California Halibut | Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest

North Coast Salmon Season Off to Strong Start

Six-year-old Avery Morris holds his first-ever ocean salmon caught while fishing out of Shelter Cove over the weekend. The young angler was fishing with his father, Jared Morris of C’Mon Sport Fishing. Photo courtesy of Jared Morris

Not a bad start to the salmon season. Last weekend’s opener provided anglers with an opportunity they haven’t had in three years, and they were more than willing to take advantage of it. Despite less-than-ideal ocean conditions, salmon were caught all along the North Coast, from Shelter Cove to Crescent City.

When the ocean finally laid down on Monday, boats were able to dial in on the schools of salmon and put together some impressive scores. Eureka and Crescent City led the way, with both charter and private boats reporting plenty of limits. The early results suggest the fish are here, and when weather and ocean conditions cooperate, the catching should be very good.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the forecast appears favorable, with manageable winds expected and opportunities for boats to get back on the troll.

Weekend marine forecast
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, winds will be mostly calm Friday with moderate north winds rebuilding and pushing close to shore Saturday and Sunday.
Friday’s forecast is calling for southwest winds up to 5 knots and northwest waves 6 feet at nine seconds and southwest 3 feet at 15 seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for winds out of the north 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at 10 seconds and southwest 3 feet at 14 seconds. Sunday, winds will be from the north 10 to 15 knots with waves from the northwest 6 feet at nine seconds and southwest 2 feet at 15 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Kid’s Fish Lake Derby coming this Saturday
The 50th Annual Kid’s Fish Lake Fishing Derby will be held Saturday, June 20, at Kid’s Fish Lake in Orleans. The derby begins promptly at 8 a.m. and runs through noon. The event is open to children from Pre-K through 8th grade. Participants must bring their own fishing poles and tackle, and all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Hot dogs and lemonade will be provided. Adults are encouraged to bring a side dish or salad to share.

The derby is hosted by the Orleans Rod and Gun Club and Six Rivers National Forest, with support from Coast Central Credit Union, RMI Outdoors, and the California Deer Association.
For more information, contact Eric Fieberg of the Orleans Rod and Gun Club at (707) 951-4453.

Eel River Pikeminnow Fishing Derby starts July 1
After another successful Eel River Pikeminnow derby in 2025, CalTrout is back with another derby that runs from July 1 through Aug. 31. The derby, which is put on with the help of CDFW, has increased the prize money available and will now offer $5,000 worth of prizes for:

Most pikeminnow (greater than 6 inches) caught over the duration of the contest. (1^st $550, 2^nd $450, 3^rd $400)
Most pikeminnow (greater than 12 inches) caught over the duration of the contest. MUST include tape measure in photo. (1^st $800, 2^nd $700, 3^rd $600)
Biggest fish (length). MUST include tape measure in photo. (1^st $500, 2^nd $400, 3^rd $300)
Drawing for kids (under 18) that entered a pikeminnow in the contest. (6 winners – $50/each)

Contest rules

Online form: submit entries using one email address. All entries at the end of the contest for the “most pikeminnow…” will be tallied by participant email address.
Mail in Form: mail in forms must be postmarked on or before September 3. Send a copy of your photo(s), minimum size 3”x5” each, along with completed entry form to: CalTrout, 1380 9th St., Arcata, CA 95521
Individual contestants can win no more than one prize category. In the case of multiple wins, the largest prize amount will be awarded.
Photos must be geotagged. The link to turn this on for your iPhone or android is located here.
Cheating or falsification of entries will result in automatic disqualification.
Photos from poor angles or of bad quality are subject to disqualification.

Contestants will follow all CDFW fishing regulations, including no bait, barbless artificial lures only.
Prohibited actions: Throwing fish on the bank or into the river, any blatant waste of fish.
All waters open to angling on the South Fork Eel River downstream of the Humboldt County line to the confluence with the mainstem. The mainstem Eel from Dos Rios to the mouth of the Van Duzen. The Van Duzen from Grizzly Creek to the mouth of the Van Duzen.

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

California Halibut Derby on Humboldt Bay coming July 25
The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association will be holding the second annual California Halibut Derby on Saturday, July 25. The fishing event will be held within the waters of Humboldt Bay. Check-ins, Weigh-ins, and Awards Ceremony will be held at Woodley Island, 601 Startare Drive at the East-I Lot Grass Area.

This is a slot size derby; a measurement will be drawn in the morning before the derby and posted to the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Adult payouts will be $500 for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place, and $150 for 3rd place. Youth Payouts – $100 for 1st place, $75 for 2nd place, $50 for 3rd place. Youth payouts will be in the form of gift cards. All Youths registered in the Derby will receive a rod and reel combo! Raffle prizes will include fishing trips, rods and reels, fishing tackle and gear, merchandise and more.

Big Fish Prize: entries will be California Halibut 30” and above. ONLY ONE Big Fish can be entered per entrant. In case of a tie, winner will be determined by weight. For the big fish, adult and youth divisions will be combined. Winner to be announced at event.

Entry Fees for adults are $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 24 at midnight.

The Oceans:
Eureka
“A week into the season, I’d rate the salmon fishing as pretty good,” said Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “We’ve only had a handful of days on the water, but there were quite a few fish caught. Conditions were really good on Monday, and we saw a lot of limits taken, including by most of the charter fleet. The best action has been around the dumpsite in 180 feet of water. Most of the salmon have been on the smaller side, but there are some quality fish mixed in. The fish appear to be spread out in small schools, which should give anglers plenty of opportunities to locate them. With favorable weather in the forecast, we’ll be able to cover more ground and explore additional areas. Historically, the Centerville area starts producing this time of year, and it looks like we’ll have some decent ocean conditions over the next several days.”

Trinidad
According to Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters, the salmon bite was pretty good Monday and Tuesday as ocean conditions were much improved. “There’s not a lot of effort, but there are salmon to be had,” said Wilson. “Most are coming in 180 to 200 feet of water. When the ocean has been flat, the rockfish bite has been excellent. We’re catching some nice big blacks and a few lingcod here and there. We’re pretty much staying south of Cone Rock. There hasn’t been much Pacific halibut effort this week due to the conditions.”

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, the rock fishing has been a little up and down this week. He said, “The lingcod fishing was actually better than the rock fishing this week. We spent most our time around the Hat. Salmon fishing has been decent, but very inconsistent. The fish haven’t held in one specific area yet, so boats are spending some time trying to find them each day.”

Crescent City
“Opening weekend of salmon season was a little slow due to conditions,” said Will Moore, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The ocean laid down on Monday, and the fishing was really good, with lots of boats getting their limits. Tuesday slowed down again as the wind picked back up. The fish are sitting about 12 miles offshore in 260 to 280 feet of water, and guys are getting em’ at 100 feet on the wire. Ocean conditions are looking good starting Friday and for the weekend. The rock fish bite is still going strong, but not much, if any effort on Pacific halibut. Most anglers are focused on salmon now.”

Anglers loaded up on salmon last Friday aboard the Miss Brooke while fishing out of Brookings. Photo courtesy of Brookings Fishing Charters

Brookings
Salmon fishing busted wide open late last week and has been steady since reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Bigger fish, averaging in the upper teens, are being caught in shallow water close to the harbor,” said Martin. “Offshore, fishing has been slow. Very few coho are showing up in the catch. Halibut fishing remains slow, although a few were caught over the weekend. Lingcod and rockfish have been good, although windy weather has kept boats in close.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, salmon fishing is still slow on the Rogue Bay. “A few early steelhead are already being caught near Agness.”

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

After Three Years, North Coast Salmon Season Finally Returns

A bright king salmon from the 2022 season. North Coast anglers will finally get another opportunity to catch fish like this when the long-awaited ocean salmon season opens Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Wallace/Humboldt Charter Company

The day we’ve had circled on the calendar for months has finally arrived. King salmon season opens along the North Coast this Saturday, and it looks to be the best opportunity anglers have had in three years. Pacific halibut and rockfish have provided a nice alternative, but they simply don’t generate the excitement that comes with the chance to hook a big, bright king salmon.

