Current Fishing Reports

Public salmon meeting next Wednesday in Santa Rosa

It appears Tuesday evening’s rain threw a big, fat “Barry Zito” style curveball at North Coast steelhead anglers. Prior to that unexpected shower, several of our rivers — that have yet to see a boat — were just about to turn green and start to fish. And others that were already fishable were about to become pristine. The Smith would fall into the latter category. It was just beginning to dip below 12-feet on the Jed Smith gauge on Tuesday, and by early Wednesday morning it had spiked to a very big 14.5-feet. Both the middle section of the South Fork and main stem Eel were a couple days away from turning steelhead green. Now we’re looking at a couple more days for the South Fork to turn and 3 to 4 days before the main Eel is fishable. The Benbow area of the South Fork didn’t see the affects of the rain and is still at a fishable height and color. The Mad and the Van Duzen both saw a bump in flows, adding a couple days to when they’ll be fishable. With the rain behind us for a few days and the rivers on the drop, it looks like just about every steelhead river on the North Coast will be fishable by the weekend, a first for 2014.

Weather update
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, expect to see dry conditions until at least next Tuesday along the North Coast. “The ridge of high pressure is moving back in, but it looks like it will move to the north next week. There’s a pretty good chance for some fairly wet weather beginning Wednesday,” Kennedy added.

Big Lagoon breaches
Full from the recent rains, the north end of Big Lagoon broke open last Sunday according to Eureka’s National Weather Service. Once the water clears, steelhead and cutthroat fishing should be good as the fish make their way towards Maple Creek.

Rowdy Creek Steelhead Derby this weekend
If you plan on heading to the Smith or Chetco this weekend, keep in mind Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery Steelhead Derby is taking place Friday and Saturday. A total of 13 teams, consisting of 26 boats will be splitting time between the two rivers.

CDFW to Hold Public Meeting on Ocean Salmon Fisheries
The Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites the public to attend its upcoming annual ocean salmon information meeting. A review of last year’s ocean salmon fisheries and spawning escapement will be presented, in addition to the outlook for this year’s sport and commercial ocean salmon fisheries. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Blvd. in Santa Rosa. For more information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/salmonpreseason.asp or contact Erick Anderson at (707) 576-2879.

Regulation changes for Eel and Van Duzen Rivers in 2014
After last year’s controversial change to the Eel River system, which made targeting Chinook salmon against the law, “catch and release” will be allowed in 2014/15.

On page 33 of the online 2014-2015 booklet under General Provisions, the sentence that reads, “every body of water listed below (meaning the alphabetical list of waters with special fishing regulations) is closed to the take of salmon and salmon fishing, unless otherwise noted” remains unchanged. However, on pages 41 and 42, in the alphabetical list of waters, the main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, and the Van Duzen, all have “catch and release of Chinook salmon” in the daily bag and possession limit column. Hats off to our local CDFW folks for pushing this change through. For more information, visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations.

2013 Klamath River Fall Chinook returns
According to preliminary estimates, 179,541 Fall Chinook salmon made their way back up the Klamath in 2013. Of those, 165,125 were adults and 14,415 were jacks, or two-year old salmon. The preseason predicted run size estimate was roughly 272,000. According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River, the floor escapement was met as 69,989 total natural spawners returned (59,619 adults and 10,367 jacks). “The numbers are looking good for 2014 said Borok. “We should see a lot of jacks coming back from the record 2012 run, in which 291,877 adults returned.” That was the largest return since DFGW began compiling data from the entire basin back in 1977.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
As of Wednesday, the Chetco was still running close to 10,000 cfs, but is predicted to drop quickly through the weekend. Forecasted at a pushy 5,500 cfs for Friday’s derby opener, it should be in perfect shape by Sunday, running at 3,500 cfs.

Smith River
After Tuesday’s rain, the Smith was big on Wednesday, but there were fish to be had reports guide Mike Coopman. “The water color was good on Wednesday, and it looks like conditions will only get better prior to the weekend. The river should be in perfect shape and there should be plenty of fish around. With the derby, expect lots of pressure, which could make catching a little tougher,” Coopman said.

