Author: fishingthenorthcoast

For anglers across the North Coast, Memorial Day weekend provides an excellent opportunity to try your luck at a variety of fishing locations. With plenty of options on the table, the biggest decision might not be if you want to go, but where. Here are a few of the options that will hopefully make your decision a little easier this holiday weekend:

• Jetties for rockfish and lingcod —When the windisn’t howling, the jetties have been providing excellent rockfish and lingcod action. Small swimbaits or scampi jigs are catching fish as well as herring fished under a float.
• Dungeness Crab —Anglers dropping pots outside of the bay entrance are still catching Dungeness crab when the weather cooperates. If it’s too rough, there’s some good locations inside Humboldt Bay. Out in front of the PG&E plant is a good spot as well as the flat off the South Jetty parking lot. Another top location is either side of the channel leading into the South Bay.
• Freshwater Lagoon trout —Planted regularly with catchable-sized trout, there should be ample opportunities for shore-based anglers as well as boat fishermen. An easy rig to fish is a Berkley PowerBait with an egg sinker.
• Ruth Lake trout and bass —Nice weather and a family-friendly atmosphere make this a great spot for the weekend. Reportedly, the trout and bass bite are heating up.
• Elk River redtail perch —If it’s perch you’re after and the ocean is too rough, Elk River Beach is a great spot to target redtails. Two hours prior to high tide and an hour after typically are the optimal times. Shrimp, clams and sand crabs all work.
• Trinidad Harbor rockfish —A great option for rockfish and crab, especially if the ocean is rough. Launching a small boat from the beach is fairly easy. You’ll want to get an early start before the afternoon wind kicks in.
• California halibut —If bank angling is your only option, check out Fairhaven Beach on the bay side of the Samoa Peninsula. Fishing is best a couple hours before and after high tide. Swimbaits attached to a ¾-ounce jig head is a good bait choice.
• North Coast rivers —Many of the local rivers will re-open to fishing beginning Saturday, May 27. Rivers that will open include sections of the main Eel (South Fork to Cape Horn Dam), South Fork Eel (South Fork Eel River from mouth to Rattlesnake Creek) Van Duzen, Mad, Little River, Mattole and Smith. Be sure to check the regulations prior to fishing.
• Fisheries currently closed: Red Abalone, Mussels, Razor Clams (both Humboldt and Del Norte Counties), Ocean and River Chinook fishing.

Weekend marine forecast
After Wednesday, the north winds will begin to subside and the first part of the weekend is looking fishable. Friday, winds will be out of the northwest 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at eight seconds. Saturday is looking a little windier, with north winds 10 to 20 knots and northwest waves 6 feet at eight seconds. Sunday, the wind will lie down slightly and come out of the north 10 to 15 knots with northwest waves 7 feet at eight seconds. Monday is looking better, with north winds 5 to 15 knots forecast along with northwest waves 5 feet at nine seconds.These conditions can and will change by 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.

Weekend tides
The latest round of minus tides will end Thursday, but low tides will occur in the afternoons over the holiday weekend when boats could be returning to the bay. Coupled with decent-sized swells, this could create a dangerous Humboldt Bay bar crossing. Saturday May 27: Low: 12:25 p.m. (.62 feet); Sunday May 28: Low: 1:14 p.m. (.95 feet); Monday May 29: Low: 2:00 p.m. (1.29 feet)

Ruth Lake Bass tournament coming June 4
Fortuna Fire Department CO-2’s will be holding the annual “Paul Jadro Memorial Bass Tournament” on Saturday, June 3. Blast off will be at 5:45 a.m. or at first safe light, by draw. The one-day tournament event offers a first prize award of up to $1,000 with payout to 1 in 3 in addition to door prizes and sponsor products. The entry fee is $150 per team with a big fish buy in option of $10. The tournament is catch and release and all competitors must fish from boats that are required to have operational live wells on board. Life jackets are required. Check in at the Marina on Friday June 2 at 4:30-6 p.m. or Saturday 4-5 a.m. For more information, visit ruthlakecsd.org/30th-annual-paul-jadro-memorial-bass-tournament/

Junior Angler Fishing Day coming June 17
On Saturday, June 17, kids and their families are invited to a fun filled day of surf perch fishing and activities at the Redwood Creek Day Use Area located off of Highway 101 just south of Orick. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All kids under 16 will not need a fishing license. A license is required for those 17 years old and above. Parents are advised to bring water, lunch/snacks, life vest, chairs and sunscreen. Fishing rods and tackle will be provided for participants if needed. The event is put on by the National Parks Service and the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.

Fish Lake Kid’s fishing derby coming June 17
The 47th annual Kid’s Fish Lake Fishing Derby is taking place on Saturday, June 17 in Orleans. The derby starts promptly at 8 a.m. and runs until noon. It’s open to kids from Pre-K to the 8th grade. Poles and tackle will not be provided and an adult must accompany all children. Hot dogs and lemonade will be provided; adults are encouraged to bring a side dish or salad to share. Hosted by the Orleans Rod and Gun Club and Six Rivers National Forest with sponsors: Coast Central Credit Union, RMI Outdoors, Bassman Dan Custom Rods, California Deer Association, and our awesome river community. For additional information contact Eric Fieberg, Orleans Rod and Gun Club, at 707-951-4453 or LeRoy Cyr, District Fish Biologist, at 530-262-1790.

Klamath basin and Central Valley rivers closed for Chinook
In the May 17 California Fish and Game Commission meeting, Commissioners voted unanimously to enact a full closure of California’s recreational salmon fishing season in the Klamath River Basin and Central Valley rivers through its annual process for adjusting seasons and bag limits. The Commission also voted to close recreational salmon fisheries in the Smith River and Eel River, and the springer fishery in the Klamath and Trinity rivers. The regulations are expected to take effect no later than July 1, 2023, following approval by the Office of Administrative Law. In the same emergency action and to the surprise of many, the Commission voted to allow federally recognized tribes that currently or historically used the river segments affected by the recreational fishing closures, to continue fishing under existing inland sport fishing regulations. The low ocean abundance forecasts, coupled with low 2022 returns, led the Commission to recommend closure of California’s in-river recreational salmon fisheries, which include the Klamath and Trinity rivers within the Klamath Basin, the Sacramento, Feather, American and Mokelumne rivers in the Central Valley, the Smith River and the Eel River. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/News/recreational-ocean-in-river-salmon-fisheries-in-california-to-close-for-remainder-of-2023#gsc.tab=0

California halibut bag limit reduced
Also coming out of the Fish and Game Commission meeting, the Commission voted unanimously to reduce the daily bag and possession limit for California halibut from three fish to two fish in California waters north of Point Sur, Monterey County. The regulations are expected to take effect June 1, 2023. The reduced California halibut limit is designed to protect the resource amid increased recreational fishing pressure due to limited fishing opportunities and changes in other ocean fisheries including salmon. 