The not-so-good news continues to be the ocean conditions. Persistent north winds have wreaked havoc this past week, and Saturday’s opener is shaping up to be a rough one. Conditions are expected to improve slightly on Sunday, become very favorable on Monday, and then deteriorate again as the wind returns Tuesday.

What will anglers find when they finally get on the water? The truth is, no one really knows. The windy conditions have kept boats tied to the dock and prevented any meaningful scouting effort. But after three consecutive years of salmon closures, most anglers aren’t worried about the reports. They’re simply excited for the opportunity to get back on the water and have a chance to catch and keep a salmon.

General sport salmon regulations:
The season in the KMZ and Fort Bragg area will run from June 13 through July 19, and Aug. 1-31 with a harvest guideline or quota of 3,900 Chinook. The minimum size limit is 20 inches total length. The daily bag limit is two Chinook salmon per day. No more than two daily bag limits may be possessed when on land. On a vessel in ocean waters, no person shall possess or bring ashore more than one daily bag limit. All salmon must be brought ashore prior to the end of any open season. Retention of coho (silver salmon) is prohibited in all ocean fisheries off California; information on how to distinguish coho from Chinook salmon can be found here. While salmon fishing north of Point Conception, anglers are required to use barbless hooks, and once salmon are aboard, barbed hooks may not be used to target other species. Anglers are encouraged to visit the Ocean Salmon Project’s webpage for details and complete regulatory information, or call the Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at 800-662-9825.

Important reminder:
When fishing for halibut, rockfish and salmon, or any combination of the three, the more restrictive gear restrictions apply. When targeting salmon, or once salmon are aboard and in possession, anglers are limited to using barbless hooks when fishing for other species.

Salmon harvest tracking tools
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has launched new online salmon catch trackers that allow anglers to monitor recreational salmon harvest and track the number of fish remaining under each region’s harvest guideline. Updates will be posted twice monthly throughout the season, with more frequent updates possible as fisheries approach their limits.

The new tools will help anglers stay informed about catch totals and any potential in-season closures. Check the CDFW Ocean Salmon Fishery Information page for the latest updates before heading out on the water.

Weekend Marine Forecast
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, “strengthening northerlies over the northern outer waters Friday will build steep and hazardous seas up to 14 ft. The northern inner waters will have to be watched for a brief surge of hazardous seas late Friday. Currently it looks like the gales will continue beyond 10 to 20 nm north of Cape Mendocino on Saturday, then start to diminish on Sunday and this allows a southerly surge to move northward. Winds are generally expected to remain lighter into early next week.”

For Saturday’s salmon opener, out 10 nautical miles, winds will be out of the north 15 to 20 knots, with northwest swells 7 feet at nine seconds The forecast is a little better on Sunday, with winds coming out of the southwest 5 to 10 knots and northwest waves 6 feet at nine seconds. Monday is looking really good, with northwest winds up to 5 knots and waves northwest 4 feet at eight seconds and southwest 2 feet at 17 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Humboldt Bay weekend tides
The minus tides should have bottomed out and started to flood when most boats will be headed across the bar. Recreational anglers can provide bar reports on VHF channel 68 while the Coast Guard emergency channel is 16 on the VHF.

Saturday June 13: Low 5:42 a.m. (-1.62 ft.) and High: 12:38 p.m. (5.67 ft)
Sunday June 14: Low 6:31 a.m. (-2.21 ft.) and High: 1:34 p.m. (5.95 ft)

50th Annual Kid’s Fish Lake Fishing Derby Set for June 20
The 50th Annual Kid’s Fish Lake Fishing Derby will be held Saturday, June 20, at Kid’s Fish Lake in Orleans. The derby begins promptly at 8 a.m. and runs through noon.
The event is open to children from Pre-K through 8th grade. Participants must bring their own fishing poles and tackle, and all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Hot dogs and lemonade will be provided. Adults are encouraged to bring a side dish or salad to share.

Entry Fees for adults are $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 24 at midnight.

Trinity River flow increases
According to the Trinity River Restoration program, flows out of Lewiston Dam will increase starting Saturday, June 13 to benefit the spring-run Chinook currently in the river. Peak flow will reach 1,450 cfs at Lewiston Dam on Sunday, June 14 and hold through Mon., June 15. After, an incremental decrease until baseflow of 450 cfs is reached on Friday, July 3. More information can be found here.

The Oceans:
Eureka
Like every other port on the North Coast, there hasn’t been much activity this week out of Eureka because of the wind. “There were some halibut caught last weekend, so that’s a good sign that they may be moving into shallower water,” said Skipper Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “Looking ahead to salmon, the opener isn’t looking good, but it does look like the wind will die down by Monday. Sunday looks like it may be doable. It doesn’t sound like there’s much sign of salmon out front and the water is really dirty. There has to be an edge out there somewhere, and that’s what we’ll be looking for. It may take a day or so to find it, however.”

Trinidad
“We’ve dealt with some tough ocean conditions this week, which has made the rock fishing a lot tougher,” said Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “If we are able to scratch out limits, they aren’t coming easily. The crabbing has slowed down, but we’re still getting limits for the clients. The Pacific halibut bite is slow, with no effort this past week due to the wind.”

Shelter Cove
Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing reports the rock fishing is still going very well, although we have to work for our lings a little bit. “We’re still fishing around the Old Man mainly,” said Mitchell. “There had been a lot of bait, but the wind we’ve had the last couple of weeks seems to have pushed it out of here. There haven’t been any great signs of salmon recently. Looks like the weather will be decent this weekend, but the big minus tide will hamper the launching ability.”

Crescent City
“All signs are pointing to a good salmon opener,” said Will Moore, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Sounds like in talking with some of the guys who are out there every day there’s some really good signs. Even with the wind predicted to blow, there are a lot of boats headed out in the morning. The rockfish bite continues to be excellent, with limits coming easy when the boats can get out. I didn’t hear of any California halibut caught this week, but I know one was caught off of South Beach last weekend. The big minus tides this weekend should make for some excellent razor clam conditions.”

Brookings
“Windy weather continues to keep boaters close to the harbor near Brookings, but king salmon, lingcod and rockfish are still being caught,” said Andy Martin, of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Salmon fishing has been good, with a fish-per-rod average. Fish Flash flashers and anchovies trolled behind divers continue to produce. The water temperature is cold, in the upper 40s, which may be keeping the action from busting wide open. Lots of baitfish, pelicans and other birds are present near Brookings. Halibut fishing remains slow.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, low water loaded with moss has slowed the salmon action on the lower Rogue River. “The bay has yet to kick into gear, although a few boats are trying.”

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

Pacific Halibut Bite Still Slow, But Better Days Ahead

It’s been a slow start to the Pacific halibut season for most ports, but Tommy Cordoza was lucky enough to find one while on a recent trip out of Shelter Cove with Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. Photo courtesy of Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing

Up and down the North Coast, anglers are asking the same question: Where are the Pacific halibut, and when will the bite finally take off?

So far, it’s been a slow start to the season, but there’s no reason to hit the panic button just yet. May brought its fair share of wind and unfishable days, significantly limiting effort along the coast. Even ports like Eureka, which typically produce some of the best early-season scores, have yet to see much action.

A handful of halibut have been landed out of Shelter Cove and Eureka, offering a promising sign that fish are around and better days are likely ahead. Unfortunately, just as anglers were able to string together a few days on the water this week, the wind machine fired back up on Thursday.

Gale-force winds are expected to persist through Saturday before conditions begin to improve Sunday. Once the weather settles and anglers can get back on the water consistently, we’ll get a much clearer picture of the Pacific halibut abundance along the North Coast. For now, patience may be the most important item in the tackle box.