Eel River (main stem)
Fred Grundman of Rio Dell’s Grundmans Sporting Goods reports the main stem Eel was starting to turn, but the rain that fell on Tuesday was just enough to set it back a few days. “My guess is it will be at least 3 to 4 days at the earliest before the upper reaches of the main stem are fishable,” said Grundman.

Eel River (South Fork)
Darren Brown of Brown’s Sporting Goods in Garberville reports anglers were fishing down to Sylvandale on Wednesday, and it will probably fish all the way down to the forks by the weekend.

Van Duzen
After a slight rise Tuesday evening, it was flowing at 1,000 cfs and dropping on Wednesday. Predicted to be in the 500 cfs range by the weekend, fishing above Yager Creek would be your best bet.

Mad River
Tuesday’s rain bumped up the flows about 400 cfs, but I think it will be fishable for the bait guys by the weekend reports Justin Kelly of Eureka’s Redwood Marine “Before Tuesday’s rain, there were a lot of older fish in the river. Hopefully this little bump will bring in some new, bright fish,” Kelly added. The Mad was at 1,800 cfs as of Wednesday, but predicted to drop below 800 cfs by Saturday.

Upper Trinity
Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service reports the Douglas City area is back to low and clear after seeing a slight increase in flows from last weeks storm. “Conditions are once again low and clear, but we are seeing some winter fish move in. They were moving pretty good earlier in the week with the higher flows, but they’ve probably slowed down. My guess is there’s a bunch of fish below Junction City that are slowly making their way up,” Huber said.

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.

Upper Trinity best bet for weekend, Mad River Hatchery begins spawning steelhead
The timing isn’t the greatest for the storms currently making a mess of our rivers, but it’s not likely you’ll hear much complaining from the angling community. Even in the midst of a steelhead bite that was bordering on epic for the Smith and Chetco, we’re all happy — and somewhat relieved — to be sitting on the sidelines for a few days while Mother Nature attempts to put a dent in the statewide drought. If the rainfall totals make land as predicted, we could be in for some world-class steelhead fishing once the rivers recede and clear. And it’s certainly going to help the fish. A lot of them have been in the river quite some time and will finally be able to reach their spawning tributaries and creeks. The fish that have been staging in the ocean, waiting to feel that surge of water pouring out of the river mouths, can now begin their journey unabated to their spawning grounds. As for the weekend fishing opportunities, the upper reaches of the Trinity might be your only option. The Smith and Chetco, both of which clear quickly, are likely to be big and brown through the weekend and into the early part of next week. That is, if the weather forecasters are on the money…..

Weekend Weather
It’s certainly no secret we’re in for quite a bit of rain over the next few days. According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, the majority will start to fall Thursday night and continue through Saturday night. Some of the rivers are in for a significant rise coupled with the impressive projected rainfall amounts. Most of the rivers should peak and begin to recede by late in the weekend or early next week, except maybe the Klamath. According to Kennedy, after a break on Sunday, another system will arrive Monday afternoon and will bring rain and snow through Thursday. “This system won’t be as wet, we may only see an inch to an inch and a half, but we should see some snow in the hills as it will be a much colder system coming down from Alaska. On Tuesday, the snow level may drop to 2,000 to 3,000 feet,” Kenned added.

Court Action Allows Mad River Hatchery to Start Steelhead Spawning Operations
According to a press release issued Feb 12, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel at Mad River Hatchery began allowing wild origin steelhead and hatchery origin steelhead to enter the hatchery Feb. 4, to start spawning operations. The hatchery startup is based on an amended court-ordered stay, signed by Judge M.M. Chesney, allowing hatchery operations to proceed with conditions agreed to by CDFW and the plaintiff EPIC.

The court action allows Mad River Hatchery to collect, trap and spawn wild origin steelhead for brood stock for one year. Two of the main conditions of the action were the belief by National Marine Fisheries Service that progress was made on the development of a Hatchery Genetic Management Plan and agreement on the collection of natural origin steelhead trout in the coming year.

