Current Fishing Reports

A great day on the Chetco River for San Francisco residents Allan and Peter Maris produced a limit of chrome-bright hatchery steelhead while fishing with guide Mike Stratman of Redwood Coast Fishing.

A green water convergence of all the rivers on the North Coast only happens a handful of times each winter and right now is one of those times. Every river on the North Coast is green and in fishable shape. If you’re a steelhead fisherman, there’s absolutely no excuse not to be on the water this weekend. Every creek and river from the Chetco down to the South Fork of the Eel is fishable and is likely full of steelhead. The Smith is starting to clear a bit and the main stem of the Eel is just turning green, but every river in between is primed for great winter steelhead fishing. So, put down your TV remotes, set your TiVo and put on your waders. It’s time to be outside. The green water convergence doesn’t happen very often and it won’t stick around for long.

Weekend Forecast
According to Nancy Dean of Eureka’s National Weather Service, the North Coast will remain dry through next Tuesday. “We should see some rain on Wednesday and Thursday. It’s not going to be a huge storm, Del Norte could see up to an inch and the Humboldt area can expect up to a half-inch of rain. After that, it looks dry until the weekend,” Dean added.

Razor Clam beach openers/closures
A reminder for the clam diggers: In 2015, Little River Beach between Strawberry Creek and Moonstone Beach will be open to the take of Razor Clams. The beach between Strawberry Creek and the Mad River will re-open in 2016. In Del Norte County, the beach north of Battery Point is open to clamming in 2015.

Pacific Halibut input needed
The Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA) is asking for help in providing the CDFW on 2015 season structure for Pacific halibut. HASA has prepared some different season structure strategies that will meet the requirement of “harvest=allocation” in 2015, and they are soliciting input on those strategies based on your fishing preferences and experience from the 2014 August block closure. The survey, which can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FTHHY7N, will allow you to participate and provide input on four potential season structures, and to suggest adjustments or new strategies. The survey will stay open until Monday, January 19 after which the data will be compiled and analyzed and brought forth during the February 5 general membership meeting. The Board will vote on a recommended season structure to submit to CDFW based on discussion.

Steelhead report cards due
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reminds anglers that they are required to return their 2014 Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Cards between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2015. Anglers are requested to review their cards carefully and complete the information as accurately as possible. Information collected from report cards provides CDFW with data necessary to monitor and manage California’s steelhead fisheries.

The Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Card are a fishing report as well as a catch report. Steelhead anglers record where and when they fished, even if no fish were caught on a given trip. Anglers are encouraged to submit steelhead report card data online at www.dfg.ca.gov/steelheadcard, but report cards can still be submitted by mail. Information must be submitted regardless of whether or not the angler fished for steelhead. Additional information can be found on CDFW’s Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Card Program webpage, http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Fishing/Monitoring/SHRC/

Humboldt Steelhead Days will commence on Saturday, Jan. 24 after the kick off party at Mad River Brewing Co., the night before. Visit madriveralliance.org for more information about this 2-week long fishing contest.

Mattole River open to fishing
The Mattole River opened to fishing on January 1, 2015 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stansberry Creek. Only artificial lures may be used and barbless hooks are required. The Mattole is also regulated by low flow closures, with a minimum flow of 320 cfs at the Petrolia gauging station. As of Thursday, it’s flowing at roughly 900 cfs.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
Alan Borges of Alan’s Guide Service reports the Chetco is in good shape, though it’s dropping and clearing everyday. He said, “The action has been a little like a roller coaster —one day you’ll get em’ real good and the next day you’ll get one. This past week it was all about being in the right place at the right time. Boats are averaging one to two fish per day, and some of the guides who fish it everyday are landing up to five. There doesn’t appear to be a ton of fish in the river yet, but we’ve caught them from the top to the bottom.”

Smith River
The steelhead bite has been a little tough on the Smith this past week, with scores ranging from zero to a couple fish per trip. Guide Mike Coopman had the hot hand this week, landing 4 steelhead on Saturday and another 6 on Sunday. The river is starting to clear, which will push the fish into the deeper water. Like the Chetco, the river isn’t full of fish yet, but more and more should be entering the river now that we’re into January.

Eel River
Main Stem
The water color on the main stem is looking good, but the it’s still pretty pushy reports Fred Grundman of Rio Dell’s Grundmans Sporting Goods. He said, “It’s getting more fishable each day, and it should be in prime shape in a couple days. As of Wednesday, it was slightly off color, but I’m you could catch em’ on both bait and plugs.”

South Fork
The river is in great shape and fishable from the top all the way to the forks. The reports I’ve heard is the boat pressure has been fairly heavy, and there seems to be quite a few steelhead around.

Van Duzen
Flowing at 600 cfs on Thursday, the Van Duzen is in great shape according to Grundman. Without much snow to keep the flows up, it will clear quickly. It should remain fishable until the next storm hits, which should be around the middle of next week.

Mad River
According to Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors, a fair number of steelhead have been caught the past few days. He said, “The best bite has been below the Blue Lake Bridge as most of the fish have been holding lower. Once the water starts coming down the ladder, we’ll see more fish around the hatchery. A few have been caught right at the hatchery, but not nearly as many as below. As of Wednesday, the visibility was about a foot and a half, but the river was still a little high. Roe and Mad River worms have been the top producers.”

Trinity
The Trinity is in great shape and should be fishable from the top to the bottom reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “The flows in the Douglas City are 450 cfs, but the water has a little color to it. My guess is there’s slide in one of the creeks. The boats have been averaging about three adults per trip, with a 50/50 mix of fresh and downers. The hatchery has started releasing some of the spawned fish, so there are quite a few downers around now to go with a few fresh ones. This time of year, there’s fish spread throughout the system and all the way into the Klamath. It’s been extremely cold in the mornings, making for a tough bite. Plugs have been the ticket until the temps start to warm,” Huber said.

