Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest

Powerful storms curtail wide-open steelhead action

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wet weekend predicted for the North Coast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eel River (South Fork)

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

Van Duzen

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

Mad River

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

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

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

All North Coast rivers to open Saturday — but probably not for long

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

D-word putting the hurt on local businesses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coastal rivers full of steelhead — just need water

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Salmon stymied by shifting Klamath mouth

Photo Caption: The Klamath River mouth, seen here from the overlook on the north side of the river, has been opening and closing since the weekend, making it difficult for salmon to enter the river. Large swells are predicted for the weekend and hopefully the mouth can blow wide-open allowing what’s left of the fall run to make their way upriver. (Photo courtesy of Sara Borok, Klamath River Environmental Scientist)

Fishing the North Coast
by Kenny Priest/For the Times-Standard

Low Flow closures on North Coast rivers start Tuesday

Along the lines of the ’80s TV commercial for Wendy’s where the old lady shouts, “Where’s the beef?” Klamath salmon anglers have been wondering, “Where’s the salmon?” In truth, no one really knows. What we do know is 11,538 have been harvested below the 101 bridge and another 1,009 have been caught by sport anglers above the bridge. Throw in approximately 54,000 fish that have been harvested by the Yurok tribe and what you’re left with is a lot of missing fish. Sure, there’s a few fish that have squirted through and are now entering tributaries like the Trinity, Shasta, and Scott rivers, but with an in-river return at well over 250,000 predicted, the numbers aren’t adding up. A big part of the problem has been the mouth of the river. Flowing to the south and running narrow and shallow, conditions have been less than ideal for huge pushes of fish to enter the river. And with last week’s storms and big tide swings, it went from bad to worse. Since the weekend, it’s been opening and closing and has created a lake that can be felt all the way to Blakes’ riffle. At the moment, very few fish are entering the lower river and guides are lucky to catch a few a day.

According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River, we’ve been down this road before. “Back in 2001 we also had a south mouth that hampered the fish coming into the river. “It blew open on September 21 and we had a huge surge of fish pour in,” Borok said. “Although there’s no way to know for sure, my guess it there are still quite a few fish in the ocean waiting for the right conditions to enter.” With big swells again predicted for the weekend, there’s a chance the mouth can finally blow out enough to allow the remaining kings to enter the system and start their journey upriver. Let’s hope so.

Weekend marine forecast
If you’re hoping to fish offshore this weekend, Saturday will be your best bet. South winds are forecasted 5 to 15 knots with swells to 8 feet at 11 seconds. Sunday isn’t looking as good with south winds to 20 knots and waves out of the west to 14 feet at 14 seconds. For up-to-date weather forecasts, visit http://www.weather.gov/eureka/. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

HASA meeting
A general membership meeting will be held Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in Scott McBain’s office at 980 7th Street in Arcata. According to Cliff Hart, President of HASA, discussions will include urgent issues related to Pacific Halibut. “All fisherman and fisherwomen from the North Coast are invited to come and give feedback. We NEED to hear from you. If you can’t make the meeting, please email your comments about the current Pacific Halibut situation and what options you would like to see to: hasa6191@gmail.com. We are in an unfortunate situation where we will lose some halibut fishing. We don’t like any of the options dealt, but we have the ability to recommend. Public comment is open with PFMC, and we may call upon you to write letters and emails.” Hart added. The due date is 10/9/13. For more information, visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/pacifichalibut.asp

The Oceans:

Eureka
According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, the rough ocean we’ve had this week has kept the boats off the water. “The last fishable day was Sunday and we were able to run to the Cape for Rockfish. Since then, nobody’s been out. Friday and Saturday are looking fishable, but it’s coming back up again on Sunday. Hopefully we’ll be able to go one of those days and drift for halibut as the bite has been pretty good. Last Thursday we were able to limit out our four customers” Klassen said.

Crescent City
Little if any angling is happing offshore out of Crescent City reports Chris Hegne’s of Englund Marine. “We’ve had some pretty rough seas this week and no one’s been out. The weekend isn’t looking much better,” Hegnes added.