Weekend marine forecast
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, “winds are expected to be lighter north of the Cape on Friday and Saturday, with steep seas slowly subsiding into Saturday. South of the Cape, winds are likely to remain strong with near gale to gale force gusts south of Cape Mendocino through the weekend. Sunday, winds increase again in the northern outer waters as the southern waters remain breezy. Winds finally ease Monday into early next week as a front moves through the area.”

As of Thursday, from Pt. St. George to Cape Mendocino out 10 nautical miles, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 15 to 20 knots and northwest waves 5 feet at seven seconds and west 6 feet at 12 seconds. The winds will be similar Saturday, with northwest swells six feet at ten seconds and southwest 2 feet at 17 seconds. Sunday the winds will ease up, coming from the north 10 to 15 knots. Waves will be out of the northwest 7 feet at nine seconds and southwest 2 feet at 16 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Fish for free this weekend in Oregon
Oregon will be having a Free Fishing Weekend June 6 and 7. No fishing/shellfish licenses or tags/validations are required on these days (meaning you do not need a Combined Angling Tag, Columbia River Basin Endorsement, Ocean Endorsement, or two-rod validation where two rods are allowed). Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free. Oregon State Parks also offers free parking on Saturday, June 6.

All other fishing regulations apply including closures, gear restrictions, bag limits, and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for regulations. Remember to check MyODFW.com for any in-season regulation changes, especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. All other regulations, such as bag limits, still apply. More information can be found here.

Ruth Lake Bass tournament this Saturday
Fortuna Rotary and the Southern Trinity Area Rescue will be holding the annual “Paul Jadro Memorial Bass Tournament” on Saturday, June 6. Blast off will be at 5:45 a.m. or at first safe light, by draw. The one-day tournament offers a first prize award of up to $1,000 with payout to 1 in 3 in addition to door prizes and sponsor products. The entry fee is $140 per team with a big fish buy in option of $10. The tournament is catch and release and all competitors must fish from boats that are required to have operational live wells on board. Life jackets are required. Check in at the Marina on Friday June 5 at 4:30-6 p.m. or Saturday 4:30 – 5:15 a.m. For more information, contact Lon Winburn at 707-499-2490.

Entry Fees for adults are $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 24 at midnight.

The Oceans:
Eureka
According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, the Pacific halibut bite so far has been pretty slow. “I think there’s more fish around than we think, as a few were caught on Tuesday,” said Klassen. “There aren’t a whole lot of boats fishing for them, and the weather hasn’t been great either. The few that are being caught have been around the 50-line in 270 to 300 feet of water. Conditions haven’t been good enough to get down to the Cape this past week, but we may get a break starting Monday.”

Trinidad
“We’ve been dealing with some large ground swells for a while, which has made the rock fishing a little tougher,” said Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “We’re still getting limits, but conditions haven’t been great overall. When the ocean has been calm, the fishing has been lights out. We’re catching lots of big blacks, and there’s lots of nice ling cod around as well. The crabbing has been excellent; the pots have been loaded with sport legal-sized male crab. The Pacific halibut bite is slow, with not much effort. I haven’t heard of any caught yet this season.”

Shelter Cove
It’s been really windy this week, reports Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “Fortunately, the fishing has been good enough that’s we’ve been able to get out and get our limits before it gets too bad,” said Mitchell. “We’re catching most of our fish around the Old Man. The Pacific halibut bite remains slow, I didn’t hear of any caught this week.”

Crescent City
The rock fishing is really good when the boats can get out reports Will Moore, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. He said, “Like the rest of the North Coast, we’ve had a lot of unfishable days. When the ocean does cooperate, the rockfish bite has been excellent at the Sisters and the South Reef. The lingcod bite has been good as well. A couple California halibut have been caught off South Beach trolling, so that’s a good sign. I have yet to hear of anyone catching a Pacific halibut.”

Brookings
Ocean coho season opens Saturday out of Brookings reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Anglers trolling for kings, which have been open to harvest since mid-March, began encountering coho in late May, said Martin. “The best action for kings has been closer to the harbor, near the buoys and off the mill. The coho have been further offshore, close to the surface in 200 feet of water. Anglers have been catching king on anchovies and small herring, behind Fish Flash flashers and divers.
Pacific halibut action has been slow so far out of Brookings. Lingcod and rockfish action have been good. Surfperch are still being caught off beaches near Brookings.”

River openings
Sections of the main Eel (South Fork to Cape Horn Dam), South Fork Eel (South Fork Eel River from mouth to Rattlesnake Creek) Van Duzen, Mad, Little River, Mattole and Smith re-opened on Saturday, May 23. On most rivers, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. Click here for a complete list of CA river openings and regulations. The Chetco opened to fishing May 22.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay is mossy and difficult to fish. “No reports yet of decent salmon action. Most guides are crossing the bar on calm days and trolling for kings near the buoys.”

Send in your fish photos
Land a big lingcod or halibut lately? Or maybe your friend or relative has reeled in their first perch. Email your fishing photo to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com and I’ll run them with the “Fishing the North Coast” weekly blog. Just include the name of the angler in the photo, where and when it was taken and any other details you’d like to share.

North Coast Fishing: Holiday Weekend Brings Opportunity From Ocean to River

A customer holds a pair of kings caught Saturday aboard the Miss Brooke of Brookings Fishing Charters. Salmon fishing out of Brookings Harbor will be one of the best options this weekend. Photo courtesy of Brookings Fishing Charters.

For North Coast anglers, Memorial Day weekend serves up no shortage of fishing opportunities. Whether you’re targeting ocean species or heading inland, there’s something biting just about everywhere. With so many options available, the hardest decision may not be whether to fish — but where. Here are a few opportunities to consider this holiday weekend:

Offshore for Pacific halibut and rockfish — The halibut bite has started off slowly, but the effort should pick up as we head into summer. Rockfish is always a good option if you have a means to get offshore. Cape Mendocino, Trinidad, and Crescent City are all kicking out a variety of tasty rockfish.

Jetties for rockfish and lingcod —When the windisn’t howling, the jetties have been providing excellent rockfish and lingcod action. Small swimbaits or scampi jigs are catching fish as well as herring fished under a float.

California halibut —If shore fishing is your only option, try Fairhaven Beach on the bay side of the Samoa Peninsula. Fishing is typically best a few hours before and after high tide, with swimbaits on a ¾-ounce jig head a solid choice. Boaters are finding occasional fish in the middle channel on swimbaits, frozen sardines and herring. Expect the bite to improve as tides settle and water temperatures warm.

Freshwater Lagoon trout —Regularly stocked with catchable trout, Freshwater Lagoon offers solid opportunities for shore and boat anglers alike. A simple and effective setup is Berkley PowerBait fished with an egg sinker.
Ruth Lake trout and bass —With warm weather in the forecast and a family-friendly atmosphere, Ruth Lake is a great holiday weekend destination. Reports suggest both trout and bass action is improving.

Elk River redtail perch —If it’s perch you’re after and the ocean is too rough or not your thing, Elk River Beach is a great spot to target redtails. Two hours prior to high tide and an hour after typically are the optimal times. Shrimp, clams, swimbaits and sand crabs all work.

Trinidad Harbor rockfish —A great option for rockfish and crab. Launching a small boat or kayak from the beach is fairly easy in good conditions, which should be the case this weekend. Typically getting an early start is best before the afternoon wind kicks in.

Dungeness Crab —Anglers dropping pots around Trinidad are catching a good number of Dungeness crab when the weather cooperates. If it’s too rough, there’s some good locations inside Humboldt Bay. Out in front of the PG&E plant is a good spot as well as the flat off the South Jetty parking lot. Another top location is either side of the channel leading into the South Bay.

North Coast rivers —Many of the local rivers will re-open to fishing beginning Saturday, May 23. Rivers that will open include sections of the main Eel (South Fork to Cape Horn Dam), South Fork Eel (South Fork Eel River from mouth to Rattlesnake Creek) Van Duzen, Mad, Little River, Mattole and Smith. Be sure to check the regulations prior to fishing.

