Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest

Record rains blow out North Coast rivers

Novato resident Adam Chelini landed this nice steelhead last Sunday on the Smith River right before the rains came and the river blew out. The Smith, and probably the Chetco too, will be in fishable shape this weekend following a few days of heavy rain. Photo courtesy of John Klar/John’s Guide Service

The parade of storms that pounded the North Coast earlier this week pushed some of our coastal rivers above flood stage, and the ones that didn’t flood, were right on the verge. We haven’t seen this much water flowing in our rivers since the floods of 97’, at least that’s what I’ve been hearing. Needless to say, our steelhead season is now in a bit of a holding pattern for all rivers not named Smith. Speaking of the quick-clearing Smith, it should be in plunkable shape by Thursday and in excellent condition for side-drifting by the weekend. If you do plan to be there this weekend, you may see a few of your close friends as it could be the only game in town. The Chetco was still big on Wednesday, but dropping quickly and it could fish by the weekend as well. For all of the Humboldt County rivers, from Redwood Creek to the South Fork Eel, they are likely done for the foreseeable future. The next round of storms is forecasted for next Tuesday, which likely won’t give the rivers enough time to clear. Hey, whatever happened to the term “low flow?”

Weather ahead
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, some dry weather is finally on the horizon. “After some light showers on Thursday, a high pressure system will move in keeping us dry beginning Friday and lasting through Monday. The next rain system will arrive on Tuesday and will stick around through Friday. We could see two to four inches combined for Tuesday and Wednesday and another two to four for Thursday and Friday,” Kennedy added.

Crabs good to go statewide
On Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health lifted the last remaining health advisory for Dungeness crab caught along the California coast. CDPH lifted this advisory today due to recent tests showing that traces of domoic acid have declined to low or undetectable levels in Dungeness crabs caught in the area, indicating they are safe to consume.
The final health advisory lifted was for Dungeness crabs caught in state waters in areas north of 39° 33.3′ N lat. (near Ten Mile River) and south of 40° 01′ N lat.(near Shelter Cove). For more information, visit www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/NR17-002.aspx

Major changes ahead for ab divers
Due to concerns about the declining population of California’s popular red abalone sport fishery, some drastic regulation changes are coming in 2017.
The upcoming season will be shortened by two months, starting a month later and closing a month earlier. The traditional opening date of April 1 will now be delayed until May 1. The fishery will also close a month earlier than usual, on Oct. 31.

The annual bag limit is reduced from 18 abalone to 12. No more than nine abalone may be taken south of the boundary between Sonoma and Mendocino counties, which stays in place from years past.

The reason behind the red abalone catch reduction is because surveys conducted by the CDFW found that red abalone populations in deeper waters are on the decline due to unfavorable environmental conditions. Over the past three years, growth of kelp — a major food source for abalone – has declined significantly. Dramatic increases in purple sea urchin populations have further reduced the food available for abalone.

Fishing for abalone will be allowed from 8 a.m. to one half-hour after sunset in waters north of San Francisco Bay. People may travel to fishing locations before 8 a.m. but may not actively search for or take any abalone before that time. The daily bag and possession limit remains at three. Parts of Fort Ross State Historical Park remain closed to the take of abalone

The changes to the abalone regulations were approved by the Fish and Game Commission at their Dec. 7 meeting, under emergency rulemaking provisions that allow fast-tracking of the approval process when there is an urgent need for regulatory change. For more information, visit https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/north-coast-abalone-season-dates-regulations-change/

The Rivers:
Chetco River
“All of the Southern Oregon rivers blew out this week, and may take several days to drop”, said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers. “We are hopeful we will be able to get back on the Chetco this weekend, otherwise we will fish the Smith. The Chetco was still slow last week, before the big, storm, with only a few fish reported for several boats. The people living between Tide Rock and Morris Hole said they could see pretty good numbers of steelhead holding in the upper tidewater section last week. With water temperatures down to 38 degrees, they probably didn’t want to leave the slightly warmer tidewater. We also saw some pretty good-size schools below the South Fork, near Little Redwood and near Loeb and Moffit Rock, but they were hold in such shallow water you couldn’t get a drift without spooking them.”
According to Martin, the Elk was fishable over the weekend, but hit 6.9 feet on Tuesday. The Rogue, has been fishing the best of any of the rivers for steelhead, is expected to hit minor flood stage this week.

Smith River
“The Smith was still blown out as of Wednesday, but should be driftable by the weekend,” said guide Mike Coopman. “The river blew out last Sunday, but we did start to see some signs of life. A few guys were plunking on Sunday as the river was rising and they hooked a few. The boats I was fishing around also hooked a few, so I think we’re starting to see some more fish move in. The river should be plunkable by Thursday, and the weekend should be in good shape to side-drift.”