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

#ChetcoRiver #SmithRiver #VanDuzen #MattoleRiver #EelRiver #Steelhead #Salmon #TrinityRiver #NorCalFishing #NorthCoastFishing #FishingTheNorthCoast #FishHatcher #PacificHalibut #RazorClams #HumboldtSteelheadDays

More rain in store for the weekend

Go figure. We’re in the middle of the wettest December we’ve had in three years and the steelhead on the Smith and Chetco Rivers have decided to play a little hide-n-seek. Granted, there hasn’t been a ton of fishing effort, but both rivers haven’t given up any adult steelhead to speak of. It just doesn’t make sense. The past few Decembers saw barely a trickle of water flowing, yet there was plenty of fish to go around. Maybe there’s too much water for them to come in? It’s not cold enough outside? Both possibilities, along with the fact it’s not even Christmas yet.
While the lack of fish has raised a few eyebrows, there’s no need to panic. Typically, the winter steelhead season really gets going after Christmas and is in full swing by the time the New Year rolls around. However, there’s usually enough fish around by now to keep the guides working and the sport anglers satisfied. Not the case so far. After the next round of storms hit this weekend and the rivers begin to recede to fishable levels, I’m willing to bet we’ll see the first wave of winter steelhead make their way into our North Coast rivers. At least that’s the hope.

Weekend Forecast
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, after a break on Thursday during the day, we’ll be back into a wet pattern that will likely stick around through the weekend. “From Thursday evening into Friday morning, we could see up to an inch of rain area-wide. Another system will arrive sometime Saturday morning and will keep us wet through Sunday afternoon. This system could drop as much as an inch and a half in the Smith/Klamath basin and another inch in Humboldt. The following week looks dry, except for a chance of rain on the 23rd in Del Norte County,” Kennedy added.

2015 Fishing license
A reminder that it’s the time of the year to purchase your 2015 license, which is required for residents 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptile in inland or ocean waters. The cost of a new resident sport fishing license is $47.01. A North Coast salmon report card, which will run you $6.22, is required for all anglers taking salmon in the Smith River System or Klamath-Trinity River System. If you plan to fish for steelhead, you’ll need to purchase a steelhead report card, which will cost $7.05 this year. Fishing licenses and reports cards are now available to purchase online. For more information, visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing

Freshwater Lagoon trout
Located on 101 just south or Orick, Freshwater Lagoon might be a good option if you’re looking to fish this weekend. The lagoon was planted this summer with plenty of catchable size rainbows, and the influx of fresh water has turned the water from brown to green. If you’re fishing from shore, Powerbait rigged with a sliding egg sinker is one of the better baits. Nightcrawlers or a single salmon egg also works well. As for artificials, 1/4 oz Kastmasters or Cleos in nickel/orange color are top producers. A fly and bubble will also entice the rainbows. If you plan to troll from a boat, you’ll want to go easy on the weight. Spoons, small Flatfish, Triple Teasers, or any of your standard trout lures will do the trick.

Mattole River set to open Jan 1
The Mattole River is scheduled to open to fishing on January 1, 2015 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stansberry Creek. Barbless hooks are required. The Mattole is also regulated by low flow closures, with a minimum flow of 320 cfs at the Petrolia gauging station.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
The river is in beautiful shape, but it seems to be lacking significant numbers of steelhead right now reports Alan Borges of Alan’s Guide Service. He said, “It’s still early in the season, but we should be seeing more fish in the river. There have been a few adults caught, but not very many. I think they’re running a little late this year. Could be that it hasn’t been cold enough or the flows have been too high. Typically, after Christmas is when the steelhead fishing really takes off.”

Smith River
Much like the Chetco, the Smith was in perfect shape this week, but the steelhead were nowhere to be found. Jut a few adults have been caught, along with some half-pounders. Another couple inches of rain is in the forecast through the weekend, which may keep the flows just above a driftable height. If the rain falls as predicted, it should begin to drop on Sunday and will be back to a fishable level by early in the week.

Eel and Van Duzen rivers
According to Fred Grundman of Rio Dell’s Grundmans Sporting Goods, the main stem is still muddy, with more rain forecasted for the weekend. “If next week is dry, maybe we could get a shot at the forks at the end of the week. The South Fork also has the potential to fish next week. The Van Duzen was nearly fishable earlier in the week, but it’s predicted for more rises through the weekend. There’s a decent chance it will fish later next week, especially above Yager Creek. With the ground being dry, all of these rivers are dropping and clearing quickly.” Grundman added.

Mad River
With off and on rain through the weekend, it doesn’t look like the Mad will clear before next week. It’s predicted to peak on Sunday at 10.5 feet, it will likely drop quickly and be bait fishable by late next week. The liners fishing near the hatchery have reportedly caught a few adults.

Upper Trinity
Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service reports there isn’t a lot of steelhead in the upper Trinity at the moment. He said, “I think we’re in between runs on the upper stretch. The old fish are long gone, and a few new winter fish are just starting to show up. The river is in good shape and has the perfect steelhead green color. The whole river is probably fishable, even below the south fork. It may be a little big however, and it looks like it will be on the rise this weekend. I’m sure there’s winter fish moving through the lower end.”

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

Alan Borges of Eureka landed this nice winter steelhead on Thanksgiving day while drifting the main stem of the Eel River. Following this weeks powerful storms, steelhead season should be in full swing here on the North Coast. Kenny Priest/Fishing the North Coast

Upper Trinity should remain fishable

If these lofty rainfall predictions come true, it’s quite possible the Eel River could see the highest water level since the 1964 flood. Wow! On the other hand, if the forecasts come up short, the Smith River could be fishing by the weekend. Talk about a wild swing. What we do know is all of the coastal rivers are predicted to rise high and quick, with a few possibly venturing into flood and/or monitor stage. And the descent should be just as rapid. The ground here is extremely dry due to the drought, and it will likely take multiple storms to recharge the groundwater. The storm that’s upon us now, which some are calling the most powerful in the last 40 years, should be a good start.

