Coho Salmon | Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest

All-Depth Groundfish Fishing Now Open Statewide

Fresno resident Jerry Urzua landed a nice lingcod on a recent trip out of Shelter Cove. Lingcod, as well as rockfish, cabezon, greenlings can now be harvested at all depths through Dec. 31st. Photo courtesy of Jake Mitchell/Sea Hawk Sport Fishing

Just in time for the ever-popular crab/rockfish/halibut combo trips starting in November, NOAA Fisheries announced on Sept. 18 that in state and federal waters between the Oregon/California border and Point Conception (34° 27′ N. Lat.), anglers may now take the RCG Complex (rockfish, cabezon, greenlings) and lingcod at all depths through December 31, 2025.

New scientific data show stronger-than-expected numbers of quillback rockfish off California, prompting the California Fish and Game Commission to take emergency action on August 28 to reopen access in state waters. NOAA Fisheries / NMFS matched those changes in federal waters effective Sept. 18, 2025.

Key changes for recreational anglers:

Two-fish sub-bag limit on canary rockfish statewide.
Vermilion and sunset rockfish combined: both species count toward the same sub-bag limit.
Prohibited species remain closed: no retention of quillback rockfish, bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, or yelloweye rockfish.
Management area realignment: the Lopez Point boundary has been removed, creating the new Central Groundfish Management Area from 37° 11′ N. (Pigeon Point) to 34° 27′ N. (Point Conception).
Descending devices required: all vessels taking or possessing federal groundfish must carry one to minimize barotrauma and safely return fish to depth.

For the most up-to-date regulations, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary.

Weekend marine forecast
Some rough ocean conditions are on tap for the next several days. As of Thursday, the forecast out 10 nautical miles for Friday is calling for winds out of the north 20 to 25 knots with northwest waves 9 feet at nine seconds. Saturday is calling for winds from the northwest 5 to 10 knots and northwest waves 9 feet at 15 seconds. Sunday the winds will be out of the south 5 to 10 knots and northwest waves 7 feet at 12 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Ruth Lake Fall Bass tournament coming Oct. 4
The Alderpoint Volunteer Fire Department is hosting the Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Bass Tournament on Saturday October 4th at Ruth Lake. Check in is Friday night between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Ruth Lake Marina or at Journey’s End between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. This is a catch and release tournament with a 13-inch minimum length. Blast off is 6 a.m. or at first safe light. For more information, call Thomas Bruce at 707-223-6258 or Roger Coleman Jr. at 707-223-3858.

CDPH lifts warning for sport-harvested Del Norte County Bivalve Shellfish
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has lifted the shellfish safety notifications today related to sport-harvested bivalve shellfish from Del Norte County.

CDPH Statement:

“The safety notification for Del Norte County was issued on July 3, 2025, due to dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in mussels. These naturally occurring toxins can cause illness or death in humans. Recent testing shows paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins have decreased to safe levels in mussels in this area.

While this warning has been lifted, the annual mussel quarantine remains in effect, which means that while scallops, clams, and oysters can be harvested from Del Norte County, mussels remain under quarantine. The annual quarantine prohibits the sport-harvest of mussels for human consumption and applies to all species of mussels harvested along the California coast, as well as all bays and estuaries, and will continue through at least October 31.

A safety notification issued September 9, 2025, for sport-harvested mussels, scallops, clams, and oysters from Humboldt County remains in effect due to the presence of domoic acid in mussels.

This warning 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

Paralytic shellfish poisoning 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.”

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
It’s been a fairly quiet week for the Eureka fleet since last Saturday’s tuna run. A handful of boats made a 55-mile run south and after several hours of nothing, the bite turned on. One of the local charters boated 24 albies, all between 15 and 25 pounds. It doesn’t look like we’ll see another opportunity for quite a few days. Pacific halibut are still being caught north of the entrance near the 51 line, but the effort has slowed. Weather permitting, the rockfish bite at the Cape is still good.

Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing submitted a proposal at the recent PFMC meeting to open up the Pacific halibut season in April instead of May. According to Klassen, the proposal was approved, and will be voted on at the Nov. Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting. It would then need approval by International Pacific Halibut Commission.