“Collection operations went very smoothly today,” said Shad Overton, Mad River Hatchery Manager. “It is critical we include both wild and hatchery origin fish to ensure the best genetic diversity of eggs possible for future releases. Our goal is to release 150,000 yearlings next year.”

Trapping, collection and egg take were delayed due to litigation. Spawning usually starts in January and continues through March. This time window allows the hatchery to spawn returning fish throughout the run. This year’s later start is not expected to affect overall spawning operations. For more information, contact Philip Bairrington, CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist (707) 825-4859
or Harry Morse, CDFW Communications, (916) 323-1478.

Rowdy Creek Steelhead Derby
The 32nd annual Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery Steelhead derby will take place February 20 thru 22. This is the only derby being held this year after quite a few changes at the hatchery. There will be 25 teams, with prices being $3,000 per team or $750 per person. Participants will fish the Smith one day and the Chetco the next. For more derby information, visit www.rowdycreek.com/derby.

The hatchery will also be hosting the first annual community dinner and fundraiser on Friday, February 21 in conjunction with the derby. The “Feed the Fishery” event will be held at the Tolowa Event Center at the Lucky 7 Casino in Smith River, CA. Tickets are $50. For more information, please contact 954-2260.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
Guide Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service reports the rain had already started as of Tuesday evening and it was coming down steadily on Wednesday. “The past few days had been decent fishing. It was getting better each day and the river fished really well on Tuesday for both the boats and bank fishermen. Monday was the first day that was good — especially for the plunkers as the level was a bit pushy for boats. However, this rain is supposed to push the river to around 19 feet according to the prediction and it will take a bit to clear. There is a new (or renewed) slide above the Ice Box bridge that was active even the past few days. If all goes well we should get back on the Chetco the first of the week, but it could go out again with continued rain. If the rain comes in as heavy as some forecasts then it could be mid-week before the river fishes again,” Early added.

Smith River
After couple days of epic steelhead action, the Smith was on a steep rise as of Wednesday evening according to guide Mike Coopman. “The river fished really well the last couple days and there were lots of fish around. It’s high and muddy now, and I don’t expect it will fish this weekend,” Coopman said.

Eel River (main stem)
The main stem was only a couple days away from being fishable reports Paul Grundman of Rio Dell’s Grundmans Sporting Goods. “It doesn’t look like we’ll get the big rise on the main stem, but we’ll have to wait and see,” Grundman added. For current river conditions and predictions for the Scotia area, visit www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=SCOC1.

Eel River (South Fork)
The Piercy area of the South Fork was still dirty as of Wednesday, so it’s not likely to fish any time soon. Predicted to peak at 6,600 cfs on the Miranda gauge early Sunday morning. The upper reaches may come in mid to late week. http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=MRNC1

Van Duzen
Five to six inches are forecasted to fall within the basin over the next few days putting the Van Duzen back on the rise. Should peak at just over 6,000 cfs early Sunday morning and may drop quickly. Higher reaches may fish mid to late week. Current conditions and forecasts can be found at http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=BRGC1

Mad River
According to Justin Kelly of Eureka’s Redwood Marine, there were quite a few bright fish in the river as of Wednesday. “The liners had been doing good all week, catching some nice, bright fish. The river just started to green-up above Lindsey Creek before it started raining. The river is predicted to jump to 6,000 cfs by early Sunday morning, meaning we probably won’t see any green water until mid to late next week,” Kelly said. River conditions can be found at http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=ARCC1

Upper Trinity
The rain that’s coming should really help the Douglas City area reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “My guess we’ll see about a 100 cfs rise on the upper river, which should really bring in the winter fish. The creeks are flowing and there’s some snow in the hills, so we’re in good shape now. The hatchery has seen a good number of fish return the last week, so the fall fish should be done. Anywhere above the North Fork should be a good option for the weekend,” Huber said.