Low Flow River Closures begin Oct. 1
North Coast rivers that are regulated by low flow closures, including the Eel River, Mad River, Mattole River, Redwood Creek, Smith River and Van Duzen River will begin angling restrictions on October 1st, except for the Mad River, which went into effect September 1st. The Department of Fish and Game will make the information available to the public by a telephone recorded message updated, as necessary, no later than 1 p.m. each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as to whether any stream will be closed to fishing. The rivers can be opened up at anytime. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is (707) 822-3164. NOTE: The main stem Eel from the South Fork to Cape Horn Dam and the Mattole River will be closed until January 1, 2014

Areas subject to low flow closures:

Mad River: The main stem Mad River from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to Cowan Creek. Minimum flow: 200 cfs at the gauging station at the Highway 299 bridge.

The main stem Eel River from the paved junction of Fulmor Road with the Eel River to the South Fork Eel River. Minimum flow: 350 cfs at the gauging station near Scotia.

The South Fork of the Eel River downstream from Rattlesnake Creek and the Middle Fork Eel River downstream from the Bar Creek. Minimum flow: 340 cfs at the gauging station at Miranda.

Van Duzen River: The main stem Van Duzen River from its junction with the Eel River to the end of Golden Gate Drive near Bridgeville (approximately 4,000 feet upstream of Little Golden Gate Bridge. Minimum flow: 150 cfs at the gauging station near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.

Mattole River: The main stem of the Mattole River from the mouth to Honeydew Creek.

Minimum flow: 320 cfs at the gauging station at Petrolia.

Redwood Creek: The main stem of Redwood Creek from the mouth to its confluence with Bond Creek. Minimum flow: 300 cfs at the gauging station near the Highway 101 bridge.

Smith River: The main stem Smith River from the mouth of Rowdy Creek to its confluence with Patrick Creek; the South Fork Smith River from the mouth upstream approximately 1000 ft to the County Road (George Tyron) bridge and Craigs Creek to its confluence with Jones Creek; and the North Fork Smith River from the mouth to its confluence with Stony Creek. Minimum flow: 600 cfs at the Jedediah Smith State Park gauging station.

The Rivers:

Lower Klamath
According to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service, with the mouth opening and closing since the weekend, very few fish are coming in. The big swells aren’t helping much either,” Coopman said.

Alan Borges of Alan’s Guide Service, who’s also working the lower river, reports guides are still struggling to catch fish in any numbers. “The ones we are catching are fresh with sea lice. Hopefully the ocean calms a bit and we can truly see if there are any good numbers of fish left to come in,” Borges added.

Lower Trinity
Curt Wilson of Curt Wilson Fishing Guides reports the rain and fluctuating flows brought a good amount of fish up the Trinity early this week. “The last few days, steelhead have taken over the show around the Willow Creek area. It seems as we are finally seeing the lack of kings we have been hearing about down low really catch up with us. Hopefully a few more decide to show up. The Willow Creek weir counted 140 fish on Tuesday, but most of them were steelhead,” Wilson added.

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

Epic tuna bite off coast of Eureka

Photo Caption: Kayla from Roseville, CA had her hands full landing this 25-pound Chinook on Tuesday while fishing with John Klar’s Guide Service on the Klamath River.

Fishing the North Coast
Kenny Priest/For the Times-Standard
Published 9/5/2013

Free fishing day this Saturday

Calm seas and 60-degree water — the two ideal conditions that make any fanatical tuna angler go nuts — or call in sick to work. North Coast fishermen had been targeting salmon all summer, but now, tuna has become the new holy grail and catch of the day. For the last couple of weeks, conditions have provided a few opportunities for boats willing to run 50 to 60 miles out, but Wednesday, with warm water inching closer towards shore, seemed to be THE day. The word was out!

Close to 30 boats launched out of Eureka area and made the trek out to the spot where the boats left them biting days prior. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport fishing was part of the fleet and reported the bite was pretty unbelievable. According to Klassen, they ended up 43 miles out on the 46-line and found lots of fish on the surface as well as “jumpers” where the water temps were in the mid-60s. “We probably caught about a third of our fish on live bait, caught a few on the troll and a few on dead bait. They were biting everything we threw at them. The fish were big too — all of our fish were in the 20-pound class,” Klassen added. Though I didn’t get any totals for the day, I’m assuming when Klassen says they “plugged the boat”, they got all they needed.