Weekend forecast
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, after Wednesday and Thursday’s downpour, showers will likely linger through Friday, with Saturday looking dry. He said, “The next system is set to move into the area on Sunday and will stick around through Tuesday. Light rain and showers are forecasted over this three-day period, with up to two inches of rain predicted.”

More Klamath spit fishery changes on the table
In an effort to protect Chinook stocks from excessive catch and release mortality, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with the Yurok Tribe, is proposing the following change to the 2015 fall Chinook spit area regulations: All legally caught Chinook salmon must be retained. Once the adult Chinook component of the daily bag has been retained, anglers are required to cease fishing the spit area.

This regulatory proposal does not preclude anglers from leaving the spit and fishing other areas once their adult daily bag limit has been taken. Anglers may fish other areas outside of the spit to fill their jack (salmon 22 inches and less) component of their daily bag limit. This regulation also does not preclude anglers from filling a daily bag composed entirely of jack salmon while fishing the spit area. For more information, visit http://www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2014/dec/120314docs.aspx

Upcoming events:
2nd Annual Humboldt Steelhead Days – Jan. 23 to Feb. 7
Brought to you by Mad River Alliance & California Trout, this two week family-fun, fishing event encourages all ages to get outside, learn about our watersheds, and to fish both the Mad and Eel Rivers for steelhead. With your $25 donation, you’ll receive a ticket to #HumboldtSteelheadDays. The event starts with a kick-off party at Mad River Brewing Co.’s Tap Room. You’ll also be registered to win outdoor and fishing prizes donated by Pacific Outfitters, RMI Outdoors, Ace McKinleyville, Kokatat, Thule, Mad River Bait & Tackle and more! Tickets can be found online at HoldMyTicket.com or locally at Mad River Bait & Tackle, RMI Outdoors, Pacific Outfitters and Grundman’s Sporting Goods. For more information, visit www.madriveralliance.org or caltrout.org/regions/north-coast-region/ or contact Dave Feral at 707-382-6162 or madriveralliance@suddenlink.net.

Rowdy Creek Steelhead Derby
Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery is pleased to announce the 33rd Annual Steelhead Derby is February 19, 20 & 21, 2015. Team registration is $3,000.00 per team of four anglers, which includes two full days of fishing, one day on each of the Smith and Chetco Rivers. Also meals are included from Thursday evening through Saturday, including a hosted bar each night. The annual steelhead derby is the primary source of funding for the hatchery. For additional information or assistance, please contact Kimberlee Swift, Derby Coordinator at 707-218-7049 or kjlindberg@aol.com.

Chetco salmon carcass collection
On Tuesday, the Oregon South Coast Fishermen, in cooperation with ODFW, did a carcass collection for salmon according to Val Early. She said, “Over 130 spawned out and dead Chinook were sampled. Size, sex and scale samples were taken and the information is added to the database to help with future run predictions as well as giving information about the age composition of the current run. The OSCF volunteer their time to help with the data collection efforts. This was the biggest one-day sampling they’ve ever had. The storm hitting now will probably bring more carcasses down for their efforts next week.”

The Rivers:
Chetco River
Not a whole lot of activity on the Chetco this week, most of the action was up north on the Elk and Sixes reports Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service. “The effort on the Chetco has dwindled because there hasn’t been too many fresh salmon being caught. There are a few steelhead around every day, but not in any big numbers yet. The storm should really jumpstart the steelhead season. If the storm hits the area with the force and length of time they are predicting, it will be early next week before the river is at a driftable level. It should be in good enough shape to plunk on Sunday, or maybe even Saturday,” Early said.

Smith River
With the different rain forecasts going around, it’s tough to say when it will fish again reports guide Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “If we end up getting five inches, it’ll fish by the weekend. If we get 10, it’s going to be longer. When we get these powerful storms like this, there’s always the potential for slides, which could really change things. When it does drop down to a fishable level, we’ll definitely be targeting steelhead. It’s still fairly early in the steelhead season, so it might be tough fishing or the river could be full of them. We won’t really know until we get there,” Coopman added.

Main Stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, and Mad
All are predicted for big rises, and when they drop back into fishable shape will depend on the strength of the storms that are forecasted for next week. It’s possible the South Fork Eel, Van Duzen and Mad could all fish sometime next week. For river level predictions, visit http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov.

Upper Trinity
The river is in good shape and ready for this storm reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. He said, “The water flow now is the most we’ve seen in the last couple years. This storm will blow out the river below Douglas City, but the stretch from Lewiston Bridge to Rush Creek will fish this weekend. If Rush Creek levels off early, you will be able to fish down to Indian Creek. The river has some older steelhead spawning at the top, and the increased flows will start to push in the winter run fish. If you’re on the water this weekend, you’ll want to be careful due to the higher flows and debris coming down.”

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

Grass Valley resident Nelson Money landed this nice hatchery steelhead on a recent drift along the upper Trinity River. The recent rains have given the Trinity a much-needed boost in flows, resulting in some pretty good steelhead action. Photo courtesy of Steve Huber’s Guide Service

Smith, Chetco, Trinity best options for the weekend

North Coast rivers will likely see the last of the late fall-run salmon push in this weekend as big tides and swollen rivers are in the forecast. The majority of these late-season kings have already made their way up rivers like the Chetco, Smith, Mad and Eel, but you can bet a few more spurts of fresh fish will push in between now and the beginning of the year. The season was a good one, and a lot of the success can be attributed to the above normal rainfall that’s fallen since October.

One of the best parts of living in such a fishing mecca like the North Coast — no sooner does one season come to a close, another one’s right behind it. So it’s out with the salmon and in with the widely popular winter steelhead. And as the influx of water hits our coastal rivers this weekend and brings in the salmon stragglers, the first wave of steelhead should begin to make an appearance. Most of the rivers have already seen a few, but I expect they’ll start to show up in bigger numbers in the coming days.

