van duzen | Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest

Prime Weekend for Late Fall Kings

Matt Vanoli landed a bright king while fishing the Smith River Wednesday. Excellent conditions are on tap for the next few days on the Smith. Photo courtesy of Michael Poly.

If you haven’t gotten in on the late fall king action yet, this should be your weekend. River conditions are lining up nicely for both the Smith and Chetco — and with the run possibly winding down, now’s the time to go.

Earlier rain put plenty of water back into both systems. Boats were back on the Smith by Wednesday, while the Chetco was still too muddy. That should change soon — the Smith is prime right now, and the Chetco should come around by Saturday. It may start off a bit high, but by Sunday it should be in great shape and fishing well into next week.

Closer to home, the main stem Eel could be fishable by late in the weekend or early next week, depending on how dirty the creeks get. It’s forecast to peak around 7,940 cfs Friday but was already dropping Thursday and running below projections — a good sign. The South Fork was a little off-color Thursday but could be in shape by the weekend, with flows expected just under 1,200 cfs Saturday morning. The Van Duzen has one more rise coming Friday, but if it falls short, it could be fishable by the weekend too.

Weather ahead
According to the US National Weather Service Eureka, high pressure and upper-level ridge will build in quickly Friday over the West Coast in the wake of the front. Any lingering showers are expected to dissipate Friday morning as the flow aloft shifts to northwest and dryer airmass moves in. Dry and seasonably high temperatures are expected on Friday.

Dry offshore regimen will promote a drying and warming trend this weekend through at least early next week. Ensemble and deterministic models’ guidance’s are in a good agreement with the high pressure persisting over the area this weekend. High pressure breakdown begins to shift eastward on Tuesday as an upper-level trough approaches.”

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures were open to fishing. This includes the main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith, and Van Duzen. The low-flow closure telephone hotline for North Coast rivers is no longer in service. You can now find river openings and closures online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland/Low-Flow/North-Coast. Low-flow information for all North Coast rivers is available here.

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.

Mad
The Mad was down to 1,375 as of Thursday morning and dropping. It’s predicted to rise early Friday morning, peaking at 2,980 cfs. Minimum flow: 200 cfs at the gauging station at the Highway 299 bridge. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=ARCC1

Main Eel
Peaked at 5,960 cfs early Thursday morning, but came in below projections. Another half-inch of rain is forecast for late Thursday, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to put it back on the rise. It could drop into shape late in the weekend and should be in good shape early next week. The next significant rise is predicted for Thursday. Minimum Flow: 350 cubic feet per second at the gauging station near Scotia. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=SCOC1

South Fork Eel
The South Fork opened to angling Tuesday, and peaked at 2,300 cfs Wednesday afternoon. It’s predicted to drop – though it could see a slight bump in flows Friday – through the weekend and into next week. Conditions should be good for the weekend and there are salmon spread throughout the river. Minimum flow: 340 cfs at the gauging station at Miranda. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=MRNC1

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen opened to angling Wednesday as flows climbed to 2,530 cfs. It has been on the drop since, with the next rise forecast for Friday where it could reach 2,900 cfs. It’s predicted to drop through the weekend and into next week. Flows should be right around 980 cfs Saturday morning. Minimum flow: 150 cfs at the gauging station near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.
cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=BRGC1

Smith
The Smith opened back up Tuesday and boats were back on the water Wednesday. Even on the steep rise, plenty of fish were caught. Conditions should be excellent Friday as the river will be on the drop from 10 feet at the Jed Smith gauge. It will continue to drop through mid-next week when the next round of rain is forecasted. Expect clearing conditions this weekend. Minimum flow: 600 cfs at the Jedediah Smith State Park gauging station. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=CREC1

Nov. 28 and 29 free fish days in Oregon
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is waiving all fishing licensing requirements on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to experience fishing with friends and family during the long holiday weekend. All fishing, crabbing and clamming in Oregon will be free for both Oregon residents and non-residents. No licenses, tags or endorsements are needed on those days, but all other fishing regulations apply. Visit https://myodfw.com/articles/2025-free-fishing-days-and-events

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“The Chetco fished well Monday and Tuesday, before blowing out Tuesday evening,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “It was high and muddy Wednesday, and expected to remain blown out Thursday before dropping for the weekend. A mix of bright and dark adults and jacks are being caught, with hatchery and wild fish in the mix. Tuesday’s all-tackle opener lives up to its billing, with a good bite for drift boaters back-bouncing roe. Lots of leaves and muddy water kept everyone away Wednesday. Flows below 4,000 cfs are fishable, with flows below 3,000 ideal. The Ice Box gate is now open for launching and bank fishing access. The Elk and Sixes also blew out Wednesday and were full of leaves. They will be in shape for the weekend, but expect a crowd.”

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.