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

F&G Commission adopts emergency angling regulations
If, and that’s a big if, the rains come as predicted this weekend, we should see a parade of steelhead making their way up every coastal river in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. As much as three to five inches is predicted to fall — depending on location. This is the storm we’ve been waiting on in what now feels like years. Most of the coastal rivers are full of fish and the rain should allow them to move up into their spawning tributaries. The rain will also pull a fresh batch of chromers in from the ocean. As of Wednesday, all of the rivers that fall under the low-flow regulations remain open to fishing. Hopefully this big storm is just the beginning of much more precipitation to come and we won’t have to worry about river closures until next year. That being said, CDFW unanimously adopted on Wednesday an emergency regulation that will extend the low-flow closures for North Coast rivers until April 30. (See below for official CDFW press release.)

Weekend rain predictions
A much-anticipated pattern change is taking place on the North Coast, with the ridge of high pressure being forced west allowing storms to finally reach our coastline according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service “We could see up to a third of an inch Wednesday night into Thursday, but the real rain will begin on Friday afternoon, with the heaviest amounts hitting the ground Saturday and into Sunday morning,” Kennedy said. Preliminary forecasted totals for the weekend are; 2 to 3 inches for the Smith basin, 5 to 6 for the Eel basin, 4 to 5 for the Mad basin, and up to 5 inches for the Van Duzen watershed. Monday and Tuesday are looking dry according to Kennedy, but more rain is in the forecast for later in the week.

Fish and Game Commission adopts emergency regulations to close angling
Not wasting any time in response to the state-wide drought conditions, the F&G Commission on Wednesday adopted emergency regulations to close some waters to angling as recommended by the CDFW last week. In a press release issued Wednesday, the Commission adopted the following emergency regulations: 1) Closure of the American River from Nimbus Dam to the SMUD power line crossing at the southwest boundary of Ancil Hoffman Park until April 30. 2) Closure of the Russian River main stem below the confluence of the East Branch of the Russian River until April 30. 3) Extension of the low flow restrictions angling closures for the north coast and central coast areas (above San Francisco Bay) until April 30. 4) In the South Coast District (i.e., San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties), close all portions of any coastal stream west of any Highway 1 bridge until April 30. These regulatory actions will become effective upon approval by the state Office of Administrative Law (OAL). At the earliest, these emergency regulations will become effective in mid to late February.

Mad River hatchery back in business
Exact details have yet to be released to the public, but a judge’s decision ruled in favor of the hatchery and steelhead started swimming up the ladder as of Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, hatchery employees were using a seine to collect natural origin steelhead to supplement what comes into the trap at the spawning facility. The first batches of fish were spawned on Wednesday with more to come. Look for the press release on the “Fishing the North Coast” Facebook page later this week.

CDFW to Hold Public Meeting on Ocean Salmon Fisheries
The Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites the public to attend its upcoming annual ocean salmon information meeting. A review of last year’s ocean salmon fisheries and spawning escapement will be presented, in addition to the outlook for this year’s sport and commercial ocean salmon fisheries. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Blvd. in Santa Rosa. For more information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/salmonpreseason.asp or contact Erick Anderson at (707) 576-2879.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
We are low and clear currently, with the river dropping steadily each day reports guide Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service. “There are a few fish around but they are kegged in a few spots and they are not a mystery to anyone — in other words, there are plenty of people targeting the fish. Rain is supposed to start this weekend which should bring relief to these low, clear conditions — for both the angling public and the fish, Early added. As of Wednesday, flows were down to 560 cfs, but predicted to rise to 1,800 by Sunday evening.

Smith River
Predicted to peak at just above 11 feet on the Jed Smith gauge Sunday morning. According to Crescent City guide Mike Coopman, the river has yet to see a good flush and hopefully this storm will do the trick. “It’s definitely going to breath some new life into the system and should bring in a bunch of fresh fish. I’d expect the fish will be moving quickly in the higher water and that’s when the fishing should be at it’s best. Once the river starts to drop, the bite will probably slow. With the Smith being the first to rise and the first to clear, we’ll probably see a pretty good crowd next week,” Coopman added.

Eel River (main stem)
Forecasters are predicting the Scotia area to go from 9.5 feet to 16.1, peaking early Monday morning. Will probably take up to10 days before it’s fishable.