Weekend forecast
After a break on Thursday, more rain is in store for the next few days according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The next rain event will hit late Friday morning and will stick around through Friday night. We could see up to an inch and a half in the Smith basin and an inch here in Humboldt. Saturday afternoon through Sunday should be dry, with the next system moving in on Sunday afternoon. Another inch of rain is predicted for both Del Norte and Humboldt from this storm, which should stick around through Monday,” Kennedy added.

Extreme tides could cause hazardous bar conditions, coastal flooding
Some of the biggest tides of the year arrived this week, bringing with them the potential for flooding in some of the low-lying areas of King Salmon and the Arcata Bottoms. They could also create hazardous bar conditions for crab fishermen heading out of Humboldt Bay during ebb tides as a large volume of water will be running directly into swells predicted to be 5-feet and larger.
According to the Eureka’s National Weather Service, tides have been running well above predictions, peaking between 8.9 and 9.3 feet at the North Spit tide gauge. The largest tides of the week are forecasted for Thursday through Saturday.

Morning high tide predictions – Humboldt Bay

• Thur., Dec. 4 (8.0-feet high tide at 9:28 a.m. down to a low of -0.3 at 4:21 p.m.
• Fri., Dec. 5 (8.1-feet high tide at 10:10 a.m. down to a low of -1.0 at 5:04 p.m.
• Sat., Dec. 6 (8.0-feet high tide at 10:50 a.m. down to a low of -1.1 at 5:46 p.m.

Eel River salmon returns
As of Dec. 1, a total of 492 Chinook salmon have entered the Van Arsdale fish count station according to Scott L Harris, an associate Biologist with the Northern Region. Making up that total is 180 males, 258 Female, and 54 jacks. For more information, visit http://eelriver.org/fish-count.

State abandons raid on fishing license funds
In a press release issued on Monday by the California Sportfishing League, the Ocean Protection Council has abandoned its plan to raid fishing and hunting licensing funds to manage Marine Protected Areas, created by the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Fish and Game Code Section 711(a)(1) prohibits taking monies from this special Fish and Game Preservation Fund to support non-game programs. According to the press release, “The reversal shows that California’s fishing community has a voice in influencing the outcome of public policy.
Not only was the proposed raid illegal, but also it was a violation of the public’s trust. Fish license funds are intended to support programs that protect and enhance recreational fishing opportunities, not programs that deny anglers access to California’s coastline.” For more information, visit http://www.sportfishingconservation.org

The Rivers:
Chetco River
As of Wednesday, the Chetco was running close to 2,600 cfs and was in great shape. It’s predicted to see a slight rise on Thursday and a bigger bump on Friday evening. If the rain falls as predicted, it should remain fishable through the weekend, especially the upper end. Like the Smith, the last of the salmon are making their way in and the winter steelhead should be right behind them.

Smith River
Its transition time on the Smith according to guide Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “There were quite a few salmon around over the weekend and early this week, but it’s gotten tougher the last couple of days. The bulk of the salmon have likely gone through, and it’s time to start looking for steelhead. There’s been some half-pounders around, and they typically follow the salmon. Following the next set of storms, we should begin to see steelhead in bigger numbers,” Coopman added.

Mad
The Mad was fishable through Wednesday, but predicted to rise beginning in the afternoon. If the forecasts are correct, it may not be green until next week. A pretty good shot of bright salmon came through last week, and the next significant rise should bring in the first waves of steelhead.

Eel
Main
The main stem was muddy as of Wednesday. With more rain on the way, it will be blown out for the foreseeable future.

South Fork
With the majority of Wednesday’s rain falling closer to Mendocino, the South Fork Eel drainage saw the highest amount of precipitation and was rising quickly on Wednesday. If the storms forecasted for the rest of the week come up short, the top end of the South Fork could come into play by the weekend.

Van Duzen
Predicted for a significant rise beginning Wednesday afternoon. If the forecast holds, it doesn’t look like it will fish by the weekend.

Upper Trinity
Good rains all week are helping the steelhead move into spawning areas reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “Creeks have started to flow and the steelhead are on the move. We should start to see the second group of winter steelhead start making their way up the Klamath and Trinity. All methods of fishing are working,” Huber said.

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

Father and son anglers Daniel and Wyatt, of Orange County, had their hands full putting this 35-pound king salmon in the net on a recent trip on the Smith River with Mike Coopman’s Guide Service.

Winter steelhead starting to show
The approaching storms will likely blow out most, if not all, of our coastal rivers by the weekend. Beginning Thursday in the Smith Basin and early Friday in Humboldt, as much as four inches of rain is predicted to hit the ground. And the series of storms are forecasted to stick around through early next week. Most of the rivers should be on the rise by Friday or early Saturday. The Smith and Chetco will be the first rivers to clear, and should be fishable by mid-week, or earlier. Depending on how much rain falls, the rest of the rivers could start to drop back into shape at the end of next week. That’s if the forecasts are spot on.

When the rivers do drop back into fishable shape, my guess is we’ll see the first signs of the impending winter steelhead run. There’s already been a handful caught on all the rivers, but with more high water coming, expect the steelies to start showing in numbers. But don’t give up entirely on salmon just yet. The Smith is still seeing fresh fish coming in daily and there should be some smaller spurts of fish coming into the Chetco, Eel and Mad.

Weekend forecast
The next four to five days are forecasted to be wet according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The rain will begin Thursday in Del Norte and Friday morning in the Humboldt area. The rain will stick around through next Tuesday, with the heaviest rain falling on Sunday and Monday. Three to 4 inches of rain is forecasted for the Del Norte region and 2.5 to 3.5 inches is likely to fall in Humboldt,” Kennedy said. Showers are on tap for next Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a few days of dry weather.

Smith River Rowdy Creek Hatchery update:
To date, the salmon run on the Smith has been a little bit better than average according to hatchery manager Andrew Van Scoyk. As of Tuesday 148 salmon have returned, which includes 52 males, 26 females, and 70 jacks. “We’ve spawned 8 pairs to date, last year we spawned 2 pairs the whole season,” Van Scoyk added. “Our goal is to spawn 24 pairs and I don’t think we’ll have a problem reaching that goal.” No steelhead had returned to the hatchery as of Tuesday according to Van Scoyk.