Mad River
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Mad was at 18 feet, which is still three feet above monitor stage. It was dropping fairly quickly, but won’t be bait fishable anytime soon. It typically starts to fish between eight and seven feet

Eel and Van Duzen rivers
As of Wednesday, the main stem Eel at Fernbridge remained above flood stage. It’s going to take weeks of dry weather before the main Eel drops back into fishable shape. The South Fork dipped back under monitor stage early Wednesday, and is forecasted to be less than 4,000 cfs by Monday. It should start to fish at around 2,500 cfs on the Miranda gauge.

The Van Duzen is on a pretty steep drop and was back under 8,500 cfs on Wednesday afternoon after peaking at nearly 22,000 cfs on Tuesday evening. With a dry weekend ahead, it’s forecasted to be back down to 1,200 cfs by Monday morning. Once it gets below 1,000 cfs, it should start to look fishy.

Trinity
The Upper Trinity might have a chance to fish over the weekend with water levels starting to come down reports Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. He said, “Looking at the river in the Douglas City area on Tuesday evening, it was starting to get muddy again, probably from the snowmelt. The only real option for the weekend will be above the Indian Creek area, and that’s looking iffy. From all the increased flows, we should see another push of fish from the Klamath making their way up.”

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

Steelhead season off to a slow start

Jared Morris of Shelter Cove landed this “steelhead of a lifetime” while fishing the South Fork Eel River last Friday with guide Grant Wick. The steelhead season has started off slowly, but with large storms on the horizon, hopefully we’ll see the first wave of fish enter all of the coastal rivers soon. Photo courtesy of Grant Wick

As the North Coast is once again on the verge of being pounded by more wet winter storms, there’s a collective questioning happening amongst anglers. Where are the steelhead? Just about every river has dropped into fishable shape at some point within the last couple weeks, but the fish have yet to show in any of the rivers in good numbers. The calendar now reads January, so we’ll cross that off the list of reasons why the fishing has yet to kick into gear. Could this be the year that we finally begin to see the effects of the drought? There’s certainly no shortage of theories floating around. As more days come of the calendar with no big pushes of fish, the concern will dive a little deeper. The good news is we have storms lined up that will trigger some very large river rises, let’s hope the steelhead are riding those waves into our coastal rivers.

The weather ahead
“After a couple of nice days, which should allow the rivers to recede, more rain is on the way beginning Friday evening,” said Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The next storm is forecasted to arrive late Friday evening or early Saturday morning. The bulk of this rain will fall to the south, where the Eel basin could see up to two and a half inches. A couple inches is likely to fall in the Smith basin as well. Another system will arrive right on top of Saturday’s, which will be much wetter. On Sunday, we can expect from one and a half to three inches in the Smith basin. To the south along the Eel, up to two and a half inches is possible. Showery weather is in the forecast for Monday, bringing another inch to Del Norte as well as Humboldt. After a short break, a big bigger system will roll in Tuesday night and stick around through Thursday. Rainfall totals for the three days could be from three to five inches in Del Norte and Humboldt counties,” Kennedy added.

Steelhead report cards due
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reminds anglers that they are required to return their 2016 Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Cards between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2017. Anglers are requested to review their cards carefully and complete the information as accurately as possible. Information collected from report cards provides CDFW with data necessary to monitor and manage California’s steelhead fisheries.

Anglers are encouraged to submit steelhead report card data online at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Inland-Fisheries/Steelhead-Report-Card, but report cards can still be submitted by mail. Information must be submitted regardless of whether or not the angler fished for steelhead. Additional information can be found on CDFW’s Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Card Program webpage listed above.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
“The Chetco has been slow for the past several days,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “There doesn’t seem to be a lot of fish in the river right now. I fished up high on Saturday, at a private launch above the South Fork, and we only hooked one fish there. On the lower river on Sunday, with light boat pressure, I was able to run plugs at several holes that normally hold fish, and we didn’t encounter many fish. Hopefully the next big storm, expected this weekend, will bring in better numbers of steelhead, while also warming the water up a bit.

According to Martin, the bright spot on the Southern Oregon Coast has been the lower Rogue River. He said, “People anchoring in jet boats and running MagLip 3.5 plugs are catching steelhead between Clay Banks and Lobster Creek. Some boats are hooking four or more a day. Right now conditions are very good on the lower Rogue. That may change with the next storm.”

Smith River
The steelhead bite has been a little tough on the Smith this past week, with scores ranging from zero to a couple fish per trip. The river has been on the clear side, and there’s not a lot of fish around at the moment. Hopefully the next big rise will bring in a good push of fish.

Eel River
Main Stem
The main stem Eel was just dropping down to a fishable level and the color was turning green on Tuesday, but that has all changed now due to the rain. It is expected to reach and exceed monitor stage on Sunday, so we’re back to square one. It will need a couple weeks of dry weather to fish, and that’s not likely to happen any time soon.

South Fork
Like the rest of the southern rivers, the South Fork blew out on Wednesday, jumping from 1,800 to 11,000 cfs. Fishing had been tough, with most boats reporting zero to two fish per trip.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen blew out on Tuesday, and was flowing at 5,000 cfs as of Wednesday. It may drop to a fishable level by Friday, but river color will be an issue. Predicted for a big rise late Friday. The fishing had been slow, with boats finding up to a couple fish per outing.