Eel River (South Fork)

Predicted to peak at just over 11 feet at Miranda early Monday morning and should be in good shape by late week.

Van Duzen

The Van Duzen is predicted to rise from less than a foot to 4.3 feet, peaking early Monday morning. Should be in good shape by mid-week, especially above Yager Creek.

Mad River

When the Mad opened last Friday, the fishing was as good as it gets according to Justin Kelly of Eureka’s RMI Outdoors (formerly Redwood Marine). “As the water has dropped the fishing has gotten a whole lot tougher. The fish are stuck in the holes and they’ve been pounded on for a while now, and they don’t want to bite. No new fish have come in since the last rain, so you’re basically fishing for the same fish. Things should change after the storm goes through this weekend. If the forecast holds and the river peaks at 8 feet early Monday, we should be back to green in just a few days, especially above Lindsey Creek. Cleos, roe, and Spin N’ Glo’s all worked before the river fell out,” Kelly added.

Upper Trinity
The river remains clear, but some winter fish are starting to make their way upriver reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “We’re starting to see more and more winter fish move in, and the rain should help raise the river levels so they can make it over the falls. Hopefully we’ll see enough rain to get the fish in their creeks and tributaries to spawn,” Huber said.

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

CDFW requesting low-flow closures through April 30
Rain, and just in the nick of time! Wednesday’s storm system dropped just enough water to get most of our rivers flowing at a decent level, allowing steelhead to move in and hopefully inch closer to their spawning grounds — and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Come Saturday morning, all North Coast rivers currently subjected to low-flow closures will be open to fishing, regardless of flows. The lack of water, coupled with the amount of fish in the rivers, had the potential of turning the weekend into a real fish in the barrel scenario. It appears however, the situation will be lessened with the tiny bit of rain that fell. However, smaller streams like the Van Duzen, Mattole and South Fork Eel won’t see very much in the way of increased flows and could be susceptible to extreme angling pressure.

In addition, more changes could be coming to our rivers next week. In a press release issued by the CDFW on Wednesday, CDFW has the authority under Title 14, Article 4, Section 8.00(c) to close south central coast streams to fishing from December 1 through March 7 and as a result of the inadequate flows, seven Central Coast rivers have been closed to fishing. Furthermore, CDFW also has the authority to close North Coast streams to fishing from September 1 (Mad River) and October 1 (all others) through January 31 when it determines that the flow at any of the designated gauging stations is less than minimum flows stated in regulation. CDFW is now requesting this closure to be extended to April 30. The extension will be one of a handful recommendations presented at the February 5 Fish and Game Commission meeting. The recommendation reads; “Extension of the low flow restrictions angling closures for the north coast and central coast areas (above San Francisco Bay) through April 30.” For more information on the potential river closures, visit http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/cdfw-puts-closures-in-effect-on-some-rivers-recommends-further-changes-to-the-fish-and-game-commission.

Best bets for the weekend:
By Friday, the Chetco and Smith should be in great shape for steelhead anglers. The Klamath as well as the Trinity both will see increases in flows, which should bring in some fresh fish from the ocean. Fish that have been holding in the Klamath could also make their way into the lower Trinity.

Tread lightly
If you plan on fishing some of the smaller rivers this weekend, pay attention to where you step if you’re wading in or crossing a river. Persistent low flows has forced many salmon to spawn in the main stems and their redds could be right at your feet.

Boats classes/vessel exams
The USCG Auxiliary has scheduled a recreational boating safety class for Saturday, February 22 in the Woodley Island Marina Conference Room from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The class is open to all boaters, not just the recreational fishing fleet. Persons wishing to take the class need to pre-register by calling Thom O’Connor at (707) 954-4481. Cost of the class is $20 per person.
2014 vessel exams have also begun. If you are interested in getting your boat stickered for the coming fishing season, call Maggy Herbelin at (707) 445-2401 to schedule an appointment.

