Thursday. Predicted to peak at 2,400 cfs Thursday evening, but will drop quickly.

Van Duzen
Flowing at 175 cfs on Wednesday, the Duzen still had some color. After Wednesday’s storm, the Duzen peaked at 1,680 cfs on Thursday. It will likely be muddy through the weekend.

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.

Winter steelhead season has yet to take off on the North Coast but that could soon change. A pretty sizeable storm is headed our way this weekend that should put all of the coastal rivers on the rise, and hopefully open them up to fishing. And more rain is on the way next week according to the National Weather Service. Steady rain and pulse flows are just what we need to entice some steelhead from the salt. If the rains come as predicted, the Smith and Chetco should be in prime shape sometime next week.

The Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen and Mad will all see flows begin to rise over the weekend. The Mad should open by the weekend, and the southern rivers should be right behind it. Once all of the rivers crest and begin to recede to fishable levels, we should see the first wave of winter steelhead. After another tough late-fall salmon season, seeing the rivers loaded with bright steelhead sure would be a welcome sight.

Weather ahead
The seven-day forecast is looking good for steelhead anglers. An atmospheric river is predicted for the weekend, which will put all of the coastal rivers on the rise. “Lighter rain is possible on Thursday and Friday, with the heavier rainfall totals coming over the weekend,” said Kathleen Zontos of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “Sunday and into Monday should produce light rain, with a potential small break on Tuesday. The next chance of wet weather is next Wednesday through Friday. The seven-day forecast ending next Tuesday is calling for 3 to 5 inches in the Smith Basin. Here locally, the Mad and lower Eel could see 1 to 2 inches. Further up the South Fork Eel, a half to an inch of rain is possible. From Dec.13-21, the probability of above normal precipitation is predicted.”

Mad River Steelhead Derby to start Jan. 1
The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association (NCGASA) is hosting its second annual Mad River Steelhead Derby from Jan. 1 through March 31. Anglers must be signed up prior to Jan. 1 to be eligible to win cash and prizes. Only hatchery steelhead can be entered. The largest steelhead wins $500, second place $300 and third place  $150. A youth division winner (16  and under) wins a $150 tackle gift card. In addition, anglers who submit a winning video of their catch in action get a $100 gift card to Bucksport Sporting Goods. Anglers can sign up online at www.ncgasa.org or in person at RMI Outdoors and Bucksport. Part of the proceeds benefit the Mad River Steelhead Stewards volunteer angler’s broodstock collection program that works in concert with the  California Department of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit www.madriversteelheaderby.com #madriversteelheadderby

Brookings update
Big swells have kept anglers at the docks in Brookings, and likely will through the weekend reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. He said, “Last week, sport crabbers did well in shallow water, with large crabs that were full of meat. Rough weather has made bottom fishing tough. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will adopt the 2021 bottom fishing regulations on Friday.”

The Rivers:
Other than the Smith, all North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the main and South Fork Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, and Van Duzen were closed to fishing as of Thursday. Sections of rivers that are open include the main stem Eel River from the paved junction of Fulmor Road to its mouth. The Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream is closed until Jan. 1, 2021. Be sure and call the low-flow closure hotline, 822-3164, to determine if the river is open prior to fishing. CDFW will make information public by a telephone recorded message each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as to whether any river will be open or closed to fishing. Rivers will not automatically open to fishing once the minimum flows are reached.

Smith
The Smith opened back up to fishing  Sunday morning and remained open as of Thursday. Another closure is possible before the weekend as flows drop. A big storm is expected by Saturday, however. Flows are predicted to peak at 9,300 cubic feet per second on Sunday night on the Jed Smith gauge. Boat pressure has been light but some kings were caught on the lower river last week. Riffles between the Outhouse and the Outfitters were holding quite a few half-pounders along with an occasional adult steelhead. The storm coming this weekend should push the rest of the kings upriver and bring in the first big wave of steelhead.”

Mad
The Mad is forecasted to reach 2,100 cfs Saturday afternoon. Could open to fishing on Saturday morning. Minimum flows to open the river to fishing are 200 cfs. For flow predictions, visit https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=ARCC1

Main stem Eel
The main Eel is predicted to rise starting Saturday night, and could open to fishing on Sunday or Monday. Will likely be muddy for some time. Minimum flows to open the river to fishing are 350 cfs on the Scotia gauge. For flow predictions, visit https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=SCOC1

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is predicted to rise beginning early Saturday morning and peak at 1,500 cfs on Monday morning. Will likely be muddy for the weekend, but the higher reaches could be fishable by mid next week. If flow predictions are correct, could open to fishing on Sunday or Monday. Minimum flows to open the river to fishing are 340 cfs. For flow predictions, visit https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=MRNC1

