Current Fishing Reports

With the Oregon salmon season starting to heat up and California anglers making plans to get in on the action, here’s a reminder for CA anglers who plan to fish and harvest salmon in Oregon and bring them home to CA. Back in May, CDFW issued a press release reminding California anglers of important rules relating to transport of ocean and river salmon taken from Oregon.

The press release states:

“In ocean waters, any salmon taken in Oregon fisheries may not be brought to shore in California. However, it is legal for Californians to trailer their vessels to launch and fish from Oregon ports under applicable Oregon fishing licenses, regulations and reporting requirements. Salmon harvested in Oregon may be brought into California over land if also accompanied by a California Declaration for Entry Form. The declaration must be completed at or prior to the time of entry. After the time of entry, a copy of the completed declaration shall be submitted to CDFW within 24 hours.

On May 16, 2024, the National Marine Fisheries Service on advice from the Pacific Fishery Management Council and West Coast fisheries agencies, including CDFW, took in-season action to implement a landing boundary at the Oregon/California state line for recreational ocean salmon fisheries in Oregon waters just north of California. The new requirement states that any salmon taken under Oregon sportfishing regulations in the area between Humbug Mountain and the Oregon/California state line, also known as the Oregon Klamath Management Zone, must be landed north of the Oregon/California state line for the 2024 fishing season.”

More information about ocean salmon season closures and regulations can be found on CDFW’s ocean salmon web page at wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Salmon.

Marine Forecast
Northerly winds will persist through the weekend, but offshore waters should remain fishable. As of Thursday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots and northwest waves 3 feet at five seconds and west 3 feet at 10 seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 5 to 10 knots and waves north 4 feet at five seconds and west 3 feet at nine seconds. Winds will increase slightly Sunday, blowing 10 to 15 knots from the north with waves north 5 feet at six seconds and west 2 feet at 12 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Klamath/Trinity Chinook salmon regulations
The California Fish and Game Commission acted unanimously to enact a full closure of California’s recreational salmon fishing season in the Klamath River Basin rivers through its annual process for adjusting seasons and bag limits, planned effective August 15, 2024. Below are the 2024-2025 sport salmon regulations as listed in the California Supplemental Sport Fishing Regulation booklet dated July 1, 2024.

• Klamath River from Interstate 5 bridge to the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec: Aug. 15 through Dec. 31, 2024. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.
• Klamath River downstream of the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec: Jul. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.
  
• Trinity River main stem downstream of the Old Lewiston Bridge to the Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat: Jul. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.
• Trinity River main stem downstream of the Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat to the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar: Jul. 1 through Aug. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon; Sep. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to all fishing.
• Trinity River main stem downstream of the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar to the mouth of the South Fork Trinity River: Jul. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.
• Trinity River main stem downstream of the mouth of the South Fork Trinity River to the confluence with the Klamath River: Sep. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.

In waters where the bag limit is zero, fish for which the bag limit is zero must be released unharmed, and should not be removed from the water.

Eel River Pikeminnow fishing derby starts Saturday
To help aid in the pikeminnow suppression efforts, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, CalTrout, TRIB Research, Wiyot Tribe, Bureau of Land Management, and Stillwater Sciences are hosting an Eel River Pikeminnow Fishing derby that will run from July 20 through Aug. 31. This derby gives awards to anglers who want to enjoy sport fishing for Eel River pikeminnow while simultaneously helping our native fish populations

Sacramento pikeminnow are a native fish to California but were introduced to the Eel River watershed in the 1970s and can have a significant impact on native fish populations. Therefore, suppression of Sacramento pikeminnow in the Eel River is a tool managers can use to aid in the conservation of our native fish.

To enter into the contest, you must provide a valid (google) email address and upload a photo of your fish. Contest rules are as follows:

• Submit entries using one email address. All entries at the end of the contest for the “most pikeminnow…” will be tallied by participant name.
• Individual contestants can win no more than one prize category
• Cheating or falsification of entries will result in automatic disqualification
• Contestants must follow all CDFW fishing regulations, including no bait, barbless artificial lures only. Single barbless hooks are recommended for all manners of effort including, fly, and artificial lures.
• This derby includes all waters open to angling on the South Fork Eel River downstream of Humboldt County line to the confluence with the mainstem and the mainstem Eel from the confluence with the South Fork Eel to the mouth of the Van Duzen.

Prize categories:

1. Most pikeminnow (greater than 6 inches) removed over the duration of the contest.
2. Most pikeminnow (greater than 12 inches) removed over the duration of the contest. MUST include tape measure in photo.
3. Biggest fish (length). MUST include tape measure in photo.
4. Drawing for anyone that entered a pikeminnow in the contest.

(prize structure still being finalized)

Eel river regulations currently state there is no bag limit on pikeminnow. Retention of salmonids is strictly prohibited. Strict compliance with Fish and Game Code Section 1.87: WASTE OF FISH; it is unlawful to cause or permit any deterioration or waste of any fish taken in the waters of this state.

Suggestions for fish use: consumption, gardening fertilizer, crab bait, or research. Fish to be donated for research purposes can be dropped off in the cooler at Dimmick Road, Highway 271, Piercy, CA or at the Wiyot Tribal Office during business hours.

Prohibited actions: Throwing fish on the bank or into the river, any blatant waste of fish. Any violation of Fish and Game Code Section 1.87 will be subject to law enforcement prosecution.