Mad River
According to Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors, fishing remains slow on the Mad. He said, “The river is blown out now, but prior to that the fishing was still slow, even for the liners. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of fish in the river, just a few small schools here and there. Returns to the hatchery are slow as well. We have some pretty big rises coming in the next week, hopefully that will bring in some fish.”

Trinity
The Trinity conditions have stayed relatively good with a mixture of rain and snow,” said Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “The wild fish have moved into the system, but a few hatchery fish are still being caught. Water conditions are really cold so you need to slow down your presentation. All methods — flies, eggs and plugs — have been working well. The pressure was a little heavy with the good weather during the New Year’s break. The snow is starting to melt and Weaver Creek has started to push some mud, making the conditions good above Indian Creek. Junction City should start to fish in a couple days.”

*** Don’t forget to register for Humboldt Steelhead Days fishing contest that runs until March 31, 2017. Special Mad River Access Permits courtesy of Green Diamond Resource Co. Visit the SIGN UP page for more info.

Plenty of green water for steelhead anglers

Tim Call of Eureka landed a nice early-season steelhead on Tuesday while fishing the South Fork of the Eel River. Most of the coastal rivers should be fishable over the upcoming holiday weekend. Photo courtesy of Alan’s Guide Service

If you’re looking to get on the water this weekend and chase some winter steelhead, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a fishable river. Just about every coastal river will be some shade of green — and likely fishable — come Saturday morning. This many green river options doesn’t happen often, and I’m having a hard time thinking of any excuse not to be on the water. Every creek and river, except for the main stem Eel, from the Chetco down to the South Fork of the Eel should be fishable — and likely full of steelhead. The Smith and Chetco are starting to clear a bit and the Van Duzen and Mad are just rounding into shape, leaving anglers with plenty of green water options.

The weather ahead
Not much in the way of precipitation for the next week, but the snow levels will be very low according to Ryan Aylward of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “There’s a 20 percent chance of showers on Friday, but less than a quarter inch is predicted to fall. Another slight chance of rain on Saturday night, but most of it will fall as snow in the mountains. A really cold system will hit the area on Monday night and stick around into Tuesday, where snow levels could drop to 500 feet. As of now, Wednesday and Thursday are looking fairly dry,” Aylward added.

Razor Clamming remains closed
A reminder for clam diggers, the recreational take and possession of razor clams is still prohibited on Humboldt and Del Norte county beaches due to dangerous levels of domoic acid. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/ocean/health-advisories. Or you can call the Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line at 831-649-2883.

Free fishing this weekend in Oregon
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering a free-fishing weekend on Saturday, Dec. 31 and Sunday, Jan. 1. On these two days, you won’t need a license, tag or endorsement to fish anywhere in Oregon.

Mattole River opens to fishing Jan. 1
The Mattole River will open to fishing on Sunday, January 1 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stansberry Creek. Only artificial lures may be used and barbless hooks are required. The Mattole is also regulated by low flow closures, with a minimum flow of 320 cfs at the Petrolia gauging station. As of Wednesday, it’s flowing at just under 1,300 cfs.

The Rivers:
Chetco River
“The Chetco blew out last Friday, but has since been in prime shape,” said guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “There are decent numbers of steelhead, but the cold water has slowed the bite. We have been getting two or three fish on most days, but you have to make several passes at them and get the bait right in front of them. The plunkers have had a couple good days. I have been seeing one hatchery fish for every two wild fish.”

Elk/Sixes
There are some old salmon, as well as a very few fresh ones, in the Elk and Sixes according to Martin. “This week, there have been more salmon caught than steelhead. Salmon fishing closes Dec. 31 on the Sixes, but kings can still be kept in January on the Elk.”

Smith River
The bite has been pretty tough on the Smith this week,” said guide Mike Coopman. “The water is pretty clear, and it’s really cold. I think there’s more fish in the river than are showing on the end of the rod, but it’s been a tough to get them to bite.”

Eel River
Main Stem
The color on the main stem is starting to turn green, but there’s still a lot of water reports Paul Grundman of Rio Dell’s Grundmans Sporting Goods. He said, “We’re probably about week away if we don’t get more rain and there isn’t much snow melt.”

South Fork
Running at 2,500 cfs on the Miranda gauge as of Wednesday. The Redway area started fishing on Wednesday, and it should fish all the way to the forks by Friday. According to reports, a few fish have been caught in the Garberville/Sylvandale area.

Van Duzen
Flowing at just above 1,000 cfs on Wednesday, the Van Duzen should be plenty fishable above Yager Creek according to Grundman. “Below Yager was still slightly off color, but the flows are good. It should be in great shape by the weekend.”

Mad River
According to Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors, steelhead fishing has been somewhat slow this week on the Mad. He said, “It had about a foot of visibility as of Wednesday, and conditions should be just about perfect this weekend. There just hasn’t been a lot of fish in the river so far, but that could change any day.”