Weekend Rains Briefly Open North Coast Rivers

Brady Smith of Klamath Falls holds a 41-inch king caught Monday on the Smith River with guide Andy Martin. He was fishing a 5.0 MagLip with a tuna wrap. Photo courtesy of Wild Rivers Fishing

The season’s first atmospheric river was forecast to hit the North Coast last Friday and into the weekend, but it came in well under predictions. What was expected to deliver 4 to 6 inches of rain ended up producing just 2 to 2.5 inches. Still, it was enough to briefly open several rivers — the Smith for three days, and the Mad and Van Duzen for just one. The main stem Eel opened Sunday and remains the only North Coast river subject to low-flow closures that’s still open. Across the border, the Chetco is open, though anglers are required to fish with a bobber through Nov. 3.

The good news is there’s plenty of salmon around. Unfortunately, most of the fish caught in North Coast rivers have been dark and past their prime. The Smith produced good numbers Sunday and Monday, but chrome-bright fish were scarce. The Chetco also saw a solid bite, with a more even mix of dark and fresh salmon.

Looking ahead, the next storm is forecast to arrive Tuesday. The Climate Prediction Center’s 8–14-day outlook calls for above-normal precipitation — hopefully the next round of rain will bring more fishable water and a few more bright kings.

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all North Coast rivers subjected to low flow fishing closures, except the main stem Eel are closed to fishing. This includes the Mad, Redwood Creek, Smith, and Van Duzen. The low-flow closure telephone hotline for North Coast rivers is no longer in service. You can now find river openings and closures online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland/Low-Flow/North-Coast.

Low-flow information for all North Coast rivers is available here.

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.

Smith
Fishing was good Sunday and Monday prior to closing Tuesday. Most of the fish were dark, but there were some bright ones caught. There should be more bright fish coming with the next rise, which should happen next Tuesday. The daily bag limit is one Chinook salmon per day and no more than five wild Chinook salmon over 22 inches per year. Minimum flow: 600 cfs at the Jedediah Smith State Park gauging station. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=CREC1

Mad
The Mad was open Monday, but quickly closed Tuesday due to low flows. There were reportedly quite a few salmon seen moving up from the tide water. The ensemble forecast shows the river beginning to rise late Tuesday. Minimum flow: 200 cfs at the gauging station at the Highway 299 bridge. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=ARCC1

Main stem Eel
The river was open as of Thursday with flows right around 670 cfs and dropping. With dry weather on tap for the next several days, it may close to fishing later in the weekend of early next week. The next rise, which is forecast for Wednesday could open it back up to fishing. The Eel River is open to catch and release of salmon in 2025/26. Minimum Flow: 350 cubic feet per second at the gauging station near Scotia.
cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=SCOC1

South Fork Eel
The South Fork didn’t receive enough rain over the weekend to open it up. That could change late next week with the arrival of the next storm. Minimum flow: 340 cfs at the gauging station at Miranda. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=MRNC1

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen opened, and closed, last Monday as flows quickly fell below 150 cfs. If the forecast is correct, it could open to fishing next Wednesday. Minimum flow: 150 cfs at the gauging station near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.
cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=BRGC1

Chetco
“The Chetco River was in good shape for fall kings over the weekend and the beginning of the week, with lots of fish spread throughout the river,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “By Tuesday, the river was already low and clear and challenging to drift. Boats were bumping bottom on most riffles on Wednesday. A mix of bright and dark fish were caught early in the week, before action dropped sharply on Tuesday. Fishing was slow Wednesday, and will likely remain so until next week’s rain. Gear restrictions requiring a bobber remain in effect through Nov. 3. Several anglers and some guides were ticketed by state troopers at the beginning of the week.”

Sixes River low flow angling closure to be lifted
Beginning Nov. 3, the Sixes River low flow angling closure will be lifted. ODFW typically closes a portion of the river to angling Oct. 1 to protect wild fall chinook salmon vulnerable to snagging or poaching while staging between Crystal Creek and Hughes House Boat Ramp.

Anglers are reminded the bag limit for wild adult chinook in the Sixes River is one adult chinook per day, 10 for the season. Elk River, just south of Sixes River is closed to retention of wild fall chinook this year. For more information, check the ODFW Recreation Report.

Sport Dungeness crab season delayed on the North Coast
In a press release issued Oct. 24 by CDFW, the recreational Dungeness crab season will open beginning Nov. 1, 2025, except in northern California where it has been delayed due to a public health hazard.

CDFW Statement:
“State health agencies determined that Dungeness crab in northern California have unhealthy levels of domoic acid and recommended delaying the opening of the recreational fishery in state waters from the California/Oregon border (42° 0.00’ N latitude) south to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line (38° 46.125’ N latitude). Following this recommendation, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has delayed the opening of the recreational Dungeness crab fishery in northern California. Recreational take and/or possession of Dungeness crab is prohibited in these closed waters.

