Current Fishing Reports

In what has been a rarity on the North Coast this summer, we’re looking at a weeklong stretch of calm ocean conditions that will continue at least through the weekend. The ocean began to lie down late Sunday, and by Monday boats were well offshore targeting tuna. This time, the Eureka boats didn’t do quite as well as the last go around. Scores were in the zero to 15-fish range, with the top boat landing 22. The Crescent City fleet had further to go, but put more fish in the box. Boats that ran straight west 48 to 50 miles did well. The top boat put in 35 albacore. Conditions on the tuna grounds, out to 60 nautical miles, look a little dicey the rest of the week, but they can change. Pacific Halibut and rockfish will likely get the majority of the effort this week. Whatever your fish of choice may be, you’ll want to take advantage of these conditions as they’ve been few and far between this season.

Weekend Marine Forecast
Within 10 nautical miles, ocean conditions look excellent through the weekend. As of Wednesday afternoon, Friday’s conditions are calling for winds 5 to 10 knots out of the northwest and northwest waves 3 feet at eight seconds. Saturday is calling for winds 5 to 10 knots from the north and waves from the north 3 feet at five seconds and northwest 2 feet at nine seconds. Sunday, winds will be from the northwest 5 to 10 knots with waves northwest 4 feet at eight 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.

Cal Poly Humboldt Green sturgeon studies
Graduate student Olivia Boeberitz is documenting the presence and activity of green sturgeon in Humboldt County. If you see sturgeon (live or dead) in the local area, please submit your observations to iNaturalist project or send them by email to greensturgeon@humboldt.edu. They are looking for date, time, detailed location, and activity observed.

Eel River Pikeminnow fishing derby ongoing
The Eel River Pikeminnow fishing derby is in full swing to try and suppress the spread of the invasive predator. A cash prize of up to $400 is being offered  to anglers who catch the most or biggest fish, during a derby that started July 20 and continues through the end of August.

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

1. Most pikeminnow (greater than 6 inches) removed over the duration of the contest. (1st-$150/2nd-$100/3rd-$50)
2. Most pikeminnow (greater than 12 inches) removed over the duration of the contest. MUST include tape measure in photo. (1st-$400/2nd-$200/3rd-$100)
3. Biggest fish (length). MUST include tape measure in photo. (1st-$350/2nd-$150/3rd-$100)
4. Drawing for anyone that entered a pikeminnow in the contest. (8 winners at $50/each)

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.

The derby is being put on by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, CalTrout, TRIB Research, Wiyot Tribe, Bureau of Land Management, and Stillwater Sciences. The fishing derby will run from July 20 through Aug. 31. For additional information, visit https://tribresearch.org/pikeminnow/

The Oceans:
Eureka
With a stretch of nice weather that began Monday, tuna, halibut, and rockfish have all been on the table the last few days. According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, the tuna bite wasn’t great for the boats that ran southwest Monday and Tuesday. “It wasn’t wide-open like it was the previous week,” said Klassen.  “A lot of boats had 5 to 10 fish and the top scores were in the 20’s. The Pacific halibut bite has been good, with quite a few limits being caught. A lot of the action has shifted south off the canyon. The rockfish bite at False Cape has been a little tougher, likely due to the dirty water. A little further south was much better and we boated quick limits Tuesday. The lingcod bite has been good down there as well, it’s really improved the last couple years.”

Shelter Cove
Rock fishing was really good this past week according to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “The lingcod bite was a little tougher, but still pretty good,” said Mitchell. “We fished around Bear Harbor a couple days and up around Rodgers Break a couple days. The Pacific halibut bite improved a little this week as well, with scattered effort from the canyon up to Punta Gorda. There hasn’t been any effort on the tuna this week. Tuesday was probably doable, but it was windy in the morning.”

Crescent City
According to Ben Ferguson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, Albacore were caught Monday straight out roughly 48 miles. He said, “The boats that made the run caught anywhere from 20 to 30 tuna. The Pacific halibut bite continues to be slow, but the California halibut bite has been good. Guys fishing off the rock wall and boats trolling South Beach with anchovies are doing well. We’ve the good ocean conditions we’ve had this week, the rockfish and lingcod action has been excellent.”

Brookings
“Salmon fishing has been decent out of Brookings, with kings and hatchery coho showing up in the catch, along with big numbers of wild coho,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Non-stop action once anglers find the fish 4 to 5 miles offshore. Pacific halibut fishing also is good during calm weather days. A few boats had good tuna action out of Brookings 45 miles out. Lingcod and rockfish action is very good.”