The Oceans:
Eureka
The last few days saw plenty of options out of Eureka reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. He said, “Boats fishing 25 to 30 southwest of Eureka found a wide-open albacore bite Wednesday. Conditions were just about perfect, and the boats took advantage. Scores were really good, with one of the boats landing 40. It sounded like you could catch all you want. The Pacific halibut bit good as well with some limits reported. Boats were fishing off the stacks as well as the Eel River Canyon area. Both locations gave up good numbers. There’s been some nice fish caught lately, with quite a few over 50-pounds and some 70-pounders in the mix. We were down at the Cape chasing rockfish and the bite was a little slower than we’ve seen. The fish we caught were absolutely plugged with some type shrimp, so I think that slowed the bite. We did get a few nice lings.”

Shelter Cove
“The weather gave us a few-day window and we took full advantage,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing.  “We were able to fish Gorda three days in a row. The Pacific halibut bite was pretty good and the rockfish and lingcod bite was lights out. One boat ran for albacore Wednesday and boated 26.”

Crescent City
“Not much has changed up here, the rockfish bite is still going strong,” says Britt Carson, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Most of the guys are going to the North Reef or the Sisters. The ling cod bite is excellent as well, with some nice ones being caught. The California halibut bite was good this week along south beach for anglers trolling anchovies. The Pacific halibut bite remains slow, I haven’t heard of any being caught this week.”

Brookings
Fishing remains good for hatchery coho salmon out of Brookings, with a few kings mixed in reports Andy Martin, of Brookings Fishing Charters. “There is a large school of coho 4-5 miles offshore, and some fish scattered closer to shore,” said Martin. “Bottom fish anglers are also encountering kings and coho on the shallow reefs. Halibut fishing was good over the weekend. Lingcod and rockfish action remains solid. Brookings anglers are still waiting for tuna to get closer to the port.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay was fair over the weekend and early this week, but action has been spotty. “Traffic has increased, but the number of boats is still well below 50 a day. Warm water is pushing salmon closer to the tips of the jetties.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Ocean conditions can make all the difference when it comes to catching – or not. And favorable conditions have been few and far between this season. But when the stars align like they did Wednesday, good things happen. The Eureka fleet took full advantage and boats made their way to the halibut grounds while some pointed south to Cape Mendocino. Both locations provided anglers with plenty of bent rods and coolers full of fish. The halibut bite was some of the best we’ve seen this season, with lots of boats headed in early with limits. The boats who made their way south also reported some wide-open fishing, with plenty of rockfish to fill the buckets. The lingcod bite was red-hot, providing some of the best action in a couple years. But just as soon as the ocean calmed, winds will once again pick up starting Friday and the weekend and into next week look iffy.

Weekend marine forecast
Following a few days of calm seas, near gale to locally gale force gusts is possible across the outer waters Friday. This will generate steep seas, with short period seas picking up to around 8 to 10 feet at 8 to 9 seconds Friday afternoon. Winds will diminish throughout the weekend as another upper level trough moves over the area. As of Thursday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds at 15 to 20 knots and waves northwest 6 feet at seven seconds and northwest 5 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday forecast is calling for north winds at 10 to 15 knots and waves northwest 5 feet at seven seconds. Winds will be out of the north Sunday 10 to 15 knots with northwest waves 6 feet at 12 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

July 6 is statewide free fishing day
On Saturday, July 6, people may fish California’s waters without a sport fishing license. All regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. On Free Fishing Days, every angler must have the appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead, sturgeon, spiny lobster, or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems. For more information visit, wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days

Eel River fish counts
As of May 26, 2024, the final counts for salmonids and lamprey are: 270 steelhead (97 female, 83 male, 38 unknown adults, 52 subadults). 255 Chinook (73 female, 72 male, 21 unknown adults, 89 jacks). 1,827 Pacific lamprey. These counts don’t reflect the entire population; only the fish who travel over 150 miles to the fish ladder at Cape Horn Dam. Historic fish count numbers can be found here.

California halibut update
The CA halibut bite has been slowed this week according to Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors. He said, “The big tides at the end of last week and earlier this week are the culprit. Humboldt Bay is pretty dirty as well. Live bait, swim baits or tube jigs seem to be the ticket still. The second and third channels seem to be the most productive.” The California halibut bag and total possession limit is two in California waters north of Point Sur, Monterey County. The minimum size limit is 22 inches total length.

The Oceans:
Eureka
The ocean finally laid down for a few days, and the catch rates for rockfish and Pacific halibut both soared reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “Conditions were decent Tuesday, and quite a few halibut were caught by the handful of boats who made it out,” said Klassen. “On Wednesday, the seas were really calm and we made the run south to Cape Mendocino where the rockfish and lingcod bite was excellent. The area was full of life, with lots of bait on the surface and the fish plugged full of krill. Half of our catch were blacks, but we also had some good variety. Vermilion, coppers, yellowtail, and some cabezon rounded out the limits. The lingcod bite was the best I’ve seen in a couple years. Wednesday’s halibut scores were also good. Lots of limits were reported by charters and private boats fishing off the stacks in 300 feet of water. There were also a couple caught down at the Cape.”