Marine forecast

It doesn’t appear Mother Nature will be too kind to the salmon anglers looking to get on the water for the final weekend of salmon season. Out 10 nautical miles, Friday’s forecast is calling for winds out of the north 10 to 20 knots and waves NW 9 feet at 9 seconds. Saturday is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and waves NW 8 feet at 8 seconds. Sunday is looking very similar with north winds 10 to 20 knots and waves NW to 8 feet at 9 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For up-to-date weather forecast, visit http://www.weather.gov/eureka. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Klamath River salmon

The Labor Day weekend saw a huge push of salmon enter the river according to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River. “As of Monday, 7,030 adult Chinook have been harvested out of the lower river quota of 20,003. Of those, 6,561 were harvested at the mouth. Because we don’t anticipate hitting the basin quota of 40,006 the mouth will not close,” Borok added. With the water temperatures again on the rise, the DFW is encouraging anglers to catch their three adult salmon and not catch and release attempting to harvest a jack to fill their limits.

Free Fishing Day on Saturday

This Saturday, September 7 is the second of California’s two 2013 Free Fishing Days, when people can try their hand at fishing without having to buy a sport fishing license. All fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. For more information on Free Fishing Days, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/fishing/freefishdays.html

Rockfish and Halibut seasons

Though sport salmon season closes on September 8, both rockfish and Pacific Halibut seasons are open until October 31 in the Northern Management Zone.

The Oceans:

Eureka

The finish line is in sight for the ocean sport salmon season, and may not end up quite like it started. For the better part of four months, we’ve had great weather and phenomenal fishing. If the rough seas don’t materialize for the weekend, you’ll more than likely find the fleet working south off Centerville beach anywhere from the 32 to the 37-line. That’s where Captains Gary Blasi of Full Throttle Sport Fishing, Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, and Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing have been doing there time. Limits, or close to it have been the norm since the weekend, and the fish have been a real nice grade. The boats have been working in tight from 100 feet of water out to 190 and all the fish have been coming right off the bottom. The area has been one of the few spots holding cold water, but that may change this weekend as the warm water is once again pushing right into the beach.

Trinidad

Phil Pritting of Eureka’s Englund Marine reports the salmon has slowed and not many are still trying. ‘I did see one of the charter boats come in on Tuesday with a bunch of salmon, so I know there’s still some around. The halibut fishing has been pretty good for the guys willing to put in some time. Best action has been off of Patrick’s Point in 270 to 310 feet of water. The rockfish bite has also been decent, but now and then they just won’t bite,” Pritting said.

Crescent City

Warm water has pushed the salmon far and deep reports Chris Hegnes of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “I heard of a few caught, but they were out in deep water by guys targeting halibut. The water was 64 degrees to the beach on Wednesday, which is good for the tuna fishermen, but not salmon. The halibut bite is still going strong, we weighed a 98-pounder on Sunday that was caught near the South Reef,” Hegnes added.

The Rivers:

Lower Klamath

Not many adult salmon are making their way upriver reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “The mouth is full of fish and could bust wide-open open any time, but as of today, we are only seeing a few make their way upriver. We are seeing a good amount of steelhead however, both half-pounders and adults,” Coopman added. Alan Borges of Alan’s Guide Service has also been working the Klamath and reports the fishing over the last week has been up and down. “Some days we are catching quite a few, with the majority being half-pounders and adult steelhead with a nice king in the mix here and there. It seems like the fish are coming in spurts and water temps still need to drop a little more for things to really take off. It’s keeping the kings from really pushing in the mouth in good numbers,” Borges added.

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

Klamath salmon best bet for holiday weekend

Fishing the North Coast
Kenny Priest/For the Times-Standard
8/29/2013

Fall quota begins Sept. 1 on the Trinity

Fish the ccean or river? That is the question for this Labor Day holiday weekend. Infused with a blast of cooler water, the Klamath is all set to bust wide-open. The mouth has seen huge numbers of fish pouring in on the tides, but most have made a U-turn and headed back to sea. That’s all changing as we speak. The river conditions were a little tough on Tuesday, with lots of moss and debris, but it should be in prime shape by the weekend. With the kings on the move into the rivers, it can only mean one thing for ocean anglers – a very large slow down. Word has it there are still quite a few salmon around, but they are deep. The charter boats have been out in 250 to 350 feet of water mooching the fish from the bottom. The rockfish bite down at the Cape has been nothing short of spectacular, and the calm seas this past couple weeks has made the long run much easier. The halibut bite has also picked up, fish being landed daily by anglers drifting salmon bellies in 200 to 300 feet of water. Whatever choice you make, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Marine forecast

