Current Fishing Reports

Crescent City resident Trina Gheen, with the help of Jason Costello, pictured right, landed her first-ever Klamath River salmon last week while fishing with guide Mike Coopman. Photo courtesy of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service

The season’s first decent storm is on track to hit the North Coast on Sunday, and it the forecast holds, the Smith River could potentially open to fishing above the low flow closure boundary. As of Wednesday, the forecast is calling for the Smith and Klamath basins to get up to one and a half inches of rain over the course of Sunday and Monday according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “It looks like it’s going to be a wet one; and we’ll see the temperatures drop as well. Here in Humboldt County, we’ll likely see close to an inch of rain over the course of the two days,” Kennedy added. So, if the rain falls as planned, salmon fishing on the Smith could be a real possibility for Monday. With the first river rise of the rainy season, I would expect there to be lots of debris coming down the river, and hopefully a lot of chrome bright kings heading the opposite direction. To see the Smith River levels and predictions, visit http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=CREC1. To get the low flow lowdown on all of the North Coast rivers, call 707-822-3164.

Weekend Weather
After the storm moves out on Monday, a weak weather system will move in on Tuesday according to Kennedy. “Rain will mostly fall to our north, with Del Norte seeing up to a quarter inch. As of now, next Wednesday through Saturday is predicted to be dry,” Kennedy added.

Rockfish seasons set to close
The recreational rockfish season for boat-based anglers will come to a close on Saturday, Oct. 31. The weekend weather doesn’t look to promising for a last minute run to the Cape, or anywhere for that matter. Friday’s forecast is calling 8-foot waves at 14 seconds. Waves will be 10-feet at 14 seconds on Saturday and Sunday looks worse, with 13-foot swells at 13 seconds.

CDFW Simplifies steelhead card for 2016
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) has simplified its 2016 steelhead report card according to a press release issued on Monday. The new card will be shorter and easier to fill out. It provides anglers with clear and concise reporting instructions, consolidates location codes and better defines the data being collected.

Major changes to the 2016 card include:

• A reduction of location codes from 73 to 20
• The addition of a “did not fish” check box above the reporting section
• Simplification of report card language
• Clarification of reporting instructions

The consolidation of location codes benefits the angler by making it easier to identify which location code they are fishing in, while the simplification of language helps anglers more easily determine what data must be recorded and how to comply with the reporting requirement.

The steelhead data collected by anglers is important and aids CDFW in making management decisions, and is used to determine catch trends for specific watersheds. Revenue generated by report card sales is dedicated to steelhead restoration projects, which contribute to the conservation and recovery of steelhead populations and benefit both the species and anglers.

Reporting online is preferred as it increases the accuracy of data and reduces data entry and administrative costs, and allows for more funds to be used for statewide steelhead restoration. For more information regarding the Steelhead Report and Restoration Card Program and how data is utilized, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/steelheadcard. To enter your steelhead report card information online, please login to the CDFW online license sales and service system at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Online-Sales.

The Rivers:
Smith River
According to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service, the Smith is loaded with salmon as far up as Hiouchi. “The rain we’re getting now and what’s coming this weekend should really put them on the move and will bring in some fresh fish. And I’m hoping we get enough rain to open the river to fishing above Rowdy Creek. Trollers starting at first light have been doing well at the Sand Hole using anchovies or herring. There’s been quite a bit of illegal angling taking place at the Sand Hole. If you see something, be sure and call the CalTIP hotline at 1-888-334-CalTIP (888-334-2258),” Coopman added.

Reminder: A North Coast Salmon Report Card is required to fish for salmon on the Smith River. The daily bag and possession limit is 1 Chinook salmon and no more than 5 wild Chinook salmon over 22 inches per year.

Chetco
Flows came up a bit last weekend and scattered the salmon throughout the lower river. Salmon were reportedly caught below Nook on Wednesday as the flows were back on the rise from Tuesday’s rain. Anglers are reminded that from the power line crossing at RM 2.2 upstream to Nook Creek (RM 14) from Sept. 1 through Nov. 3, angling is restricted to fly angling and bobber angling only, with 1 single point hook. Fly angling gear must include a strike indicator. Bobber angling gear must include a bobber and a leader no longer than 36 inches in length. Any weight (except the bobber or strike indicator) may be no more than 36 inches from the hook when suspended vertically. The leader below the bobber or strike indicator must remain suspended in the water column and not resting on the river bottom. The daily/seasonal bag limit is 2 Chinook daily, only one may be unclipped. 20 seasonal, no more than 5 may be unclipped.

Lower Klamath
A few bright, big kings are still trickling into the Lower Klamath according to Coopman. “It’s pretty typical for this time of year, some of the big tributary fish are starting to show up. There’s also quite a few silvers as well as steelhead making their way through the system,” Coopman added.

Upper Trinity
Tim Brady of Weaverville’s Trinity Outdoors reports the steelhead fishing on the Trinity has been consistent, but certainly not red hot. He said, “Most of the action is taking place from the North Fork down to Big Bar. The salmon fishing hasn’t been great, but guides are seeing a few around. Most of the boats are working from Junction City down to the North Fork.”