Weekend Weather:
A tiny bit of rain is in store for Thursday and into the evening, and then we’ll head back into a dry pattern according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “Our next chance of precipitation looks to be on Wednesday, Feb 5, with the area seeing possibly a quarter inch. After that, the next chance will be February 9 or 10. I don’t have a whole lot of confidence as most of the systems look good and then they fall apart,” Kennedy added.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
Running at 1,190 cfs and rising as of Wednesday evening. Should be in great shape by Friday. There hasn’t been a lack of fish as the river has dropped out for boats, only a lack of water. If you’re looking to get away from the pack, the Chetco will not be the place. Predicted to peak at just over 2,000 cfs on Thursday evening.

Smith River
Open to fishing as of Tuesday and predicted to peak at just over 3,400 cfs on the Jed Smith gauge Wednesday night. According to Crescent City guide Mike Coopman, expect to see some new fish moving into the system. “If the rain comes as predicted, we should have some really good fishing for a few days. Anytime we see a rise like this, it’s basically out with the old and in with the new. Should be good,” Coopman added.

Mad River
Chocked full of steelhead and should open to fishing no later than Friday. Predicted to peak at just above 300 cfs on Thursday morning. Make sure and call ahead prior to fishing to confirm the river is open. If you don’t like crowds, this isn’t the place to be.  Low flow hotline is (707) 882-3164.

Lower Klamath
The lower river has been producing big, bright winter steelhead the last couple weeks, but will likely color up with the rain that fell Wednesday. It’s currently on the rise and predicted to peak at just below 5,500 cfs. Should be in perfect shape by early next week.

Lower Trinity
Reports coming from the lower section of the Trinity have remained unchanged over the last few weeks, but the little rise we’re seeing could finally break things loose. Lots of half-pounders and the occasional adult steelhead has been the norm, but the rain should bring in some adult winter fish that have been hanging below the confluence.

Upper Trinity
The conditions as well as the fishing haven’t changed much this past week reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “We’re seeing some good numbers making it to the hatchery, but those are the fall fish. A few winter fish are around, but not many. Hopefully we’ll see a little bump in the flows, which would pull some fish from the lower river and the Klamath,” Huber said.

Main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, and Redwood Creek will open Saturday, February 1, if not earlier, depending on the flows. Daily bag limits is two hatchery steelhead and only barbless may be used.

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

Mad River Steelhead Days begins Saturday
Steelhead and spawning salmon aren’t the only ones feeling the low-water pinch this winter. Tackle shops, fishing guides, gear distributors, hotels, and restaurants are all feeling the effects of the state’s worst dry spell since 1977. The amount of fish in the rivers hasn’t been an issue this winter — it’s about having enough water to fish effectively as well as having enough water to keep the rivers open. When the average angler hears the word “drought”, they immediately assume that means the fishing isn’t good. Not true at all. Migrating steelhead have been pouring into our coastal rivers for over a month now and the folks who’ve adapted to the low flows have done exceptionally well. But just getting over the perception of the D-word is a tough hill to climb for the businesses that generate income from the winter steelhead fishery.

“We’ve conditioned anglers to believe that we need rain for the fish to come, and that’s just not the case,” states guide Steve Huber, who spends hit winter fishing the upper Trinity. “My bookings are probably down close to 40 percent based mostly on the people talking about a drought. When potential clients hear that word, they assume the fish aren’t here, but that’s not true. It’s much tougher to sell trips during these real low water conditions,” Huber added.

Guides Mike Coopman of Crescent City and Alan Borges of Eureka both have their usual amount of trips on the books, but are having to juggle and sometimes cancel days due to client’s needs as well as river closures. Coopman, who spends much of the winter fishing on the Smith River, has had to cancel or re-schedule as much as 60 percent of his trips due to the Smith closing due to lack of flows. “I’m pushing a lot of my clients out to late February and March, but it’s tough to make any long-term plans. We’re all trying to grow our business each year, but in years like this it’s real tough. The clients that know and trust me will come fish with me if I tell them it’s worth it. New clients who I’ve never fished before are more likely to wait for another time. It’s real hard to get those people to come back,” Coopman added. Much like Coopman, Borges calendar is full for the winter, but has to juggle and push regular clients who like to keep fish out further into the winter. “Quite a few of my clients like to keep fish, and we’d normally be on the Chetco now. But that hasn’t been much of an option this year as we’ve only fished it a handful of days. So those types of clients I’ve had to move to February or March in the hopes that we’ll be able to fish a river that’s not catch and release. Overall, I’ve been able to keep most of my trips booked, but I’m traveling about one and half times more than a normal winter and those expenses add up,” Borges said.