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, rock fishing has been excellent with quick limits of rockfish and lingcod every day this week. “Most of the effort was at the Hat,” said Mitchell. “Pacific halibut remains slow and there was a one-day tuna window on Saturday, but the boats that went did not do very well.”

Crescent City
“Not much has changed since last week, the weather hasn’t been great and not many boats are getting out,” said Will Moore of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “When the boats do get out, the rockfish and lingcod bite is still really good. We haven’t seen the bite slow down at all. Both the California and Pacific halibut effort has dwindled to nothing.”

Brookings
According to Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters, the Pacific halibut fishing is fair out of Brookings. He said, “Winds subside this weekend, but bigger swells could stall the action. Rockfish action is good, with plenty of lingcod in the mix. Sport crabbing remains very good.”

ODFW Hosting Public Meetings on 2026 Bottomfish and Halibut Seasons
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will hold a series of in-person meetings Oct. 6–8 to discuss the 2026 recreational bottomfish and Pacific halibut seasons with anglers. The Oct. 8 meeting in Newport will also offer a virtual option via Microsoft Teams.

Meeting Schedule:

Oct. 6 – Brookings: 5:30–7:30 p.m., Port Meeting Room, Port of Brookings, 16330 Lower Harbor Rd.
Oct. 7 – North Bend: 6–8 p.m., North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Ave.
Oct. 8 – Newport: 6–8 p.m., Hatfield Marine Science Center, Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building, Classroom 176, 2030 SE Marine Science Dr. (Virtual option available)

Topics for Discussion

Review of 2025 bottomfish harvest with lower guidelines and stricter bag limits for black rockfish and canary rockfish.
Pros and cons of a year-round fishery vs. a four-fish daily marine species limit with a one-fish sub-bag limit for canary rockfish.
Pacific halibut proposals including:
- Restructuring the Columbia River subarea nearshore fishery.
- “Frontloading” the Central Oregon Coast quota to the spring all-depth fishery for added flexibility.

ODFW will post meeting materials on its recreational bottomfish and Pacific halibut webpages by Friday, Oct. 3. More information can be found here.

Low flow river closures in effect since Sept. 1
As Sept. 1, All North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, including the Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith, and Van Duzen were closed to fishing. 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 any time. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is 707-822-3164. You can also find river openings and closures online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland/Low-Flow/North-Coast.
NOTE: The main stem Eel from the South Fork to Cape Horn Dam, the Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream and the Mattole River will be closed until January 1, 2026.

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
The fishing slowed dramatically this week on the lower Klamath, with the bulk of the run now upriver. The mouth also has been sanding over, which has slowed the numbers of fish making their way in. With some rain in the forecast, the mouth should open back up and we should we some fresh fish enter the system. To date, there hasn’t been much, if any, coho in the river, which typically means the king run is nearing the end.
The daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery trout per day on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers, with a possession limit of four. Anglers must have a Steelhead Report/Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. Both the Klamath and Trinity rivers are closed to the take and possession of Chinook salmon. More information, can be found here.

Chetco/Lower Rogue
Salmon fishing is fair on the Chetco, with a handful of nice adults and numerous jacks being caught daily by boaters trolling along the jetties reports Martin. “The estuary has been crowded. Still too early for bobber fishing upriver.
Salmon also are still being caught on the Rogue Bay, with a mix of wild and hatchery kings, lots of wild coho and a few hatchery coho. Crowds have thinned, but there is still plenty of boat activity. Summer steelhead are beginning to show upriver 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.

Estuary Action Heating Up for Chetco Salmon

Mike Phillips holds a Chetco River king salmon caught Wednesday with guide Rye Phillips of Brookings Fishing Charters. Photo courtesy of Brookings Fishing Charters

If you’ve been missing the taste of ocean-fresh salmon, keep your eyes on the Chetco River estuary. Salmon have been staging in the tidewater since early September, waiting for enough rain to push upriver. According to Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing, action is improving. “Salmon action has improved in the Chetco River estuary, with a mix of hatchery and wild adults and jacks,” Martin said. “The second half of the incoming tide has been best, with most fish caught near the tips of the jetties. Anchovies fished behind 360 flashers are working best.” Heavy boat traffic is already present, and more anglers from the Rogue are expected soon.