Fisheries currently closed: Red Abalone, Razor Clams (in Humboldt), Ocean and River Chinook fishing. Ocean salmon will be open June 13, and the Klamath and Trinity will open July 1.

Holiday weekend marine outlook
After weeks of stiff winds, North Coast anglers may finally get a weather window. Current forecasts call for fishable conditions through Memorial Day before stronger winds return Tuesday. Saturday, winds will be out of the northwest 5 to 10 knots and northwest waves 5 feet at nine seconds and southwest 1 foot at 17 seconds. Sunday, the wind will be out of the southwest 5 to 10 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at eight seconds and northwest 3 feet at 14 seconds. Monday is looking good as well, with south winds up to 5 knots along with northwest waves 2 feet at 7 seconds and northwest 4 feet at 13 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Ruth Lake Bass tournament coming June 6
Fortuna Rotary and the Southern Trinity Area Rescue will be holding the annual “Paul Jadro Memorial Bass Tournament” on Saturday, June 6. Blast off will be at 5:45 a.m. or at first safe light, by draw. The one-day tournament offers a first prize award of up to $1,000 with payout to 1 in 3 in addition to door prizes and sponsor products. The entry fee is $140 per team with a big fish buy in option of $10. The tournament is catch and release and all competitors must fish from boats that are required to have operational live wells on board. Life jackets are required. Check in at the Marina on Friday June 5 at 4:30-6 p.m. or Saturday 4:30 – 5:15 a.m. For more information, contact Lon Winburn at 707-499-2490.

Entry Fees for adults are $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 24 at midnight.

The Oceans:
Boats fishing out of Shelter Cove, Eureka, Trinidad, and Crescent City have all been tied up for over a week due to high winds. Better conditions will begin Friday, and the long weekend looks plenty fishable.

Brookings
“Salmon fishing remained good out of Brookings until windy weather brought fishing to a standstill,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Better weather is expected this weekend. A mix of wild and hatchery kings are being caught, and coho, which can’t be kept until June 6, also are starting to arrive. Divers, Fish Flash flashers and anchovies are working best. Some charters are doing well with cut-plug herring. Lingcod and rockfish have been excellent. Halibut action has been slow out of Brookings.”

River openings
Sections of the main Eel (South Fork to Cape Horn Dam), South Fork Eel (South Fork Eel River from mouth to Rattlesnake Creek) Van Duzen, Mad, Little River, Mattole and Smith will re-open on Saturday, May 23. On most rivers, only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. Click here for a complete list of CA river openings and regulations. The Chetco will open to fishing May 22.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, spring salmon fishing on the Rogue took a nosedive as warm weather has led to mossy conditions. “Sea lions are making trolling in the bay difficult.”

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

River Kings Are Back: Salmon Seasons Reinstated Across California

Spring Chinook are finally back on the Klamath after a three-year closure. The season will open July 1st on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers. Pictured are Matt Johnson and Louisa Behnke with a nice springer from the Klamath River estuary prior to the closure. Photo courtesy of Kenny Priest/Fishing the North Coast Guide Service

The news just keeps getting better for North Coast — and all California — salmon anglers. After nearly three years of closures, coastal and inland salmon seasons are officially back following Wednesday’s action by the California Fish and Game Commission. Seasons were restored on both the Klamath and Central Valley river systems, giving anglers their first real shot at river kings since 2022.
The Central Valley rivers will return to full seasons similar to those seen prior to the closures, while the Klamath Basin will once again offer both spring and fall Chinook opportunities.

Spring Chinook seasons will reopen as follows:
• Klamath River: July 1 – Aug. 14
• Trinity River: July 1 – Aug. 31

The daily bag limit will be one Chinook salmon, with a possession limit of two fish of any size.

For the fall Chinook fishery, the commission adopted a basin wide quota of 3,248 adult salmon for the Klamath Basin.

Fall seasons will be:
• Klamath River: Aug. 15 – Dec. 31 (closed above the I-5 Bridge)
• Trinity River: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31

The quota breakdown includes:
• Lower Klamath (Hwy. 96 bridge to the mouth): 1,624 adults
• Lower Klamath estuary below Highway 101: 487 adults
After this quota is caught, it triggers a complete closure of the Spit Area (within 100 yards of the channel through the sand spit formed at the Klamath River mouth). The rest of the area below U.S. Highway 101 (estuary) will remain open to recreational fishing
• Upper Klamath (CA/OR border to Highway 96): 552 adults
• Lower Trinity (downstream of the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar to the confluence with the Klamath.): 536 adults
• Upper Trinity (250 feet below Lewiston Dam to the Hwy. 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat): 536 adults

Regulations for the fall fishery include a two-fish daily bag limit, though anglers may retain only one adult salmon ≥ 23 inches per day. The possession limit is six Chinook total, with no more than three adults ≥ 23 inches.

Once individual sub-quotas are met in each section, retention will shift to jack salmon under 23 inches total length only.

After years of shutdowns and uncertainty, California salmon anglers finally have something they haven’t had in a long time — opportunity.

Central Valley rivers
Central Valley anglers will also see a full return of Sacramento fall-run Chinook seasons across the region’s major river systems. Regulations adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission include full seasons on all major Central Valley rivers, marking the first unrestricted opportunity since prior to the statewide closures.

Adopted seasons and regulations include:

• Sacramento River and Delta — All sections open full season; 2-fish daily bag and 4-fish possession limit, any size

• Feather River — All sections open full season; 2-fish daily bag and 4-fish possession limit, any size

• American River — All sections open full season; 2-fish daily bag and 4-fish possession limit, any size

• Mokelumne River — All sections open full season; 2-fish daily bag and 4-fish possession limit, any size

Complete season dates and open river sections are available through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Marine Forecast
According to Eureka National Weather Service, ocean conditions are expected to deteriorate heading into the weekend. A weak frontal boundary Thursday night into Friday will ease winds north of Cape Mendocino, but increasing northerlies south of the cape could push winds beyond 21 knots by Friday evening. By Saturday, 15 to 20-knot winds are expected across much of the North Coast, building steep short-period seas of 4 to 7 feet. Conditions are forecast to worsen further Sunday, with near gale-to gale-force gusts possible by the afternoon.

As of Thursday, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots with waves northwest 2 feet at four seconds and northwest 4 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday, the winds will be out of the northwest 10 to 15 knots and waves will be out of the northwest 3 feet at four seconds and west 5 feet at 12 seconds. Sunday, the winds will increase out of the north 15 to 20 knots with waves out of the northwest 3 feet at five seconds and west 5 feet at 11 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit https://www.weather.gov/eka/ or https://www.windy.com/. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

CDPH warns consumers not to eat sport-harvested bivalve shellfish from Del Norte County
In a press release issued by CDFW May 6, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat sport-harvested mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from Del Norte County.

Statement:

“Dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins have been detected in mussels from Del Norte County. The naturally occurring PSP toxins can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin.

This notification is in addition to the annual mussel quarantine which prohibits the sport-harvest of mussels for human consumption and applies to all species of mussels harvested for human consumption along the California coast, as well as all bays and estuaries, and will continue through at least October 31. There are also shellfish safety notifications warning against eating sport-harvested bivalve shellfish in Sonoma, Marin, and San Mateo counties due to marine biotoxins. Additionally, there is a razor clam advisory for Humboldt County due to domoic acid.

PSP toxins affect the nervous system, producing a tingling around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours after eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech, and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.

This warning does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, and oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor toxins.”

Kids free fishing derbies coming May 16
On Saturday, May 16, all kids 15 years old and younger are invited to the Ruth Lake Marina for the Kids Free Fishing Derby. The event will be from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Kids must bring their own fishing poles and must be accompanied by an adult. There will be a hot dog feed at 11:30. For more information, call the Ruth Lake Community Services District at 707-574-6332 or visit https://www.ruthlakecsd.org/local-events/

On Saturday, May 16, 2026, all kids age 4 to 15 are invited to the Carrville Dredger Pond for the 51st annual Trinity Lake Lions Fish Derby. The pond is located five miles north of the Trinity Center. Registration is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The fishing derby will last until 11 a.m. Free fishing tackle will be provided to the first 100 kids registered. Kids must bring their own fishing poles, and only bait will be allowed. Prizes will be awarded in many categories, along with a grand prize. Free hot dogs, chips, and drinks will be available for everyone.