Shelter Cove
The rockfish bite remains a little tougher than usual according to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We’re still getting limits, but having to work at it with all the brown water,” said Mitchell. “The lingcod bite continues to be hit and miss. A couple days we got easy limits, and others we struggled to get just a few. We’re spending our days fishing around the whistle and Old Man.”

Crescent City
“The rockfish bite is still going strong,” said Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The lingcod bite has also really picked up and we’re seeing some nice ones caught. The Pacific halibut bite, however, is still really slow. Very few have been caught since the season opened. The California halibut action is heating up, with trollers along South Beach catching quite a few. The fish have been bigger this year, with plenty of fish over 30 inches being caught. Anchovies have been the bait of choice. The redtail bite remains steady at Kellogg Beach.”

Brookings
“Salmon fishing has improved in the ocean out of Brookings, even as windy weather has kept boats in close,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “A few kings and big numbers of coho salmon are being caught. Plenty of hatchery keepers are in the mix. A big return of coho is expected on the Columbia River this fall, and those fish first appear on the southern Oregon Coast. Trolling anchovies behind Fish Flash flashers and divers close to the surface is working best. Better weather is expected this week. A few halibut are being caught, and catches should improve with the calmer conditions offshore.”

Lower Rogue/Chetco
According to Martin, a few kings are now being caught in the Rogue Bay. “Water temperatures are close to 70 degrees, which will force salmon to hold up in the bay, where kings begin to stack up where the warmer water from upriver and cooler ocean water mix. Summer steelhead are biting near Agness. A few sea-run cutthroat trout are being caught on spinners in the Chetco tidewater.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

The Pacific halibut bite continues to be slow along the North Coast, but it is showing signs of life. As conditions improved mid-week, boats out of Trinidad and Crescent City both saw an uptick in fish coming back to port. The same cannot be said for Eureka. Persistent wind and sloppy conditions have kept boats mostly tied to the dock. Boats finally made it offshore Wednesday, but there weren’t many biters to be had. Marginal conditions are in the forecast for the next several days, so that means consistent time on the water will be hard to come by. But there is a silver lining to all this wind. The halibut catch has been so minuscule CDFW has yet to update the in-season catch estimates. At this rate, there may be enough quota to get us to the mid-November season closure.

Weekend marine forecast
Northerlies will continue to decrease into Wednesday, but will remain in small craft criteria for all zones except the northern inner waters. Each afternoon there will be a slight uptick in winds coming from the north. As of Thursday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 15 to 20 knots and waves northwest 6 feet at seven seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 10 to 15 knots and waves north 6 feet at seven seconds. The winds will be out of the north Sunday 15 to 20 knots, with north waves 5 feet at six seconds and west 2 feet at 13 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

California halibut bite remains steady
The California halibut bite has been good lately, but not wide-open. According the Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors, the quality of fish has been good, and there hasn’t been many shakers. “The best bite has been in the second channel and third channels in the north bay,” said Kelly. “Shiner perch and herring seem to be the ticket right now.” Minus tides with big swings are forecast to begin this weekend.

As a reminder, the California halibut bag and total possession limit was reduced from three to two in California waters north of Point Sur, Monterey County last June. The minimum size limit is 22 inches total length. The reduced California halibut limit is designed to protect the resource amid increased recreational fishing pressure due to limited fishing opportunities and changes in other ocean fisheries including salmon.

July 6 is statewide free fishing day
On Saturday, July 6, people may fish California’s waters without a sport fishing license. All regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. On Free Fishing Days, every angler must have the appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead, sturgeon, spiny lobster, or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems. For more information visit, wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days

Freshwater Lagoon/Sequoia Park Pond trout plants
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website, Freshwater Lagoon has been planted with trout weekly beginning with the week of May 19 and will continue through the week of June 23. The Sequoia Park Pond was planted during the week of May 16. Both are open to fishing year-round and the limit is 5 trout per day and 10 in possession. For more information, visit https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/Default.aspx?county=Humboldt&time or call (530) 225-2146.

The Oceans:
Eureka
Boats finally got back offshore Wednesday, but the Pacifici halibut bite continues to be slow. According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, only a handful were caught. “There were quite a few boats out, but it sounded like scores ranged from zero to two per boat,” said Klassen. “The water was pretty choppy and dirty, which doesn’t help the bite. Ocean conditions look marginal through Saturday before the wind returns Sunday. Hopefully having a few days strung together will help our chances.”

Shelter Cove
Not much to report out of the Cove this week. Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing was able to get out just one day due to the weather. “We fished around the whistle, but it was kind of slow,” said Mitchell. “We were able to get limits of rockfish, but just two lingcod.”

Crescent City
The Pacific halibut bite has finally picked up this week,” said Kevin Hooper of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “We’ve seen a few come in, which has been good to see. The rockfish bite is still good and should only improve as the conditions get better. It looks like the California halibut are finally arriving in better numbers. There were several caught this week by anglers tossing jigs off the rock wall across from the boat launch. The redtail perch bite has picked up as well with Kellogg Beach being the top spot.”