Regulations

Daily bag limit: two adult salmon, no more than one adult wild Chinook.
Anglers may harvest adult hatchery Chinook until reaching the daily limit; after that, jack salmon fishing must stop.
From RM 2.2 to Nook Creek (Sep. 1–Nov. 3): angling restricted to fly fishing (must include a strike indicator) or bobber fishing only.
Full rules at eregulations.com/oregon/fishing/southwest-zone.

Weekend marine forecast
Ocean conditions are looking like they could be tuna worthy starting Saturday. As of Thursday, out 10 to 60 nautical miles, Friday’s forecast is calling for winds out of the north 20 to 25 knots with north waves 11 feet at 10 seconds. Saturday, winds will be out of the north 10 to 15 knots with north waves 4 feet at five seconds and northwest 5 feet at 13 seconds. Sunday looks similar, with winds coming from the north 5 to 10 knots and north waves 3 feet at five seconds and northwest 5 feet at 12 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Fall ocean salmon quota met – remaining 2025 dates canceled
The CDFW issued a press release Wednesday, Sept. 17 regarding the ocean salmon fishery and the fall harvest quota. The inseason action in the recreational salmon fishery South of Cape Falcon is as follows:

Effective September 29, 2025, at 12:01 a.m., the recreational ocean salmon fishery between Point Reyes and Pigeon Point, previously scheduled for September 29-30, October 1-5, and October 27-31 is closed.
Effective September 29, 2025, at 12:01 a.m., the recreational ocean salmon fishery between Pigeon Point and Point Sur, previously scheduled for September 29-30 is closed.

CDFW Statement:

Capitalizing on good weather and even better fishing, the 7,500 Chinook fall harvest guideline was reached during the Sept. 4-7 recreational ocean salmon fishery. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimates that 12,000 Chinook salmon were taken by 12,400 anglers in the brief fall season between Pt. Reyes and Pt. Sur. The National Marine Fisheries Service took in-season action on Sept. 17 to close the remaining 2025 fall dates of Sept 29-30, October 1-5, and October 27-31.

The use of harvest guidelines and in-season management in California’s ocean salmon sport fishery management is new this year. The guidelines were developed as part of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s pre-season process using catch and effort information from prior years along with expected performance this year. The guidelines serve to ensure that impacts from the fishery to stocks of particular concern – Klamath River fall Chinook and Central Valley Spring and Sacramento River Winter Chinook – are minimized. In-season monitoring to actively manage commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries to align with pre-season harvest forecasts is also identified as a priority action item in the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter Drier Future.

During the Sept. 4-7 fall season, docks and launch ramps were bustling with activity as many anglers were eager to get back out on the water and fish for salmon after a spectacular 2-day summer season in June. CDFW met boat captains and anglers on the docks to collect fishery and biological data used to create catch estimates, abundance forecasts, and stock-specific information on the catch. CDFW continues to appreciate the cooperation of anglers during these surveys.

For more information on ocean salmon fishing regulations, please visit CDFW’s website at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Salmon or call the Ocean Salmon Hotline at 707-576-3429.

For information on the preseason management process and how to get involved, visit CDFW’s preseason page at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Salmon/Preseason.

Oregon Coast rockfish bag limits reduced
In a press release issued on Sept. 16 by the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, the General Marine Species daily bag limit is reduced from four to three fish beginning Sept. 18 to lower the risk of an early season closure.

ODFW Statement:

“The one-fish sub-bag limit for cabezon and the one-fish sub-bag limit for canary rockfish remain in place, and retention of quillback and yelloweye rockfishes remains prohibited.

Great weather and ocean conditions since mid-July led to high fishing effort and success. In August, an estimated 53 metric tons (mt) of black rockfish and 8.5 mt of blue and deacon rockfish were caught, exceeding projections for the month despite the bag limit returning to a four-fish bag on Aug. 18. A bag limit reduction from four to three fish on Sept. 18 will reduce the risk of an early season closure.

More information on the recreational bottomfish fishery can be found on the ODFW sport bottomfish webpage. The sport groundfish harvest estimates are available online.