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Mike Zaslove, left, along with his brother Jim landed this nice late-season Chinook salmon last Saturday on the Klamath River. The fall salmon run is starting to wind down, but a few fresh fish are still entering the river.
Photo courtesy of Kenny Priest/Fishing the North Coast Guide Service

You know it’s a slow week in the angling world when next week’s forecasted rain is the hot topic. After some light rain on Sunday, which could drop up to a quarter inch in the Smith basin and roughly a tenth in Humboldt, we should see our first significant storm of the season next Wednesday. From the Mad River basin north, river levels are predicted to rise slightly following Sunday’s rain. And with any luck, Wednesday’s storm will keep the flows going in the right direction. According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, early models are showing roughly three quarters of inch may fall in Humboldt while Del Norte could see up to a inch and a quarter. This should be enough to get some fish into the rivers and put the ones that are stuck in the estuaries on the move. Whether the rivers open to fishing beyond the tidewater or not, that remains to be seen. Check back next Thursday and we’ll have all the details.

Eel River estuary salmon regulations
There seems to be quite a bit of confusion regarding the Eel River estuary regulations for Chinook salmon. In 2015, the catch and release of Chinook salmon is legal, but keeping them is prohibited. As a reminder, anglers should do everything in their power to ensure the fish they catch are released in good condition so they can complete their long, hard journey to their spawning grounds. Not removing them from the water and using a rubber mesh net is recommended. The Eel is open year around from the mouth to Fulmor Rd. at its paved junction with the south bank of the river. Artificial lures and barbless hooks are required from April 1 through the Friday preceding the fourth Saturday in May. Only barbless hooks may be used from fourth Saturday in May through Mar. 31. For a complete list of Eel and all other North Coast river regulations, visit https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=93497&inline

Klamath River quota update
Typical for this time of the year, the catch rate and angling effort are both on the downswing. According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River, only 17 adult salmon were harvested below the Hwy 96 bridge last week. The number of adults harvested to date is 4,942, which leaves 2,125 left to catch to fill the sport quota. The lower river and the estuary, except the 100 yards of the channel flowing through the spit at the mouth of the river, remain open to fishing.

Rockfish season coming to the end
The recreational rockfish season for boat-based anglers will come to a close next Saturday, Oct. 31 in the Northern Management Area, which includes the CA/OR border to the 40°10’ N. Latitude (near Cape Mendocino). Rockfish is open year-round for divers and shore-based anglers.

The Oceans:
Eureka
Snotty weather has kept the sport fleet tied up since last Friday, and more is in store for this weekend as well. Friday’s forecast is for winds from the northwest 5 to 10 knots and west waves 8 feet at 13 seconds. Saturday is calling for southwest winds 5 to 10 knots and waves out of the northwest 7 feet at 13 seconds. The wind will calm a little on Sunday. Winds are expected out of the north to 5 knots and west waves to 7 feet at 13 seconds.

River Closures
All North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith and Van Duzen remain closed. Sections of rivers that are open include the main stem Eel River from the paved junction of Fulmor Road to its mouth, the main stem Mad River from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to its mouth and the main stem Smith River from the mouth of Rowdy Creek to its mouth. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is (707) 822-3164.

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
According to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service, the fall run of salmon is starting to wind down on the Klamath. “The fishing is still decent; we were able to land six fish on Monday. There’s still some new fish coming in, and there’s definitely some older fish around as well. With the lack of rain, the river is extremely low and clear,” Coopman added.

Upper Klamath
The salmon action remains slow in the Hornbrook area as there just isn’t a lot of fish around. Boats are averaging three to six fish per trip and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get much better.

Smith River
The Smith remains closed above Rowdy Creek, but a few fish are being caught at the Sand Hole according to Chris Hegnes of Englund Marine. He said, “Boats trolling anchovies and Kwikfish are doing well at first light. A few fish are also being caught at the mouth using Kastmasters and Cleo’s.”

Trinity
Upper
Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service reports the salmon have pretty much petered-out from the top down to Cedar Flat. He said, “There’s a few around, but not many. Your best chance is first light or towards the end of the day. The steelhead action has been better, with most boats getting between one to four fish per trip. With the flows dropping to 300 cfs, it’s really low and clear and the fish are spooky. The smolts were released from the hatchery, so fishing roe has been tough.”

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and http://www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

Eleven year-old Connor Devlin of San Jose had all he could handle in landing this big Klamath River Chinook salmon. Devlin was fishing with Guide John Klar. Photo courtesy of John Klar’s Guide Service

October on the North Coast has always been my favorite time of the year, except when it’s bone-dry. Typically this far into the month, the first rain has hit and we’re deciding which rivers will provide the best opportunity to ambush a big, late fall-run king. While the Klamath and Trinity Rivers have plenty of fish to keep everyone satisfied, what I’m really waiting for is the Smith, Chetco, and Eel to bust open. And that won’t happen until we get a decent amount of rain. Looking at the upcoming forecasts, it doesn’t look as though there’s enough rain to do much of anything, let alone put a rise in the rivers. According to Shawn Palmquist of Eureka’s National Weather Service, about a quarter inch of rain will hit the ground in Del Norte County, and even less in Humboldt. It may be enough to wet the ground, but certainly not enough to see any type of rise in the rivers. In the meantime, we’ll stick with the estuaries where salmon are beginning to mill around. The Klamath is still seeing new fish come in almost daily and the lower Trinity is kicking out a few bright kings. But what I really want is rain, and lots of it. And of course, some very large king salmon.