In the area between the Sonoma/Mendocino County line and Point Reyes (37° 59.73’ N latitude), state health agencies are advising the public not to consume crab viscera (guts) to avoid potential domoic acid exposure. In addition, the use of crab traps will be temporarily restricted between the Sonoma/Mendocino County line and Lopez Point, Monterey County (36° N latitude, Fishing Zones 3 and 4) when the season opens due to the presence of humpback whales and potential for entanglement from recreational crab traps.

A Fleet Advisory has also been issued for all Fishing Zones for the recreational fishery and crabbers should avoid setting any gear in areas where whales are present. Also, all hoop nets must be serviced every two hours and cannot be left unattended for longer periods.

Recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is not affected by the temporary trap restriction in these areas. Crab traps cannot be used south of Point Arguello.
The delay of the northern recreational fishery shall remain in effect until the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, in consultation with the State Public Health Officer of California Department of Public Health (CDPH), determines that domoic acid no longer poses a significant risk to public health.

Expired marine flare collection events
The California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) and the Make the Electronic Marine Flare Switch campaign have partnered with CalRecycle, and the California State Parks and Coastal Commission’s California Boating Clean and Green Program to collect expired marine flares and educate residents about marine flare management safety, including the advantages of reusable distress signals, to protect California communities and the local environment.

Residents and boaters berthing their boats in Alameda County, Del Norte County, West Contra Costa County, Marin County, and Santa Cruz County can take their expired marine flares to their county’s designated marine flare collection events in the fall. Click here for all the Bay Area times and locations.

A collection date for Del Norte has been set for Saturday, November 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1700 State Street, Crescent City. For more information, visit www.calpsc.org/marineflareswitchcampaign

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, rock fishing has been good for the few boats that made it out this week. “Looks like we may have some decent weather at the end of the week,” said Mitchell.”

Klamath King Numbers Plummet in 2024

Our 2025 ocean sport and commercial seasons could potentially be canceled or heavily restricted for a third consecutive year based on the river return numbers the PFMC provided this week. Photo courtesy of Gary Blasi/Full Throttle Sport Fishing

The Pacific Fishery Management Council released its “Review of 2024 Ocean Salmon Fisheries” report Wednesday, and the news was not good for the Klamath Basin.

Based on an ocean abundance of 178,200 Klamath River fall Chinook thought to be swimming in the ocean last fall, forecasters predicted roughly 65,138 adults would return to the river. Unfortunately, the run fell well short of the preseason predictions. A total of 36,568 adults returned to the river. Of those, just 24,032 escaped to natural spawning areas, which was 66 percent of the preseason prediction of 36,511 adults and well below the 40,700 floor escapement goal.

The estimated hatchery adult return was 4,489 compared to 21,964 in 2023. Jack (2-year-old kings) returns to the Klamath basin were 7,085, including 5,959 that escaped to natural spawning areas. In 2023 11,673 Jacks returned to the basin.

Spawning escapement to the upper Klamath River tributaries (Salmon, Scott and Shasta rivers), where spawning was only minimally affected by hatchery strays, totaled 7,317 compared to 7,765 in 2023. The escapement in 2024 to the Shasta River was 4,951 adults. Escapement to the Salmon and Scott rivers was 1,520 and 846 adults, respectively.

The above river return and escapement numbers reflect no ocean commercial or recreational salmon fishing as well as salmon closures on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers. According to the report, an estimated 136 fall Chinook were harvested in the Klamath River basin recreational fishery in 2024. Tribal adult harvest was 7,249 (Yurok: 4,963 adults; Hoopa Valley: 2,286 adults), which was 113 percent of the tribal allocation of 6,434.

The report also states:

“In 2024, four dams were removed from the Klamath River which allowed salmon to move volitionally upstream from the site of Iron Gate Dam for the first time in many years. Newly available mainstem and tributary habitats were occupied by salmon following dam removal. Substantial monitoring efforts Oregon and California provided age-specific spawner estimates for the 2024 run. The estimated run size in the Klamath mainstem and its tributaries from of Iron Gate (California) to Keno Dam was 1,494 adults and 151 jacks in 2024.”

In 2024, recreational angling for salmon in the Sacramento River and its tributaries was closed as well. A total of 99,274 hatchery and natural area adult spawners were estimated to have returned to the Sacramento River Basin in 2024, substantially lower than the 180,061 predicted. Fall Chinook returns to Sacramento River hatcheries in 2024 totaled 26,834 adults and 8,301 jacks, and escapement to natural areas was 72,440 adults and 10,864 jacks.

With the Klamath Dam removal project now completed, what our ocean and river salmon seasons will look like in the coming year is still a work in progress and will be flushed out in the coming weeks.