Pacific halibut quota update
The CDFW has projected 3,233 net pounds of Pacific halibut have been harvested through May 21. In 2023, the Pacific halibut allocation for California is 39,520 pounds. The Pacific halibut fishery will run through November 15, or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. To view the latest catch projection information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking

The Oceans:
Eureka
The Pacific halibut bite has been really good, with easy limits for most boats reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “Poor conditions have kept us off the water since Saturday, but prior to that it was good,” said Klassen. “Most of the boats are fishing straight out of the entrance and north to the stacks in 270 to 300 feet of water. Some boats have tried in deeper water and had good success. The grade might be a little better out deeper. The rockfish action at the Cape has been excellent, with boats catching a wide variety including blacks, browns, vermilions and canaries. The lingcod bite has been a little tougher due to ocean conditions keeping us from fishing deeper water.”

Trinidad
The boat launch will open for business starting Thursday, May 25. Hours of operation will be 7 a.m. until 4p.m., Thursday through Monday. The cost to launch is $45. Call 707-677-3625 for more information. Friday, Saturday, and Monday’s conditions look good for small boats and kayaks to launch from the beach.

Shelter Cove
“We were able to make it out to the edge of the canyon for rockfish a few times last week,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “Limits came pretty quickly on quality rockfish, but we have only been able to scratch up about a lingcod per person on average. We’re still getting limits of crabs as well. We briefly tried for halibut in some new places last week, but no takers. It looks like we’ll have fishable conditions Thursday through Saturday.”

Crescent City
The ocean’s been rough the last several days, so there hasn’t been much going on, reports Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. He said, “Over the weekend, quite a few Pacific halibut were brought in by anglers fishing near the south reef. Plenty of boats were able to boat limits. The rockfish and lingcod bite remains excellent. The north reef and the Sister have been a couple of the top locations.”

Brookings
“Ocean fishing has been good out of Brookings on calm weather days,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Charters are getting easy limits of rockfish and decent numbers of lingcod. Boats from Brookings venturing to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse are returning with limits of lingcod and a few halibut. Sport crabbing has been fair to slow. Ocean salmon opens June 17 in Oregon for hatchery coho.”

River openings
Sections of the main Eel (South Fork to Cape Horn Dam), South Fork Eel (South Fork Eel River from mouth to Rattlesnake Creek) Van Duzen, Mad, Little River, Mattole and Smith will re-open on Saturday, May 27. On most rivers, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. For a complete list of CA river openings and regulations visit nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=209090&inline. The Chetco opened to trout fishing Monday. Spinners are tricking sea-run cutthroat trout.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, Spring salmon continue to be caught on the lower Rogue, where anglers may begin keeping wild springers on June 1, while spring king fishing has busted wide open on the upper river near Shady Cove. “Anglers are limiting out from top to bottom on the Rogue, with drift boaters running MagLip plugs or back-bouncing roe catching fish upstream from the Medford area, and jet boaters still getting good numbers of fish on the lower river just above Gold Beach. With lots of hatchery fish still moving into the lower river, and ocean anglers catching salmon while bottom fishing, this year’s spring run and fall run will likely overlap. The bay fishing could pick up as soon as late June.”

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

Much like the Pacific halibut opener a couple weeks ago, Monday’s rockfish season debut was curtailed by rough ocean conditions. Luckily the delay lasted just a day as boats were headed to the rockfish grounds first thing Tuesday morning. And as expected, wide-open rock fishing was reported from Shelter Cove north to Crescent City. Expect more of the same, as this region is home to some of the best rock fishing on the West Coast. The same could be said for Pacific halibut. This fishery has started off strong, as over 2,000 pounds towards a 39,520 net pound quota were projected to have been caught during the first seven days of the season. With no ocean or river salmon season in 2023, both fisheries will be extremely popular. For current rockfish regulations, which had multiple adjustments this season, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary#north. To keep an eye on the in-season Pacific halibut catch rate, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking.

Marine Forecast
Ocean conditions are looking favorable through the weekend, though the wind will pick up Sunday. As of Wednesday, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots with waves northwest 5 feet at six seconds and south 2 feet at 16 seconds. Saturday, the winds will be out of the north 10 to 15 knots and waves will be out of the north 6 feet at seven seconds. Sunday, winds will increase and come from the north 15 to 25 knots with waves out of the north 5 feet at seven seconds. These conditions can and will change by 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.

Kids free fishing derbies this Saturday
On Saturday, May 20, 2023, 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 ruthlakecsd.org/kids-free-fishing-derby/.

On Saturday, May 20, 2023, all kids age 4 to 15 are invited to the Carrville Dredger Pond for the 49th 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, visit trinityjournal.com/calendar/sport/event_691c2422-b481-11ed-bd66-c73a9d26ca40.html.

The Oceans:

Eureka
The Pacific halibut bite was good over the weekend, according to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “It’s not wide-open, but the fishing is really good,” said Klassen. “The majority of the boats are fishing straight out of the entrance and up to the stacks in 260 to 320 [feet] of water. Herring and salmon bellies have been the top bait choices.” After being tied up due to rough seas for Monday’s rockfish opener, boats were making their way south to the Cape for rockfish Tuesday. Reports were typical for the Cape, pretty wide-open for rockfish and lingcod.

Trinidad
The boat launch is currently closed for maintenance. For updates and current information, you can call the bait shop at 677-3625. Tuesday’s ocean conditions allowed small boats and kayaks to try for rockfish. 