Klamath River quota update
According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River, 4,923 of the 7,067 quota of adult salmon have been harvested below the Hwy 96 bridge since August 15. The number of adults left to catch for the quota is 2,144. The lower river and the estuary, except the 100 yards of the channel flowing through the spit at the mouth of the river, remain open to fishing.

Legendary river guide passes
Longtime Klamath resident Gary Farley, 63, passed away Saturday afternoon while guiding on the Klamath River. Farley was fishing with two friends from Ferndale when a boating accident occurred. Farley guided on the Klamath, and surrounding rivers, for more than 30 years, where he earned a reputation as a talented fishing guide and well respected community member. An online fundraiser has been established to help cover burial costs at https://www.gofundme.com/garyfarley. A “celebration of life” will be held on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Klamath.

Weekend Weather
According to Palmquist, the ridge of high pressure will stick around until Friday when the low pressure will bring in a weak cold front on Saturday. “Rainfall totals won’t be much, maybe a tenth in Humboldt and up to a quarter inch in Del Norte. Showers could linger into Sunday, but once Monday rolls around the high pressure will settle back in and we’ll be dry at least through mid-week,” Palmquist added.

The Oceans:
Eureka/Crescent City
Rough offshore waters brought both ports to a standstill last weekend for sport anglers targeting rockfish. And it’s looking like they won’t get much of a break this weekend, though Friday should be fishable. The forecast for Friday is calling for winds out of the S 5 to 10 knots, with waves NW 2 feet at 3 seconds and W 4 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday and Sunday looks much worse, with winds out of the N 5 to 10 knots and W waves 9 feet at 14 seconds.

Checto anti-snagging bobber rule in effect
From the power line crossing at RM 2.2 upstream to Nook Creek (RM 14) from Sept. 1 through Nov. 3, angling is restricted to fly angling and bobber angling only, with 1 single point hook. Fly angling gear must include a strike indicator. Bobber angling gear must include a bobber and a leader no longer than 36 inches in length. Any weight (except the bobber or strike indicator) may be no more than 36 inches from the hook when suspended vertically. The leader below the bobber or strike indicator must remain suspended in the water column and not resting on the river bottom. The daily/seasonal bag limit is 2 Chinook daily, only one may be unclipped. 20 seasonal, no more than 5 may be unclipped.

The Rivers:
All the North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith and Van Duzen remain closed. Sections of rivers that are open include the main stem Eel River from the paved junction of Fulmor Road to its mouth, the main stem Mad River from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to its mouth and the main stem Smith River from the mouth of Rowdy Creek to its mouth. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is (707) 822-3164.

Lower Klamath
The mouth of the river is flowing freely and there seems to be quite a few fish around reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “The fishing was good last weekend as there were fish throughout the lower river. It seems like we’re seeing pushes of fresh fish come in almost daily now. The river is really low and clear, and you’ll need to take caution if you’re not familiar,” Coopman said.

Upper Klamath
Salmon fishing in the Hornbrook area has been a little on the slow side reports guide Brice Dusi of Brice Dusi’s Guide Service. “The water is really clear, and the fish that are here are spooky. Boats are getting anywhere from 3 to 6 fish per trip, which is pretty slow for this time of the year,” Dusi said.

Smith River
The Smith remains closed above Rowdy Creek, but quite a few fish are being caught below at the Sand Hole according to Leonard Carter of Englund Marine. He said, “Boats trolling anchovies and Kwikfish are doing well at first light, but after that it’s a tidal fishery. Your best bet is to fish the outgoing. A few fish are also being caught at the mouth using Kastmasters and Cleo’s.”

Middle Trinity
Tim Brady of Weaverville’s Trinity Outdoors reports the steelhead and salmon fishing hasn’t changed much from last week. “The bank fishermen are mostly concentrating on the Del Loma and Big Bar area, and I haven’t heard lately how the boats are doing. From what I’m hearing, guys are catching a fish here and there, but not knocking them dead by any means,” Brady added.

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and http://www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Gary Farley on the Smith River

Fishermen, family and friends are mourning the loss of fishing guide Gary Farley, 63, who died Saturday afternoon in a boating accident on the Klamath River.

Farley was leading two old friends from Ferndale on a fishing trip up the river. Witnesses said Farley was thrown from his boat after hitting a gravel bar and could not be resuscitated.

 Yurok Tribal Police and sheriff’s deputies from Del Norte and Humboldt counties responded to the incident. The coroner’s office in Eureka is expected to release an autopsy report later today.

“It’s tragic, and it’s a huge loss to this community,” said Richard Mossholder, one of Farley’s many friends and fellow fishing guides. “Gary has been on this river almost all his life. He was a great boat captain and the best guide on the river, always has been. He was the nicest guy and always helped everybody. … I’m sure at some point in time there’s gonna be a book written about that man.”

Mossholder owns Rivers West Lodge, about 20 miles upstream from the mouth of the river and 150 yards downstream from the site of Farley’s accident.

“I was on the deck and saw his boat go by. It sounded like he had gone past the lodge. I thought I heard him slowing down, so I got in my truck to go pick him up, but something didn’t sound right. The people that were with him had already pulled his boat up to the shore and were shouting. They had pulled him out of the water and it was very obvious that he didn’t make it,” said Mossholder.