Trinity
“A lot of new fish are moving into he Trinity now,” said Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “Our steelhead counts went way up this week with the high water, with lots of fish making their way back to the hatchery. Most of the fish we’ll see for the rest of the season will be wild. The fish are going to hold up for a little bit with the water dropping and the creeks slowing down. The temperatures remain cold up here, remember to slow down and fish the holes thoroughly. Flies, roe and plugs will all work well.”

Changes await 2017 saltwater anglers

The California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife is proposing new saltwater regulatory changes to the Northern Management Area, which runs from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border for 2017. These changes were established to bring state law into conformance with federal law for groundfish and other federally managed species. The changes — some good, some not so good — will allow more time on the water and open up more territory, but two of the main targeted species will see tighter limits.

The season for boat-based anglers will now run from May 1 through Oct. 31 within 180 feet and Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 with no depth restrictions. In 2016, the season ran from May 15 through Oct.31, with fishing off limits in water deeper than 120 feet. (20 fathoms)

The toughest pill for saltwater anglers to swallow will be the reduction of the sub limit for black rockfish from five to three per day. The daily limit for lingcod will also be reduced, going from three per day to two. Anglers can still keep up to 10 rockfish per day, which includes a combination of rockfish, bocaccio, three cabezon and greenling. New for 2017, anglers will be allowed one canary rockfish per day, as federal fishery managers have declared canaries “recovered” from depleted levels just a decade ago. Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder will also be allowed year round and at all depths.

“I’m really excited about the changes, the good really outweighs the negative here, especially out of the Eureka” said Tim Klassen, who runs Reel Steel Sport Fishing out of Woodley Island. “Cape Mendocino has such a variety of rockfish, and it will open up a lot of new ground down there that hasn’t been fished in over 10 years. Being able to fish for Petrale all year with no depth restrictions is huge, that opens up a whole new fishery. The one thing we need to be cognizant of is catching more Yelloweye rockfish. With more depth added, there’s a greater chance more will be caught, and the mortality rate could climb. Fish and Game will be keeping a close eye on them.”

More commercial crab openings
On Dec. 26 at 12:01 a.m., the commercial Dungeness crab season will open from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line north near Point Arena and from near Shelter Cove to the north jetty of the Humboldt Bay entrance. The opener in this area will be preceded by a 64-hour pre-soak period starting at 8 a.m. on Dec. 23.

For more information on all the upcoming openers, visit https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2016/12/20/more-of-commercial-dungeness-crab-fishery-to-open-one-area-will-remain-closed/

The weather ahead
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, the next storm is forecasted to arrive on Thursday late in the day and will likely stick around through Friday. This will be a colder system, with the snow levels dropping to 3,000 feet. We’ll likely see one to two inches of rain in Del Norte and Humboldt counties and up to three inches in the higher elevations. The showers should taper off by Saturday morning, and we’ll likely be dry through Monday. A weak system is forecasted for Tuesday, but it probably won’t do much to the rivers. The light rain could accumulate to a quarter or a half-inch. Dry weather is back on tap Wednesday and should stick around through Saturday,” Kennedy added.

Humboldt Steelhead Days returns
In it’s fourth year, this annual fishing contest is held on three watersheds during the “Peak of the Run,” from January 1 to March 31. Anglers who register for the contest plus catch and photograph a steelhead on the Mad, Trinity, and Eel Rivers will have a chance to win cash and prizes from several local outdoor stores. This year, HSD will offer special bank access near the Mad River hatchery courtesy of Green Diamond Resource Co. Access is limited and permits are required.

HSD has grown from a two-week event into a three-month-long celebration of all things steelhead with not only fishing, but also many events and angling activities organized throughout Humboldt. These events are designed to create awareness and further promote restoration and recovery of Humboldt’s winter Steelhead populations and their spawning habitat.

Some of the family-friendly events include spawning and restoration tours, steelhead themed expos, rigging and casting classes and the International Fly Film Festival (IF4). This year, organizers are heavily promoting several lodging discounts throughout Humboldt if anglers ask for the Humboldt Steelhead Days rate when booking.

To register for the contest, you can sign up for $10 at these outlets: Pacific Outfitters, RMI Outdoors, Mr. Fish Seafood in Eureka; Mad River Tackle and Wildberries in Arcata and Sport & Cycle in Fortuna. You may also register online at humboldtsteelheaddays.com or email them at Humboldtsteelheaddays@gmail.com.

Mad River Hatchery ladder open
The water running down the ladder to the river was turned on Monday and a few fish had already made their way up as of Tuesday. The hatchery hopes to begin spawning on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

The Rivers:
Chetco/Elk River
“The Chetco has been in good shape this week, between 4,000 and 3,000 cfs, but is projected to blow out this weekend,” said guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “The best fishing seems to be on the far upper end near the South Fork and the last two miles before Social Security Bar. There are some hatchery fish in the lower end. A plunker caught a 17-pounder Tuesday at the top of the Social Security gravel bar. I heard of a guy staying at the RV park next to Morris Hole catching a couple of salmon this week. The Elk has had some late kings and it fished well over the weekend. A few steelhead also were caught just above the Ironhead takeout.”