Shelter Cove
The weather kept boats off the water most of last week, reports Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We were only able to get out twice for halibut but couldn’t make it up to Gorda,” said Mitchell. “We fished around Big Flat and landed one each day up to 30 pounds along with limits of crab.” After not being able to get out Monday, Mitchell was on the rockfish grounds Tuesday morning and reported a hot bite.

Crescent City
Boats were able to get out Tuesday and Wednesday for rockfish after sitting out the opener, reports Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. He said, “There have been some Pacific halibut caught, but not a lot of effort. I heard some boats scored limits last Thursday at the South Reef fishing in 230 to 250 feet of water.”

Brookings
“Halibut fishing is slow out of Brookings, but a 62-inch, 100-plus-pounder was caught last week,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Lingcod and rockfish action is good on calm weather days. Crabbing is slow, although some boaters are finding limits when they can distance themselves from commercial pots. Nice weather is expected this week.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, this year’s spring salmon season on the Rogue continues to go down as the best in recent memory, rivaling the epic fishing of the mid-1990s, when 80,000 springers crossed Gold Ray Dam. “Guides continue to catch limits anchoring close to shore and fishing anchovies. Plenty of hatchery fish are still arriving daily on the tides. Boats bottom fishing out of Brookings also are encountering salmon. Wild kings may be kept beginning June 1.”

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

After a hot start to the season, Pacific halibut action out of Eureka has since slowed. Last Monday’s opener was blown out but boats were able to make it back out Wednesday. And what they found were plenty of hungry halibut looking as though they haven’t seen bait in a long time. Quick limits were had by most of the small fleet, with some quality fish reported. But since, it’s been a tough scratch. According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, there seems to be plenty of fish around. “The boats were pretty spread out last week, and all were catching fish,” said Klassen. “That tells me there’s a good-sized area of fish. I think there’s a few factors that have been working against us this past week. We’ve had some big tide swings, up, some of, to 8 feet, but there’s been very little current offshore. This keeps the boats from covering much ground. Throw in a south wind and a full moon and you’ve got some finicky halibut.” Ocean conditions are now changing for the better, so look for this fishery to take off very soon.

Weekend marine forecast
Ocean conditions should remain fishable through the weekend. Friday, north winds will be 5 to 15 knots with north waves 5 feet at seven seconds and west 5 feet at 13 seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots with northerly waves 5 feet at seven seconds and west 5 feet at 12 seconds. Southwest winds return Sunday with winds 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 4 feet at seven seconds and west 7 feet at 16 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit http://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.

Rockfish season opens May 15
The 2023 rockfish season will kick-off Monday, May 15, with a variety of changes. The new regulations were adopted in 2022 and will be in effect when the season opens. For groundfish, including rockfish, cabezon and greenling (RCG), as well as lingcod, the boat-based seasons will bring a mix of increased and reduced fishing opportunities, depending on the species. Unlike prior years, all Groundfish Management Areas will have a portion of the season when all-depth fishing is allowed and anglers are not subject to the Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) depth constraints. This allows new fishing opportunities for deeper-water shelf and slope rockfish, which are most abundant in areas that have been previously closed to recreational groundfish fishing. Anglers will need to identify rockfish species they catch and be able to determine if the fish is categorized as a nearshore, shelf or slope rockfish species, as different seasons and depths apply to each category depending on the Groundfish Management Area and month.

There are also changes for several species that have been subject to boat-based closures in the past, which may offer new alternatives for boat-based anglers. They include:

• New year-round opportunities: ocean whitefish, California scorpionfish, leopard shark, soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish and thornyheads will now be open year-round in all depths, statewide.
• Boat-based fishing for California sheephead, will be open from March 1 through Dec. 31, statewide. The bag limit, regardless of fishing mode, will decrease from five fish to two fish.

For a summary of the recreational groundfish fishing regulations, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary.

In the Northern Management (Eureka, Trinidad, and Crescent City) area, which runs from the California/Oregon border to the 40°10′ N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino), the season opens at all depths May 15 and runs through Oct. 15, closed Oct. 16 through Dec. 31, for all species of rockfish, cabezon and greenlings. The RCG bag limit will remain at 10 fish in combination of rockfish, cabezon and greenlings, with sub-bag limits of not more than four vermilion rockfish, one copper rockfish and one quillback rockfish. Take and possession of cowcod, yelloweye and bronzespotted rockfish will remain prohibited. The limit for lingcod remains at two with a minimum size of 22 inches.

In the Mendocino Management area between 40°10′ N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino) and 38°57.5′ N. latitude (Point Arena), which includes Shelter Cove and Fort Bragg:

• The season opens May 15 through July 15 seaward of the 50 fathom (300 feet) RCA line for shelf and slope species and lingcod only. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line.
• The season opens all depths July 16 through Dec. 31 for nearshore rockfish, cabezon, greenling, shelf, slope, and lingcod.

The RCG bag limit is 10 fish in combination of all species of rockfish, cabezon and greenlings, with sub-bag limits of not more than four vermilion rockfish, one copper rockfish and one quillback rockfish. Take and possession of cowcod, yelloweye and bronzespotted rockfish is prohibited. The limit for lingcod remains at two with a minimum size of 22 inches.

For more information on the Mendocino Management area, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary#mendocino

HASA dinner and fundraiser coming May 13
The annual Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA) fundraiser dinner and auction will be held Saturday, May 13, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Sequoia Conference Center, 901 Myrtle Ave. in Eureka. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Guest speaker will be Del Stephens on how to improve your albacore fishing skills. There will be a kids raffle and table, as well as other raffles. Tickets are available from Englund Marine and board members. Local sponsors include Englund Marine, RMI Outdoors and Redwood Coast Spreader Bars. For more information, email hasa6191@gmail.com.

Fish and Game Commission meeting coming May 17
The California Fish and Game Commission meeting will be held at Monterey County Fair & Event Center, Seaside Room 2004 Fairground Road in Monterey. The meeting will also be live streamed at http://www.fgc.ca.gov for viewing and listening purposes only. The meeting will start at 8:30 a.m. to adopt and discuss changes to the upcoming sport fishing seasons.