Ocean conditions for the long weekend look plenty fishable. As of Wednesday, the forecast for Friday through Monday is calling for winds out of the south from 5 to 10 knots and waves NW 5-feet at 11 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For up-to-date weather forecast, visit http://www.weather.gov/eureka. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Klamath River update

According to Sara Borok, Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River Project,

3,464 adult Chinook have been harvested as of Tuesday. “Over 3,000 have come just in the last week with the majority, 2,943, caught at the mouth. The Trinity flows have reached the estuary and should help spread the fish out and hopefully cool the water down,” Borok said.

Spit fishery remains open

The regulations state that if it does not look like the lower Basin quota of 20,003 adult Chinook will be met, then the 15 percent (3,000 adult Chinook) caught below the Hwy. 101 bridge rule does not apply. The largest sport harvest on record for the entire basin was 22,203 back in 1988. For more information on the Klamath regulations, visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations.

Trinity River notes

On September 1, the main stem of the Trinity downstream of the Lewiston Bridge to the confluence with Klamath River will open and run through December 31. The exception to this is the Burnt Ranch Gorge area, (downstream of the Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat to the Denny Road Bridge at Hawkins Bar) which closes to all fishing on September 1. The daily bag limit is 4 Chinook salmon, no more than 3 fish over 22 inches. The possession limit is 12 Chinook salmon, no more than 9 over 22 inches. If the quota of 40,006 adult fall Chinook is met, then the previous bag and possession limits apply to “jack” salmon less than 22 inches, i.e. 4 jacks per day and 12 jacks in possession.

THE OCEANS

Eureka

Since the warm water pushed in last week, the salmon bite has become a little bit more fickle. The troll bite has been tough as most of the fish are deep and the best way to pull them up has been mooching. And that’s just what Captains Gary Blasi of Full Throttle Sportfishing and Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing have been up to. Both have been boating limits or near limits out in the deep, blue water. “There’s tons of small fish around right now as well as some silvers, but we’re still catching some big ones too,” Sepulveda added. Captain Tim Klassen on the Reel Steel has been bouncing between the Cape for rockfish and mixing in salmon and halibut trips this past week. “The rockfish bite has been exceptional with easy limits of quality fish. We’ve also been catching some nice lings. The halibut bite has been pretty good too, most boats are getting at least one, if not more, per trip,” Klassen added.

Trinidad

The salmon bite has slowed way down reports Curt Wilson, who runs the Wind Rose Charter out of Trinidad. “The last three days we found the salmon out deep. It was a mooching game with a lot of little fish, but certainly some nice ones mixed in. The best action has been coming on the 00-line in 300-ft of water. The rockfish and halibut bite remains productive,” Wilson added.

Crescent City

According to Chris Hegnes of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, halibut remains the focus for anglers fishing out of Crescent City. “The best bite has been near Round Rock in 195 to 215 feet of water. The snapper bite has really picked up and the lingcod are still biting anything you throw at them. The salmon action has slowed to a crawl as very few boats are still trying for them. There was a few caught this week, but there isn’t much effort,” Hegnes added.

Shelter Cove

The albacore action took center stage again this week reports Russ Thomas of Mario’s Marina in Shelter Cove. “Boats have been running 25 to 35 miles out and are catching a real nice grade of fish. The rockfish bite has been red-hot as well, with lots of limits coming right out front between the beach and the whistler. Not much is happening with salmon, there’s a couple commercial guys around who are catching 10-12 per trip,” Thomas added.

THE RIVERS:

Lower Klamath

Conditions are changing quickly on the Klamath, but the river should be settled by the weekend according to Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “The extra water coming down the past few days has put the fish on the move. Once the water levels out, which will be this weekend, the fish should start to slow down. There’s a lot of big fish in the river right now and more are coming. I’m guessing there’s now fish spread throughout the whole system,” Coopman said.