Brookings
“Salmon fishing has improved out of Brookings, although it is still fair to slow,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Hatchery coho, along with wild coho, are being caught three to five miles offshore. King fishing is best at first light near the buoys and mouth of the Chetco. The water is still cold, less than 48 degrees, which has slowed the bite. Halibut fishing is still slow. Lingcod and rockfish action has been good.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, spring salmon fishing is slow on the Rogue as anglers transition from upriver anchor fishing to trolling the bay. “A few kings are being caught. Upriver near Shady Cove and Lost Creek Dam, springer fishing is good for anglers back-bouncing roe in the deeper holes.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Gale-force north winds in May and June are historically common along the North Coast. But this year seems to be bordering on excessive. The Eureka fleet is having to pay the heaviest toll following another week of rough seas, managing to only get offshore once since last week. Shelter Cove, Trinidad, and Crescent City, with much shorter runs to the fishing grounds and no bar to tackle, are having a better go at it. On most days they’re able to get out in the mornings and put in quick limits of rockfish.

But Eureka does have a pretty good plan B. And that would be California halibut within Humboldt Bay. The bite is heating up, with a few more caught daily. There aren’t a lot of anchovies in the bay yet, but there seem to be plenty of shiner perch for those wanting live bait. Anglers fishing dead bait and even jigs and swimbaits are having success as well. The fishing seems to really improve when we have the smaller tide swings, which are happening now. The minimum size is 22 inches and the daily bag and possession limit is two.

Weekend marine forecast
Hazardous seas and gusty winds will relent starting Friday, but conditions still look pretty rough through the weekend. On Friday, north winds are predicted at 10 to 15 knots and waves from the north 7 feet at seven seconds and west 4 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for north winds 10 to 15 knots and north waves 4 feet at five seconds and west 3 feet at 10 seconds. The winds will increase slightly Sunday, blowing 15 to 20 knots out of the north. Waves will be from the north 6 feet at six seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

The Oceans:
Eureka
There was a brief break in the wind last Saturday, and a few boats made it to the halibut grounds where a few halibut were caught. By Sunday we were back to terrible offshore conditions, and the Eureka fleet has been tied up since. It looks like we’ll have more of the same through at least Monday.

Trinidad
“The rockfish bite has been a little hit or miss,” said Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “If you land on em’, you can do really well. But some days it’s been a little more of a struggle to get limits. The lingcod bite hasn’t been very good the last few days out, but that can change quickly. Especially if the ocean conditions improve. The crabbing is still good, with easy limits each day.”

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, it’s been pretty much the same story this week. “On the days we can get out, we’ve been greeted by dirty water,” said Mitchell. “This has made the fishing challenging, but we’re still grinding out limits. We’ve only caught three Pacific halibut this season, and all have come while targeting rockfish. We’re spending most of our time around the whistle and the Old Man.”

Crescent City
According to Benjamin Ferguson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, limits of rockfish are still being caught despite the wind. He said, “When the boats can get out, the rockfish limits are coming pretty easily. If they’re able to stay out long enough, boats have been able to get their lings as well. Most of the action has been in the vicinity of the North Reef and Pt. St. George Lighthouse area. There’re still a few California halibut being caught off the rock wall, depending on the water temperatures. The redtails are biting too, with Kellogg and South beach being the best spots. There were a few stripers caught last week toward the end of South Beach.”

Brookings
A few salmon were caught in the ocean out of Brookings over the weekend and again on Monday reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Kings from 10 to 20 pounds were biting from Salmon Rock to the red buoy, said Martin. “Windy weather prevented boats from getting offshore, although nicer conditions are expected this weekend. Big schools of bait are balled up near the mouth of the Chetco. The salmon caught in recent days have been on anchovies fished with spreaders and lead, or divers, within 25 feet of the surface. Lingcod and rockfish action has been good, while a few halibut showed up in the catch over the weekend.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue River has slowed for spring salmon, but a few fish are still trickling in. “Action is slow on the bay, but anglers are now trolling, encouraged by hot weather inland, which has warmed river temperature. Wild kings may now be kept.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

Relentless storms, one after the other, have steelhead anglers sitting idly by. And that’s about all there is to do at the moment, and in the near future. The only chance to throw a line into anything resembling green water has been on the Smith River. And even that has been hit and miss. Flows finally receded enough Tuesday and Wednesday, providing drift boats with one of the handful of days of prime conditions. Come Wednesday, the river will be back on the rise and likely too big to drift by Thursday. It will remain green, so it will likely be a plunking show through the weekend. As for the local rivers, all I can say is patience.

Weather outlook
According to Jonathan Garner of Eureka’s National Weather Service office, a series of storms systems are on tap for the next seven days. “We’ll see a break Tuesday night but another front is approaching Wednesday that is a little more uncertain,” said Garner. “In the Smith basin, between Tuesday and Sunday, 5 inches of rain are predicted. Here locally, we could see up to 5 inches around Humboldt Bay, with 6 to 8 inches likely in the higher elevations. In the Eel basin, we’re looking at another 5 to 7 inches through Sunday. The next seven days look to be wet, but the 10-day outlook is potentially showing a dryer pattern.”

CDFW lifts trap restrictions in the commercial and sport Dungeness crab fisheries
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will lift the Dungeness crab trap prohibition in Fishing Zones 3-6 (all areas south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line) for the recreational fishery on Jan. 14, 2023 at 8:01 a.m. CDFW will lift the 50 percent commercial fishery trap reduction in Fishing Zones 3-6 on Jan. 15, 2023 at 8:01 a.m. The current 50 percent trap reduction for the commercial fishery and trap prohibition in the recreational fishery will remain in place until lifted on the respective dates.