Entry Fees for adults are $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 24 at midnight.

The Oceans:
Eureka
The Pacific halibut bite remains slow, reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “I don’t necessarily think it’s because a lack of fish, there just hasn’t been much effort,” said Klassen. “It’s hard to gauge with just a few boats trying. We did land one Wednesday near the Eel River canyon. We were also able to boat some nice deep-water rockfish while we were down there. The rockfish bite at the Cape is still going well. There are some signs of salmon around, including the right kind of birds, which bodes well for the June opener.”

Trinidad
Ocean conditions look excellent on Friday for small boats and kayaks launching from the beach. The boat launch was scheduled to open May 6. For updates and current information, you can call the bait shop at 707-677-3625.

Shelter Cove
It’s pretty much the same story at the Cove reports Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. He said, “Great rock fishing, decent lingcod action, and pretty slow on Pacific halibut. The fishing has still been good close to port so we’re still spending our time around the whistle and Old Man.

Crescent City
Ocean conditions have been good this week and the rockfish bite continues to be excellent. The Sisters, South Reef and north at the light house are all giving up limits of rockfish. The ling bite hasn’t been as good, but boats are catching a few. The Pacific halibut bite hasn’t really taken off yet, but the effort has been very low. Look for that to change as we get deeper into May.

Brookings
Halibut season is off to a slow start out of Brookings, although most boats are still focusing on salmon reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “The kings are now being caught deeper, but still just a short run from the harbor,” said Martin. “The best salmon fishing has been in 180 feet of water off of Bird Island and Twin Rock. Lingcod and rockfish action continues to be excellent. Halibut season opened May 1, with rough weather. Tuesday was calm, but halibut catches were light.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue River is low and clear, and springer fishing is slow, although boats trolling in the ocean near the buoys are catching nice springers.

Rockfish bite anchors North Coast fishery

Casen Whipp, of Oak Run CA boated this nice vermilion rockfish Sunday while fishing near Cape Mendocino. Photo courtesy of Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing,

As the famous saying goes, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” I’ll go out on a limb and add a third — North Coast rockfish.

From Shelter Cove north to Crescent City, and just about everywhere in between, the nearshore rockfish bite has been nothing short of outstanding this season. Private and charter boats alike are reporting wide-open action at all the usual rocky haunts, with quick limits the rule rather than the exception.

While they may not carry the same glamour as Pacific halibut or king salmon, rockfish deliver where it counts—consistency. If your goal is to stock the freezer or enjoy a steady rotation of fresh fish tacos, it’s tough to beat what rockfish bring to the table.

The statewide rockfish season officially opened on April 1 and will remain open at all depths through Dec. 31. (The exception is the Southern Management Zone, where all depths are open through June 30.)
The daily bag limit is 10 fish per person within the RCG complex—this includes all species of rockfish, cabezon, and greenlings. The lingcod limit is two fish per person per day, with a 22-inch minimum size.

Within that 10-fish bag, sub-limits apply: only one copper rockfish, four vermilion rockfish (in the Northern Management Area), and two canary rockfish are allowed.
A descending device is required when fishing for groundfish. No one may take or possess federal groundfish from a vessel in ocean waters without one on board.
The following species may not be taken or possessed in California at any time: bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, quillback rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish.

For a complete list of regulations, visit the California recreational groundfish fishing regulations summary.

Marine Forecast
Ocean conditions don’t look good for Friday and Saturday but should improve starting Sunday as an area of low pressure approaches. As of Thursday, Friday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 15 to 20 knots with waves northwest 8 feet at eight seconds and west 4 feet at 13 seconds. Saturday, the winds will be out of the northwest 15 to 20 knots and waves will be out of the northwest 7 feet at nine seconds and northwest 5 feet at 12 seconds. Sunday, winds will switch to southwest 5 to 10 knots with waves out of the northwest 6 feet at nine seconds and northwest 5 feet at 17 seconds with a chance of rain. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit https://www.weather.gov/eka/ or https://www.windy.com/. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Bass Tourney coming to Ruth Lake Saturday
The Alderpoint Volunteer Fire Department is hosting the Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Bass Tournament this Saturday May 2nd at Ruth Lake. Check in is Friday night between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Ruth Lake Marina and Journey’s End between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. The tournament starts Saturday morning between 4 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. with live well checks. This is a catch and release tournament with a 13-inch minimum length. Blast off is 6 a.m. or at first safe light. $150 fee and a $20 Big Fish option. For more information, call Thomas Bruce at 707-223-6258 or Roger Coleman Jr., 707-223-3858.

Annual quarantine of sport-harvested mussels Begins May 1
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a press release on April 27 announcing the annual quarantine of sport-harvested mussels gathered along the California coast. The quarantine will begin May 1 and applies to all species of mussels that are recreationally harvested for human consumption along the California coast, including all bays and estuaries. During the quarantine, mussels may only be harvested for non-consumptive uses, such as for bait.

The quarantine is in place to protect the public against poisoning that can lead to serious illness, including coma and death. According to the press release, the quarantine does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins. More information can be found here.

Fish and Game Commission meeting coming May 5-6
The California Fish and Game Commission meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Santa Barbara/Goleta 6878 Hollister Avenue Goleta, CA. Meetings will start at 8 a.m. each day.

To join the meeting remotely via Zoom (video and audio), click directly on the meeting link at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89046108064. You can access detailed instructions for joining by phone or Zoom by clicking here

On the agenda for May 6, the commission will consider adopting proposed amendments to Klamath River Basin and Central Valley sport fishing regulations and taking final action under the California Environmental Quality Act. A complete agenda and comment submission, and viewing information, can be found here.

Entry Fees for adults are $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 24 at midnight.

Smith River set to close
The Smith River will be closed to fishing beginning Friday, May 1 from its mouth to the confluence of the Middle and South Forks; Middle Fork Smith River from mouth to Patrick Creek; South Fork Smith River from the mouth upstream approximately 1,000 feet to the County Road (George Tryon) bridge and Craigs Creek to Jones Creek. It will re-open May 23. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used from the fourth Sat. in May through Aug. 31.

The Oceans:
Eureka
The rockfish and lingcod action have been really good at Cape Mendocino reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “We made the trip down Sunday in less-than-ideal conditions are we were able to find steady rockfish action in a little deeper water,” said Klassen. “The lingcod bite was a little slower but it’s still good. There hasn’t been much halibut effort yet, but that should change soon. The weather doesn’t look great this weekend, but it should improve mid-week.”

Trinidad
Ocean conditions look good mid-week for small boats and kayaks launching from the beach. The boat launch opening has been pushed back to May 6. For updates and current information, you can call the bait shop at 707-677-3625.

Shelter Cove
“It’s been a pretty solid week at the Cove reports Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. He said, “The rockfish have been snapping really well, but it’s taking a little longer to catch our lingcod. We’re spending most of our time around the whistle buoy and the Old Man. The Pacific halibut bite remains slow, and the effort has really slowed down.”

Crescent City
When the boats can get out, the rockfish bite continues to shine. Some of the better spots include the Sisters, South Reef and north at the light house. The ling bite hasn’t been red hot every day, but boats are coming back with limits more often than not. The Pacific halibut bite hasn’t really taken off yet, but the effort has been very low. Look for that to change as summer rolls around.