On the agenda, the commission will consider Chinook salmon emergency closures in the Klamath, Trinity, Eel, and Smith rivers. Closures for fall Chinook fisheries in the Klamath River basin and the Central Valley will also be adopted.

Also on the agenda is the potential to adopt emergency regulations for California halibut to reduce daily bag and possession limits in anticipation of greater fishery pressure due to salmon fishing closures.  

For a complete agenda and comment submission, and viewing information, visit https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=211281&inline

Kids free fishing derbies
On Saturday, May 20, 2023 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 ruthlakecsd.org/kids-free-fishing-derby/.

On Saturday, May 20 2023 all kids age 4 to 15 are invited to the Carrville Dredger Pond for the 49th annual Trinity Lake Lions Fish Derby. The pond is located five miles north of the Trinity Center. Registration is from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and the fishing derby will last until 11:00 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, visit trinityjournal.com/calendar/sport/event_691c2422-b481-11ed-bd66-c73a9d26ca40.html

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, the weather was good enough last week to target halibut. He said, “We were able to make it up to Gorda twice last week, but the fishing wasn’t great. Over the two days, we had a total of ten anglers and we only managed to land seven fish to 44 pounds. We were able to boat limits of Dungeness crabs both days.”

Brookings rockfish update
“Halibut started off slow out of Brookings, in part because of rough weather,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Southerly winds have limited the window to get offshore. Lingcod and rockfish have been good on calm weather days. Anchovies, and pelicans, have arrived off of Brookings. Calm weather returns this week.”

Lower Rogue
The spring king salmon run on the lower Rogue continues to be one to remember, according to Martin. “Some guides are limiting their customers before 10 a.m. Shore anglers are also catching fish plunking Spin N Glos and Brads baits. Peak season continues through May.”

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 widely anticipated Pacific halibut opener was slated for Monday, but good ol’ Mother Nature had other plans. Ocean conditions up and down the coast were horrible, with gale force winds keeping fleets from the Bay Area to Brookings tied to the dock both Monday and Tuesday. That’s the bad news. The good news is the seas have since subsided and boats  headed out through Humboldt Bay Wednesday in search of the season’s first haul of Pacific halibut. And once the boats made it to the halibut grounds, it didn’t take long to find the season’s first biters. A few charter and private boats took advantage of decent weather and put in quick limits of halibut up to 50 pounds. Ocean conditions look fishable at least through the weekend, and we now know the fish are there.
The Pacific halibut season will be open until Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. The fishery will be open seven days a week, and the limit remains at one with no size restrictions.

Weekend marine forecast
After wind and rough conditions curtailed the first two days of the Pacific halibut season, better conditions lie ahead. Friday is calling for west winds 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 4 feet at 12 seconds. Saturday winds will be out of the northwest 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 4 feet at five seconds and northwest 3 feet at 11 seconds . Sunday winds will be out of the south up to 10 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at 11 seconds and southwest 4 feet at 15 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka or windy.com.

Updates to commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fishing
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced Tuesday it has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program and implemented a 30-fathom depth constraint for fishing zones 1 and 2 (Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the Oregon state line) effective May 15 at noon for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery. Traps used in the commercial fishery will be prohibited in waters seaward of the 30-fathom contour.

Recreational crab traps will be prohibited in fishing zones 3-6 (all areas south of the Sonoma/Mendocino County line) effective at noon on May 15.
CDFW reminds recreational crabbers that take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is still allowed through the close of the season on June 30. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/News/cdfw-announces-depth-restriction-for-the-commercial-dungeness-crab-fishery-in-fishing-zones-1-and-2-and-recreational-crab-trap-prohibition-in-zones-3-6-to-#gsc.tab=0

Kids free fishing derby coming May 20 to Ruth Lake
On Saturday, May 20, 2023 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 ruthlakecsd.org/kids-free-fishing-derby/.

Englund Marine Eureka Grand Opening May 5
Englund Marine Eureka will be holding its grand opening celebration this Friday, May 5 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. with the Eureka Chamber of Commerce. There will be sale prices on clothing, boots and raingear all day long. Englund Marine’s new location is 590 West Waterfront Drive, Eureka.

RMI Outdoors fishing contest
RMI Outdoors of Eureka will be holding their annual Screamin’ Reels fishing contest beginning on May 1 and running through Sept. 4. To enter, take a picture with your fish and like the RMI Facebook page at facebook.com/RMIOutdoors. Message RMI or email your picture to megan@rmioutdoorseureka.com. There are two categories, youth and adult youth. The youth with the most likes wins a fishing package and $50 RMI gift card and the adult youth with the most likes wins a $50 RMI gift card and a fishing rod. Visit rmioutdoorseureka.com/whats-going/screamin-reels-contest for more information.

The beach/jetties
The wind has made the beaches tough for anglers looking for redtail perch. When the ocean is rough, the mouth of the Elk River (stinky beach) or King Salmon are two of the better options to get out of the wind. Both can produce quality perch action. Conditions look much better the next few days. Centerville, Table Bluff, Samoa, and any of the lagoon beaches can provide excellent fishing. The north jetty, weather permitting, has been giving up some nice black rockfish and some quality lingcod. The south jetty hasn’t been as good, but that will likely change as water and weather conditions improve. Small swimbaits or scampi jigs are catching fish as well as herring fished under a float.

Brookings rockfish update
“Halibut season opened Monday with rough weather, big swells and strong winds,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “The conditions kept boats at the docks in Brookings, but a few charters out of Coos Bay returned with limits. Calmer conditions are expected the second half of the week. Lingcod and rockfish action continues to be good on calm weather days. Surfperch fishing is at its peak along Brookings-area beaches, with limits of anglers using raw shrimp or Gulp sandworms at high tide. Ocean salmon opens June 17 out of Brookings.”

Lower Rogue
Spring salmon fishing remains good on the lower Rogue, with the best fishing in years underway, reports Martin. “Springers also are beginning to show up in the catch near Shady Cove on the upper Rogue. Early May remains a peak season on the lower Rogue. Wild kings may be kept beginning June 1.”