Based on available data and as indicated by historical migration patterns, humpback whale abundance is at or near a seasonal low within the Dungeness crab fishing grounds. As a result, CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham is lifting the trap restrictions in Fishing Zones 3-6 for both fisheries because of lowered entanglement risk. However, a Fleet Advisory will be issued for the recreational fishery and will be continued for the commercial fishery to remain vigilant and avoid setting gear in areas where whales are transiting or foraging. All anglers are also strongly encouraged to follow best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place in mid-February 2023.

The Rivers:
All North Coast rivers subjected to low-flow fishing closures including the Mad, Smith, main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Redwood Creek and Van Duzen were open to fishing. The Department of Fish and Wildlife 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 at any time. The low-flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is (707) 822-3164. For more information, visit fishingthenorthcoast.com/2021/09/22/2021-2022-low-flow-information-for-north-coast-rivers/.

Mad
The Mad receded to 8,000 cubic feet per second Wednesday, but with additional rain this week, the drop will be short-lived. Flows are predicted to rise throughout the week and top out at just about a half a foot above monitor stage at 13,700 cfs (15.5 feet) Sunday morning. It will need a couple weeks of dry weather to be fishable, especially with Ruth Lake full and spilling.

Main stem Eel
The main Eel remains extremely high and muddy as flows were over 90,000 cfs as of Thursday. Additional rain in the coming days will push flows to nearly 124,000 cfs by early Sunday morning. Fernbridge is predicted to remain at or above monitor stage through the weekend.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork was flowing at 15,500 cfs as of Thursday, but flows will be headed back up and down over the next few days. Flows are predicted to peak at 33,000 cfs Saturday evening before receding into Sunday. If and when the rain subsides for a few days, the South Fork would be one of the first coastal rivers to come into play. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be the case anytime soon.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was down to 7,000 cfs Thursday, but is forecast to be up and down the next few days before peaking at 12,500 cfs Saturday. Expected to drop through Sunday, but will remain high and off color.

Smith
Tuesday and Wednesday provided the best conditions to drift the Smith as flows dropped below 12 feet on the Jed Smith gauge. These conditions will likely be short-lived as more rain during the week will keep flows above 13 feet beginning Thursday and through Monday. The river will likely continue to hold its green color and plunking will be the best option through the weekend. Steelhead fishing has yet to take off as just a handful of fish have been caught this past week.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“Plunkers are catching a mix of hatchery and wild steelhead on the Chetco as flows drop, but drift boaters are waiting for the river to drop below 4,000 cfs,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “That won’t happen any time soon, as another storm is expected by the weekend. Driving to the Elk or Sixes also isn’t an option, as U.S. Highway 101 is closed because of a major slide between Gold Beach and Port Orford. Road officials have estimated one lane could be open by Friday.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

Fall regulations began Aug. 15 on the Klamath River, triggering the start of the fall salmon quota. The California Fish and Game Commission adopted bag and possession limits for the Klamath Basin based on a quota of 2,119 fall-run adult kings. On the Klamath, the fall season closes Dec. 31. The fall season on the Trinity begins Sept. 1 and closes Dec. 31.

On the Lower Klamath, from the State Route 96 bridge at Weitchpec to the mouth, 1,060 adults will be allowed for sport harvest. The section above the bridge at Weitchpec to 3,500 feet downstream of the Iron Gate Dam will get 360 adults.

The Spit Area (within 100 yards of the channel through the sand spit formed at the Klamath River mouth) will close when 15 percent of the total Klamath River Basin quota is taken downstream of the U.S. Highway 101 bridge. In 2022, 318 adults can be harvested below the U.S. Highway 101 bridge before the closure at the mouth is implemented. The rest of the area below U.S. Highway 101 (the estuary) will remain open to recreational fishing. Important reminder: All legally caught Chinook salmon must be retained while fishing the spit. Once the adult component of the total daily bag limit has been retained, anglers must cease fishing in the spit area.

On the Trinity side, the quota is set at 699 adults. The quota will be split almost evenly: 350 adults for the main stem Trinity downstream of the Old Lewiston Bridge to the State Route 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat, and 349 adults for the main stem Trinity downstream of the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar to the confluence with the Klamath.

The daily bag limit will be two Chinook salmon, no more than one of which may be greater than 23 inches, and a possession limit of six, of which only three may exceed 23 inches. Once these quotas have been met, no Chinook salmon greater than 23 inches in length may be retained (anglers may still retain a limit of Chinook salmon less than 23 inches in length).

Visit www.nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=202686&inline for a complete list of regulations. Anglers may monitor the quota status of open and closed sections of the Klamath and Trinity rivers by calling the Klamath information hotline at 800-564-6479. All anglers on the Trinity and Klamath rivers must have salmon harvest cards in their possession when fishing for salmon.

Weekend marine forecast
Steep, short-period seas are forecast to peak Wednesday and are expected to diminish during the latter portion of the week. Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and north waves 5 feet at six seconds. Saturday is calling for northwest winds 10 to 15 knots and waves out of the northwest 5 feet at six seconds. Sunday’s forecast is better, with winds out of the northwest up to 5 knots and west waves 3 feet at 10 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

The Oceans:
Eureka
According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, the tuna bite turned on pretty well last Friday off of Eureka. “Boats didn’t need to go much farther than 20 miles,” said Klassen. “The tuna were in that general area for a while but they were spread out. Friday, for whatever reason, they decided to come up and the boats did well. With all the warm water, the salmon fishing hasn’t been great. Top scores have been a couple per boat. The fish being caught are on the bottom. Hopefully the wind we’re seeing this week will cool the water.”