As a reminder, other bag limits remain the same, which include:

• Lingcod daily bag limit: 2

• Sablefish daily bag limit: 10

• Flatfish daily bag limit: 25

• Long-leader daily bag limit: 10, with a sub-bag limit of 1 canary rockfish.

Additionally, Pacific halibut fishing remains open. Visit the ODFW sport Pacific halibut webpage for more information on seasons and subareas.”

The Oceans:
Eureka
According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, tuna fishing over the weekend was fair, with some boats doing well and others catching a few. “It sounded like the boats that fished further south found quite a few more fish,” said Klassen. “As has been the case all season, the fish are all good size, with some 30-pounders in the mix. Tuna was an option again on Tuesday, but I didn’t hear of any reports. It sounds like the Pacific halibut bite may have picked up a little. There were some fish caught around the 51 line over the weekend. Looking ahead, this coming weekend is shaping up to be another opportunity at tuna.”

Shelter Cove
“The rock fishing remains solid, with easy limits most days,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We’ve been able to spread our effort out from Rodgers Break down to the Hat. There was a little break in the weather Tuesday and some boats ran for tuna but scores were very dismal. A few boats also tried for halibut Tuesday but there were none caught.”

Crescent City
“We didn’t have great weather this week, so there wasn’t much going on,” said Will Moore of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The effort has also slowed down on all fronts. When the boats can get out, the rockfish bite is still really good. It hasn’t slowed down at all. The California halibut has slowed, but I don’t think many are trying for them anymore.”

Brookings
“Lingcod, rockfish and halibut action is good out of Brookings,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Sport crabbing also is good. The daily rockfish limit dropped to three fish beginning Thursday.”

NOTE: The main stem Eel from the South Fork to Cape Horn Dam, the Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream and the Mattole River will be closed until January 1, 2026.

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
Fresh steelhead and salmon continue to make their way into the lower Klamath. Fishing has been excellent from the Glen all the way past Blue Creek where boats are finding a good mix of jacks, adult kings, and adult steelhead. Fishing pressure has been light.

The daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery trout per day on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers, with a possession limit of four. Anglers must have a Steelhead Report/Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. Both the Klamath and Trinity rivers are open to fishing, but take and possession of Chinook salmon is prohibited. More information, can be found here.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay saw a jump in catch rates after the weekend rain, with hatchery and wild coho and lots of kings moving through the bay. “Action has improved near Grants Pass, and fish that had been held up in the bay bolted upstream.”

Eureka Tuna Fleet Finally Gets Its Turn!

Robert Waddell of Fortuna hold a nice albacore tuna caught Sunday out of Eureka. Eureka boats finally got in on the bite and enjoyed a weekend of wide-open tuna action. Photo courtesy of Melissa Shifflett

The Eureka fleet finally got its shot at the albacore over the weekend — and they made it count. Flat seas, warm water, and a zone known to be holding fish came together perfectly. Charters and a convoy of sport boats ran about 40 miles southwest of the jaws on Saturday and Sunday and absolutely loaded up. Scores hit as high as 50 fish per boat, with most reporting 20–30, and plenty of albies pushing 15–20 pounds. Many boats also saw bruisers topping 30 pounds coming over the rails.

After a break on Monday, a smaller fleet returned Tuesday to find good fishing still on tap. One boat heading south to Eureka stopped roughly 23 miles off Trinidad and quickly stacked 12 big tuna aboard.

Looking ahead, Saturday may be the next shot for anglers who haven’t had their fill, with many eyeing the water off Trinidad. After watching other ports enjoy wide-open albacore action, it’s finally Eureka’s turn — and the bite didn’t disappoint.

Weekend marine forecast
A long period, NW swell of 5-6 is forecast to fill in Friday morning. Combined seas may reach 7-9 feet by Friday with the combination of the swell and the wind waves. Sea conditions are expected to ease slightly Saturday afternoon through Sunday as another weather system enters the area easing marine winds.