Farley’s younger brother, Jeff, said that a broken steering cable is likely to blame.

“They were heading up the river, pretty full bore, and went around a corner. The guys with him said he hit his head and fell out over the back of the boat. They said he didn’t seem to swim when he fell in the water so they thought he got knocked out,” he added.

The two men accompanying Farley were seen for potential head injuries.

“One guy had a huge knot on his head. It looked like he could possibly have a concussion,” said Mossholder.

Farley led fishing trips for more than 30 years in Klamath, where he earned a reputation as a skilled guide and respected community member. An online fundraiser for his burial and memorial raised more than twice its goal in one day from 27 supporters.

“He was one of a kind — an amazing dad, grandfather, friend and fisherman,” says the fundraiser’s web page. One of the contributors called him a “legend.”

Jeff Farley said the family will hold a “celebration of life” event on Saturday afternoon to remember his brother, the “gentleman on the river.”

By David Grieder, The Triplicate
Reach David Grieder at dgrieder@triplicate.com

Mark Rowland is currently in first place in the Chetco Bubble season Hawg Derby with this 45-pound salmon. The big king was landed on October 2. First place in the derby, which ends Sunday, is worth $3,000
Photo courtesy of Sporthaven Marina, Brookings

After a typical slow start to the 11-day Chetco Bubble Season, the action has started to get hot the past few days. According to Cindy Jones O’Reilly, owner of Sporthaven Marina, some big fish have been caught recently, with the biggest tipping the scales at a whopping 47-pounds. “For whatever reason, the big ones have been biting later in the morning the last few days.” The current leader in the Chetco Hawg Derby as of Wednesday is a 45-pound king and there’s been a handful of 40’s and 30’s that have also come in. The bubble season will wrap up Sunday, October 11. If you plan on making the trip to Brookings for the weekend, make sure and check the forecast prior to leaving home. The forecast was calling for mixed swells 8 to 10 feet. For more information, visit http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon/Regulations/docs/2015_Chetco_SW_Sport.pdf

Weekend weather/ocean forecast
The storm that was originally in the forecast for this week fell apart due to the ridge of high pressure according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The next few systems will likely push to our north, it looks like we’ll be dry at least through next week,” Kennedy added. As of Wednesday, the forecast doesn’t look promising for weekend offshore adventures. Saturday, south winds are forecasted 5 to 10 knots with waves W 11 feet at 13 seconds. Conditions look similar on Sunday, with south winds to 5 knots and W waves 10 feet at 13 seconds. For up-to-date weather forecasts, visit http://www.weather.gov/eureka/. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

HSU Fisheries Seminar
Dr. Nate Mantua of NOAA/NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center will be holding a seminar on Wednesday, October 14 from 5 to 6 p.m. at HSU. The title of the seminar is “Blame it on the wind ‐ understanding mechanisms of NE Pacific temperature trends and variations since 1900, including the weird warm years of 2014‐15,” and will be held in the Wildlife/Fisheries Building Room 258.

Dungeness crab testing in progress
According to DFG Senior Marine Biologist Pete Kalvass, who oversees the Invertebrate Management Project, samples were collected last week from Crescent City, Trinidad, and Eureka and are awaiting results on the presence of domoic acid. “We plan to collect again during the first week of November for both the condition of the crab as well as domoic acid,” Kalvass added. For more information regarding recreational Dungeness crab fishing regulations and other crab species, visit the DFG Marine Region website at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Invertebrates/Crabs

The Oceans:
Eureka
The rockfish bite remains wide-open according to Skipper Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “If the weather allows us to make our way to the Cape, we’ve been rewarded with lights-out fishing. On Tuesday, the ocean was flat like a lake and the fish were biting like crazy. It didn’t take long to get limits of everything,” Klassen said.

Crescent City
A few sport guys have been out chasing rockfish, and it sounds like its still wide-open reports Chris Hegne’s of Englund Marine. “We’re not seeing a ton of boats go out, but the ones that are have been finding easy limits of black and lings,” Hegnes added

The Rivers:
Smith River
A few fish are reportedly being caught at the mouth tossing Kastmasters and Cleo’s.

Klamath
Lower Klamath
The mouth has opened back up and fish have been making their way up river reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “There’s been new fish around the past few days, but not in any big numbers. The fish we are catching are nice and bright. We’re also seeing some silvers come in, so make sure you know it’s a king before you keep it,” Coopman said.

Upper Klamath
According to reports, a few fish are being caught in the Hornbrook area, but the bulk of the fish have yet to show up. As the numbers of fish continue to move through the lower river, fishing should only get better in the upper area.

Middle Trinity
The salmon action has really slowed down reports Tim Brady of Weaverville’s Trinity Outdoors. He said, “There isn’t much going on salmon-wise right now, and I’m not sure if more are coming or we’re at the end. It never really did take off like we had hoped. The steelhead fishing is a different story; it’s been really good. The bank anglers are doing well tossing roe and nightcrawlers along with spinners and spoons. The drift boats are catching them as well, with plugs being the best option.”