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

Ocean conditions slow North Coast salmon bite

Kenny Priest/For the Times-Standard

August 22, 2013

Ceremonial water coming Sunday from the Trinity

We all knew this was coming — the out-of-this-world salmon action that we’ve enjoyed since May has finally started to taper off — at least for the last couple of days. After a not so hot bite this past weekend, the action really slowed to a crawl Tuesday and Wednesday. Charter boat scores ranged from nine fish to one fish kept, and everywhere in between. That doesn’t sound horrible on paper, but compared to the salmon fishing we’ve grown accustomed to over the last three months, this rates as headline news. This begs the question — where did the fish go? Well, no one really knows. The reports I heard from Wednesday is there were quite a few biters that just didn’t stick, so maybe the fish are still there. The water temperatures surely played a role in the slowdown. The warm water, which reached 62 degrees out front, pushed all the way to the beach. When this happens, the salmon typically head straight down in search of the cool water they crave. And that’s where the majority of the fish have been coming the last couple days, anywhere between 100 to 200 feet on the wire. With calm seas predicted through the weekend, maybe the large sport fleet can do a little searching and find the schools again.

Marine forecast

Calm seas are predicted through the weekend. Friday’s forecast is calling for winds 5 to 10 knots with 4-foot swells at 8 seconds. The forecast for Saturday is calling for winds 5 to 10 knots, with swells to 3-feet at 7 seconds. Sunday is looking very similar, with winds 5 to 10 knots and seas to 4-feet at 8 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For up-to-date weather forecast, visit http://www.weather.gov/eureka. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Ceremonial water release from the Trinity

Beginning this Sunday at 8 a.m., flows out of the Trinity will increase from 450 cfs to 2,650 cfs. After peaking at midnight Sunday, they will be reduced slowly until reaching 450 cfs on Thursday, August 29 at 8 p.m. The flow increase is due to the Hoopa Valley Tribe’s Boat Dance Ceremony. Hopefully, the 62,000 acre-feet of water that’s currently in the hands of the court will follow closely behind. If it doesn’t, a fish kill could be on the horizon.

Klamath River quota update

According to Sara Borok, an Environmental Scientist on the Klamath River Project,

407 adult Chinook salmon have been harvested on the Lower Klamath as of Tuesday. The quota is 20,003. Of those, 395 were caught below the Hwy. 101 bridge. The trigger number to close the spit fishery is 3,000 adult Chinook salmon.

Klamath salmon health being closely monitored

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking help from the public in monitoring the health of Chinook salmon in the Klamath River and its tributaries. Drought conditions mixed with a larger than normal return of salmon elevate concerns of fish die offs. Small numbers of dead fish are expected this year as an estimated 272,000 fall-run Chinook salmon return. CDFW, in conjunction with The Klamath Fish Health Assessment Team (KFHAT) is asking the public to report any unusual numbers of dead fish they see by contacting Sara Borok at 707-822-0330.

The Oceans:

Eureka

Slow but steady fishing best describes the salmon action out of Eureka this past weekend. Most of the charter boats were able to grind out limits, but they didn’t necessarily come easy. Captain Tim Klassen on the Reel Steel had limits both days before the bite tanked on Monday. “There’s still a wide variety of fish out there, anywhere from 10-inches to 40-pounds. With the ocean calming down over the weekend, we’ll be able to take a look around and see if we can find some colder water. I know there’s some down at the Cape and up closer to Trinidad,” Klassen added. After having the weekend off, Captain Gary Blasi of Full Throttle Sportfishing was back on the water Monday and was able to get a box full before noon. “We found a pretty good school of fish and were able to land five over 20-pounds. The fish were coming deep, about 130-feet down. We definitely need some wind to blow the warm water out of here,” Blasi said. After a weekend in which Phil Glenn skippered the Shellback, Captain Tony Sepulveda was back at it this week. With all the Eureka boats tied up at the dock, he ventured out into pretty rough seas on Tuesday and was able to land six keepers. “The fishing definitely slowed on Tuesday. The water is warm, but I think it will cool itself in the next few days. I don’t think the fish are gone, they’ll show up again,” Sepulveda added.

Trinidad

The salmon bite was wide-open over the weekend, but slowed Monday as the ocean got rough reports Curt Wilson, who runs the Wind Rose Charter out of Trinidad. “We tried to go on Monday, but it got real nasty so we turned around with all the other charter boats. The action on Tuesday and Wednesday was spotty at best. The halibut and rockfish were biting over the weekend, but not much effort over the last few days on either. The weather is suppose to lay down real nice over the weekend, so maybe we can go look around for some salmon,” Wilson added.