As of Thursday, out 10 nautical miles, the Friday forecast is calling for winds out of the north 5 to 10 knots with north waves 5 feet at six seconds and northwest 2 feet at 10 seconds. Saturday is calling for winds from the west up to 5 knots and north waves 2 feet at five seconds and northwest 5 feet at 13 seconds. Sunday, the winds will be from the north 10 to 15 knots and west waves 5 feet at 11 seconds and south 1 foot 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.

Pacific halibut quota update
There hasn’t been any updates to the Pacific halibut quota in three weeks. As of August 17, California’s share of Area 2A’s quota, which includes Washington and Oregon, is at 41 percent, with just 16,176 net pounds harvested against the 39,280 net pound quota. (500 pounds are set aside for the area south of Point Arena). The Pacific halibut fishery will run through Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. To view the latest catch projection information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking.

CDPH Advises Consumers Not to Eat Sport-Harvested Bivalve Shellfish from Humboldt County
Statement from CDPH:
“The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat sport-harvested mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from Humboldt County. This warning does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, and oysters from approved sources.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid, also referred to as amnesic shellfish poisoning, have been detected in mussels from Humboldt County. The naturally occurring domoic acid can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin.

This shellfish safety notification is in addition 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.

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 for biotoxins.”

Trinidad launch closing for the season
The launch facility will close after Saturday, Sept. 13 for the season. The floating dock and moorings will be removed starting Monday.

The Oceans:
Eureka
According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, excellent ocean conditions allowed the boats to spread out over the weekend. “Tuna, halibut, and rockfish were all available,” said Klassen. “Tuna was probably the most popular given the conditions. A few of the charters ran Saturday and did really well, with up to 50 tuna landed. And Sunday was just as good. Most of the action was southwest off Cape Mendocino. The Pacific halibut bite was good too, with the bite happening between Eureka and Trinidad. There were plenty of boats that made their way to the Cape for rockfish too. The fishing down there was excellent with lots of lingcod and a wide variety of healthy rockfish.”

Ron Circe with a 27lb Halibut caught on the sand dab rig caught over the weekend out of Trinidad.

Shelter Cove
“The rock fishing was pretty wide-open as we were able to travel out to deeper waters,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “The lingcod bite was pretty good out there as well. The tuna fishing was hit and miss this week, pretty good one day, and tough the next. We had 50 Tuesday and the trip before that (Saturday) we had 11. The fish seem to be spread out and finding out where the schools are located has been the tricky part. We’ve spent most of our time heading southwest 20-30 miles, just inside of the Knoll. It looks like we may be done for a week or so, but maybe a slight chance we get out one day this weekend.”

Crescent City
“The rockfish and lingcod bite are still going strong,” said Will Moore of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “We’re seeing some really nice lings come in now that we can fish all depths. The Pacific halibut bite remains slow, with not much in the way of effort. California halibut is slowing down, but a few are being caught by boats trolling South Beach. A couple boats ran long distance for tuna on Saturday and were skunked.”

Brookings
“Halibut, lingcod, crab and rockfish action is good out of Brookings, with calm weather expected this weekend,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Halibut fishing is best beyond 200 feet. The best crabbing is 90 to 100 feet. Lingcod are in shallow water.”

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
Fishing for steelhead and salmon remains solid on the lower Klamath river. There’s a mix of adult salmon around, along with plenty of jacks. A few more adult steelhead have also showed up this week. Flows were dropping as of Thursday after increasing nearly 800 cfs from the rain earlier in the week. Fishing should remain excellent through the weekend.

Craig Vallely of Redding landed a nice Chinook salmon last Saturday on the Klamath River. Photo courtesy of Kenny Priest/Fishing the North Coast Guide Service

The daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery trout per day on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers, with a possession limit of four. Anglers must have a Steelhead Report/Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. Both the Klamath and Trinity rivers are closed to the take and possession of Chinook salmon. More information, can be found here.

Chetco/Lower Rogue
According to Martin, salmon fishing has picked up in the Chetco estuary, where it’s still early in the season, but a mix of jacks and adults are being caught. “With slower fishing on the Rogue, more guides have arrived on the Chetco. The incoming tide has fished best. Morning low tides have led to grassy conditions the last few days until the tide pushes the debris upriver.