Brookings
Windy conditions scattered salmon off the coast of Brookings, but catches remained fair to good over the weekend reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Fishing improved north of Brookings and near Gold Beach, when the bar is calm enough to cross,” said Martin. “The best action remains around 20 feet below the surface over 120 feet of water.
Lingcod and rockfish action has been very good out of Brookings. Halibut season opens May 1, although the best fishing out of Brookings is usually July and August. Surfperch action continues to be good off the beaches around Brookings.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, springer fishing is slow on the Rogue, with a handful of fish being caught each day, but many boats going without fish.

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

Halibut Anglers Have Plenty of Quota to Fill

Dave Brazil, along with buddies Jim Collins and Larry Kryla, landed this monster halibut while fishing out of Eureka on July 9. The big halibut is currently sitting atop the leader board at Englund Marine big halibut contest. Photo courtesy of Larry Kryla

Though we’ve had some spectacular ocean conditions the last several days, it’s been a fairly breezy summer. Which is by no means out of the ordinary. The one upside of a summer full of windy, non-fishable weather – a Pacific halibut quota that still has plenty of poundage left to fill. Maybe the catch-rates have been too low that CDFW didn’t feel the need to update the in-season tracking “Thermometer.” Whatever the reason, CDFW finally posted last week the first catch estimate since the season started back on May 1. As of July 31, California’s share of Area 2A’s quota, which includes Washington and Oregon, is at 26 percent, with only 10,122 net pounds harvested against the 39,280 quota. (500 pounds are set aside for the area south of Point Arena). There’s a real good chance the quota will last through the summer and into fall, especially if the warm tuna water comes within reach.

The Pacific halibut season will be open until Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. To monitor the in-season tracking, visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Pacific-Halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking. The daily bag and possession limit for Pacific halibut is one fish. There is no minimum size limit.
When angling, no more than one line with two hooks attached may be used. A harpoon, gaff, or net may be used to assist in taking a Pacific halibut that has been legally caught by angling.

Weekend Marine Forecast
After a pretty good stretch of calm seas, the breeze is returning to the North Coast. Although the winds won’t be strong, it will make for some choppy seas. Out 10 nautical miles, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots and waves north 4 feet at five seconds. Saturday, the winds will be from the northwest 5 to 10 knots with north waves 3 feet at five seconds. Sunday’s forecast looks to be a repeat of Saturday. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Razor Clam fishery opens back up in Del Norte
In a press release issued Wednesday, July 30, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has re-opened the recreational razor clam fishery in Del Norte County following a recommendation from state health agencies that domoic acid no longer poses a significant threat.

Statement from CDFW:

“The razor clam fishery was closed in Del Norte County due to elevated levels of domoic acid in November 2023. State health agencies have continued to monitor domoic acid levels in razor clams since the closure, but test results consistently showed elevated levels, exceeding the federal action level (≥20 parts per million (ppm)). Clams collected in June and July 2025 from Crescent Beach, Del Norte County all had domoic acid concentrations lower than the federal action level, allowing the fishery to reopen.

DFW reminds clammers that the daily bag limit for razor clams is 20 and the first 20 clams dug must be retained regardless of size or condition. The fishery in odd-numbered years is open north of Battery Point, Crescent City in Del Norte County. Each person is required to keep a separate container for their clams and is not allowed to commingle their take with another person when digging and transporting clams to shore.”

Sport Crab season comes to a close
The 2025 sport Dungeness crab season in Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte counties is closed as of Wednesday, July 30. The season is expected to reopen Nov. 1.

Junior Angler fishing program coming this Sunday
The Redwood National and State Parks, along with California Fish and Wildlife experts will be hosting a Junior Angler Fishing Program this Sunday, Aug. 3. The event, which runs from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. will be held at Freshwater Beach with anglers meeting at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center. Address is 119441 Highway 101 N. in Orick. This is a free event and fishing equipment will be provided. Participants 16 years and older are required to have a fishing license. For more information, call 707-951-5388.

The Oceans:
Eureka
We’ve had a good stretch of weather, but the Pacific halibut bite hasn’t been red hot out of Eureka reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “There’s been days where some boats limited out, but it wasn’t every day,” said Klassen. “There’s been an early morning bite, then it’s been really slow until the afternoon. I don’t think there’s big concentrations of fish. You’ll fish a spot and do really well one day and the next day it’s dried up. They’ve been caught from Trinidad all the way to Blunt’s reef, so they seem really spread out. We’re also starting to see some fish caught in closer now, around 240 feet. So, they may be moving in. The rockfish bite at the Cape has been really good. The variety of fish has been excellent with lots of blacks, and blues in shallow and plenty of canaries and vermillion out deeper. Looks like we’re going to be dealing with choppy conditions the next few days, which isn’t good for the chance at tuna. The water has been sitting about 46 miles out for a few days now.”

Shelter Cove
“Rock fishing remains very good and were still getting limits of ling cod most days as well,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “The Pacific halibut bite slowed down a little this week, but the weather wasn’t that great. Most rock fishing effort was in tight right out front.”

Crescent City
The rockfish bite is still wide-open reports Chris Hegnes of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Boats going down to the Sisters or north to the lighthouse are finding easy limits of rockfish,” said Hegnes. “The lingcod bite has been really good too. A half-dozen Pacific halibut were caught this week, including a 65-pounder. The California halibut bite has slowed down.”

Brookings
Ocean coho fishing has been slow out of Brookings, but a few hatchery silvers are being caught reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “The bulk of the coho have now migrated north off of Coos Bay and Winchester Bay,” said Martin. “A few keepers are being caught near Mack Arch in 300 feet of water, near the surface. Halibut fishing has been good at times off of Brookings, but large schools of small black cod have slowed catch rates, and made it difficult to fish baits without getting hooks picked clean soon after reaching the bottom. Lingcod and rockfish action has been good, while sport crabbing also is good out of Brookings.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay slowed in recent days, with fish seen splashing and rolling, but overall catch rates slow for late July. “Hot weather inland has kept salmon schooled up in the bay. Anglers are now awaiting a fresh wave of fish.”

California Halibut Derby on Humboldt Bay this Saturday, July 19

The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association (NCGASA.org) will be holding the first annual California Halibut Derby on Saturday, July 19. The fishing event will be held within the waters of Humboldt Bay and is a Slot Size Derby. Fishing times are from 5:30am to 2:30pm. Check-ins, Weigh-ins and Awards Ceremony will be held at Woodley Island, 601 Startare Drive at the East-I Lot Grass Area. Weigh-ins from 2:30-3:30pm. Must be in line with your fish by 3:30pm in order to qualify. A slot size measurement will be drawn at the Eureka Public Launching Facility (between Englund Marine and the Vista Del Mar on Eureka Waterfront Trail and posted to the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Adult payouts will be $500 for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place, and $150 for 3rd place. Youth Payouts – $100 for 1st place, $75 for 2nd place, $50 for 3rd place. Youth payouts will be in the form of RMI Outdoors gift cards. All Youths registered in the Derby will receive a rod and reel combo!

Other Prizes from our Partners, Sponsors

• Fishing Trips with Sea Hawk Sportfishing, F/V Wind Rose Charters, Crescent City Fishing with Steve Huber, and Alan Borges Guide Service

• Fishing Tackle & Gear from P-Line Fishing, Pacific Outfitters, Englund Marine, RMI Outdoors, Grundman’s Sporting Goods, Reel Steel Sportfishing, Bigfoot Bait Co, B2-Squid Co and more!

• $50 and $100 Gift Certificates from Leon’s Care Care, Six Rivers Brewery, Arcata Pizza Deli, The Mill Yard and more!

Winners will be announced at event. Find details about the other prizes on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Raffle Tickets for Purchase at Check In

Win donated raffle prizes at the event by purchasing ticket strips! You can purchase raffle tickets at the check in station at the event.

$20 = 5 raffle tickets

Fill out your full name on the back of the tickets and insert tickets into a drum or bucket. Tickets will be drawn at the event.