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and http://www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Sebastopol resident David Prudhomme landed a nice Chinook salmon while fishing on the Klamath River. The mouth of the Klamath has been partially closed the last few days, which has made the fishing conditions tough. Photo courtesy of Alan’s Guide Service

Last week, the ocean finally laid down enough to allow the Eureka sport fleet to set their sights on the oh-so-elusive Albacore tuna. A bunch of boats made the 25 or so mile trek out of the Humboldt entrance on Thursday to the warm water bubble that’s been tantalizing the hardcore tuna anglers for weeks. Unfortunately, the day turned out to be nothing more than a beautiful boat ride. No albacore were caught, or even seen for that matter. What were spotted were numerous schools of bluefin tuna, supposedly by a few different boats. A few tried to entice a bite, but the bluefin aren’t typically caught using the same gear and methods as the albacore. The next weather window looks to be early next week. You can bet the fleet will be better equipped to handle the bigger cousin of the albacore, which can grow to be several hundred pounds.

Weekend marine forecast
Ocean conditions out of Eureka will be a little rough this weekend, but should improve heading into next week. Friday is calling for winds out of the North 5 to 15 knots with swells to 7 feet at 12 seconds. Saturday looks similar, with winds up to 15 knots and NW swells 7 feet at 11 seconds. Sunday looks better, with winds from the south 5 to 10 knots and swells 5 feet at 10 seconds. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan. You can also call the National Weather Service at 707-443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 707-443-6484.

Rain possible next week
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, our next chance of rain will be Wednesday the 7th. “Right now, the models are showing rain beginning Wednesday and sticking around through Friday evening. Totals won’t be much, possibly a half to three-quarters of an inch,” Kennedy added.

Young Anglers Tournament Oct. 4
The Trinidad Pier Youth Fishing Tourney will take place on Sunday, Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The free event is open to all children ages 6 to 15. Prizes will be awarded in each category and fishing gear and bait will be provided. An adult must accompany children. Hot dogs and refreshments will be served following the event. Catch and release is encouraged and no fishing license is required. Look for the sign up table on the Trinidad Pier. For more information, contact Ken Jones at kenjones@pierfishing.com

Klamath River quota update
The mouth closure is really starting to affect the number of adult salmon being landed on the Klamath River. According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River, only 95 adults were caught last week by sport anglers between the estuary and the hwy. 96 bridge. The season total stands at 4,690 harvested, leaving 2,377 left to catch. As a reminder, the spit area is closed to fishing, but the estuary is still open.

Low Flow River Closures now in effect
North Coast rivers that are regulated by low flow closures, including sections of the Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith and Van Duzen are all closed to fishing as of Oct. 1 due to low flows. The Mattole, also falls under low-flow regulations, but doesn’t open to fishing until Jan. 1. For more information and up-to-date closure info, call the North Coast low-flow closure hotline at 707-822-3164.

2015 Chetco River Bubble Fishery
The 2015 Chetco River bubble season starts on Thursday, October 1 and runs through the 11th. The fishable area is within three nautical miles of shore between Twin Rocks and the Oregon/California border. The bag limit is two Chinook per angler per day, but no more than 1 non fin-clipped Chinook per day. Anglers are allowed five non fin-clipped for the season. Minimum length is 24 inches and the terminal tackle is limited to no more than two single point barbless hooks. Weather conditions look fishable for the weekend. Saturday’s forecast is calling for N winds around 15-20 knots with a mixed swell, W 4 feet and NW 3 feet. Wind waves will be 5 to 6 feet. Sunday, winds will be out of the NE 8 to 10 knots with swells NW 4 to 5 feet. Wind waves will be around 2 feet. For more information, visit www.dfw.state.or.us/mrp/salmon/Regulations/docs/2015_Chetco_SW_Sport.pdf

The Oceans:
Eureka
Taking advantage of calm seas off the coast of Eureka, Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing ran south to the Cape the past couple days targeting rockfish. As has been the case all season, the fish are there and willing to bite. He said, “On Tuesday, the wind really came up and the swells got tough to fish through. There were plenty of blacks and lings around to keep us all busy, along with a few other species.

The Rivers
Lower Klamath
The mouth of the river has been mostly blocked for awhile reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “It’s gotten real tough the last few days; we’re down to 3 to 4 bites per trip. The ones we are catching have been good ones, real big and bright. There just isn’t many around right now. It will continue to be tough fishing until the mouth breaks open,” Coopman added.

Middle Trinity
Tim Brady of Weaverville’s Trinity Outdoors reports the steelhead fishing is pretty good in the middle Trinity, but there isn’t a lot of salmon around right now. “The majority of the action is taking place below the North Fork from the reports I’m hearing. The boats drifting the Douglas City area are catching a few steelhead, but not a ton of salmon. Most of the salmon are likely springers and past their prime. Spinners have been the top producer for bank anglers targeting salmon,” Brady added.

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and http://www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

This nice king salmon was landed by Travis Schneider of Eureka on a recent trip to the Klamath River. Salmon fishing should remain solid through October on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers. Photo courtesy of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service

Low Flow closures on North Coast rivers begin Oct. 1

Water conditions are slowly getting back to normal on the Klamath River, and hopefully the salmon bite will follow suit. It’s been a crazy year so far; with three different flow increases along with a nice bump from last week’s rain. With higher water levels and cooler temperatures, the salmon have had a much easier and healthier migration this fall. But in turn, it has made the salmon catching a little more difficult. Higher than usual flows have kept the salmon on the move, and they are tough to catch in travel mode. As the river drops to a more typical level, we should start to the see the bite be a little more on the consistent side. With plenty of time left in the season and just under 2,500 adults left to catch, there should be plenty of good days on the horizon.