Trinidad
The rockfish bite out of Trinidad remains excellent according to Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. He said, “They come a little slower when we have minus tides, but overall, the bite is still good. Some days we’re getting a nice variety and others, it’s nothing but black rockfish. The lingcod bite is still going strong too. Fish are being caught from Flat Iron all the way to Sue-Meg (formerly Patrick’s Point). There are some salmon being caught, mostly out in deeper water and the fish are right on the bottom.”

Shelter Cove
Another good week of rock fishing at the Cove reports Jake Mitchell, of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “The lingcod bite improved a little bit as well,” said Mitchell. “The salmon bite is still slow. We tried fishing real deep one day and were able to land a couple small kings but that’s been about it. The wind started blowing and things are starting to cool down so hopefully the salmon action will start to improve.”

Crescent City
“Tuna fishing last week was excellent,” said Kevin Hooper of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Boats had to travel nearly 50 miles offshore but it was worth it. The wind has picked up this week, but conditions could be right by the weekend. The rockfish bite continues, with easy limits being reported. Most of the boats are doing well at the two reefs as well as the Sisters. The salmon bite is still slow, but I’m not sure how many are putting in the effort. Last week’s minus tides produced some great razor clamming. The next round of good tides arrive next Thursday.”

Brookings
“Tuna fishing busted open out of Brookings last week as the albacore moved within 32 miles of the harbor, and calm weather allowed charters and private boaters to get in on the action,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Most boats returned with 20 to 45 tuna Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Windy weather returned over the weekend. Halibut fishing also was good last week, while salmon action has been slow. A few nice kings were caught Monday by the buoys.”

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
The water color is finally starting to improve after last Monday’s blowout. It’s not quite green, but it’s improving slightly each day. There’s plenty of steelhead to be had from the Glen up and some fall kings are making their way into the lower river. Fishing should really improve over the next couple weeks. Fall regulations went into effect Monday, Aug. 15. The daily bag limit will be two Chinook, no more than one adult (longer than 23 inches) and the possession limit is six, no more than three adults.

Lower Rogue
Salmon action is fair on the Rogue according to Martin. “Most guides have switched to Pro Troll flashers, short leaders and 3.5 spinner blades. The technique is tricking two to three kings per boat. Warm water has slowed the anchovy bite, with fewer salmon being caught on bait. Crowded conditions also have reduced catch rates. Upwards of 100 boats a day are trolling the bay.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

So much for the kings being right where we left them after last week’s wind-a-thon. After working over some big schools of kings from Eureka to north of Trinidad the previous week, it looks like they may have moved on to greener pastures. The Eureka boats were back on the water in force on Sunday with high hopes. A few were caught, but scores fell well short of where they were prior to the wind. By Monday, it was pretty much belly up. While the salmon bite slowed from Shelter Cove to Trinidad, the kings have finally made their way to Fort Bragg. And they just recently made a return appearance in Brookings. It appears to be a game of hide-n-seek, with no one knowing which port they’ll pop up in next. Luckily for us, we’re in the midst of one of the best Pacific halibut seasons on record. So, when the salmon bite turned off, boats headed west and continued the onslaught. The ocean was also calm enough to allow boats to make the long run south to the Cape, where the rockfish and lingcod have been patiently awaiting some company. Always good to have options…

Weekend Marine Forecast
The weekend forecast looks plenty fishable, and lighter winds and lower seas are expected late in the weekend and early next week. Friday’s forecast is calling for 5 to 15 knot winds out of the N and NW waves 6 feet at 7 seconds and W 2 feet at 9 seconds. Saturday is calling for N winds 5 to 15 knots and waves out of the NW 6 feet at 8 seconds. Sunday’s forecast is a little better, with winds out of the NW up to 5 knots and waves NW 5 feet at 8 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or https://www.windy.com. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Sport Crab season coming to a close
The 2020 sport Dungeness crab season in Humboldt, Mendocino, and Del Norte counties will close on Thursday July 30. The season is expected to re-open on Nov. 7.

Ocean salmon closures
Klamath
The Klamath Control Zone will be closed the month of August for ocean sport salmon fishing. The closed zone around the Klamath River mouth is bounded on the north by 41°38’48” N. lat. (approximately 6 nautical miles north of the Klamath River mouth); on the west, by 124°23’00” W. long. (approximately 12 nautical miles off shore); and on the south, by 41°26’48” N. lat. (approximately 6 nautical miles south of the Klamath River mouth).

Eel
No salmon may be taken during the months of August and September in ocean waters at the Eel River mouth bounded on the north by 40°40’24” N. lat. (approximately 2 nautical miles north of the Eel River mouth), on the west by 124°21’24” W. long. (approximately 2 nautical miles offshore), and on the south by 40°36’24” N. lat. (approximately 2 nautical miles south of the Eel River mouth).