Contact Nor-Cal Guides Board of Directors Kenny Priest for more information, how to donate products or to sponsor the event. Email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com or call or text (707) 496-8671

California Halibut Derby Rules

You must be a CURRENT NCGASA MEMBER to PARTICIPATE in this Derby PAYOUTS AND PRIZES ARE BASED ON 70 minimum ADULT ENTRANTS.

FISHING HOURS: JULY 19 from 5:30 am to 2:30 pm • WEIGH-INS from 2:30pm to 3:30pm
RAFFLE PRIZES and AWARDS START AFTER LAST WEIGH IN
WHERE: Woodley Island, 601 Startare Drive East-I Lot/Grass Area
The boundaries of the 2025 California Halibut Derby are: All California halibut must be caught in the waters of Humboldt Bay

All entrants must be entered by Friday, July 18th by midnight. Derby event date is July 19 starting at 5:30 am and closing at 5:30 pm. Sign up and register at ncgasa.org/product/california-halibut-derby/. Registration fees will cover the entry into the event including annual 2025 annual membership to NCGASA. Current members will receive $20 in raffle tickets at event check in. There is a Youth division for 13 years old and under. Entrants closest to the slot size will win. There will be three winners for adult and youth. Derby fees are listed on website.
Payouts will be as follows for CALIFORNIA HALIBUT ONLY. 1st place $500, 2nd place $300, 3rd place $150. Youth payout: 1st place $100, 2nd place $75, 3rd place $50. All adult payments will be a written check from NCGASA. Youth will receive Gift Cards. Prizes based on 70 minimum adult entrants and subject to change.
The Derby will officially draw the slot size July 19 at approx. 5:00 am LIVE on FACEBOOK. The NCGASA Board will have a qualifier of 3” over and under from the target size. Fish that fall within the slot size will be measured to the 1/16” up to 3” from target and weighed. (Example: 27” TARGET = qualifier 24” to 31”). The closest entrant to the slot size wins. Entrants can ONLY ENTER ONE FISH for the main slot category.
“Big Fish” entries will be California Halibut 30” and above. ONLY ONE “Big Fish” can be entered per entrant. In case of a tie, winner will be determined by weight. For the big fish, adult and youth divisions will be combined.
Measuring device and scale will be provided by the NCGASA Board of Directors and used for all the same fish. Upon an exact tie in length, with 2 Board of Directors confirming a tie, the winner will be decided by weight. All fish within 3” of the target length will be weighed. Biggest weight would take 1st and losing entrant takes 2nd. Upon a 3rd place tie, we will take the same direction. All disputes will be solved by NCGASA Board of Directors present at event.
A Slot Length of a fish is measured from the tip of nose, closed mouth to the CENTER of the tail. Measure your fish from the tip of nose to the center of a fanned-out tail. The tail should be fanned opened and it will be measured to its longest point in the center of the tail, not the tip of the tail.
All people on a vessel must be registered for the Derby if one is participating. For example: If there are four people in a boat, they all must be registered in the Derby. 2-3 people CANNOT fish as a team for one person. Any cheating on this will be a forfeiture of all monies paid for entrants on that vessel. Only exception is licensed guides do not have to be entered. Any licensed guide entered in the Derby must be a current member of NCGASA to avoid paying derby entry fee.
The boundaries of the 2025 California Halibut Derby are all waters within Humboldt Bay. All derby waters are off-limits at Friday, July 18 at Sunset until 5:30 am when you can launch your boat on Saturday, July 19. You are not allowed to be on the water before 5:30 am on Derby event day. If anyone sees you on the water before 5:30 am, besides getting ready to launch at the dock, you are automatically disqualified. Fishing event hours are ONLY from 5:30 am to 2:30 pm on event day.
All entrants must be in line for weigh-in before 3:30 pm. One minute late is an automatic disqualification. Weigh-in takes place at Woodley Island in Eureka at East I lot and weigh-in starts at 2:30pm and finishes by 3:30 pm. All awards and raffle will start after weigh-in is complete.
All derby monies and proceeds go to help fight to save our fisheries and wildlife in Northern, CA. NCGASA is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, and all donations are 100% tax write off. Tax ID # 680294956
All entrants and people helping with derby understand the risks involved with fishing and boating on Humboldt Bay and are required to follow all CA Department of boating and waterways procedures and California Department of Fish and Wildlife rules. All entrants must carry all boating safety equipment on their own vessels per CDFW. All Derby fish must be taken to the Woodley Island for weigh-in and measuring location between 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Winners will be reported to local police and investigated upon any form of foul play or cheating determined by the NCGASA Board of Directors. By registering online, all Derby participants understand and are responsible for all the risks to participate in this event.
All entrants must follow all local, state, and federal laws in this Derby. All CDFW laws are required to be followed. All fish must be caught in the mouth and landed legally by hand or net. You may use any legal technique to fish for California Halibut.
NCGASA reserves the right to deploy emergency rule changes if deemed necessary by the NCGASA Board of Directors. Please make sure that you check the NCGASA Facebook and Instagram account before the start of the derby or any changes to the rules will be announced at that time.

Questions: ncgasa530@gmail.com Kenny (707) 496-8671 or Tracy (707) 496-2948

Finally, Calm Seas Ahead

Keith Daniels, right, along with grandson Brian landed this nice Pacific halibut Wednesday while fishing out of Eureka aboard the Sea Weasel II. Photo courtesy of Gary Blasi/Full Throttle Sport Fishing

After a full week of sitting on the sidelines watching the wind blow, the Eureka fleet finally got untied Wednesday. And it looks there’s some really nice weather on the horizon too. Friday looks good, though Saturday is looking a little lumpy. Sunday and into next week are looking nice and calm. As for fishing, the few boats that went out Wednesday found some hungry Pacific halibut. I’d expect to see scores go up over the next few days. The other ports are finally getting in on the action. A few were finally caught out of Shelter Cove and Crescent City this week. Along with Pacific’s showing signs of life, both those ports also saw an uptick in the California halibut catch rate. With the nice weather, the Eureka boats will be able to get down to Cape Mendocino to enjoy some of the wide-open rockfish action that’s happening up and down the coast. The fishing is definitely looking up; all we needed was some nice weather.

Marine Forecast
After a weeklong stretch of rough seas and wind, we’re finally getting a break. As of Thursday, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds up to 5 knots and waves north 1 foot at four seconds and northwest 5 feet at nine seconds. Saturday, the winds will increase slightly, coming from the north 10 to 15 knots with northwest waves 5 feet at nine seconds. Sunday, winds will be out of the north 5 to 10 knots with waves out of the northwest 4 feet at seven seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Sport Crab season coming to a close
The 2025 sport Dungeness crab season in Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte counties will close July 30. The season is expected to reopen Nov. 1.

California Halibut Derby on Humboldt Bay this Saturday
The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association will be holding the first annual California Halibut Derby on Saturday, July 19. The fishing event will be held within the waters of Humboldt Bay. Check-ins, Weigh-ins and Awards Ceremony will be held at Woodley Island, 601 Startare Drive at the East-I Lot Grass Area.

This is a slot size derby, a measurement will be drawn in the morning before the derby and posted to the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Adult payouts will be $500 for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place, and $150 for 3rd place. Youth Payouts – $100 for 1st place, $75 for 2nd place, $50 for 3rd place. Youth payouts will be in the form of gift cards. All Youths registered in the Derby will receive a rod and reel combo! Raffle prizes will include fishing trips, rods and reels, fishing tackle and gear, merchandise and more.

Entry Fees for adults is $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/shop. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 18 at midnight. Derby information and rules can be found here.

The Oceans:
Eureka
It was a quiet week for the Eureka fleet, with boats tied up since the last week, reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “Some boats went out for halibut Wednesday and caught a few,” said Klassen. “We have some good weather coming up starting Thursday. Saturday looks a little iffy, but Sunday and next week are looking good at the moment.”

Shelter Cove
Rock fishing remains great, but the lingcod bite has gotten more inconsistent,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “The best rockfish action this week was in close right off the point. The Pacific halibut bite has started to show some signs of life as there were a few caught this week. Some California halibut are being caught as well.”