Klamath River quota update
According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River, after Tuesday’s scores, 4,595 adult salmon have been harvested below the Hwy 96 bridge since August 15. The number of adults left to catch for the quota is 2,472. As a reminder, the spit area reached its quota last Tuesday and is closed. The estuary remains open to fishing.

Weekend marine forecast
After a few calm days, it looks like the wind and swells will begin to increase late Friday. Friday’s forecast is calling for winds out of the north 5 to 10 knots with swells to 4 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday looks a little worse, with winds up to 15 knots and NW swells 7 feet at 9 seconds and SW 2 feet at 13 seconds. Sunday the winds will be from the north 10 to 20 knots, with swells 7 feet at 8 seconds. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan. You can also call the National Weather Service at 707-443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 707-443-6484.

2015 Chetco River Bubble Fishery
The 2015 Chetco River fall Chinook State Waters Terminal Area Recreational Season will be open from October 1 through the 11th. The fishable area is within three nautical miles of shore between Twin Rocks and the Oregon/California border. The bag limit is two Chinook per angler per day, but no more than one non fin-clipped Chinook per day. Anglers are allowed five non fin-clipped for the season. Minimum length is 24 inches and the terminal tackle is limited to no more than two single point barbless hooks. For more information, visit www.dfw.state.or.us/mrp/salmon/Regulations/docs/2015_Chetco_SW_Sport.pdf

Tuna out of Eureka
Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing ran straight west of Eureka on Wednesday to where the warm water has been holding steady for weeks, roughly 20 to 25 miles out. He trolled all day, but never did find the clear blue edge, or any tuna.
Despite that report, quite a few boats are taking advantage of the calm ocean and heading offshore on Thursday. Ken Bates still has live bait available at Woodley Island; call 498-1904 to let him know you’re coming.

The Oceans:
Eureka
With salmon and halibut both done for the year, it’s just a rockfish show out of Eureka until the end of October. We’ve had some decent weather the past few days, and a couple of the charters ran south to the Cape and found plenty of willing biters. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing ran a few trips last week as well as Saturday and said not much has changed. “The lingcod bite is as good as it’s been all year, with limits coming easily. We also found a good variety of the other species including blacks, coppers, and vermilions,” Klassen added.

Crescent City
Not much happening out of Crescent City, with most of the effort coming from a few of the locals reports Chris Hegne’s of Englund Marine. “From what I’m hearing, the rockfish bite hasn’t changed much, it’s still wide-open,” Hegnes added.

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, 2016

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 Rivers:
Lower Klamath
The salmon action on the lower Klamath has been hit and miss this week with guides having to really work for their fish. With the flows back down to 2,200 cfs, the hope is the fish will finally start to slow down and hole up. On most days, the average has been about one adult salmon per rod.

Trinity
The releases are back down to 450 cfs and there’s definitely some salmon being caught reports Tim Brady of Weaverville’s Trinity Outdoors. He said, “I haven’t heard how the guide boats are doing in the Douglas City area, but I know there’s quite a few people fishing below Junction City and they’re catching a few salmon and lots of steelhead. The bank anglers are doing well tossing spinners and the boats are catching fish on plugs and side-drifting roe. Since the water has come down, the fishing pressure has been pretty heavy.”

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and http://www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Ron Wallace of Sebastopol, pictured right, landed the winning salmon in Englund Marine’s big salmon contest. The first place fish weighed in at 29 lbs gutted and gilled and was caught on July 21. Wallace was fishing with Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, pictured left. Photo courtesy of Englund Marine, Eureka

Additional flows released from Lewiston Dam

The 2015 recreational ocean season ended on Monday much like it began – quietly. A handful of sport boats weathered the choppy seas, spending a few hours fishing around the entrance of Humboldt Bay. As has been the case the entire season, there were plenty of birds and bait around, but the salmon were nowhere to be found. And just like that, it’s over. So now the salmon action will shift to the Klamath River, where the salmon are starting to arrive in bigger numbers. According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River, after Tuesday’s tally, 2,687 adults have been harvested below the Hwy 96 bridge since August 15. Of those, 1,545 were harvested below the 101 bridge. Anglers above the 101 bridge have harvested 897 to date. “We have about 575 left to catch at the spit, which should keep it open through the weekend, but it will likely close early next week. The number of adult salmon left to harvest below the 96 bridge is 4,380.” Borok added. The estuary will remain open to fishing after the spit closes. For more information on the Klamath regulations, visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations

More water for Klamath salmon
The Bureau of Reclamation released additional water from Lewiston Dam on Tuesday evening to help protect returning adult fall-run Chinook salmon in the lower Klamath River. The flows increased from the current rate of 1,100 cubic feet per second for one day only and peaked at approximately 3,300 cfs on Wednesday morning. Flows will begin ramping down until reaching 1,100 cfs on Thursday. Flows are predicted to peak in Hoopa on Thursday around 2 p.m. On the lower Klamath, the river should begin to rise Thursday afternoon, with flows peaking very early Friday morning.