Gary Blasi owner of Mad River Bait, Tackle & Guide Service in Arcata, who relies heavily on the Mad River as well as HSU students, is also seeing a decline. “We’re probably down close to 30 percent on steelhead gear, but we’re making it up in other places. I haven’t seen much of a slowdown in license sales, which is due to the fact that there are other rivers still open. If and when we do get rain, we should be able to make up any losses quickly,” Blasi added.

Crescent City’s Englund Marine, which relies heavily on the Smith River steelhead to sell gear, is feeling the squeeze as well. Store manager Chris Hegnes says the store is down about 50 percent on steelhead gear from last year due to the Smith being closed for a good part of the winter. “The fact that so few anglers are fishing has had a huge impact on our business.

Steelhead Days starts Saturday
The family-friendly Steelhead Days begins Saturday with event registration at 1 p.m. at Blue Lake Business Park. Even if you don’t fish, there’s plenty to do. The awards dinner celebration will take place on Feb. 8, featuring guest speakers Cheryl Seinder (tribal leader) and fish habitat restoration specialist Mitch Farro. There will be music by Jeff Krider and The Hip Joint. All the proceeds benefit school Kids River Education Fund and Citizen Monitoring Program. Tickets are available at Blue Lake Casino & Hotel’s Player Club and the BLC website, Mad River Tackle, and Redwood Marine. For more information, visit www.madriveralliance.org. To purchase tickets online, visit www.inticketing.com/events/367627.

Weather update
The small storm predicted to hit near the CA/OR border looks to be falling apart according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “We may see a tenth of an inch near Brookings, but it won’t be enough to help out the rivers. After Tuesday we will once again be dry. Looking long range, we’re keeping an eye on a better system that is forecasted to hit around the first of February. It’s a little too far out now to say one way or another,” Kennedy said.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
Currently flowing at just over 600 cfs and too low to drift effectively. Finding spots with current is getting tougher. And when you do find it, you’ll have company, which is making it tough for the boats. Until it rains, it will be a bankie show.

Smith River
Much like the Chetco, you’ll need to drag your boat over riffles in order to make your way down river reports Crescent City guide Mike Coopman. “The river is currently not much above summertime level. There are however, fish in the system. Looking at the level forecasts, it may close by the weekend,” Coopman added.

Klamath
Winter steelhead fishing is fair on the lower Klamath with the fish reportedly moving quickly through the system and into the Trinity. You’ll need to cover some water if you want to put up big numbers.

Lower Trinity
Reports are about the same as they’ve been the last few weeks. Drift boats working the lower river are getting lots of half-pounders with a few adults per trip. A few hatchery fish have also showed up.

Upper Trinity
Conditions remain the same on the upper Trinity reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “We’re getting anywhere from two to five per trip, with the majority still being the late fall fish. There are a few new winter fish around, but they’re making their way up very slowly. The flows haven’t changed, the Douglas City is still at a decent level and plenty fishable,” Huber added.

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

With or without rain, “Steelhead Days” a go on the Mad
Last week’s rain, which filled the Smith and Chetco rivers, proved a couple points — the run of steelhead appears to be large, and the number of anglers looking to get in on the action is even larger. Both rivers turned emerald green on Monday and boats and bankies were out in force. With their opportunities limited by river closures and low flows, steelhead fishermen are without question chomping at the bit. Unfortunately, it looks like the rain and subsequent rise was just a big tease as the Smith and Chetco are both dropping and clearing quickly. The Humboldt rivers saw a slight bump in flows, but not enough to pass the cfs threshold that would warrant opening. With no rain in the immediate forecast, we’re back to square one for the coastal streams. Best bets until the next storm will be the Trinity and Klamath rivers.