Commercial Dungeness crab season opens Dec. 1 in Northern California
The northern California Dungeness crab season will open at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 1, north of the Sonoma-Mendocino county line.

Prior to the season opening, commercial fishermen are allowed a 64-hour gear setting period. This year, crab trap gear can be set no earlier than 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 28. Quality tests conducted in northern California in November indicate that California Dungeness crabs are ready for harvest. For more information on Dungeness crab, please visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/management_com.asp#crab

HASA meeting next week
The HASA Board of Directors will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and the public is welcome to attend. The meeting will be held at McBain & Associates office, 980 7^th Street, Arcata at 7 p.m. Agenda items include an update on Pacific Halibut, rockfish mortality, and a derelict crab gear update.

The Rivers:

Chetco River
The rain that fell last week pushed the river up and out for several days reports Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service. She said, “The river was fishable on Monday, although it was very limited as the river was still quite high. Tuesday was better but the river was still pushy. The best days will probably be Wednesday and Thursday, possibly Friday although another storm is supposed to hit with rainfall predictions up to 2 inches. There was a little surge of new fish in the river but there are a lot of fish that are dark and should be released as their meat is past the prime by a long ways. We are seeing a few steelhead including a 15-pound hatchery male caught by a plunker at Social Security.”

California’s Recreational Pacific Halibut allocation to increase for 2015
The PFMC has made recommendations to increase the California Pacific halibut fishery allocation beginning in 2015 in response to greater interest in the northern California fishery, and new information indicating a higher abundance in California than when the formal Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) was originally adopted.

Pacific halibut is allocated among users on the West Coast (known as Area 2A) through a CSP that was developed in the late 1980s. Area 2A sectors include the recreational fisheries in Washington, Oregon and California, the coast-wide commercial fishery, and the tribal fisheries, which operate primarily in Washington.

The California recreational fishery allocation will increase from 1 to 4 percent of the non-tribal allocation by implementing a one percent reduction for the Washington recreational (35.6 percent), Oregon recreational (29.7 percent), and commercial (30.7 percent) sectors.

Additional changes for 2015 include in-season tracking and management of the California recreational fishery to stay within the CSP allocation. The California recreational season structure will be determined based on a catch projection method developed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff, and specific season dates will be developed with the input of stakeholder involvement. This process will begin in early 2015 after the Pacific halibut total allowable catch is established. For more information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/pacifichalibut.asp.

Smith River
According to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service, there were quite a few salmon around on Wednesday, but the bite wasn’t red hot. He said, “We saw fish rolling in quite a few spots, but they didn’t bite real well. There are still quite a few jacks around, which tells me the salmon season is far from over. I didn’t see any steelhead rolling, but I did hear of one caught by a bankie.”

Eel River (main stem)
As of Wednesday, the main stem in the Rio Dell area was still a little murky and on the high side reports Fred Grundman of Rio Dell’s Grundmans Sporting Goods. “My guess is it will fish by Friday, and possibly Thursday. I’ve heard reports of a pretty good push of steelhead had moved through the lower river,” Grundman added.

Eel River (South Fork)
Should be fishable through Friday, but predicted to rise on Saturday morning.

Van Duzen River
The river was in great shape as of Wednesday, with some steelhead starting to show according to Grundman.

Mad River
The last rise brought in quite a few bright salmon into the Mad. The river is in perfect shape and should fish through Friday. We should see the first push of winter steelhead following the next big storms. Humboldt Steelhead Days fishing contest coming up Jan. 24 – Feb. 7, 2015. Buy your tickets online at HoldMyTicket.com. Proceeds from this event go toward restoration, education, and citizen monitoring in the Eel and Mad River.

Upper Trinity
Three days of rain has helped get the creeks running and the steelhead are on the move to their spawning grounds reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “The weather has just started to get cold, with more rain and possibly some snow on Monday. This week, we averaged 2 to 4 adult steelhead per trip fishing both roe and plugs. The fly fishermen are also catching a few fish,” Huber added.

Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

2nd annual Humboldt Steelhead Days/Fishing Derby on the Mad River coming up in 2015, and perhaps something on the Eel River as well. Contests, dinner/awards/auction/prizes in the works so far. Hotel partner: Red Lion Hotel in Eureka will have a special room rate where the derby ticket ($25) is included in the room rate. Contact www.madriveralliance.org to donate or partner with.

Also, Eureka Main Street will be putting on a Crab Crawl Festival the first weekend of February 2015 and both events will be partnering up so that you can go fishing as well as eat some Humboldt Dungenous Crab down at the new Fisherman’s Terminal in Old Town Eureka where Wild Planet and Coast Seafood’s operates.

Hashtag your Mad River or Eel River Steelhead photos: #HumboldtSteelheadDays

Tickets available online at Hold My Ticket.com

Young anglers Jacobi and Jaxon are all smiles as they hold a couple Dungeness crab caught while fishing last Saturday with Gary Blasi of Full Throttle Sport Fishing. Sport crabbing, which opened Nov. 1 along the North Coast, has been excellent out of Eureka. Photo courtesy of Full Throttle Sport Fishing

Multiple storms lined up for next week

A decent amount of rain is predicted to hit the ground over the next couple days, but it may not be enough to open any of the rivers south of the Mad. The main stem Eel, South Fork and Van Duzen are all forecasted for small rises, but it’s unlikely they’ll open to fishing this weekend. To the north, the Smith and Chetco, which are both low and clear, should see enough of a rise to bring in fresh salmon from the ocean. Conditions have been tough on both rivers, but there certainly hasn’t been a lack of fish. Spots that hold fish are dwindling and getting them to bite hasn’t been that easy, which has some of the guides and sport anglers waiting for better days. If the current storm, and the next few that are lined up behind it, fall into place, better days definitely lie ahead.