Next up is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Annual Salmon Information Meeting, which will be held via webinar on Wednesday, Feb. 26, starting at 10 a.m. The meeting will be via webinar only and covers 2024 spawner abundances returning to the Central Valley and Klamath Basins, 2025 abundance forecasts, and management context guiding the development and implementation of 2025 ocean salmon fisheries.

Following the Salmon Information Meeting webinar, California representatives will work together to develop a range of recommended ocean fishing season alternatives at the March 5-11 Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Vancouver, WA. Final season recommendations will be adopted at the Council’s April 9-15 meeting in San Jose, CA.

Salmon information meeting details can be found on the CDFW’s Ocean Salmon web page.

The weather ahead
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service office, a long fetch of moisture emanating from the subtropics will get ingested into a frontal system that will approach the west coast on Saturday. “The front will most likely stall offshore or just to the north of the OR/CA border containing warm fronts producing bouts of moderate to locally heavy rain across Del Norte County. The brunt of this atmospheric river will be aimed north of the area with Del Norte on the southern edge. Thus, expect mostly beneficial rainfall. Minor nuisance flooding will be possible and as we have seen with multiple rainstorms, possible landslides in steep terrain on 199. Heaviest rain appears to arrive Saturday night (4pm-4am). Otherwise, expect mild temperatures with a chance for light rain for the remainder of the area during the weekend.

Gusty winds will also occur with this stationary boundary and minor impacts are possible especially over the coastal headlands. A frontal wave is forecast to develop early next week (Monday) and stronger wind gusts to 40 mph or more are more probable as a cold frontal boundary pushes across the area.”

The Rivers:
Mad
As of Thursday, the Mad was just above 11 feet (5,500 cfs) and starting to drop. It’s forecast to drop to 9.45 feet by Saturday evening, but a smaller system will bump up the flows back over 10 feet Sunday. It will need at least a week of dry weather before it turns green. That doesn’t appear to be in the cards for the next 10 days.

Main stem Eel
The main stem Eel was running at 20,500 cfs as of Thursday, and is still big and muddy. If the forecast is correct, it could be fishable sometime within the first or second week of March.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork should be down to a fishable height by early or mid-next week. As of Thursday, it was down to 4,500 cfs at Miranda and predicted to be around 2,200 cfs by Tuesday. Whether it’s fishable will be contingent on the slide in the Confusion Hill area. It was spilling mud earlier in the week.

Van Duzen
Similar to the South Fork Eel, the Van Duzen is on the drop following a peak of 2,500 cfs Wednesday near Bridgeville. This will likely be short-lived as more rain is in the forecast for the weekend which will push flows up to roughly 3,000 cfs. Will need a solid week of dry weather before it starts to fish.

Smith River
The Smith dropped into shape Wednesday, when some boats chose to plunk and other drifted the high flows. With no rain until the late Saturday, conditions should be excellent the next few days. Another big rise is forecast for Sunday, with flows reaching 21,000 cfs (15.2 feet) at the Jed Smith gauge. Boat traffic should be lighter as the Chetco will begin to fish on Friday.

Southern Oregon rivers
Steelhead fishing continues to be fair at best on the Chetco reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Guides are getting a couple fish a day, while plunkers are finding an occasional steelhead at Social Security Bar and Loeb Park,” said Martin. “Good conditions are expected just before the weekend. Steelhead fishing also is fair on the Elk and slow on the Rogue. Fishing has been much slower than normal on the entire Oregon Coast.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, rough weather has kept boats at the dock in Brookings. “Calm winds are in the forecast Thursday and Friday before another round of stormy weather.”

North Coast Set to Receive Some Much-Needed Rain

McKinleyville resident Myka Nannizzi is all smiles after hooking, fighting, and landing her first Mad River steelhead all by herself. Photo courtesy Mathew Nannizzi.

After nearly a month of dry weather, rain is finally returning to the North Coast. And just in the nick of time. Some of the smaller rivers like the Van Duzen, Mad, Mattole and Redwood Creek were creeping slowly towards their respective low flow closure thresholds.

As it stands now, most all the North Coast rivers are running low and clear, with the exception of the bigger rivers like the Eel and Klamath. Needless to say, a good shot of rain is just what we needed. As is typically the case when the rivers are rejuvenated with fresh flows, you can bet we’ll see a real good push of steelhead bolting in from the saltwater. Per usual, the Smith will be the first to drop into shape and conditions are looking excellent for early next week. The Chetco will be just a couple days behind the Smith. As for the Humboldt rivers, it will depend on how much rain we get and how much snow falls in the hills. Hopefully they’ll start rounding into shape in a couple weeks as we head into the peak of the season.

Weather outlook
According to the Eureka’s National Weather Service office, the first of a series of wet weather with gusty southerly winds will begin Thursday night. “Southerly winds in advance of the storm will become gusty on coastal headlands and ridgetops late tonight and early Friday morning in Del Norte and Humboldt counties where winds could exceed 50 knots.