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen is forecasted to rise starting Saturday and predicted to peak at roughly 1,400 cfs early Monday morning. The river will likely be muddy through the weekend. Minimum flows to open the river to fishing are 150 cfs. For flow predictions, visit https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=BRGC1

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
Steelhead are showing up in good early season numbers on the Chetco, with adult fish now spread throughout the system, reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “The best fishing has been at Social Security Bar, where at least half a dozen adult steelhead were caught on Sunday, but steelhead can be seen below spawning salmon all the way to the upper river,” said Martin. “A few bright kings are still around, with lots of salmon still spawning. Drift boaters are seeing steelhead in the tailouts from Ice Box to the head of tide. The river likely will blow out this weekend but should be in great shape next week.” According to Martin, shore anglers have been catching salmon near the Sixes Grange, while drift boaters were back on the Sixes after the weekend rains. “The big storm this weekend should lead to a big rise on both the Elk and Sixes, bringing in another batch of fall kings and the first winter steelhead of the year,” added Martin.

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

With no rain in the forecast for at least the next 10 days, the end is in plain view for the late, fall-run salmon season on the North Coast. The Chetco saw a few good days of fishing but the Smith was somewhat of a disappointment. The rains, along with the runs of salmon, were short-lived, forcing most of the anglers to throw in the towel by mid-November. With the calendar now saying it’s December, it’s transition time. The majority of the salmon have reached their destination and we now wait for the winter steelhead to make their way into all of the coastal rivers.
The Chetco has seen a few adults make their way in along with a bunch of half-pounders, and the Smith steelhead should be right behind them. But don’t give up entirely on salmon just yet. The Smith, Eel, Mad and Chetco should each see another spurt or two of fresh kings move in when and if the rivers rise.

Weather ahead
According to Kathleen Zontos of Eureka’s National Weather Service, the first couple weeks of December are looking dry. “There’s some light rain in the forecast for Monday night but it won’t be enough to impact river flows,” said Zontos. “The high pressure that’s set up off the coast looks like it will holdover for the next few weeks. The trend is for below normal precipitation predicted through Dec. 14.”

Sport crab fishing update
Sport crabbing out of Eureka remains slow. Boats fishing on either side of the entrance are averaging around four keepers per pot on an overnight soak. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sportfishing was on the water over the weekend and reports the crabbing isn’t improving. “Our trip on Sunday was tough,” said Klassen. “We ended up with limits, but we averaged around three and a half crabs per trap.”

Mad River Steelhead Derby coming Jan. 1
Join your fellow North Coast anglers for the second annual Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association’s (NCGASA) 2021 Mad River Steelhead Derby. The fishing contest starts on Jan. 1 and will run until March 31. Anglers will be fishing for hatchery steelhead only during the winter steelhead run on the Mad River. The three longest measured, photographed and entered fish will win cash and prizes from our sponsors and community partners. There will also be a youth prize for anglers 16 years old and under. Part of the proceeds from this derby will benefit the Mad River Steelhead Stewards volunteer angler’s broodstock program that works in concert with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. For more information, visit the Mad River Steelhead Derby on Facebook or Instagram. Register online at ncgasa.org, RMI Outdoors, or Bucksport Sporting Goods.

The Rivers:
Currently, all the North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith and Van Duzen are closed. Sections of rivers that are open include the main stem Eel River from the paved junction of Fulmor Road to its mouth and the main stem Smith River from the mouth of Rowdy Creek to the Smith’s mouth. The Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream is closed until Jan. 1, 2021. Be sure and call the low-flow closure hotline, 822-3164, to determine if the river is open prior to fishing. CDFW will make information public by a telephone recorded message each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as to whether any river will be open or closed to fishing. Rivers will not automatically open to fishing once the minimum flows are reached.

Smith
With no rain for a couple weeks, the Smith is very low and clear and will close to fishing above Rowdy Creek starting on Thursday, Dec. 3. Boat pressure has been light as most guides have canceled their salmon trips due to the conditions and lack of fish. Winter steelhead should start to trickle in even during the low-water conditions. As of Wednesday, flows were right around 720 cubic feet per second on the Jed Smith gauge.

Chetco River
Low water has slowed an already slow salmon season on the Chetco reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. He said, “Flows are now below 900 cfs and no major rain is in sight. A few dark jacks and an occasional bright adult salmon are being caught by the handful of boats still fishing. Half-pounders have shown up, along with the first adult steelhead of the season. Four adult steelhead were reported last week at local tackle shops.”

Elk/Sixes
Salmon fishing was good on the Elk and Sixes before Thanksgiving, but both are now low and clear and difficult to float with drift boats according to Martin. “They should have another batch of salmon after the next major rain,” he added.

Kenny Priest (he/him) 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