Weekend forecast
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, the bulk of the rain from the current storm will have fallen Wednesday night. He Said, “We should see showers through Thursday in Humboldt, and continuing into Friday in the Smith basin. Rainfall totals could reach one and a half-inches in Del Norte and up to an inch in Humboldt. After a break on Saturday, showers are forecasted for Sunday afternoon. Up to a quarter inch for the Smith and probably less in Humboldt is forecasted. Another break on Monday and into Tuesday will be followed by more rain beginning Tuesday night. Showers will last into Wednesday with up to an inch of rain possible for Del Norte and Humboldt.”

Sport crab fishing going strong
Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing and Phil Glenn, who’s running the Shellback through the end of the month, are both reporting excellent crabbing out of Eureka. On an overnight soak, they’re getting between 7 and 12 keepers per pot. According to Klassen, it’s slowed down a hair, but it’s still really good with limits coming easily. “From what I see, both sides of the entrance are fishing about the same,” Klassen added. Added Glenn, “There’s a lot of crab around, but I think they’re scattered. There’s no one real location that’s fishing better than anywhere else.”

Woodley Island sport crab trips
Reel Steel Sport Fishing, Shellback Sport Fishing, Full Throttle Sport Fishing and Northwind Charters are all booking crab trips out of Woodley Island. Trips will generally last two hours. Departure times will depend on the tides, but most often they’ll leave sometime in the morning. To book a trip with Shellback Sport Fishing, call 442-7843. Reel Steel Sport Fishing can be reached at 499-4925, Full Throttle’s reservations number is 498-7473, and to reach Northwind Charters, call 616-5328. The weekend trips fill up quick, so you’ll want to call early to reserve your spot.

Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Opens Nov. 15 in Central CA
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will open the Central California commercial Dungeness crab season on Saturday, Nov. 15 south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line. The season opener will be preceded by an 18-hour gear setting period when crab trap gear can be set no earlier than 6 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 14.
The 2014-15 commercial Dungeness crab season marks the second season of the Dungeness crab trap limit program. The program consists of seven tiers of trap allotments ranging from 175 to 500 traps. Dungeness crab vessel permit-holders can only fish the maximum number of traps within their respective trap tier as a means to control the maximum number of total traps fished in California waters. For more information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/traplimit.asp

Smith River – Rowdy Creek Hatchery update
As of Wednesday, 35 Chinook salmon have returned to the hatchery according to hatchery manager Andrew Van Scoyk. “This is a pretty typical number for this time of the year, though I thought more would have returned with the early rains we had. At this time last year, we had zero returnees, so we’re ahead of the game there,” Van Scoyk added.

The Rivers:
Other than the Smith, all North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, and Van Duzen were closed as of Wednesday. Sections of rivers that are open include the main stem Eel River from the paved junction of Fulmor Road to its mouth and the main stem Mad River from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to its mouth. Be sure and call the low flow closure hotline, (707) 822-3164, to determine if the river is open prior to fishing.

Chetco River
Salmon fishing has been on the slow side with a lot of dark fish showing in the holes along with a few bright ones reports Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service. “The sea lions are up the river — a sure sign that the fish have moved out of the estuary. I’ve been mostly bobber fishing and doing a little back-bouncing too. Small plugs and side-drifting has also caught a few fish. You really have to try everything and see if some of the rolling fish will bite. We really need the rain,” Early added.

Smith River
As of Wednesday, it was low, clear and getting tough to drift according to guide Mike Coopman. He said, “There’s fish around, but they’re holding in just a few spots. It’s getting tougher to find some current, but the rain that’s coming should change that. Hopefully with the next rise, we’ll see a new batch of fish come in and move the older fish up.” The Smith is predicted to peak at just above 9-feet on Friday afternoon and then be back on the drop. http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=CREC1

Main Stem Eel
Predicted to nudge just above 350 cfs threshold on Friday, but will likely drop right back down. If it does open to fishing, it won’t be open long. http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=SCOC1

South Fork Eel
A slight rise is predicted for Thursday, but probably not enough to open. http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=MRNC1

Mad River
Forecasted to rise on Thursday and again on Friday, it may open to fishing on Friday. http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=ARCC1

Van Duzen
Not much of a rise is predicted. Unless the forecast changes, it’s not likely to open to fishing this weekend. http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=BRGC1

Upper Trinity
Working the Douglas City area, guide Steve Huber reports the steelhead fishing has been average, with one to three adults per trip. “The water is low and clear and steelhead are staging to move up their home creeks. We really need a good rainstorm to put the fish on the move. Fishing has been best in the mornings and late afternoons and back-trolling plugs and side drifting roe have been the top producers,” Huber added.

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

Covelo resident Ryan Aylsworth landed this nice Smith River salmon earlier this week while fishing with Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. The big king tipped the scales at 36-pounds.

Minus tides could create dangerous bar crossing

The sport Dungeness crab season kicked off this past Saturday, and those who ventured offshore reported the crabs were plentiful, as well as heavy. Captain Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing and Gary Blasi of Full Throttle Sport Fishing both set gear north of the entrance and reported the crabs are extremely full for this time of the year. Klassen said, “The reports are good for boats fishing both north and south of the entrance. Pots dropped south and rigged with good bait were producing 15 to 16 keepers per pot. The scores were roughly the same for the pots that fished north.” Klassen also added that the crabs were really full and in good shape. “They are certainly full enough to allow the commercial season to start on time, which is scheduled for Dec. 1. north of Mendocino.” Crab counts coming out of Humboldt Bay weren’t quite as encouraging. The story was the same for all the anglers I spoke with – the crabbing stunk. It’s hard to know exactly why, but most of the theories center around the early rains which brought an influx of freshwater into the bay, pushing the crabs offshore.
Opening day reports from Trinidad were a little bleak as well. But from the reports I heard, it picked up the last few days. Overnight soaks seemed to be the ticket to full pots. Up north to Crescent City, Leonard Carter of Englund Marine reported some pretty good crab numbers. “Straight out of the harbor in 100 to 120-feet of water was one of the top spots. I don’t think there’s a huge volume of crab out there, but an overnight soak on the opener produced up to 20 keepers per pot. Crabbers also did well off of South Beach as well as inside the harbor. There were very few light crab reported,” Carter added.