The rain with this first system will approach the area near midnight and expand across the entire region Friday morning. Widespread rainfall amounts exceeding an inch are likely with this first system tonight through Friday night. Locally, higher amounts over 3 inches will occur in the King Range and other favored, windward mountain locations. This front will move through the region by Saturday.

The big question is then what happens with the next atmospheric river to hit the coast late in the weekend into early next week. This system has more moisture and the potential to bring at least localized flooding if rain falls on the same areas that receive the rain Thursday night through Friday night. Currently two possibilities are favored with the first being more likely as confidence has gained with the latest model runs.

Scenario 1; the next system aims farther south into the Bay Area and west into the Sierra Nevada, reducing rainfall considerably across our region.

Scenario 2; calls for the atmospheric river to aim directly into Northwest California and bring heavy rain to our region. Rainfall totals from the combination of the two systems currently range from 3-5 inches in the drier solution to over a foot of rain in some areas for the wetter solutions. Thus, uncertainty is very high for what occurs after Saturday and impacts from these two scenarios are drastically different.”

Upcoming salmon information meetings
The California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will hold the annual Salmon Information on Wednesday, February 26 starting at 10 a.m. The meeting will be via webinar only and covers 2024 spawner abundances returning to the Central Valley and Klamath Basins, 2025 abundance forecasts, and management context guiding the development and implementation of 2025 ocean salmon fisheries.
The public are invited to learn about pertinent data and management context shaping the upcoming ocean salmon season. The meeting link, agenda and other materials will be posted here as they become available.

The Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) will hold its Ocean Salmon Industry Group Meeting on Friday, February 28. This meeting will provide a review of the 2024 seasons, take a first look at the 2025 salmon forecasts, and begin the development of Oregon preferred recreational and commercial ocean salmon season concepts via public input to take forward through the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) regulation setting process. The meeting will be held both in person and virtually this year. This meeting is open to all ocean sport fishing anglers and charter operators, commercial salmon troll fishers, and any others interested in participating in the development of the 2025 ocean salmon seasons. For those attending in person, the meeting will be held in Newport, Oregon.
Links to the agenda and briefing materials for the meeting will be posted on the ODFW Ocean Salmon Management website as they become available.

Eel River steelhead returns
Over the past week, January 13 – 19, 42 adult steelhead (female 17, male 16, unknown adult 9) were observed moving upstream through the fishway at Cape Horn Dam according to Andrew Anderson, an Aquatic Biologist with PG&E. Additionally, one subadult steelhead was observed moving upstream during this time frame. The season total for upstream migrating adult steelhead now stands at 90 (female 38, male 32, unknown adult 20). The season total for subadult steelhead (<40cm) now stands at 24.

No Chinook salmon were observed over the same period; the season total for upstream migrating Chinook salmon still stands at 893 (female 320, male 309, unknown adult 94, jack 170).For more information, visit https://eelriver.org/the-eel-river/#fishcount

Mad
According to Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors, the fishing has slowed a bit due to the low water. “The river isn’t clear though, it’s actually a perfect green,” said Kelly. “The fish seem to be scattered throughout the river, both below and above the hatchery. Larger soft beads in the 16mm-20mm sizes seem to be working best. Roe with a Spin-N-Glo is also producing.” With rain coming Friday morning, that will likely be the last day we’ll see fishable water. It’s predicted to surpass 12.35 feet (6,950 cfs) Monday afternoon.

Main stem Eel
Conditions on the main stem have been perfect all week, with some really good scores being reported. Boats have been spread out from the top to bottom, and there seems to be good numbers of fresh steelhead scattered throughout. Unfortunately, it will all come to an end Friday. Several inches of rain will push the flows past 77,800 at Scotia by Tuesday afternoon.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is low and clear, running at 700 cfs at Miranda as of Thursday. Despite the conditions, fish are being caught, though the crowds have thinned. With the rain coming Friday morning, it will likely blow out Saturday. It’s predicted to reach 12,700 cfs by Tuesday morning.

Van Duzen
Friday looks to be the last fishable day on the Van Duzen for a while. Flows were down to 215 cfs Thursday, but that will change by the weekend as it’s predicted to peak at 6,300 cfs Monday morning. It will likely need 10 or so dry days before it drops into fishable shape.

Smith River
The Smith is low and clear and in need of some rain. And it’s on the way. As of Thursday, it was just under 6.5 feet (1,330) at the Jed Smith gauge. If the predictions are right, it should begin to rise Friday morning and peak sometime before noon on Saturday at 12.4 feet. It should be back to fishable conditions by Sunday. We should see quite a few new fish enter the system on the rise, but once it settles down, it should be good fishing.