Crescent City
The California halibut bite has really picked up reports Will Moore of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Boats trolling South Beach are doing well along with anglers fishing off the rock wall across from the launch,” said Moore. “The Pacific halibut bite is finally showing signs of life. I heard of a couple caught this week. And with better weather coming, we should see those numbers go up. The rockfish and lingcod bite are still excellent, with limits coming pretty easily The Sisters and right out front at the cans have both been very productive.”

Brookings
The ocean king season ended Tuesday, with the last few days producing surprisingly good fishing considering big swells and strong winds reports Andy Martin, of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Lots of kings were schooled up near the buoys, feeding on baitfish, said Martin. “Kings to 30 pounds were caught, with a mix of hatchery and wild salmon. Fishing remains open for hatchery coho salmon through most of August. Coho have been found in deeper water, three to five miles offshore. Halibut fishing has been fair. Lingcod fishing also is good. Sport crabbing has improved.”

Klamath River
The lower river is still really big, flowing at 4,370 cfs on the lower gauge. There are some steelhead around, including some hatchery fish. As the river drops, which is predicted, we should start to see more fish move into the system.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay is showing signs of life, with a dozen or more kings caught each day. “Fishing generally picks up considerably in August. Hot weather in the Rogue Valley has salmon held up in the bay. The incoming tide has been best. Mossy conditions have slowed the action at low tide.”

Eureka Kicking Out Some Big Butts

John Lanz scored the biggest Pacific halibut of the season with this 91-pounder. It was caught on July 4th out of Trinidad fishing with Don Galusha. Photo courtesy of John Lanz

Anglers fishing out of Eureka enjoyed some of the best Pacific halibut fishing of the season this week. Not only was there a good volume of fish, there were some big ones in the mix. The leaderboard for Englund Marine’s big fish contest consists of 71, 75, and 88 pounders. Not to be outdone, Trinidad checked in with a 91-pounder over the fourth of July weekend.

Ocean conditions were excellent the last several days, and that played a big role in anglers success. Out of Eureka, boats have congregated around the 50-line in 250 to 270 feet of water. But halibut have also been caught south at the edge of the Eel River canyon and we’re starting to see more come out of Trinidad. But just as soon as we get on a roll, the wind machine fires back up. North winds are expected to reach near gale force through the weekend.

Weekend marine forecast
After a nice stretch of calm seas, the wind is forecast to pick up over the weekend. According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, “surface high pressure is forecast to re-build toward the Northwest California coast through Thursday. This will enhance the pressure gradient and once again strengthen the northerlies. Gale force winds and large steep waves are probable over the outer waters Thursday afternoon through Friday night. Gale force winds and/or very large steep waves will likely persist into at least Saturday for the northern outer waters. Closer to shore and across the inner waters, gale force gusts are probable around and downwind of Cape Mendocino and Pt St George.

As of Thursday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 20 to 25 knots with gusts up to 45 knots. Waves will be from the north 9 feet at nine seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for north winds 15 to 20 knots with gusts up to 35 knots. North waves will be 9 feet at nine seconds and west 2 feet at 12 seconds. Winds will decrease slightly Sunday, blowing 10 to 15 knots from the northwest with waves northwest 7 feet at eight seconds and northwest 3 feet at 11 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

California Halibut Derby on Humboldt Bay coming July 19
The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association will be holding the first annual California Halibut Derby on Saturday, July 19. The fishing event will be held within the waters of Humboldt Bay. Check-ins, Weigh-ins and Awards Ceremony will be held at Woodley Island, 601 Startare Drive at the East-I Lot Grass Area.

Nathan Teasley of Rio Del with a monster California Halibut caught Tuesday out of Humboldt Bay. The big fish measured 43 inches.

Entry Fees for adults is $60 (comes with a $30 NCGASA Membership). Youth entry fees are $40, 13 years and under (comes with a $10 NCGASA Membership)

*If you are a current NCGASA member, you will receive $20 in raffle tickets at check-in.

You can register online at https://ncgasa.org/shop. Entrants will need to be signed up and paid for by July 18 at midnight. Derby information and rules can be found here.

Eel River Pikeminnow Fishing Derby now underway
After a successful Eel River Pikeminnow derby in 2024, CalTrout is back with another derby that started July 1 and will run through Aug. 31. The derby, which is put on with the help of CDFW, will offer $2,500 worth of prizes for:

Most pikeminnow greater than six inches
Most pikeminnow greater than 12 inches
Biggest fish (length)
Drawing for kids (under 18) that entered a pikeminnow in the contest.

Rules:
Contestants will follow all CDFW fishing regulations, including no bait, barbless artificial lures only.
Prohibited actions: Throwing fish on the bank or into the river, any blatant waste of fish.

All waters open to angling on the South Fork Eel River downstream of the Humboldt County line to the confluence with the mainstem. The mainstem Eel from Dos Rios to the mouth of the Van Duzen. The Van Duzen from Grizzly Creek to the mouth of the Van Duzen.

Submit entries online using one email address. All entries for the “most pikeminnow” will be tallied by participant name. Photos from poor angles or of bad quality are subject to disqualification.
Mail in forms must be postmarked on or before September 3. Send a copy of your photo(s), minimum size 3”x5” each, along with completed entry form to: CalTrout 1380 9th St. Arcata, CA 95521
Individual contestants can win no more than one prize category. In the case of multiple wins, the largest prize amount will be awarded.
Cheating or falsification of entries will result in automatic disqualification.

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

Warning against consumption of Sport-Harvested Bivalve Shellfish from Del Norte County
In a press release issued July 3rd, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat sport-harvested mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from Del Norte County.

Statement:
“Dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins have been detected in mussels from Del Norte County. The naturally occurring PSP toxins can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin.

This shellfish safety notification is in addition to the warnings against eating sport-harvested bivalve shellfish in Marin, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange counties due to marine biotoxins, and to the annual mussel quarantine. The annual quarantine prohibits the sport-harvest of mussels for human consumption and applies to all species of mussels harvested for human consumption along the California coast, as well as all bays and estuaries, and will continue through at least October 31. Additionally, there are razor clam advisories for Del Norte and Humboldt counties due to domoic acid.

You can get the most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines by calling CDPH’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at (800) 553-4133 or viewing the recreational bivalve shellfish advisory interactive map. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring web page.

The Oceans:
Eureka
“There is a little bit of a Pacific halibut bite going on right now,” said Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “It’s not wide-open, but there are limits to be had. It’s about being at the right place at the right time. The tide change has been the key, with most of the bites coming just prior to high tide. Most of the action is coming just a little north of the entrance in 270 feet of water. But I’m sure there are fish in other places as well. Herring has been the bait of choice. The fish are ranging from 20 to 50-pounds, with the occasional bigger one. The wind is coming back up starting Thursday and looks to stick around through the weekend.”

Shelter Cove
“The rock fishing and lingcod got a little tougher this last week with the increased pressure over the holiday weekend,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We still got limits every day, but really had to work for them. We fished all over from the whistle down to the Ranch House. We still have not caught a halibut, but there are a few California halibut being caught.”

Crescent City
“Both the rockfish and lingcod bite have been over the top, with limits coming easily,” said Chris Hegnes, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine.” The reefs along with the Sisters have been productive. The California halibut bite has improved, with five landed off the rock wall on Tuesday. The Pacific halibut bite remains non-existent; I haven’t heard of one caught yet. There hasn’t been much effort.”

Brookings
“Salmon fishing has shown signs of busting open out of Brookings, but every time there is a day or two of good fishing, strong winds return,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Wednesday was the best day so far this season, with numerous boats returning with multiple kings and hatchery coho. The best fishing has been in 140 to 300 feet of water. The fish are close to the surface. Windy weather returns for the weekend. Halibut fishing has been decent out of Brookings, while lingcod and rockfish action has been good. Surfperch continue to bite at beaches around Brookings.”