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

May 1 marks day one of our abbreviated ocean sport fishing season on the North Coast as Pacific halibut will open Monday. Our rockfish season will follow, opening on May 15, but will also be shorter than previous years. Without an ocean salmon season this year, these two fisheries will be more popular and will see more pressure than ever.

The Pacific halibut season will be open until Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. The 2023 Pacific halibut quota for the California subarea is 39,540 pounds — approximately the same as the 2022 quota. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will monitor catches of Pacific halibut during the season and provide catch projection updates on its Pacific halibut webpage, wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking.

The fishery will be open seven days a week, and the limit remains at one with no size restrictions. When angling, no more than one line with two hooks attached may be used. A harpoon, gaff or net may be used to assist in taking a Pacific halibut that has been legally caught by angling. For Pacific halibut regulations, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670771 pacific-halibut-regulations.

Weekend marine forecast
Ocean conditions don’t look good for Monday’s Pacific halibut opener. Winds are forecast up to 20 knots with 10 foot swells. For the weekend, Saturday is calling for winds out of the north 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 4 feet at eight seconds and northwest 4 feet at 13 seconds. The wind starts to pick up on Sunday, coming from the northwest 15 to 20 knots with northwest waves 6 feet at seven seconds and west 9 feet at 15 seconds. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka/ or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Recreational razor clam fishery closes in Humboldt County
Determining that consumption of razor clams in the area poses a significant threat for domoic acid exposure, CDFW has closed the razor clam fishery in Humboldt County as of April 21. A sampling of razor clams from Clam Beach in Humboldt County in early April found clams exceeding the current federal action level for domoic acid of greater than or equal to 20 parts per million.

The recreational clam fishery in Del Norte County is also closed at this time. CDFW will continue to work with the California Department of Public Health and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to collect, monitor and analyze razor clams to determine when the recreational razor clam fishery can be reopened safely in these areas.

For more information on any fishery closure or health advisories, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Health-Advisories.

To get the latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid, call CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line at (831) 649-2883.

Potential California halibut bag limit reduction
CDFW is proposing an emergency regulation change to reduce the recreational California halibut daily bag and possession limit from three fish to two fish in northern California (waters north of Point Sur, Monterey County). The proposal will be discussed at the May 17 California Fish and Game Commission teleconference meeting.

Northern California Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel (“party boat”) operators and recreational anglers communicated to the CDFW that they anticipate nearshore fishing effort will shift and increase for California halibut in 2023, due to limited fishing opportunities and changes in accessibility to other fisheries, such as salmon.

During the salmon closure in 2008 and 2009, fishing effort shifted to California halibut and the estimated recreational catch in northern California surpassed 54,000 and 43,000 fish, respectively. By 2013, the catch had dipped to just below 5,000 California halibut. The catch remained below 20,000 fish for several years (2011-2016) following the closure.

Recreational anglers have expressed a desire for proactive management to lessen the effect of the anticipated fishing effort shift on the California halibut resource. This anticipated shift coincides with a cold-water period, which is correlated with lower California halibut egg and larval survival. The fishery began to rebound from the 2008-2009 salmon closure in 2017, following warm water periods that began in 2014. A bag limit reduction will help to support California halibut population levels through the current cold-water period.

Based on California Recreational Fisheries Survey estimates, a bag limit reduction from three to two fish could result in protecting about 13 percent of fish that would otherwise be taken. For more information, visit cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2023/04/13/cdfw-considers-reducing-california-halibut-bag-and-possession-limit-in-northern-california/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Brookings ocean update
“Lingcod and rockfish action is good out of Brookings on calm weather days,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Good weather returns on Friday. Halibut season opens May 1. Some halibut have already been released. Deeper water fishes best early in the season, with fish in 220 to 300 feet of water. Fishing for hatchery coho opens June 17 out of Brookings.”

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

Main Stem Eel
The main stem Eel remains high and off color. As of Wednesday, flows were right around 8,500 cubic feet per second on the Scotia gauge. Warm weather the this week has started the snowmelt, raising flows nearly 4,000 cfs since Saturday. With plenty of snow in the hills, it doesn’t look like it will drop to a fishable color or level anytime soon. The main stem Eel to the South Fork is open all year. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used from Apr. 1 through Sept. 30.

Smith
The Smith was hovering around 9.5 feet on the Jed Smith gauge Wednesday and is plenty fishable. Fishing reports have been hard to come by as most anglers have moved on for the season. There should be some downers around a few fresh ones still making their way upriver. After Sunday, the Smith will close to fishing from its mouth to the confluence of the Middle and South Forks; Middle Fork Smith River from mouth to Patrick Creek; and from the South Fork Smith River from the mouth upstream approximately 1,000 feet to the County Road (George Tryon) bridge and Craigs Creek to Jones Creek.

Lower Rogue
The lower Rogue is producing its best spring salmon fishing in years, with high catch rates of hatchery fish, according to Martin. “Guides anchoring and running anchovies and spinner blades, and shore anglers plunking Spin-N-Glos or 4.0 MagLips are getting into good numbers of fish, and many are getting limits. The peak of the season is here, but decent fishing will likely continue into June with high flows this spring. Wild springers must be released through May. The Umpqua also is having a strong springer run.”

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 boat-based rockfish season on the North Coast won’t open until May 15 but that certainly doesn’t mean fish tacos can’t be on the menu. The jetties, the breakwater constructed to protect Humboldt Bay, are starting to provide some good fishing opportunities for both rockfish and lingcod. Over the last couple weeks, the North Jetty has started giving up some nice rockfish, along with the occasional big lingcod. While no limits have been reported as of yet, most are catching enough to make plenty of fish tacos. The South Jetty hasn’t been as good, but that will likely change as water and weather conditions improve.

There are a few different techniques anglers use on the jetties. One of the most popular is fishing with small swimbaits or scampi jigs. You can use a half-ounce or three-quarter ounce, depending on the tide and depth of water. Another popular method is a two-hook setup rigged with bait. Bait, especially herring, under a float is also a deadly technique for big lingcod.