Michael Brohn from San Jose with a nice Smith River steelhead. Photo courtesy of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service

Smith River
Steelhead season has started slow on the Smith, with a few being landed by bank anglers plunking last Saturday. The drift boats caught a few fish on Sunday, but it’s been slow since. You can expect the steelhead fishing to pick up as January is traditionally a really good month for the Smith. River levels are predicted to rise a couple feet on Friday, but should be fishable by Saturday.

Main Stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, and Mad
All were headed down towards fishable level, but Friday’s rain will set them back a few days. With very little rain in the forecast after Friday, these rivers could drop back into fishable shape by midweek. The main stem Eel will likely take a few days longer and could fish next weekend. For river level predictions, visit http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov

Trinity
“The Upper Trinity has come back into shape and some winter steelhead have definitely shown up,” said Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service. “Most of the fish in the system now are wild winter fish, but there will be a few hatchery fish still around. The mornings have been extremely cold, so you’ll want to take your time as the fish are moving a little lethargically. I like back trolling plugs during this time as it allows the bait to stay in front of their faces to trigger them to bite. Don’t forget some scent on those plugs. The best conditions are from Lewiston down to Cedar Flats.”

Latest storms should kick-off steelhead season

Shaun McNaughton of Garberville landed a nice steelhead on Tuesday while drifting the Chetco River. The winter steelhead run should kick in to gear once the rivers begin to recede following the latest round of storms that have pushed many rivers to monitor stage levels. Photo courtesy of Alan Borges/Alan’s Guide Service

Metalheads, hardheads, steelhead — or whatever you want to call them. This beautiful, chrome, sleek, silver bullet sure has a mind of it’s own. All of this bountiful water flowing through our pristine coastal rivers and streams, and yet, you’re nowhere to be found? I guess that’s what makes these sea-run rainbow trout so special. You never know what they’re thinking. Or when they’ll make an appearance. Or maybe we’re all just a little too excited; given the fact we’re coming off one heck of a coastal salmon season? So as we collectively take a deep breath and enjoy the holidays, let’s all remember the winter steelhead season really gets going after Christmas and is in full swing by the time the New Year rolls around. As the rivers begin to recede to fishable levels in the coming days, I’m willing to bet we’ll see the first wave of winter steelhead make their way into our North Coast rivers. At least that’s our plan.

Weekend Forecast
After a couple of extremely wet systems on Wednesday and Thursday, several North Coast rivers are forecasted to reach or exceed monitor stage. The Smith, Klamath, Mad, and Van Duzen rivers are all expected to reach monitor stage on Thursday, while the main stem Eel at Fernbridge is forecasted to rise above flood stage sometime Thursday evening. According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, the rivers will all be on drop by Friday morning, with only scattered showers remaining in the Smith basin. “The Eel and Mad basins look dry all the way through the day on Tuesday. The next chance of rain will be Tuesday evening, where we could see a quarter to three-quarters of an inch in both Humboldt and Del Norte. As of now, Wednesday and Thursday both look dry with another weak system moving in on Friday,” Kennedy added.

2017 Fishing license
A reminder that it’s the time of the year to purchase your 2017 license, which is required for residents 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptile in inland or ocean waters. The cost of a new resident sport fishing license is $47.01. A North Coast salmon report card, which will run you $6.22, is required for all anglers taking salmon in the Smith River System or Klamath-Trinity River System. If you plan to fish for steelhead, you’ll need to purchase a steelhead report card, which will cost $7.05 again this year. The Dept. of Fish and Wildlife will no longer accept cash for fishing licenses starting Jan. 1.

Reduced-Fee sport fishing licenses now available
Reduced-cost fishing licenses are available in 2017 for $6.95 (instead of $47.01) for those 65 or older on reduced income or disabled military veterans. For more information on all CA fishing licenses, visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/fishing

The Rivers:
Chetco/Elk Rivers
The window to fish the Chetco was short this week according to Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “It dropped below 4,000 cfs on Tuesday, and we did a long drift from the South Fork to Social Security. We hooked and lost an adult steelhead and landed a few half-pounders while side-drifting. We also found a school of salmon and caught a few fish with plugs, but they were dark and we released them all. The river is expected to blow out beginning Wednesday through the weekend because of another big storm. The plunkers got into some steelhead on Monday at Social Security Bar and the Gate Hole near Tide Rock,” added Martin

The Elk started fishing on Monday reports Martin, but was high. He said, “It was in a lot better shape on Tuesday at 4.6 feet. It will probably be blown out for at least a few days. A drift boat went down on Monday near the hatchery, but it’s not known if it was because of the high water, or if the boater was inexperienced. Everyone made it out OK, but it’s another reason to always wear a life jacket.”

Smith River
The Smith fished on Monday and Tuesday, but only a handful of adult steelhead were reportedly caught. It was back on the rise early Wednesday morning and is forecasted to peak just above monitor stage early Thursday morning. If the forecast holds, it should be driftable by Saturday and in prime shape by early next week. Expect to see a few more adult steelhead begin to show up next week.