Shelter Cove

Fishing in general has slowed out of Shelter Cover reports Russ Thomas of Mario’s Marina in Shelter Cove. “We’re launching maybe three or four boats per day and most are targeting rockfish. The salmon action has slowed way down; not very many are still trying. The few that are being caught are nice ones however,” Thomas added.

Crescent City

Leonard Carter of Crescent City’s Englund Marine reports the Pacific halibut bite has been steady, with fish being landed daily. “Most of the boats are fishing the back side of the South Reef in 190 to 210 feet of water. The Big Reef is also producing a few as well. The salmon has slowed out front, with not many anglers still trying. The best action has been coming around the mouth of the Smith. There have been some real big ones landed the last few days, with a few in the 40-pound class and some 30’s. The lingcod is still red hot and the snapper bite has been sporadic,” Carter added.

The Rivers:

Lower Klamath

Guide Mike Coopman reports the Lower Klamath is fishing decent, with most of the fish landed being steelhead. “There’s not many kings in the river due to the water temps, and that probably won’t change until it cools. The morning bite has been best, and if you choose the right spot first thing, it can make your day,” Coopman added.

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

Numbers don’t always tell the whole story

Fall Klamath/Trinity regulations begin Aug. 15

With the amount of fish being caught in the ocean and record numbers of salmon returning to some of our local rivers, the first thing North Coast anglers usually hear stepping off any river or boat is, “how many did you get?” It’s real easy to get swept up in the “limits” or “how many” game. But, fishing is sometimes more about the experience – I was reminded of that last Sunday on the Klamath River.

It had been awhile since I waded into a river and had it all to myself. As I started to fish and survey my surroundings – perched high above the slot I was casting my line into – an osprey was screeching loudly in excitement and watching the river below intently. Suddenly, the raptor plunged itself into the water with a big splash. It emerged with a fish in its talons, then lifting off and slowly started to gain altitude. The osprey was now deathly quiet and I knew why. The last couple years I’ve seen many meals stolen by those majestic bullies we call Bald Eagles. As I watched the osprey fly up into the morning fog, I said to myself, “I’m about to see a bald eagle.” Within seconds and out of nowhere, an eagle flew into range and had its sights on the osprey and a free meal. The battle was short, with the osprey overmatched in both size and speed. The fish the osprey had so aerodynamically plucked out of the water was gone. It fell to the ground where the eagle swooped it up and flew off to enjoy his lunch.

About an hour later – while standing in the middle of the river – I saw a bear out of the corner of my eye slowly walk from the bushes to the waters edge, within about 50 yards of where I was fishing. Startled, I stood still and watched as the bear tested the water like a 6-year-old sticking its toes in the community pool. It definitely knew I was there as it took a couple long looks in my direction. After a few sniffs of the water and lots of hesitation, the bear inched its way in and swam across the river. I thought to myself, “Wow, how cool is that,” two spectacular wildlife occurrences 30 minutes apart.

For what it’s worth, I did manage to land and release three dime-bright adult steelhead, but I’d rank my catches a distant third behind the other two experiences I had that morning. It’s not always about the numbers.

Weekend Marine forecast

Calm ocean conditions are expected to last through the weekend according to Reginald Kennedy of Eureka’s National Weather Service. Friday’s forecast is calling for NW winds 5 to 10 knots and swells out of the NW 4-feet at 7 seconds and 4-feet at 13 seconds. Saturday and Sunday’s conditions are looking almost the same, with winds out of the NW 5 to 10 knots and swells to 5-feet at 11 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Klamath/Trinity 2013 regulations

The fall Chinook season and regulations start August 15 on the Klamath River and September 1 on the Trinity River. The season ends December 31 for both rivers.

The daily bag limit is 4 Chinook salmon, no more than 3 fish over 22 inches. The possession limit is 12 Chinook salmon, no more than 9 over 22 inches. If the quota of 40,006 adult fall Chinook is met, then the previous bag and possession limits apply to “jack” salmon less than 22 inches, i.e. 4 jacks per day and 12 jacks in possession.