The Rogue is producing a mix of kings and coho salmon, but overall action is fair at best. Cooler weather has allowed many of the kings to blast upriver. Summer steelhead half-pounders also are moving up.”

Eureka’s Pacific Halibut Bite Heating Up

Eureka resident Richard Moody landed this dandy halibut Tuesday while fishing aboard the Sea Weasel II out of Eureka. Photo courtesy of Gary Blasi/Full Throttle Sport Fishing

With the two-day salmon season now in the rearview, Eureka anglers have again set their sites on Pacific halibut. And that looks to be a good call. While the rest of the North Coast has been void of halibut catches, the Eureka fleet has had a pretty good run the last couple weeks. They aren’t flying over the rails quite yet like a couple years ago, but the catch rates have definitely improved over the last few weeks. After a pretty rough go for us on the salmon, it’s nice to have a go-to fishery that’s producing some solid action. It looks like the only obstacle to putting up some really good numbers is the weather. It’s been marginal at best, and that looks to continue through the weekend.

Weekend marine forecast
Ocean conditions look iffy for the upcoming weekend. As of Thursday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 6 feet at 11 seconds, along with a chance of rain. Saturday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 6 feet at nine seconds. The winds will be out of the north Sunday 10 to 15 knots, with northwest waves 6 feet at nine seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

July 5 is statewide free fishing day
On Saturday, July 5, people may fish California’s waters without a sport fishing license. All regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. On Free Fishing Days, every angler must have the appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead, sturgeon, spiny lobster, or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems. For more information visit, wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days

Freshwater Lagoon/Fish Lake trout plants
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website, Freshwater Lagoon was last planted with trout the week of June 1. Fish Lake also received a fresh batch of trout during the week of June 8. Both are open to fishing year-round and the limit is 5 trout per day and 10 in possession. For more information, visit https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/Default.aspx?county=Humboldt&time or call (530) 225-2146.

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.

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 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
The wind continues to keep the Eureka fleet tied up on most days. Conditions were good Tuesday, and there were lots of boats on the halibut grounds and quite a few went south to the Cape. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing made the left turn and reported some good rockfish action at Cape Mendocino. “The fishing was good, but not great,” said Klassen. “We caught limits of rockfish, but it wasn’t wide-open. The lings were a little tougher to get, we ended up with just half limits. There’s definitely a lot of feed down there right now, which could be slowing down the bite. I haven’t been halibut fishing in a while, but it sounds like the bite is pretty good for a few boats and quite a few limits were reported.”

Shelter Cove
Not much to report out of the Cove this week. Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing was only able to get out a few times due to the weather. “The rock fishing remains solid along with a very good lingcod bite,” said Mitchell. “Most of the action has been around the Old Man. The Pacific halibut bite remains slow.”

Crescent City
“We’ve had some really windy weather this week, so not a lot of boats have been getting out,” said Kevin Hooper of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “When they can get out, boats are finding a good rockfish bite. I haven’t heard of any Pacific or California halibut caught in the last week and a half. The redtail perch bite is really good at South and Kellogg Beach when the wind isn’t blowing.”

Brookings
Fishing for coho salmon has been fair out of Brookings, with large numbers of wild silvers and some hatchery fish being caught close to the surface in 220 to 300 feet of water,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Windy weather has limited the offshore opportunity, but nicer conditions are expected this weekend. Anglers trolling closer to shore are finding plenty of salmon, but they are nearly all kings, which cannot be kept until June 30. Fishing for halibut is fair on calm weather days. Lingcod and rockfish action has been good. Surfperch are still biting at most beaches around Brookings and Gold Beach. Commercial trollers have been switching gear to albacore, with several boats about to depart to search for tuna.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, salmon fishing is already picking up in the Rogue Bay, with a handful of kings caught every day this past week. “A mix of adults and jacks has anglers excited about the end of June and early July, when fishing begins to rapidly improve.”