The Oceans:
Eureka
“The salmon bite has been slow since the weekend when most boats got back on the water,” said Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “Boats averaged less than a fish per rod on Sunday, and Monday was tougher. There’s some really good signs around, so hopefully they’re still here,” added Klassen. With salmon on the slow side and favorable ocean conditions, boats opted for the Cape or back out to the Pacific halibut grounds. Neither fishery disappointed. Quick limits were the norm on Tuesday for halibut anglers, with some coming as fast as 45 minutes. The rockfish action was good at the Cape, but not wide-open like the halibut. “The fishing was very good, but not red hot like we’ve seen,” said Klassen. “There’s some super clear water down there, along with some really brown water. The lings bit really well on Tuesday, with limits up to 28-pounds.”

Trinidad
Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters and Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing both fished through some tough weather prior to Sunday. “We were mostly running half-day trips prior to the weekend and getting quick limits of black rockfish and a few salmon right in front of the Trinidad Head,” said Sepulveda. “Nothing is wide open, but rockfish, lingcod, salmon and pacific halibut are all hitting the deck.”. Conditions finally took a turn for the better on Sunday, and according to Wilson, the halibut bit pretty well. “It was real good fishing, not wide-open but almost everyone was catching,” said Wilson. “This week we’ve been targeting rockfish to the north, where the lingcod bite has been good along with a wide variety of rockfish. The salmon bite has slowed down, but you can still go out and get a few opportunities each day.”

Shelter Cove
The salmon bite was pretty darn slow this week according to Captain Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. He said, “We had some pretty decent weather and people were able to look far and wide, but nothing really produced. There’s been quite a bit of bait hanging in some areas, so I’m hopeful that they’ll find it soon. I made the run up to Rodgers a few times this week for rockfish and it was pretty good. We even caught a few halibut up to 77-pounds while rock fishing. Lingcod was a bit slow, but the ones we did get were a very good grade. A couple boats ran 45 miles for tuna on Monday and found a few fish. When we get another weather window, we’ll have another option.”

Crescent City
There’s been a few salmon caught this week reports Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. He said, “There’s tons of anchovies around, and they’re really spread out. And the salmon are as well. I heard of salmon being caught right on the beach, and also out in 300 feet of water. There’s been quite a bit of effort this week on the CA halibut, but without much success. A few were caught off the B Street Pier last Friday. That area was loaded with anchovies too. The rockfish bite continues to be good when the boats can get out. The lingcod bite has been excellent as well. Boats are fishing both reefs, the Sisters, and around the lighthouse.”

Brookings
The salmon bite is back on out of Brookings, with a few fish right outside the mouth of the Chetco and bigger schools a couple miles offshore according to Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “The bite kicked into gear early this week, with anchovies trolled just below the surface working best,” said Martin. “Lingcod and rockfish action have been fair with the big tides. A few California halibut also are being caught. The rough seas that kept boats at the dock last week have subsided this week, but it is still fairly rough.”

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
Salmon fishing in the estuary continues to be up and down. Some fish came in last Sunday with the high tide, and quite a few were caught. Monday sounded like the fishing was good, but it was very slow again on Tuesday. Like any tidal fishery, the bite can be fickle. You need to be there when the fish are in and want to bite. Trolling anchovies behind a Rogue River spinner bait is still catching the majority of the fish. Spring-run regulations are in effect through August 14, with a daily bag and possession limit of one king salmon of any size.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay had its best two days of the season Sunday and Monday before the action slowed on Tuesday. “There are schools of salmon now milling around in the bay. Guides had a fish a rod early in the week before the bite stalled on Tuesday. Still no steelhead upriver near Agness as of yet,” added Martin.

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

While most guides and sport anglers are taking a well-deserved break before the winter steelhead season kicks into high gear, several storms are once again bearing down on the North Coast. Rain is in the forecast for at least the next seven days, which just might keep the rivers at unfishable levels well into next week. The Smith and Chetco will be the first to drop and clear, and the plunkers should arrive in force. The Humboldt rivers, including the Mad, Eel, and Van Duzen will need a little more time in between storms before they’re fishable. While very few winter steelhead have made their way into the rivers as of yet, you can almost bet we’ll see the first wave arrive when the rivers finally recede.

Weekend weather/marine forecast
The forecast for the next seven days is looking very wet according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The rain will begin to fall Wednesday evening and will likely be with us through Friday. Rainfall totals for Thursday and Friday in the Smith basin could be up to three inches, with up to two inches falling in the Eel and Mad basins. Showers will taper off on Friday evening and Saturday is looking somewhat dry. The rain will return on Sunday, with another half to one inch predicted for the Smith and up to one and a half inches in Humboldt. More rain is forecasted for Monday, and showers are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. It’s a little far out there, but the models are showing a pretty wet system moving in next Thursday,” Kennedy added.

The weekend forecast for offshore crabbing doesn’t look great. Friday’s forecast is calling for W winds 5 to15 knots, with waves W 12 feet at 14 seconds. Saturday is looking slightly better, with winds out of the E 5 to 10 knots with NW waves 10 feet at 12 seconds. Sunday is looking better, with SE winds 5 to 10 knots and NW waves 8 feet at 11 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. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit: www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan

Cash not an option for fishing license purchase
Beginning January 1, 2017 the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will no longer accept cash at CDFW’s License and Revenue Branch and regional license counters. Individuals who want to make payments at CDFW’s License and Revenue Branch or a regional license counter can use checks, money orders, or any debit/credit card with the Visa or Mastercard logo.
The “no-cash policy” will hopefully improve customer and employee safety, department efficiency, customer service and provide cost savings.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing reports the Chetco is full of half-pounders at the moment. He said, “Last Thursday we landed a half a dozen while side-drifting. The salmon fishing was surprisingly good on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a fish per rod reported. There were some nice bright kings on the lower end, near the North Fork, as well as near Ice Box. Fishing slowed on Sunday. We caught a few salmon last week on the steelhead gear while side-drifting, and others running plugs in the typical salmon spots. The river is expected to blow out from Friday through the weekend.”