Main Stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, and Mad
All were on the rise as of Wednesday, but should begin to drop sometime on Thursday. With very little rain in the forecast for at least the next seven days, these rivers could be back to fishable levels late next week, expect for the main Eel. 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
Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service reports the Upper Trinity blew out last Friday due to the heavy rain and snowmelt. “The last few days the river from Lewiston to Junction City has come back into shape and has cleared nicely. We should start to see some new winter fish in the system any time. I’m not sure how long the river will hold up with this next storm, we’ll have to wait and see. If you’re headed this way, keep in mind the rockslide in French Gulch has closed Hwy. 299 in both directions for the rest of the week,” Huber said.

Steelhead season on hold due to rising rivers

Lou Hart of Virginia holds a 9-pound steelhead caught Dec. 1 at Pepperwood on the Chetco River while side-drifting roe with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing.

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.”

Steelhead season set to explode on coastal rivers

Steve Malatesta of Watsonville landed a nice hatchery steelhead on a recent trip to the upper Trinity River. Winter steelhead have started to make their way into the lower Trinity River, with the run typically lasting well into March. Photo courtesy of Steve Huber’s Guide Service

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.

Too much of a good thing — rivers expected to go big

Redding residents Paul Rother, right, along with his son Cody landed a nice pair of Smith River kings on Tuesday. The Smith will likely be the only river in fishable shape this weekend following a series of wet storms forecasted to hit the North Coast starting Thursday afternoon. Photo courtesy of John Klar’s Guide Service

All of the North Coast rivers, other than the Smith, were running high and dirty as of Wednesday. And the Smith will soon follow suit. The approaching storms, which should hit around dinner time on Thursday, could potentially bring another four to eight inches of rain to the area. If the storms come to fruition, it will be a nice little break at the perfect time.

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

Weekend weather and forecast
After a brief break, the next round of storms are forecasted to roll through starting Thursday afternoon according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “Thursday’s system could drop up to a couple inches in the Smith basin and roughly an inch in Humboldt. Friday is going to be the wettest day of the holiday weekend, with up to four inches falling to the north and three and a half inches falling in the Mad/Eel basin. Off and on showers will continue on Saturday, with another 2 inches potentially hitting the ground. We’ll see wide-spread showers on Sunday lasting through Tuesday, with most of the precipitation falling in the mountains. The rain will return on Wednesday and Thursday of next week,” Kennedy added.

The holiday weekend is not looking good for offshore crabbing adventures. Friday’s forecast is calling for SW winds 15 to 25 knots, with waves SW 8 feet at 8 seconds and W 15 feet at 15 seconds. Saturday is looking just as bad, with winds out of the NW to 15 to 25 knots with W waves 7 feet at 8 seconds and NW 12 feet at 13 seconds. Sunday is looking slightly improved, with N winds 10 to 20 knots and NW waves 6 feet at 5 seconds and NW 10 feet at 12 seconds. The forecast will likely change, so before you head out, check the marine forecast at www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka and click on the marine tab. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit: www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan

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

Prior to the season opening, commercial fishermen are allowed a 64-hour gear setting period. Crab trap gear can be set no earlier than 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 28. Quality tests conducted in northern California in November indicated the crabs are ready for harvest. For more information on Dungeness crab, please visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Invertebrates/Crabs

Oregon commercial crab season delayed
Northern California commercial crabbers could soon have some company. In a press release issued earlier this week, the state agriculture officials in Oregon announced a delay to the start of the commercial Dungeness crabbing season statewide due to high levels of domoic acid found in some crabs’ flesh. Recreational crabbing in coastal waters from Tillamook Head along the northern coast to the California border was also temporarily shut down. For more info, visit https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/FoodSafety/Shellfish/Pages/ShellfishClosures.aspx

Crabs plentiful for offshore anglers
Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing reported some excellent crab scores earlier this week out of Eureka. On an overnight soak, he was getting up to 20 keepers per pot. “We started to see a few more jumbos this week along with plenty of legal sport size crabs. All the crabs are really full of meat,” Klassen added. With extremely rough seas forecasted for the next few days, Klassen pulled most of his gear and is likely done running trips. “The commercial guys could set gear as early as Monday, so we’ll want to give them plenty of room.”

The Rivers:
All North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Smith, Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, and Van Duzen are currently open to fishing. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is (707) 822-3164.

Chetco River
The Chetco blew out on Sunday and will probably be too high to fish until the middle or even end of next week reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. He said, “Before it blew out, salmon fishing had slowed. There were a few bright fish between the North Fork and Social Security, and some fish between Loeb and Ice Box. Above Ice Box, a lot of salmon have already spawned. There should be enough steelhead to make targeting them worthwhile when the river comes back into shape.”

Sixes/Elk
The Sixes has been fishing well when conditions have been good according to Marin. “It has been too high for over a week. The Elk dropped below 5 feet on Tuesday, and a few salmon where caught near the hatchery, and between Iron Head and the RV park. There should still be some bright kings around next week when the Elk drops back into shape.”