Marine Forecast
It looks like we’re in for another bumpy weekend on the ocean, coupled with a round of minus tides that will last through Monday. As of Wednesday, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots with 9-foot waves at 10 seconds coming out of the northwest. Saturday is looking better; the forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots with west waves 6-feet at 12 seconds. A mixed swell is forecasted for Sunday with winds out of the north 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 3-feet at 6 seconds and west 7-feet at 16 seconds. The forecast will likely change, so before you head out, check the marine forecast at www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka and click on the marine tab. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Weekend Weather forecast
After a weak system rolls through the area on Thursday, dry conditions will persist through Tuesday according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “Thursday’s storm may bring up to a quarter inch to the Smith basin and maybe a tenth to Humboldt. Next Tuesday’s rain is forecasted to bring about the same rainfall totals. Next Thursday and Friday, a more powerful system is predicted, but that’s still a little far out there to be sure of rainfall amounts. The models are showing up to three-quarters of an inch,” Kennedy said.

Humboldt bar hazardous warning
For crab fishermen heading offshore, there could be potential hazardous bar conditions due to the combination of minus tides and swells. Thursday and Friday’s tides will have the most runoff. Both high tides will be 8-feet followed by a -1.0 low on Thursday and a -1.2 low on Friday. Saturday’s high tide will be 6.2-feet followed by a low of -1.1 feet. These tides could be extremely dangerous, especially if the ocean is rough. It’s always best to error on the side of caution, even if it means waiting until the out-flowing water from the bay has slowed, which usually occurs within 30 to 45 minutes prior to the tide bottoming out. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan

Weekend Tides – Humboldt Bay
Fri., Nov. 7 (High: 11:15 a.m.) (Low: 5:07 a.m. and 6:01 p.m.)
Sat., Nov. 8 (High: 12:39 a.m. and 11:54 p.m.) (Low: 5:51 a.m. and 6:44 p.m.)
Sun., Nov. 9 (High: 1:27 a.m. and 12:34 p.m.) (Low: 6:35 a.m. and 7:27 p.m.)

Sport-Harvested Mussel Quarantine Lifted
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced Oct. 30 that the annual quarantine on mussels gathered by sport harvesters from California’s coastal waters ended at midnight Friday, Oct. 31 for all coastal counties except Ventura County. The annual quarantine, which typically runs May 1 through Oct.31, is intended to protect the public from paralytic shellfish poisoning and amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). There have been no reports of shellfish-related poisoning in California during the quarantine period. For more information, visit http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/NR14-090.aspx.

The Rivers:
Currently, only the Smith River and the main stem of the Eel are open to fishing. All other North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the South Fork Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, and Van Duzen are closed. Sections of rivers that are open include the main stem Mad River from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to its mouth. The Department of Fish and Game will make the information available to the public no later than 1 p.m. each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as to whether any river 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.

Smith River
According to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service, the Smith is low and clear and in need of rain. “The best action has been prior to the sun hitting the water, after that it’s been tough. The fish we are catching are nice and bright however. We’re also seeing quite a few jacks around,” added Coopman. As of Wednesday, flows were right around 1,300 cfs and dropping. No increased flows were in the forecast at least through the weekend.

Chetco
The Chetco fished really well after last weekend’s rain, but the lack of rain since didn’t help Tuesday’s non-bobber opener reports Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service. “The boat traffic and fishing pressure was incredible last weekend as well as Tuesday, which probably scattered the fish around. With the river dropping and clearing and not much rain in the forecast, we’ll probably be back to bobber fishing within a few days,” Early said.

Klamath
Lower
Not many anglers, if any, are still fishing the lower river, though salmon continue to trickle into the estuary. This is typically the time of the year when salmon that spawn in some of the larger tributaries begin to come into the river anticipating rain to increase flows in the creeks and tributaries. The river has good color and is plenty fishable.

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

Based on the weight of the crabs, the commercial season will likely start Dec. 1 on the North Coast. Four charter boats are running sport trips out of Woodley Island, this is the best deal in town!! Guaranteed limits of 10 crabs!!

The weekend trips fill up quick, so you’ll want to call early to reserve your spot.
Reel Steel Sport Fishing (707) 499-4925 http://reelsteelsportfishing.com/
Shellback Sport Fishing (707) 442-7115 http://www.eurekafishing.net/
Full Throttle Sport Fishing (707) 498-7473 http://fullthrottlesportfishing.com/
NorthWind Charters (707) 616-616-5238 http://www.northwindcharters.net/

Arcata resident Mike Martino landed this large Smith River king salmon on Monday while fishing with guide John Klar. Salmon fishing on the Smith has been steady this week and should only get better as we head into November, which is typically the peak of the salmon season. Photo courtesy of John Klar’s Guide Service

The highly anticipated annual sport Dungeness crab season will open statewide this Saturday, Nov. 1. Here on the North Coast, winter crabbing is a tradition that dates back generations. Boats will be working the near shore waters, bays and river mouths baiting, setting and pulling pots and rings — all in the hopes of a big payout of rich, delicious crab.

When the first pots are pulled come Saturday morning, anglers will get their first peak into the health and weight of this seasons crop. The CDFW pre-season testing, which was to take place on Oct. 25, was postponed until Nov. 10 due to a lack of boats in all the testing ports. A typical year will find the meat content at around 20 percent, with the theory being that crabs will add one percent of meat a week and reach the 25 percent mark for the commercial opener of Dec. 1. Meaty crabs or not, we’re just happy to have these tasty crustaceans back on the dinner menu.

Rockfish, Halibut seasons coming to the end
The recreational rockfish season for boat-based anglers as well as the Pacific Halibut season will come to a close on Friday, Oct. 31.