Customers of guide Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters hold two of the steelhead they caught this week on the Chetco.

Chetco
“After three weeks of dry weather, rain is expected this weekend on the Chetco, likely blowing the river out to start February, but setting up prime conditions for the peak season,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Low, clear water hampered fishing for a while, before a bunch of new fish came in on the tides over the weekend. Fishing has been good for the handful of local guides fishing this week. The rain also will give fishing a boost on the lower Rogue, Elk and Sixes.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, nice ocean conditions led to a wide-open lingcod bite out of Brookings this week. “Rough weather returns on Thursday, with big swells through the weekend.”

Coastal Rivers Could Use Some Rain

Nine-year-old Kai Mykham is all smiles after landing his first-ever steelhead while fishing the Mad River with his father Jeperson. Photo courtesy of Jeperson Mykham

It’s been nearly three weeks since we’ve seen any substantial precipitation, and most of the coastal rivers could sure use a good shot. Other than the main stem Eel and the Mad, which are both in great shape, all the rivers are now getting low, clear and in need of a good blowout. The Smith and Chetco clear the quickest, and have the biggest need for rain. The South Fork Eel and Van Duzen remain fishable, but could use rain. It should be noted that all our rivers are currently holding a decent number of winter steelhead. But a few inches of rain will do wonders. Not only will the increased flows allow steelhead to make their way upriver to their spawning tributaries, it will also bring in the fresh fish from the ocean.

Weather outlook
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, we’ll see mostly dry conditions for the next seven days with the exception of potential light rain or snow late Friday night into Saturday morning for parts of central and southern Lake County. “Chilly nights and mornings for this weekend. Potential for gusty winds return to the area Friday through Sunday, focusing on the coast Friday, and then including interior locations Saturday into Sunday.”

Mad River Steelhead Reward Program Returns for 2024-25
For the Mad River steelhead fishery in the upcoming 2025 season, the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will once again attach reward tags to a small subset of hatchery-origin (i.e., adipose-clipped) adult steelhead upon their return to freshwater. This is in effort to estimate the steelhead harvest on the Mad River. According to John Deibner-Hanson, a Northern Region Environmental Scientist for CDFW, a number of fish will be captured in the lower river using tangle nets and affixed with spaghetti tags worth $20, $50 or $100 rewards. Once the tags are applied on their backs behind the dorsal fin, the fish will be released.

Upon capturing a reward tag, anglers will need to follow one of the methods outlined below to answer a series of questions about how the tag was acquired (e.g., caught on fish, found on dead fish, found on bank). Anglers will have until April 15, 2025 to report tags and claim rewards, after which reward tags from this season will expire. To attain accurate harvest estimates, we must assume 100% tag return rates on harvested steelhead, so getting the word out for our tagging program will be vital to its success.

There are three ways an angler may report their tag for reward:

Scan the QR code posted on message boards and signage around the river or carried by CDFW creelers
Visit: https://forms.office.com/g/jjWnw9t7Ss
Return the tag to CDFW at: 50 Ericson Ct., Arcata, CA

Using options 1 and 2 above, anglers will not submit the physical tag, only needing to provide the unique tag number and answering the accompanying questions online. For this reason, anglers are strongly urged to retain the tag after submittal until all rewards have been claimed, as only one reward will be paid for each uniquely numbered tag. For questions, please email MadRiverRewards@wildlife.ca.gov.

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all North Coast rivers subjected to low-flow fishing closures were open to fishing. This includes the Mad, main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Redwood Creek, Van Duzen, Mattole and Smith rivers. 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 at any time. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is 707-822-3164. NOTE: The main stem Eel from the South Fork to Cape Horn Dam, the Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream and the Mattole River are all now open to fishing. More information can be found here.

Mad
The Mad is in good shape and steelhead are finally showing up according to Justin Kelly of Eureka’s RMI Outdoors. “Excellent conditions drew plenty of bank anglers and boats this week and the fishing was good,” said Kelly. “Steelhead are currently spread out from top to bottom, and conditions should continue to get better throughout the week.” As of Thursday, it was right at 7.25 feet and holding good color. If you’re looking to catch a steelhead, it’s a good option.

Main stem Eel
The main stem dropped into shape this week and is nice and green. It was running at 3,800 cubic feet per second as of Thursday and should be in great shape through the weekend and likely through the end of the month. There are some steelhead around but the bite isn’t wide open.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is running at just under a 1,000 cfs at Miranda as of Thursday. It’s been in really good shape for over a week, and has provided some pretty good fishing from the top to the bottom. It should continue to fish through the weekend, but will continue to clear, making fishing a little tougher. It was fairly crowded over the weekend, but has since thinned out.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was down to 290 cfs Thursday and is in great shape. Catch reports are hard to come by, but it’s a great option if you’re looking for a spot to bank fish.