Klamath River from 3,500 feet downstream of the Iron Gate Dam to the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec: Fall Run Quota 6.801 Chinook salmon

From January 1 to August 14. 0 Chinook salmon; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead. From August 15 to December 31. 4 Chinook salmon – no more than 3 fish over 22 inches total length; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead

Klamath River downstream of the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec to the mouth:Fall Run Quota 20,003 Chinook salmon

From January 1 to August 14. 2 Chinook salmon; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead. From August 15 to December 31. 4 Chinook salmon – no more than 3 fish over 22 inches total length; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead

Trinity River main stem downstream of the Old Lewiston Bridge to the Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat: Fall Run Quota 6,601 Chinook salmon

From January 1 to August 31. 2 Chinook salmon; 5 brown trout; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead. From September 1 through December 31. 4 Chinook salmon – no more than 3 fish over 22 inches total length; 5 brown trout; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead

Trinity River downstream of the Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat to the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar.

From January 1 through August 31. 2 Chinook salmon; 5 brown trout; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead From September 1 through December 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: Fall Run Quota 6,601 Chinook salmon

Trinity River main stem downstream of the mouth of the South Fork Trinity River to the confluence with the Klamath River: Fall Run Quota 6,601 Chinook salmon

From January 1 to August 31. 0 Chinook salmon; 5 brown trout; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead. From September 1 through December 31. 4 Chinook salmon – no more than 3 fish over 22 inches total length; 5 brown trout; 2 hatchery trout or hatchery steelhead

Tuna out of Eureka

A half-dozen boats made the 55-60 mile trek to the warm water Tuesday according to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “I didn’t hear all the scores, but it sounded like the range was about eight fish to the high 20’s per boat. I heard lots of double, triples and quad hook-ups were had, so it sounds like there’s quite a few fish out there,” Klassen added. “More boats made the run on Wednesday as the ocean was again forecasted to be flat.”

The Oceans:

Eureka

The insanely wide-open salmon bite continues out of Eureka. Charter boat skippers Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing, Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing and Gary Blasi of Full Throttle Sport Fishing continue to score early limits of kings ranging from 12 to 30-pounds, with the occasional 40 in the mix. According to Klassen, fish are spread from the Cape to Eureka and halfway to Trinidad. Blasi, who’s boated limits within 45 minutes this past weeks reports there are so many fish out here, you can’t miss em. “From the 44 to the 51-line in 120 to 200 feet of water is where I’ve spent most of my time,” Blasi said. Sepulveda has also been on the fish, and probably had the best story of the week when he landed what he is calling a “septuplet.” “Fishing my normal seven rod spread late last week, they all doubled over at once. Seven fish on at one time, and we landed every one of em. Two nets flying, a little chaos, and lots of fish flopping on the deck. That sums up how good the bite is right now,” Sepulveda added.

Trinidad

According to Curt Wilson who runs the Wind Rose Charter out of Trinidad, the continued pattern of drive three miles west of Trinidad Head, put anything in the water and catch big kings has continued all week. “There are some real large kings in the mix as well as some big Coho. Halibut efforts are being rewarded nicely all over. An 82-pounder won the July Derby caught on the Foxy Roxy. It seems a lot more lingcod have been hitting decks with a very large grade of rockfish stretched out between the Head and Patrick’s Point,” Wilson said

Shelter Cove

Boats made their first albacore run on Tuesday reports Russ Thomas of Mario’s Marina in Shelter Cove. “Four or five boats made the 40-mile run to 60-degree water and most had some pretty good scores. I heard the top boat landed 25, and they were all decent size. More boats also made the trip on Wednesday and the late word was the bite was red-hot. The salmon bite has slowed considerable, but fish are still being caught. Definitely not red hot by any means and there’s still quite a few commercial boats working the area.” Thomas added.

Crescent City

According to Chris Hegnes of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, the salmon fishing has fell on its nose a bit. “I’m not sure if it’s a lack of fish or what, but it’s slowed down here as well as in Brookings. From what I’m hearing scores are roughly two fish per boat. The lingcod bite remains wide-open, with boats putting in limits south to the Sisters and north around the Big Reef. The rockfish bite has been best around the Sisters, and not as good south,” Hegnes said.

The Rivers:

Lower Klamath

There’s a pretty good morning bite happening on the Klamath right now reports Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “It definitely gets tougher when the sun hits the water. Boat pressure has also affected the bite, when there’s not a lot of boats, they’ll bite a little longer. We’re landing predominately steelhead right now, but I’ve been averaging one adult king and a couple jacks per trip,” Coopman added.

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