The one-day pulse flow is a secondary preventative measure implemented because of the continued presence of low-level infections of adult salmon by Ich. The public is urged to take all necessary precautions on or near the river while flows are high. For more information on this project, visit http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=22309.

Weekend marine forecast
The forecast looks decent through Saturday, with Sunday looking a bit rougher. Out 10 nautical miles, Friday’s forecast is calling for NW winds 5 to 10 knots with waves NW 5 feet at 9 seconds and SW 2 feet at 15 seconds. N winds 5 to 10 knots are forecasted for Saturday, with waves NW 5 feet at 8 seconds. Sunday doesn’t look good offshore, with N winds up to 15 knots forecasted. Waves will be out of the NW 8 feet at 10 seconds. For up-to-date weather forecasts, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Trinidad Rockfish Wars V event details
On Friday, Sept. 11, a pre-tournament meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m.at Pacific Outfitters in Eureka. Tournament details will be discussed and goodie bags handed out. If you can’t make it to the pre-tournament meeting, please email aaron@pacificoutfitters.com. There will be a pre-tournament social gathering at 6:30 p.m. at the Emerald Forest in Trinidad. The tournament begins on Saturday at 5:45 a.m. on the protected side of Trinidad. Check in with an event coordinator for boat inspection and sign-off before departure. Event coordinators will be signing your hand if you plan on doing catch and release. Parking will be in the parking lot closest to State Beach, furthest from the boat launch area. You must park on the dirt due to restrictions set by the land owners and out of respect for the commercial fishermen and their boats. The tournament ends at 2:00 p.m. and you’ll need to be on land with your fish in hand. If you are still in the water by 2:00 p.m., you will be disqualified. A Potluck will begin at 4:30 p.m. where the winners will be announced and prizes will be given away.

The Oceans:
Eureka
With salmon season wrapped up in the Northern Management Area, the focus will be on rockfish, and hopefully tuna. The charters will continue to run south to the Cape, depending on the conditions and the interest. According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, the warm tuna water is roughly 15 miles off of Eureka. He said, “There’s some really good looking water straight out, but I doesn’t look like the weather will cooperate anytime soon.” Live bait is still available at Woodley Island, but make sure and call 498-1904 to set-up an appointment.

Crescent City
Ocean angling has really slowed down, especially now that the salmon season has closed reports Chris Hegnes of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The wind has been blowing pretty good this week, so not many boats have been out. A few went out last weekend and I heard the bite was still going strong for rockfish,” Hegnes added.

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
The lower river has fished excellent the last few days according to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “There’s been plenty of bright fish around and we’ve been able to get limits or close to it daily. The fish are ranging from Jacks to adults up to 25 pounds, and we’re still catching quite a few steelhead too. Conditions will definitely change on Friday morning when the added flows hit the lower river. It’s hard to say what’s going to happen with the water, we may see a lot of debris for a day or so. On the plus side it should bring in a bunch of new fish,” Coopman added.

Middle Klamath
There weren’t many adult salmon on the middle Klamath this past weekend, but there were plenty of steelhead around to keep you busy. The river is in great shape and the salmon are likely moving through quickly. Quite a few new fish made their way into the lower river early this week, so fishing should only get better. The increase in flows should help as well.

Upper Trinity
The high water made a mess of the upper Trinity on Wednesday according to Tim Brady of Weaverville’s Trinity Outdoors. He said, “Prior to Tuesday’s increase in flows, boats working from the top down to Junction City were doing well. Bank anglers, on the other hand, were having a tough time. The fish aren’t going to travel in the same places as they normally would when the waters flowing at 1,100 cfs. It will be interesting to see if there are fish around and what shape the river will be in when the water comes back down,” Brady added.

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Reclamation to Release Additional Water from Trinity Reservoir to Supplement Flows in the Lower Klamath River

REDDING, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation will provide a one-day pulse flow from Lewiston Dam to help protect returning adult fall-run Chinook salmon in the lower Klamath River as identified in the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for this project which are available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=22309.

In addition to the current supplemental flows being released out of Lewiston Dam to protect salmon, the one-day pulse flow is scheduled to commence on Tuesday evening, September 8, as a secondary preventative measure. The pulse flow will be implemented because of the continued presence of low-level infections of adult salmon by Ich, the disease thought primarily responsible for the fish die-off in 2002.

The flow from Lewiston Dam will increase from the current rate of 1,100 cubic feet per second and would peak at approximately 3,300 cfs for one day; it would then begin ramping down until reaching approximately 1,100 cfs the following day.

The public is urged to take all necessary precautions on or near the river while flows are high.