Smith River
Flows were less than 1,800 cfs (6.9 feet) on the Jed Smith gauge Thursday. Fishing has been tough as the river is low, clear and snaggy. Fishing pressure has been very light as a lot of anglers have moved to other rivers. There are some fish around but again, you’ll need to be stealthy.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“The Chetco is low and clear, with a handful of steelhead a day being caught,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Plunkers are landing a fish or two a day at Social Security Bar, but most shore-based anglers are going home fish less. Drift boats also are reporting low catch rates, with a few fish a day being landed. Trees in the river at Emily Creek, above Ice Box and below Miller Bar could making drifting anywhere above Loeb Park difficult this weekend. A few late salmon also surprised anglers this week on the lower river. Rain isn’t expected until the very end of the month. The Elk and Sixes are low and clear, while the Rogue also is slow, although a few fish a day are being caught by boaters anchoring a running plugs.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, the lingcod, rockfish and crab action has been good out of Brookings on calm weather days. “Windy weather is in the forecast this weekend.”

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

Plenty of River Options for the Week Ahead

A couple of happy anglers with a nice South Fork Eel River steelhead caught last weekend. Photo courtesy of Blake Manning/Redwood Fishing Adventures

It’s been a solid couple of weeks since we’ve had any measurable precipitation, and most of the coastal rivers are now feeling the effects. Some good, others not so much. First the good. The Mattole, South Fork Eel, and Van Duzen are all in great shape at the moment and should be through the weekend and into next week. However, it won’t be long before they’ll need a shot of rain. The main stem Eel and the Mad River are just on the cusp of dropping into prime shape. By the end of next week, both should be emerald green. The Smith and Chetco, which are the quickest to clear, could use a few inches of rain as both are now getting low and clear. Reportedly, dry weather is predicted to persist through the end of the month. However, some ensemble forecasts are showing some potential river rises next weekend. I for one am hoping for some rain sooner rather than later.

Mad
The Mad is starting to come around, both in color and height. As of Thursday, it’s dipped below 1,000 cfs (8.15 feet) and should be in decent shape by the weekend with a couple feet of visibility. It may still be a little on the pushy side. Steelhead returning to the hatchery slowed this week, but anglers have been catching a few.

Main stem Eel
The main stem is still big, but starting to turn green as of Thursday, flowing at just above 6,000 cfs at Scotia and dropping. It should be down to a fishable height, though still big, by next week. It’s forecast to be under 5,000 cfs by late in the weekend. With no rain in sight, will be a good option for the next couple weeks.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is green, and was holding right around 1,500 cfs at Miranda Thursday. It dropped into shape over the weekend, but boat traffic wasn’t too bad. Not a wide-open bite by any means, but there were some nice fish caught.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was down to 325 cfs as of Thursday and has been fishable since last week. It should be a good option for the weekend, especially for bank anglers. Flows are predicted to be just above 280 cfs by Saturday morning.

Smith River
The Smith is getting low and clearing, sitting at just below 8 feet at the Jed Smith gauge as of Thursday. There are fish to be had, but you’ll need to be stealthy with these conditions. Most anglers have moved north to the Chetco where conditions are a little better. Predicted to be 7.6 feet on the Jed Smith gauge by Saturday morning.

Chetco/Lower Rogue
Steelhead are spread throughout the Chetco, but catch rates have been best on the lower half reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Fishing is fair, with most guide boats getting one to three fish a day, and plunkers getting fish at Social Security Bar,” said Martin. “The river is dropping fast, but still had good color. No rain is in sight. The lower Rogue has yet to take off for steelhead. Plunkers have caught a few fish, but overall fishing has been slow.”

Dry Conditions and Green Water Headed Our Way

Corbin Green of Eureka holds a winter steelhead caught Tuesday on the Smith River. Conditions are looking excellent for drifting the Smith next week. Photo courtesy of Alan’s Guide Service.

A couple more days of heavy rain, then it’s finally time to watch the rivers come into fishable shape. The ‘last hurrah’ of rain is forecast for Friday and into the early hours of Saturday morning before we see an extended shift in the weather. We’ll finally see the coastal rivers, other than the Smith, full of green water. Plunking conditions will persist on the Smith this weekend, but will be in prime drifting shape by early next week. The Chetco and the upper section of the South Fork Eel should drop into shape mid next week, with the other rivers not too far behind. Depending on when the next round of storms arrive, the main Eel may be fishable soon. It will take a couple weeks of dry conditions to get there. According to reports, it’s sounding like we’re off to a really good start numbers-wise, now we just need the conditions. And we’re about to get em…

Weather ahead
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, “the heaviest rain is forecast to occur late Thursday into Friday morning in Del Norte and far northern Humboldt. Moderate to locally heavy rainfall rates will then spread southward into Mendo and Lake counties through the day on Friday as the boundary weakens. The Extreme Forecast Index (EFI) continues to signal potential for an anomalous rain event compared to the reforecast analysis for Del Norte/Northern Humboldt for the 24-hour period 4 p.m. Thursday to 4 p.m. Friday. This does raise concerns for possible urban and small stream flooding late tonight into Friday morning. High pressure is expected to develop over the weekend and much drier weather is expected next week.”