Smith River
Salmon fishing on the Smith has been quite a bit tougher since it dropped back into shape on Monday. Scores ranged from zero to two per boat, with lots more zero’s than two’s. We’re likely getting close to the end of the run, but we should know pretty quickly once the river drops back into shape late this weekend. According to the river level predictions, it will be on the high side Monday, but should be driftable. I’d expect a few winter steelhead to be in the mix.

Upper Trinity
According to Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service, fishing the past week on the upper Trinity has been a little tougher. “We’re in a transition stage where the older steelhead have started to move down to make room for the fresh ones coming up. We are seeing two to four fish per trip with flies, plugs, and side-drifting all working about the same. With quite a bit of rain in the forecast, we should start seeing more fish move into the system,” Huber added.

Rain brings in fresh kings to Smith, Chetco

Del Kelly of Arcata landed this monster Smith River salmon while fishing the lower river on Wednesday. The Smith should be in great shape on Thursday and Friday, however conditions over the weekend will be marginal due to the incoming storms. Photo courtesy of Fred Contaoi

A series of rain storms moved across the North Coast earlier this week bringing sizable rises to the Chetco and Smith rivers on Tuesday. With off and on rain in the forecast, both rivers should fish well for the next few days. Prior to the rain, fishing was tough for the masses, but the guys who are out there every day were catching their share. With the increase in flows, the rivers should see a pretty good influx of new kings, and should push the older fish into their spawning grounds. We’ll likely see a few early steelhead begin to show as well. For the Humboldt rivers, including the Mad, Eel, and Van Duzen, the rain coming this weekend will put them out of commission for a while. All three are forecasted for dramatic rises beginning on Saturday.

Weekend weather and forecast
After a break on Thursday, rain will be back in the forecast beginning late afternoon on Friday and will stick around through Monday morning according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “Rainfall totals for the four days will be decent, with two to four inches falling in Del Norte and one and a half to three falling in Humboldt. The next system will roll in on Tuesday afternoon and will last through Thanksgiving Day. Del Norte and Humboldt counties can be expecting two to three inches. We’ll see another break on Friday morning, but more rain is predicted by Friday afternoon,” Kennedy added.

The weekend marine forecast is calling for winds 10 to 2 knots out of the SE on Saturday, with waves S 6 feet at 9 seconds and W 16 feet at 15 seconds. Sunday looks slightly better offshore, with winds out of the NW 5 to 10 knots and W waves 13 feet at 13 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

Crabs plentiful for offshore anglers
Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing is reporting excellent crabbing out of Eureka. On an overnight soak, he’s getting between 10 to 15 keepers per pot. According to Klassen, the north side of the entrance sounds like it’s fishing a little better, but the south side is still really good with limits coming easily. “We’re not seeing the jumbos yet, but the crabs are in great shape and really full. The forecast doesn’t look good for the weekend, but we’re hoping to get out Thursday and Friday,” Klassen added.

Smith River – Rowdy Creek Hatchery update
As of Wednesday, 55 Chinook salmon have been trapped according to hatchery manager Andrew Van Scoyk. “It feels like a normal year so far. We’re not getting a ton of fish back, but we are catching regularly. The early rains brought us quite a few fish, but they were too fresh,” Van Scoyk added. According to Van Scovk, 25 wild pairs are needed to meet their spawning needs.

Chetco River
Before the Chetco blew out on Tuesday, salmon fishing had slowed reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Most guides were only getting a fish per boat, with a few guides getting a couple. There are still some bright fish on the lower end, but above Ice Box there are salmon spawning in most of the tail outs. A few steelhead have already been reported. This latest rain should bring in a few more and by December we may have decent numbers of steelhead,” Martin added.

Smith River
The Smith came up pretty good on Tuesday, making for a decent bite on Wednesday reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. He said, “There were some nice fish caught on Wednesday, and I’d say the average was about one per boat. The river should be on the drop the next two days, so I’d expect the fishing to be really good. With more rain coming late Friday, conditions for the weekend are looking marginal,” Coopman added.

Upper Trinity
The upper Trinity River has returned to being clear and low according to Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service He said, “We’re seeing some steelhead move around the system, with boats averaging one to two fish per angler. Fly fishing, back trolling plugs, side-drifting roe have all been effective methods. There are a few new salmon in the system and we’re starting to see a few Coho in some of the holes. Be prepared to work and spend some time on the river,” said Huber

Rough seas kibosh sport crab opener

McKinleyville resident Corey Allen landed a nice king salmon on a recent trip to the Smith River. Without much rain this week, fishing on the Smith has gotten tougher as the river is low and clear. Photo courtesy of Fishing the North Coast Guide Service

Rough seas last weekend spoiled what would have likely been a very successful sport crab opener. On Monday, the swells relented just enough for Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sportfishing to quickly dump a half-dozen test pots offshore. After a mere two-hour soak, the pots were pulled with roughly 15 keepers in each. “The crabs weren’t jumbo’s, but the meat content was great,’ said Klassen. Thursday looks to be the next best opportunity to get offshore as the swells are looking a little dicey this weekend. With the ocean not being an option, quite a few pots were dropped in Humboldt Bay over the weekend. From what I heard, the catching was very slow. A few guys did well, but ones and twos per trip was the norm. The combination of large swells and plenty of freshwater from the rains likely kept the crab sitting offshore. Hopefully the weather will calm down and the sport guys can tug on some full pots prior to the start of the commercial season.