If you encounter problems accessing the documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Brett Gregory, owner of Salty’s in Trinidad, had his hands full in landing this 67 lb. Thresher Shark on Sunday while fishing from his Kayak out of Trinidad. The big shark took an hour to land and towed Gregory a mile and a half. Photo courtesy of Salty’s Supply Company

Free fishing day this Saturday

The finish line is in sight for what can best be described as a very strange recreational salmon season on the North Coast. It began back in May with tons of excitement and optimism ­­— ­the prospect of a million salmon swimming in the ocean will do that. The general mantra for ocean salmon fishing has always been – find the birds, find the bait and you’ll find the fish. We had the first two the entire season, along with tons of whales, but the salmon just weren’t there. Needless to say, trips to the Cape for rockfish became a mainstay for charters and sport boats this year. And as it turned out, one of those trips changed the tide of our salmon season. A local sport boat ventured from the pack and found a pretty good salmon bite in the area called the pinnacles. From that day in mid July until today, that’s where the majority of the salmon were caught. The Eel River canyon produced some decent fishing days, but nothing as consistent as the pinnacles. As the season comes to a close on Monday, we should feel fortunate about the season we had. There were plenty of ports to our north and south where very few salmon were caught. As the El Nino takes hold of our coastline and pushes the warm ocean water inshore, let’s hope the albacore show up in big numbers to offset what turned out to be a strange and somewhat disappointing salmon season.

Klamath River quota update
According to Sara Borok, Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River Project, a total of 1,615 adult Chinook have been harvested as of Tuesday. This includes 704 adult salmon that have been harvested at the spit. The lower Klamath quota for 2015 is 7,067 adults and the spit fishery will close after 2,120 have been caught. For more information on the Klamath regulations, visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations

Trinity River now open to Fall salmon fishing
As a reminder, the Trinity River opened to fall-run Chinook salmon fishing on Sept. 1 and will run through Dec. 31, with a sport quota of 4,663 adults. The quota will be split evenly, 2,331 adults from the main stem downstream of the Old Lewiston Bridge to the Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat and the main stem downstream of the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar to the confluence with the Klamath. The main stem downstream of the Highway 299 bridge at Cedar Flat to the Denny Road bridge in Hawkins Bar is closed to all fishing Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.

Free Fishing Day on Saturday
This Saturday, September 5 is the second of California’s two 2015 Free Fishing Days, when people can try their hand at fishing without having to buy a sport fishing license. All fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. For more information on Free Fishing Days, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days

Trinidad Rockfish Wars V to be held Sept. 12
Pacific Outfitters will be hosting the 5th annual Trinidad Rockfish Wars kayak fishing tournament on Saturday, September 12. The tournament is open to Kayak, Canoes and SUP’s. Only 200 spots will be available and registration ends on September 5. This year awards will be given in several categories, including Biggest Fish (in each species), Handline Challenge and Barbie Pole Challenge. For more information and complete details of the tournament, visit trinidadrockfishwars.com.

Marine forecast
The ocean looks like it will be a little bumpy between now and the end of the recreational salmon season. As of Wednesday, the forecast out 10 nautical miles for Friday is calling for winds out of the N 10 to 20 knots and waves NW 7 feet at 10 seconds. Saturday is calling for N winds 10 to 20 knots and waves NW 8 feet at 8 seconds and W 3 feet at 20 seconds. Sunday doesn’t look a whole lot better with N winds 10 to 20 knots and waves NW to 8 feet at 9 seconds and SW 4 feet at 18 seconds. Labor Day is looking only slightly better, with winds out of the north 5 to 15 knots and NW waves 7 feet at 9 seconds and SW 4 feet at 18 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For up-to-date weather forecast, visit http://www.weather.gov/eureka. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan. You can verify the conditions as reported, by looking at the bar cam. You can also call the National Weather Service at 707-443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 707-443-6484.

Live Bait available at Woodley Island
Ken Bates now has live anchovies available at Woodley Island. He’s not keeping regular hours; call 498-1904 to set-up an appointment.

The Oceans:
Eureka
As has been the case for the last couple months, the majority of the salmon action is still centered near the Pinnacles off Cape Mendocino. Rough seas has kept the charters from making their way south since Sunday, though Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing made the trek on Wednesday. “We fished a couple hours and the salmon didn’t show, so we decided to switch over to rockfish. There’s been less and less bait down there and it looks like it may be breaking up. The fish are likely starting to peel away and head towards the rivers,” Sepulveda added. The action out front and to the north has been hit and miss, with a few fish caught each day by boats fishing right on the beach. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing took advantage of some decent offshore weather on Sunday and went looking for tuna. They found really good water about 50 southwest of the entrance, but couldn’t get any tuna up to the boat.

Trinidad
There was a decent salmon bite earlier this week, but it has since slowed reports Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “Most of action was inside Trinidad Bay just south of the whistle buoy in 30 feet of water where the birds and bait have been pretty thick. There have also been lots of Thresher sharks around this week, quite a few have been hooked and couple were landed. The rockfish bite remains steady, but there are days when they don’t come as easily,” Wilson added.

Crescent City
A few salmon were caught out front of the harbor this week according to Leonard Carter of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. He said, “A few boats have been trolling and were able to land a couple. I heard one boat hooked five. It’s a good sign there’s some fish around, but there isn’t much time left in the season. The rockfish bite is still wide-open, though the effort has lessened this past week. Hopefully the ocean will be nice this weekend so the boats can get out.”

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
Fishing has been pretty tough the last couple days reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. He said, “Earlier in the week, we were working for our fish, but we usually ended up with limits. I’m seeing quite a fish roll up and down the whole river; I just don’t think they’re stopping. It’s been a few years since we’ve had these steady flows and I think the fish are moving through the system quickly.”

Find “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com for up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.