Marine Forecast
The weekend offshore weather doesn’t look great, but the bigger boats should be able to get out and set some gear. As of Wednesday, Saturday’s forecast is calling for N winds 5 to 10 knots with 10-foot waves at 13 seconds coming out of the west. Sunday is looking better; the forecast is calling for N winds up to 5 knots with west waves 6-feet at 12 seconds. The forecast will likely change, so before you head out, check the marine forecast at www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka and click on the marine tab. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Weekend Weather forecast
The next system is set to hit Thursday night and will stick around into Saturday morning according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “We could see up to 1 inch of rain in the Mad, Eel and Van Duzen basins, with an inch and a half falling in the Smith basin. After a dry Sunday, the next system will move in sometime late Monday or Tuesday morning, bringing another half-inch to the area. After that, we should be dry until Friday night with a wet weekend predicted,” Kennedy said.

Crabbing locations
If you’re planning on heading offshore and leaving pots overnight, your best bet is to start setting gear in 100 to 150 feet of water. Historically, crabs tend to be in deeper water at the beginning of the season and will move in towards the beach later in the year. If you’re soaking for just a few hours and don’t have the equipment to go deep, dropping pots just outside the entrance in 50 feet is a good option.

If you don’t have means to head offshore, you can still find plenty of crab. One of the top spots to soak a few rings is Crab Park, located at the end of Cannibal Island Rd., in Loleta. There’s access to launch a kayak or canoe in the estuary of the Eel River. You can also launch your boat at Pedrazzini Park at the end of Cock Robin Island Rd., and make your way up the estuary towards the mouth of the Eel.

Humboldt Bay also has a few good locations to catch some crab. Out in front of the PG&E plant is a good spot as well as the flat off of the South Jetty parking lot. Another top location is either side of the channel leading into the South Bay. Up north, inside Trinidad Harbor is another popular spot among the locals. You can launch your small boat, kayak or canoe right off the beach and head out to Prisoner Rock, where the bottom is sandy and 40 to 50-ft deep. Launching here requires a relatively calm ocean, which may not be the case this weekend.

To the north, Crescent City harbor is a good option for the smaller boats, especially if the ocean is rough. If you’re running offshore, South Beach from Mussel Rock to Endert Beach, in 40-feet of water, is also a good option. Straight out of the harbor in 100-feet has also been a good location.

Bait:
Squid is probably the most popular bait, but any type of fish carcass frozen from the summer will work. Raw chicken, especially drumsticks, work as well.

Regulations:
In Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties, the season runs from Saturday, Nov. 1 through July 30, 2015. The minimum size is five and three-quarter inches measured by the shortest distance through the body from edge of shell to edge of shell directly in front of and excluding the points (lateral spines) and the limit is 10. Traps and nets for Dungeness crab may not be set before 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 1. A valid California sport fishing license is required. For more information regarding recreational Dungeness crab fishing regulations and other crab species, visit dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/crabs.asp

Potential hazardous bar crossing on Saturday
For crab fishermen heading offshore, there could be potential hazardous bar condition on Saturday due to the combination of tides and swells converging at the time when boats will be headed in and out the mouth of the bay. After Saturday’s high tide at 7:55 a.m., 6.2-feet of water will be flowing out of the bay and running straight into 10-foot swells. This could be dangerous and it’s best to error on the side of caution — even if it means waiting until the out-flowing water from the bay has slowed, which usually occurs within 30 to 45 minutes prior to the tide bottoming out. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan

Weekend Tides – Humboldt Bay
Sat., Nov. 1 (High: 7:55 a.m. and 7:40 p.m.) (Low: 1:00 a.m. and 1:49 p.m.)
Standard time begins at 2:00 a.m. Sunday
Sun., Nov. 2 (High: 7:45 a.m. and 7:54 p.m.) (Low: 1:55 p.m.)

Woodley Island sport crab trips
Reel Steel Sport Fishing, Shellback Sport Fishing, and Full Throttle Sport Fishing are all booking crab trips out of Woodley Island for Saturday’s opener. Trips will generally last two hours. Departure times will depend on the tides, but most often they’ll leave sometime in the morning. To book a trip with Shellback Sport Fishing, call (707) 442-7115. Reel Steel Sport Fishing can be reached at (707) 499-4925 and Full Throttle’s reservations number is (707) 498-7473. The weekend trips fill up quick, so you’ll want to call early to reserve your spot.

The Rivers:
As of Wednesday afternoon, all North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith were open to fishing. However, the low flow closure hotline stated the So Fork Eel, Van Duzen, and Redwood Creek would close Thursday morning unless increased flows warranted keeping them open. With rain predicted for Thursday evening, it’s likely these three rivers will open back up sometime either Friday or Saturday. You’ll want to make sure and call the hotline, (707) 822-3164, prior to fishing.

Smith River
According to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service, fishing has been tough the last couple of days. He said, “The river has dropped and cleared, and it’s getting tougher to find any current. The rise we had last week probably pushed the older fish up river, but there isn’t a lot of new fish stacked on the lower end. We have a decent shot of rain coming later in the week, and that rise should bring in some new fish and rejuvenate the river.”

Lower Klamath
As of Wednesday, the lower Klamath was flowing at just under 6,000 cfs and should be plenty fishable. Depending on how much rain falls on Thursday and Friday, it may blow out by the weekend.

Upper Trinity
Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service has been covering water from Douglas City to Del Loma and reports the rain really helped move the fish around. “There’s quite a few salmon around, and some fresh fish are starting to push in. We’ve seen quite a few fresh jacks this past week as well. I’ve been targeting mainly steelhead, and the bite has been good. There’s lots of fish around and they are mostly bright. Plugs and side-drifted roe are both catching fish,” Huber added.

Chetco River
Anti-snagging rules will be lifted after Monday, Nov. 3 and the section above Nook Creek will open to salmon fishing. The daily/season bag limit is 2 Chinook per day, with only 1 unclipped. The season limit is 20, with no more than 5 unclipped. For more information, visit http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/docs/2014_Chinook_Fisheries.pdf

Like “Fishing the North Coast” on Facebook. Questions, comments and photos can be emailed to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com