For bait, squid or shrimp work well. You can also cast and retrieve egg sinkers or banana weights rigged with a herring. This also works well for lingcod. While we wait for the May 15 boat-based rockfish opener, the jetties are always an excellent year-round option to put fresh fish on the table. For a complete list of rockfish regulations, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary#north.

Weekend marine forecast
Ocean conditions look to be improving throughout the week with decent conditions forecast for the weekend. Friday is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and west waves 6 feet at 10 seconds. Saturday is calling for winds out of the north 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at five seconds and northwest 4 feet at 14 seconds. Sunday looks similiar. Winds will be from the northwest 5 to 15 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at five seconds and west 4 feet at 15 seconds. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka/ or windy.com.

Increased flows coming down the Klamath
In a press release issued Monday, the Bureau of Reclamation, in coordination with PacifiCorp, will increase flows at Link River Dam and below Iron Gate Dam to reduce the risk of disease for salmon in the Klamath River. From April 19 through the end of the month, flows will vary on the Link and Klamath rivers.

Releases from Upper Klamath Lake through Link River Dam will increase to 5,300 cubic feet per second the morning of April 19. The increased flows will reach Iron Gate Dam late in the day, resulting in increased flows below Iron Gate Dam from the current 1,330 cfs up to a peak of around 6,030 cfs beginning late afternoon on April 19. The peak will last for 72 hours. Flows will begin ramping down at Link River Dam the morning of April 22 and that evening at Iron Gate Dam. The rampdown will last through the end of April. The public is urged to take appropriate safety precautions while flows are increased.    

Upon completion of the surface flushing flow event, Reclamation will continue to maintain Klamath River flows in accordance with the 2020 Interim Operations Plan. This surface flushing flow is an environmental compliance requirement and was implemented in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, Tribal Nations, and Klamath Project water contractors.

For more information about Reclamation’s Klamath Basin Area Office’s work to manage and protect water and related resources in Klamath Basin communities, and Klamath Project hydrologic and operations updates visit https://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao

Spring releases on the Trinity River
The Bureau of Reclamation announced on April 13 that this year’s restoration flow schedule for the Trinity River will begin on April 16. Each year, the Trinity Management Council advances a flow schedule based on the expected amount of water available to support salmon restoration efforts on the Trinity River.

The California Department of Water Resources determined April 10 the Trinity watershed falls into the “wet” category with 1.6 -million-acre feet of projected inflow to the reservoir from the watershed. A “wet” determination is one of five water year types used by the Trinity River Restoration Program to determine how much reservoir water will be released in support of the program’s goals to improve habitat for anadromous fish—fish that migrate to fresh water from salt water to spawn—like salmon and steelhead. ​​​​​​​

The planned release schedule attempts to maximize benefits to the physical and biological character of the Trinity River.

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.

Key components of the flow release schedule are:

• April 15-16: Increase daily average flows from 3,550 cubic feet per second to 6,750 cfs
• April 17-18: Flows increase to 10,258 cfs then to 10,875 cfs
• April 19-22: Flows decrease to 9,250 cfs then to 6,625 cfs, and then increase to 10,792 cfs
• May 8-June 3: Flows will be maintained between 1,000 to 2,000 cfs
• June 21: Flows will return to 450 cfs summer baseflow, which continues until September 30

Reclamation continues to work cooperatively with multiple federal, state, local agencies, and partners in conserving water, advancing water storage projects, and maximizing regulatory flexibilities to respond quickly to fluctuating conditions.

An up-to-date daily schedule of flow releases is available at the program’s website https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/. The public may subscribe to automated notifications of Trinity River release changes (via phone or email) at https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/flow-release-notifications/.

The Trinity Management Council is the governing body of the Trinity River Restoration Program. The council’s membership includes Hoopa Valley Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Trinity County, state of California, USDA-Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, and the Bureau of Reclamation. For additional information, visit https://www.trrp.net/

Englund Marine Eureka Grand Opening May 5
Englund Marine Eureka will be holding a grand opening celebration on Friday, May 5 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. with the Eureka Chamber of Commerce. There will be sale prices on clothing, boots and raingear all day long. Englund Marine’s new location is 590 West Waterfront Drive, Eureka.

HASA dinner and fundraiser coming May 13
The annual Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA) fundraiser dinner and auction will be held Saturday, May 13, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sequoia Conference Center, 901 Myrtle Ave. in Eureka. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Guest speaker will be Del Stephens on how to improve your albacore fishing skills. There will be a kids raffle and table, as well as other raffles. Tickets are available from Englund Marine and board members. Local sponsors include Englund Marine, RMI Outdoors, and Redwood Coast Spreader Bars. For more information, email hasa6191@gmail.com

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

Smith
The Smith was right around 9.5 feet on the Jed Smith gauge Thursday and should be in excellent shape through the weekend. Fishing reports have been hard to come by as most anglers have moved on for the season. There should be some downers around a few fresh ones still making their way upriver.

Eel (main stem)
As of Thursday, the main Eel was running at 7,750 cubic feet per second on the Scotia gauge and dropping slightly. It’s predicted to drop through Friday before rising again on the weekend, likely due to snowmelt. It’s getting close to being fishable but needs to get down to 5,000 cfs. That could happen next week. The main stem Eel to the South Fork is open all year. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used from Apr. 1 through Sept. 30.

Lower Rogue
Spring salmon fishing has been surprisingly good on the lower Rogue, according to Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Plunkers are catching fish on Spin-N-Glos, 4.0 MagLips and Brads plug cut lures at Huntley Park and Lobster Creek,” said Martin. “Guides anchoring near Elephant Rock and the Willows caught limits of salmon over the weekend with anchovies and spinner blades, as big numbers of hatchery springers moved through. Conditions remain good for this weekend.”

Brookings ocean update
Lingcod and rockfish continue to be good out of Brookings on nice weather days according to Martin. “Lingcod remain in shallow water, while thicker schools of rockfish have moved inshore. The forecast for Friday and Saturday looks promising. Surfperch are biting well at numerous Brookings-area beaches, although fishing along the jetties is slow because of high water in the Chetco. Pacific halibut season opens May 1. Coho salmon season opens in the ocean out of Brookings June 17.”