Commercial crab season to set to open Nov. 15 down south
The commercial crab will open from Point Reyes south on Nov. 15, but 60 miles of coastline will remain closed due to elevated levels of domoic acid. At the recommendation of state health agencies, the commercial Dungeness crab fishery will remain closed between Point Reyes and the Sonoma/Mendocino county line. This closure will remain in effect until the Director of OEHHA, in consultation with the Director of CDPH, determines that domoic acid levels no longer pose a significant risk to public health and recommends the fisheries be open. Recreational season will remain open under a warning to anglers not to eat the viscera of crab caught in the affected areas.

The fishery north of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line is not scheduled to open until Dec. 1. For more information, visit https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2016/11/08/commercial-dungeness-crab-season-to-open-throughout-most-of-the-southern-fishery-one-area-will-remain-closed

Pre-season crab quality test results
According to CDFW Senior Marine Biologist Pete Kalvass, who oversees the Invertebrate Management Project, the recently completed meat yield tests came in above the 25 percent needed, so no further testing is required this season. Here are the results: Crescent City 29%; Trinidad 26.3%; Eureka 25.4%, and Bodega (Point Reyes Area) 25.6%.

Weekend weather and forecast
According to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service, the next chance of rain will be Friday evening, with showers lingering into Saturday morning. The Smith basin could see up to three-quarters of an inch and Humboldt could see a half. Saturday afternoon and Sunday will be dry, with an unsettled pattern returning on Monday and sticking around through Wednesday. Rainfall totals for the 3 days will be in the neighborhood of three and a half inches in the Smith basin and possibly two and a half inches in the Eel/Mad basins,” Kennedy added.

The weekend marine forecast is calling for winds 5 to 10 knots out of the N on Saturday, with waves W 12 feet at 16 seconds. Sunday looks much better offshore, with winds out of the E up to 5 knots and S waves 2 feet at 5 seconds and W 8 feet at 13 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

Industry Notes
Proposed Sacramento River closure
The CDFW is holding a public meeting on Monday, Nov. 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. to solicit public comments on the proposed fishing closure alternatives for the 5.5-mile stretch above the Highway 44 Bridge to the Keswick Dam. The meeting will be held at the Redding Public Library, 1100 Parkview Ave. CDFW is proposing multiple closure options to protect endangered winter-run Chinook, including a motor ban and a fly fishing-only regulation. For more information, visit https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/public-meeting-to-be-held-on-proposed-sacramento-river-fishing-closure-alternatives

Proposed regulation changes on the Smith River
Friends of Del Norte County, led by Ted Souza, are proposing two regulation changes that could heavily impact Smith River salmon and steelhead anglers. The first proposed change is to ban the use of roe for fishing salmon and steelhead. The rationale behind this according to the group is female salmon are being killed solely for their eggs since roe is the bait of choice for salmon fishermen. Also, using roe results in more deeply hooked fish and doubles the chance of fatally harming the fish than if caught using artificial lures. The second proposed change would be to close the Smith to all fishing above the Middle and South Forks during November and December to protect spawning salmon. According to the group, the financial impact to the fishing guides would be negligible since they rarely fish above the forks. After December when the majority of the salmon have spawned, the river could be opened back up for steelhead fishing. These regulation change requests will be heard by the CA Fish and Game Commission on Dec. 7th and 8th in San Diego. To read the entire petition, visit http://www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2016/Oct/exhibits/SS_1019_Item_2_PublicForum.pdf#page3

Smith River
The salmon fishing has slowed considerably the past few days as the river has dropped and cleared. As of Wednesday, flows were just above 8 feet on the Jed Smith gauge and are predicted to drop through the weekend. It will need another good shot of rain and a pretty good rise to bring in the next wave of kings.

Chetco
There are good numbers of salmon in the lower Chetco, from Loeb to Social Security Bar reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Fishing was good on Thursday through Saturday and again Monday, but slower for many of the boats on Tuesday. That may help ease the pressure as the week goes on. The river is dropping fast, but there were signs of quite a few new fish below the North Fork Tuesday afternoon. The far lower end still has plenty of color for plugs. Back-bouncing roe is best from Moffit Rock upstream,” Martin added.

Elk/Sixes
The Elk is low and clear according to Martin. He said, “A few fish are being caught close to the hatchery. With the Elk low, all the pressure has shifted to the Sixes, where salmon are being caught from Edson Creek to the Grange. Fishing has been pretty good on the Sixes.”