Weather update
Not much to reiterate here — another week of dry weather. According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, there’s a slight chance of rain for Del Norte and into Southern Oregon on the Jan. 22, but it doesn’t look to be anything significant. After that, our next chance is Jan. 29 and 31.

HASA meeting next Tuesday
HASA will be holding their general membership meeting on Tuesday, January 21. The agenda will cover voting on the five new board member positions as well as discussing a range of fishery related issues and the fundraiser. Meeting will be held at the Grace Baptist Church, 220 Buhne Street, Eureka.

Low-flow river closure extensions possible
No official word or decision has been made, but CDFW is looking at all options regarding the low flows, with one being the extension of the low flow closures for North Coast Rivers according to Michelle M. Gilroy, District Fisheries Biologist with CDFW. According to the 2014 regulations, low flow closures are to be lifted on Jan 31. “We don’t have an official position as of yet, but if the proposals go forward they will be discussed at the Fish and Game Commission meeting on Feb. 5. More information will be forthcoming in next weeks “Fishing the North Coast” column.

Mad River Steelhead Days
According to event organizer and Director of Mad River Alliance Dave Feral, the first annual “Steelhead Days” will go on as planned despite the lack of rain. “If the low flows are still in effect when the event kicks off on Jan. 25, we’ll follow the fish and game regulations whereas fishing will be allowed from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to the mouth,” Feral said.  The event, which is hosted by the Mad River Alliance and the Blue Lake Casino & Hotel, celebrates the winter steelhead run on the Mad River. The two-week event opens with a family oriented Kick-off day at the Blue Lake Business Park featuring workshops, fishing experts, and a family-friendly variety show in the evening featuring all things fishy hosted by Dell’ Arte International.
The family-fun fishing event concludes February 8 with a kid’s day and an awards ceremony and dinner.
The $35 entry fee includes membership into the Mad River Alliance, $10 in Blue Bucks, entrance to all shows and workshops, chance to win daily prizes, and one award dinner ticket.
Contest categories include; first fish of the day (each day), best fish photo, last fish in, and many more. Prizes include; guided fishing trips, fishing gear, rods, reels, gear racks, and much more. The awards celebration dinner will be held February 8th from 6-10pm in the Blue Lake Casino’s Sapphire Palace.
Tickets are available at Blue Lake Casino & Hotel’s Player Club and the BLC website, Mad River Tackle, and Redwood Marine. For more information, visit www.madriveralliance.org. To purchase tickets online, visit www.inticketing.com/events/367627. All proceeds will benefit programs of Mad River Alliance.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
The rain over the weekend brought in some fish as well as a crowd reports Guide Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service. “We had some rain over the weekend, the river turned muddy for a day and then cleared and started dropping. The fish moved fast and the boats as well as the bank anglers piled up. There were fish caught, but we are now back to low, clear and little flow — a vicious circle. Some of the crowd have moved to other rivers that are clearing.”

The Smith, Eel, Mad, Van Duzen, and Mattole Rivers are regulated by low flow closures. Call the DFG’s low flow closure hotline at (707) 822-3164 to determine the condition of the rivers.

Smith River
The water is low and clear, but there are some fish around reports Crescent City guide Mike Coopman. “The rivers dropping quick, in a few days it’s going to be tough to drift. The upside is the fish are here, but it’s super clear and real snaggy,” Coopman added.

Klamath
The lower Klamath peaked at just over 5,500 cfs on Monday and is on a slow drop. Conditions are excellent and the winter steelhead are making their way through the system.

Trinity
Upper
A few winter steelhead have made their way to the Junction City area reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “We found some nice fish on Wednesday, they were mostly wild and in the 4 to 5 pound range. The fish are not here in big numbers yet, but they are here. Boat pressure has been light and side-drifting roe seems to be the ticket,” Huber said.

Lower Trinity
Despite the lower-than-normal flows, the river is in great shape. Should be some winter fish around along with some half-pounders.

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