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
As of the weekend there weren’t any big concentrations of steelhead, but reportedly there are some adults around. Fishing should only get better as we head into the first few weeks of August. The daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery trout per day on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers, with a possession limit of four. Anglers must have a Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. More information can be found here.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay improved over the weekend, with fair action, but bigger crowds. “Warm water and lots of moss are slowing action at low tide. High tide has been a better bet. Be extremely careful near the tips of the jetties, as two boats capsized last week, with one fatality. One boat was hit by a wave at the south jetty. The other was a drift boat that crossed the bar and then capsized offshore of the beach.”

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 one upside of a summer full of windy, non-fishable weather – a Pacific halibut quota that still has plenty of poundage left to fill. The catch-rates have been so few that CDFW finally last week posted the first catch estimate since the season started back on May 1. As of July 14, California’s share of Area 2A’s quota, which includes Washington and Oregon, is at 21 percent, with only 8,024 net pounds harvested against the 38,220 quota. (500 pounds are set aside for the area south of Point Arena). There’s a real good chance the quota will last through the summer and into fall, especially if the warm tuna water hangs around.

The Pacific halibut season will be open until Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. To monitor the in-season tracking, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking. The daily bag and possession limit for Pacific halibut is one fish. There is no minimum size limit.

When angling, no more than one line with two hooks attached may be used. A harpoon, gaff, or net may be used to assist in taking a Pacific halibut that has been legally caught by angling.

Marine Forecast
Out 10 nautical miles, ocean conditions look to improve through the weekend. As of Thursday, Friday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 10 to 15 knots and waves northwest 7 feet at eight seconds. Saturday, the winds will be from the northwest 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 6 feet at eight seconds. Sunday, winds will be out of the north 5 to 10 knots with waves out of the northwest 5 feet at eight 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.

Eel River Pikeminnow fishing derby prizes announced
The prize structure for the Eel River Pikeminnow derby has been finalized, with $2,000 up for grabs.

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

1. Most pikeminnow (greater than 6 inches) removed over the duration of the contest. (1st-$150/2nd-$100/3rd-$50)
2. Most pikeminnow (greater than 12 inches) removed over the duration of the contest. MUST include tape measure in photo. (1st-$400/2nd-$200/3rd-$100)
3. Biggest fish (length). MUST include tape measure in photo. (1st-$350/2nd-$150/3rd-$100)
4. Drawing for anyone that entered a pikeminnow in the contest. (8 winners at $50/each)

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.

The derby is being put on by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, CalTrout, TRIB Research, Wiyot Tribe, Bureau of Land Management, and Stillwater Sciences. The fishing derby will run from July 20 through Aug. 31.

For additional information, visit https://tribresearch.org/pikeminnow/

Sport Crab season coming to a close
The 2024 sport Dungeness crab season in Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte counties will close July 30. The season is expected to reopen Nov. 2.

The Oceans:
Eureka
It was a quiet week for the Eureka fleet, with boats tied up since the weekend, reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “We have some good weather coming up starting Sunday, said Klassen.” “Calm ocean conditions are looking like they’ll stick around all next week. Right now, Tuesday and Wednesday are looking like tuna days with Monday a possibility as well. There’s warm water still sitting off the Cape, roughly 35-40 miles from the entrance. There’s also good water sitting off of Trinidad, roughly 20 miles northwest of Eureka. We’ll have to wait and see how it looks once the wind stops.”

Shelter Cove
“The rock fishing was pretty decent here locally this week as we didn’t have the weather to go very far,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We spent most of our time right around the whistle. The lingcod fishing was pretty slow, but we we’re still getting limits of crab every day. The tuna water looks to be staying put of the Cape for now and the water is pushing down between us and Fort Bragg. It’s still about a 35 to 40 run for us to the water off of Gorda/Cape.”

Crescent City
The California halibut bite is still going strong reports Dan Moore of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Boats trolling South Beach are doing well along with anglers fishing off the rock wall across from the launch,” said Moore. “The Pacific halibut bite picked up last week when we had the nice weather. I heard of roughly 8 to 10 fish caught. The rockfish bite is still excellent, with limits coming pretty easily, especially in the morning. The lingcod bite is good overall, but it tends to be more up and down. The Sisters and North Reef have been very productive. The redtail perch bite is still really good off of Kellogg Beach.”

Brookings
More king salmon showed up in the catch out of Brookings, while halibut fishing also improved reports Andy Martin, of Brookings Fishing Charters. “On good weather days, anglers are finding lots of coho and a few kings, while halibut action is solid three to five miles from the harbor,” said Martin. “No boats left out of Brookings for tuna, but boats fishing north, out of Charleston and Winchester Bay, reported big numbers of albacore 30 to 50 miles out. Wide-open fishing with holds full of fish. There appears to be a weather window out of Brookings Sunday and Monday, with a bubble 30 miles out and large swatch of 60-degree water 50 miles from the harbor.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay has improved, with guides reporting good catches. “Crowds are medium, but likely will grow the first of August.”

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.

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