Smith River
Not many signs of steelhead this past week on the Smith reports guide Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “I was on the water last weekend and the only thing we really saw was half-pounders. We’re definitely in a transition phase, which is fairly typical this time of year. We don’t normally see the first real big push of steelhead arrive until right around Christmas time. We’ve got a few pretty decent storms coming in the next few days and it looks like Sunday might be the only day where side-drifting will be possible,” Coopman added.

Main Stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, and Mad
All were fishable as of Wednesday, but that will likely change with the rain coming on Thursday. All are forecasted to see fairly large flow increases starting Thursday morning. With rain in the forecast for at least the next seven days, it could be a while before these rivers drop back down to fishable levels. Very few winter steelhead were caught on any of the rivers, but that should change when they drop back down and turn green. For river level predictions, visit http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov

Upper Trinity
The weather has really turned cold this week reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. He said, “A few mornings were in the upper 20s. The fishing remains about the same, we’re seeing one to three adults a day with a few half pounders mixed in working from Lewiston down to Cedar Flat. The majority of the boats are working the Junction City area where the pressure has been pretty heavy with the clear conditions. We could really use a good amount of rain to mix things up. Fishing was better on the plugs this week with the colder water and clear conditions.”

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

North Coast rivers are likely seeing the last of the late fall-run salmon push in this week as all of the rivers are back on the drop following last weekend’s storms. The majority of these late-season kings have already made their way up rivers like the Chetco, Smith, Mad, Van Duzen and Eel, but you can bet a few more spurts of fresh fish will push in between now and the new year. The season was a good one, especially on the quick-clearing Smith, which had more fishable days than all of the other rivers combined. A lot of the success can be attributed to the well above normal rainfall that’s fallen since October.

One of the best parts of living on the North Coast and being surrounded by coastal rivers — no sooner does one season come to a close, another one’s right behind it. So it’s out with the kings and in with the widely-popular winter steelhead. With the rivers dropping and turning green, 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
The dry weather will stick around through Saturday, with the next system arriving on Sunday according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “We can expect periods of light rain on Sunday turning into widespread showers in the evening. These will linger into Monday. This will be a colder system, with snow levels dropping to 2,500 to 3,000 feet. Del Norte could see up to two inches of rain with this system and Humboldt could see a half to one and a half inches. Tuesday will be a transition day with scattered showers not amounting to much. Tuesday night and into the day Wednesday will be dry, with rain returning on Wednesday evening. There’s a really good chance we’ll see heavier rain on Thursday with higher rainfall totals possible,” Kennedy added.

Eel River salmon returns
As of Nov. 28, a total of 390 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 167 males, 171 Females, and 52 jacks. A total of 138 were counted this past week. For more information, visit http://eelriver.org/interactiveresources/fish-count/

The Rivers:
Chetco River
The Chetco was down to 4,610 cfs on Tuesday night after cresting at 16,000 cfs on Friday reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. He said, “It should start fishing on Wednesday, with prime conditions Friday and Saturday. There may be a few salmon still around, but fishing will probably be slow until the middle part of December. I will be side-drifting, looking for early steelhead, along with running salmon plugs in some of the more likely salmon holes. Salmon fishing was slow before the big rains last week.”

Smith River
It’s transition time on the Smith, with the majority of the salmon having made their way to the spawning grounds. A few were caught this week, but overall, it was pretty slow. There are a few half-pounders around, which is typical for this time of the year. A few winter steelhead are starting to show, so it’s probably time to get out the side-drifting gear.

Mad
The Mad is still big and brown and probably won’t fish until sometime next week reports Justin Kelly of Eureka’s RMI Outdoors. “With Ruth Lake full, it won’t drop as quickly. Looking at the predictions, it probably won’t turn green until late next week at the earliest. And that’s if we don’t see any more rain. It’s currently at running at just under 9.5 feet, ideal conditions are right around 7.5 feet,” Kelly added.

Eel
Main
The main stem is still big and dirty, but dropping quickly according to Paul Grundman of Grundmans Sporting Goods in Rio Dell. He said, “It should drop back into fishable shape in a week or so if we have some dry weather. There’s been some steelhead caught already, and we typically see them start to show up in bigger numbers by mid-December. Once the river turns green, we should see some really good fishing for both late kings and steelhead.”

South Fork
The Leggett area should be fishable late this week, and the Miranda area should drop back in by the weekend. There should be a few kings around and some early steelhead in the mix as well.

Van Duzen
Still running at nearly 1,800 cfs, the Van Duzen still has a way to go before it comes back into shape. According to Grundman, it could fish by Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Upper Trinity
It must be steelhead season as cold weather and rain have hit the Trinity reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “This past week, we were getting one to four fish per trip. Most of our action is coming on plugs, with the Maglip 3.0’s really working well. We are starting to see the beginning of the winter run, but there aren’t a lot of fish in the system right now. The fish we are catching are a nice size for the Trinity. Snow on the Alps and more rain will only help,” 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