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

In what was a mere formality, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) put the final nail in the coffin of California’s 2023 ocean Chinook salmon fishery April 6. The PFMC acted unanimously to recommend a full closure of California’s commercial and sport ocean salmon seasons. Options put forward by the PFMC last month for public review, which were developed by industry representatives, all proposed closure of both commercial and sport ocean salmon fisheries off California. This action follows extremely low forecast returns of the Sacramento and Klamath river fall Chinook salmon, which will constrain all seasons from Cape Falcon through California. So, here’s what we know.

• Sport and commercial Chinook salmon fishing will be closed in California in 2023.

Open ocean salmon fisheries in Oregon/Washington:

• Ocean waters off the Columbia River from Leadbetter Pt., Washington to Cape Falcon, Oregon will be open for an all-salmon season North of Cape Falcon beginning June 24 and continue through the earlier of September 30, or quota with a hatchery mark selective coho quota of 79,800. There is also a Chinook guideline in this area of 11,490. The daily bag limit will be two salmon, but no more than one Chinook and all coho must have a healed adipose fin clip.
  
• From Cape Falcon to the Oregon-California border, the recreational hatchery mark selective coho salmon season will open on June 17 and continue through the earlier of Aug. 31 or the quota of 110,000 adipose fin-clipped coho. Chinook retention is prohibited through the end of August. 
  
• From Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain, a non-selective coho season opening on Sept. 1, and will be open seven days per week through the earlier of Sept. 30 or the quota of 25,000 non-mark selective coho. The daily bag limit is two fish, only one of which may be a Chinook.
  
• Beginning Sept. 1 and continuing through Oct. 31 in the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain, retention of one Chinook salmon per day will be allowed. The season will only be open inside of the 40-fathom management line from Oct 1 through Oct. 31.
  
• In-river fisheries in Oregon will not be affected by low Sacramento and Klamath fall Chinook ocean abundance.

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 California Fish and Game Commission meeting April 19 and 20, season proposals will be heard from California Fish and Wildlife staff. These proposals will be decided upon at the May 17 California Fish and Game Commission meeting.

For more information on the state ocean salmon closure, visit wildlife.ca.gov/News/pfmc-recommends-closure-of-2023-ocean-salmon-fisheries#gsc.tab=0

For information on Oregon salmon fisheries, visit dfw.state.or.us/news/2023/04_Apr/040723b.asp.

Marine forecast
Ocean conditions are looking much improved for the weekend. Friday is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots and northwest waves 5 feet at nine seconds. Saturday is calling for winds out of the south 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at 14 seconds. Sunday is looking a little worse with winds out of the south 10 to 15 knots and waves southwest 4 feet at five seconds and west 5 feet at 12 seconds. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka/ or windy.com.

Upcoming events
Shelter Cove crab feed coming April 15
Shelter Cove Fishing Preservation will be holding its third annual crab feed fundraiser dinner and silent auction this Saturday, April 15 at the Community Center/Club House in Shelter Cove. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased at the launch office. The event starts at 5 p.m. and live music will be provided by The Breakers. 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 19-20, 2023 at the Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, # 3 Commercial St. Eureka, CA 95501. Hours are: 7:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. April 19th, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. April 20^th. Cost is $125 for Commercial Fishermen, $225 for all others. Instructor will be Suzie Howser.
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.

Englund Marine Eureka Grand Opening May 5
Englund Marine Eureka will be holding a grand opening celebration on Friday, May 5 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. with the Eureka Chamber of Commerce. There will be sale prices on clothing, boots, and raingear all day long. Englund Marine new location is 590 West Waterfront Drive, Eureka.

HASA dinner and fundraiser coming May 13
The annual Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA) fundraiser dinner and auction will be held Saturday, May 13, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sequoia Conference Center, 901 Myrtle Ave. in Eureka. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Guest speaker will be Del Stephens on how to improve your albacore fishing skills. There will be a kids raffle and table, as well as other raffles. Tickets are available from Englund Marine and board members. Local sponsors include Englund Marine, RMI Outdoors, and Redwood Coast Spreader Bars. For more information, email hasa6191@gmail.com

“Wet” year designation for Trinity River
On Monday, the California Department of Water Resources designated the 2023 water year as “wet”. A wet year requires 701,000 acre-feet to be released to the river for restoration purposes, out of an estimated inflow to the reservoir of 1.62 million acre-feet. Flows in the Trinity River will increase steeply this weekend as the spring restoration release begins. 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 trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/. The public may subscribe to automated notifications of Trinity River release changes (via phone or email) at 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 back on a slow decent after Monday’s rise. As of Wednesday, flows were around 14,500 cubic feet per second on the Scotia gauge and dropping. Needless to say, it remains high and off color. It will need a couple weeks 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
Monday night’s storm pushed flows up and over 14,000 cfs on the Jed Smith gauge early Tuesday morning. It was back in prime condition by Wednesday 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.

Lower Rogue
“Spring salmon fishing has been decent on the lower Rogue, with plenty of hatchery fish showing up,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Bank anglers are plunking with 4.0 MagLips and catching springers as they swim upstream close to shore. Boaters are anchoring with anchovies and spinner blades. A few late-season steelhead also are being caught by springer anglers. The Chetco, Elk and Sixes are closed for the season.”

Brookings ocean update
Rough weather has limited the window to get out for lingcod and rockfish out of Brookings, but fishing has been good on calm days reports Martin. “Rockfish are keying on smelt, so larger white or gray plastics are working best. Lingcod are still in shallow water spawning. Ocean salmon season opens June 17 out of Brookings for hatchery coho. No chinook may be kept in the ocean this summer.”

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

Spring, along with the accompanying nice weather, will arrive eventually. At least that’s what the calendar says. And when it does, a new set of angling opportunities will come with it. As the number of storms begin to lessen, we’ll 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 just starting to heat up. The Klamath River’s spring-run fisheries fate will be decided in the next couple of weeks by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. It’s been an unusually long and wet winter, but spring angling is right around the corner.