Slow Salmon Fishing for North Coast Anglers

Two-day season provides a nice boost to local economy

Logan Floyd of Fortuna with a nice king salmon caught Sunday while fishing out of Eureka aboard the Warf Rat II. Photo courtesy of Eric Justesen/707 Sport Fishing

The weekend’s two-day salmon season came and went, and the fishing reports weren’t great from our neck of the woods. I’d best define it as inconsistent. Some limits of kings were reported, but there were plenty of low scores and skunks to go around. There weren’t any real hot spots that produced fish over the two days. Some boats landed on the fish, and did really well. And some trolled for two days with nothing to show for it. The same can be said for Shelter Cove, Trinidad, and Crescent City. The one constant was the number of coho salmon in the area. Just about every boat out reported catching quite a few, and unfortunately, not all were released, per the law.

While we sloshed around for two days hoping to get lucky, the Bay Area, from Bodega Bay south, experienced some of the best salmon fishing seen in many, many years. Or maybe ever. Party and private boats alike put a whooping on the kings out of every port all the way to San Luis Obispo. And there were some big fish in the mix. Plenty of 30-pounders were flying over the rails.

While our fishing may not have panned out like we had hoped, it sure was a nice shot in the arm for our local economy. Gear, bait, ice and fuel were all consumed at a ferocious pace. Not to mention the hotels and restaurants saw a nice uptick in business.

Whether or not this will be our only opportunity of the summer is in the hands of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. They will process the harvest data over the next two weeks to determine whether the statewide, 7,000 Chinook salmon summer harvest quota has been met. If it hasn’t been met, we’ll do this all over again July 5-6.

Weekend marine forecast
Rough seas are predicted for the weekend, but should improve by the first of next week. Saturday’s forecast is calling for north winds 15 to 20 knots and north waves 7 feet at seven seconds. The winds will decrease slightly Sunday, with waves from the north 6 feet at seven seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

California halibut bite remains slow
The California halibut bite hasn’t been great according to Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors. He said, “The tides haven’t been great and the bay water temperatures are low. The good news is there is a lot of bait in the bay, so fishing should start to get better.”

Cal Poly Humboldt Fishery Dept. looking for tagged perch
If you catch a Silver Surfperch with a tag, Cal Poly Humboldt Fishery Dept. wants your data. Please report your catch to nsg27@humboldt.edu or call 707-826-3951 and collect your reward.

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
“The salmon fishing over the weekend was spotty,” said Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “If you landed on em’ you got em’. We spent the two days mostly fishing straight out and south towards the canyon. There were a lot of silvers around and we only managed one king Saturday. The guys who were at the canyon caught a few, so we headed straight there Sunday. There weren’t many coho around and we managed three nice salmon. The halibut bite was good earlier in the week, some of the charters were catching limits.”

Trinidad
“The rockfish bite is still really good,” said Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “We’re having to move around a little, but we’re finding a pretty good variety along some nice blacks and blues. The Pacific halibut bite has been a grind. There’s been a few caught here and there, but overall, not much effort. The weather hasn’t been very good either. The crabbing is on the slow side, but we’re sending the customers home with a few each day.”

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, the salmon opener was very busy, but the fishing was very slow. “I’d guess there were under 50 fish caught each day between 70-80 boats,” said Mitchell. “The rock fishing remains really good. We got to fish Rodgers Break for a few days and it was quick limits for the most part. Pacific halibut bite has still been very slow.”

Crescent City
According to Kevin Hooper of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, salmon fishing over the weekend was mediocre at best. He said, “Some guys got em’, but there were a lot of skunks too. There wasn’t any real hot spot, the fish were kind of scattered. The rockfish bite has been really good around the Sisters and Pt. St. George Lighthouse area, but the ling bite has been a little slower. There’s been a few California Halibut caught off the rock wall at South Beach. The redtails are biting too, with Kellogg and South beach being the best spots.”

Brookings
“Hatchery coho salmon season opened over the weekend out of Brookings,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Large numbers of wild coho with a few hatchery fish mixed in were caught five to 10 miles out from the harbor. Plenty of kings also were caught, but they must be released until June 30. Halibut catches remain sparse, with a few fish a week coming in. Lingcod and rockfish action has been good.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, half a dozen salmon were caught in the Rogue Bay on Tuesday, with just a few boats fishing. “Hot weather inland has warmed river temperatures, forcing salmon to hold up in the bay instead of continuing upstream. Wild kings may now be kept in the Rogue Bay.”