Upcoming meetings
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and its advisory bodies are meeting now through April 7 to address issues related to groundfish, salmon, Pacific halibut, coastal pelagic species and administrative matters. One of the key agenda items is to adopt final management measures for the 2023 recreational and commercial ocean salmon fisheries. Also on the agenda are the 2023 Klamath River Basin quotas and Sacramento fall Chinook fisheries. It is likely these in-river fisheries will be closed this fall. For more information, visit pcouncil.org/documents/2023/03/april-2023-meeting-agenda.pdf.

The California Fish and Game Commission meeting will be held in Fresno, April 19 to 20 to adopt and discuss changes to the upcoming sport fishing seasons. The meeting will be live streamed for viewing or listening. On the agenda are the proposed changes to Klamath River Basin sport fishing as well as Klamath River regulations related to dam removal. Also on the agenda is the fate of the Central Valley fall Chinook fisheries. For a complete agenda and comment submission, and viewing information, visit nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=210870&inline=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

Weekend marine forecast
South winds are forecast for the weekend along with a large westerly swell. As of Wednesday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for winds out of the south 10 to 20 knots with west waves 8 feet at nine seconds. Saturday, winds will be out of the south 10 to 20 knots with south waves 6 feet at six seconds and west 8 feet at 16 seconds. Sunday, winds will be 10 to 15 knots out of the south with west waves 12 feet at 15 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.

Shelter Cove crab feed
Shelter Cove Fishing Preservation will be holding its third annual crab feed fundraiser dinner and silent auction April 15 at the Community Center/Club House in Shelter Cove. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased at the launch office. The event starts at 5 p.m. and live music will be provided by The Breakers. 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.

Main stem Eel
The main stem is still a long way from being fishable. As of Wednesday, it was running at 11,500 cubic feet per second at the Scotia gauge. Another rise is predicted for Friday with flows reaching 22,000 cfs Saturday. 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 in great shape at 9.5 feet at the Jed Smith gauge as of Wednesday. Another rise is predicted to begin Thursday, pushing the river to 12.5 feet by Friday morning. Fishing pressure has been light, but there are some fish around. 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 the lower Rogue River by boaters anchoring close to shore and fishing anchovies. “Plunkers also are getting a few springers from shore with 4.0 MagLips,” said Martin. The Chetco, Elk and Sixes have closed for the season.

Brookings ocean update
Lingcod and rockfish are biting on calm weather days out of Brookings. reports Martin. “This weekend looks 50-50 weather wise. Lings are in shallow water spawning. Federal fishery managers will adopt ocean salmon seasons this week. A June 17 coho salmon opener is a possibility out of Brookings this summer. There also is talk of a return of the October ocean king season at the mouth of the Chetco.”

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.

It’s looking like this year’s winter is refusing to end, but unfortunately, the winter steelhead season will. Enough rain has fallen over the past few days to keep the majority of the coastal rivers high and off-color, essentially washing away the last week of steelhead season.

As of Wednesday, all of the coastal rivers, already swollen from an extremely wet March, were back on the rise. The quick-clearing Smith and Chetco were also feeling the effects of the current storm, but they may come around and fish later in the week. It looks like those are the only two rivers that will fish prior to the season closing after Sunday. Humboldt rivers, including the Mad, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen and Redwood Creek, are all toast as far as green water goes. As we look back on the season, what a stark contrast to 2022. Last year we started off great with early-season rains bringing in good numbers of steelhead. And then, it quit raining. Quite the opposite this year. The rain never stopped for long, and the steelhead didn’t bother to show up in good numbers.

But as one season comes to a close, more will soon open. As the calendar nears April, it’s time to change gears and look toward the next angling opportunity. The rockfish and Pacific halibut openers are right around the corner and the California halibut will hopefully show up in Humboldt Bay. It’s also time to think about all the spring salmon on the Klamath (hopefully) and the lower Rogue River. There’s redtails to be had from all the local beaches, and the lagoons are full of trout. It’s been a wet and wild steelhead season but I for one am ready for the next adventure. And a little sunshine wouldn’t hurt either.

Steelhead rivers openings/closures
After Friday, March 31, the South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mattole, Mad, Redwood Creek, Mattole and Chetco rivers will all be closed to fishing. Rivers that will remain open to fishing include:

Eel River
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 the Friday, May 26. Only barbless hooks may be used from May 27 through Mar. 31, 2024.

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, 2024.

Smith River
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
Over the past two weeks, March 13 – 26, 2023, a total of 16 adult steelhead (female 7, male 7, unknown 2) were observed migrating upstream through the VAFS fishway according to Andrew Anderson, an Aquatic Biologist with PG&E. Two adult steelhead (female, 1, male 1) were observed during the week of March 13 – 19, and another 14 (female 6, male 6, unknown 2) during the week of March 20-16. This brings the season total for adult upstream migrating adult steelhead to 118 (female 46, male 56, unknown 16). For more information, visit www.eelriver.org/the-eel-river/fish-count/.

The Rivers:
Mad, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen and Redwood Creek
All are on the rise and won’t drop back into fishable prior to the season closing after Friday, March 31.

Main stem Eel
The main Eel is high and dirty and back on the rise. It’s predicted to reach 30,000 cubic feet per second Wednesday. 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 Thursday and Friday. Flows should be right around 6,900 cfs (10.3 feet) at the Jed Smith gauge Thursday morning. Additional rain forecast for Saturday will put the river back on the rise over the weekend.

Southern Oregon rivers
According to Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing, steelhead anglers will get one final chance to catch fish before the season closes Friday evening on the Chetco. “Rain will blow the river out for a few days before it drops back into shape Thursday and Friday,” said Martin. “The few anglers fishing over the weekend reported big numbers of fish, mainly downrunners with a few bright steelhead. Most of the fish are up high. Springer fishing is fair on the lower Rogue River. Rain has brought early spring salmon and late-season winter steelhead into the Rogue, with shore anglers catching a few fish plunking 4.0 MagLips and boaters anchoring with anchovies and spinner blades.”

Brookings ocean report
According to Martin, rough ocean conditions will keep ocean anglers at the dock most of the week in Brookings, although Thursday’s forecast looks great. “Lingcod fishing has been good. Another storm arrives this weekend. Surfperch fishing has improved at Crissy Field and Lone Ranch

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.