Mattole River opened to fishing Jan. 1
The Mattole River opened to fishing Jan. 1 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stanberry Creek. Only artificial lures may be used, and barbless hooks are required. The Mattole is also regulated by low-flow closures, with a minimum flow of 320 cfs at the Petrolia gauging station.

Mad
The Mad has one big rise left before it begins to drop. It’s forecast to surpass monitor stage (15 ft.) Friday afternoon, then it will be on the drop through next week. Without any additional rain, the color could come around late next weekend. Quite a few steelhead have already made their way back to the hatchery.

Main stem Eel
The Eel was under 30,000 cfs at Scotia Thursday, but expected to go back over 53,000 cfs following Friday’s storm. Will need a couple weeks of dry weather once it starts to drop before it comes down to a fishable height.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is predicted to reach 15,500 cfs at Miranda Friday evening, but will be on the drop starting Saturday and all next week. If the predictions come true, it could fish above the East Fork late next week and below Benbow by the weekend.

Van Duzen
The Duzen is still on the big side, flowing at 3,300 cfs at Bridgeville as of Thursday. Friday’s storm will put it back on the rise, where it’s predicted to peak just under 11,000 cfs Friday evening. Like the rest of the coastal rivers, it will drop through the weekend and all next week. If the predictions hold, we could see some green water late next week or by the weekend.

Smith
The river dropped into shape Tuesday and the plunkers did well. Both bank and boat anglers reported multiple hookups. The river was on the rise Wednesday, but the handful of boats out caught fish. A few were also caught drifting from the forks down. With more rain on the way through Friday, it will be on the rise and forecast to peak Friday afternoon at just under 20 feet at the Jed Smith gauge. It should be plunkable through the weekend, with prime conditions on tap for next week.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“The Chetco, Elk and Sixes all blew out Christmas week and just as they are dropping to plunkable levels, more rain is expected this week,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Next week, however, should have prime conditions on the Southern Oregon Coast. Steelhead were being caught in the Chetco before the storms, and plenty of fish should be around next week.”

Capt. Sam Stover helps a young angler hold a lingcod caught Tuesday aboard the Nauti-Lady of Brookings Fishing Charters.

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, the ocean has been rough most of December out of Brookings, but a brief break in the weather New Year’s Eve led to limits of rockfish and quite a few lingcod for the handful of boats that ventured out. “Sunday may be fishable after rough weather most of this week.”

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.

Storms and Steelhead Headed Our Way

Chris Silkowski of Portland holds a steelhead caught last week on an M2 FlatFish while fishing with guide Rye Phillips of Brookings Fishing Charters.

Winter steelhead season isn’t in full swing yet on the North Coast, but that is about to change. A few storm systems are currently impacting the rivers, putting them all on the rise. According to the National Weather Service, three separate storms will hit the coast between Wednesday and Monday, which is just what we needed. Steady rain and pulse flows should do the trick in enticing the first big wave of winter steelhead from the salt. If the rains come as predicted, the Smith should be in great shape early next week followed closely behind by the Chetco.

The Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen and Mad are all on the rise as of Thursday and will be blown out from some time. Once all the rivers crest and begin to recede to fishable levels, we should see the first wave of winter steelhead. After a stellar late-fall salmon season, seeing the rivers loaded with bright steelhead would be icing on the cake.

Weather ahead
Thursday, showers are expected behind Wednesday’s main front, according to Eureka’s National Weather Service office. “Snow levels will be lower across the area, likely dropping to around 4,000 feet or even slightly lower for much of the area. Models are still not in very good agreement on how much rain will fall with these showers.

The next system starts to move into the area Friday. The models are showing a warm frontal boundary out ahead of the main cold front. Rainfall amounts for Friday look to range from over an inch in the King Range to a quarter of an inch in southern Lake County. This looks like a highly favorable pattern for low elevation snow, with levels down to 2,500 to 3,500 feet across most of the inland areas Friday morning. Breezy south winds are expected, but these look to mainly be over the higher terrain due to the fairly stable temperature profile.

Friday evening and Friday night the cold front is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the area. Rainfall amounts from Friday morning through Saturday afternoon look to be around 2 to 4 inches across much of the area. This may cause some minor flooding due to the fairly short period of time that it is expected to fall over. This flooding is expected to be exacerbated around they bays where streams will have trouble draining during high tide. Sunday there is expected to be some lingering showers around, but overall, it looks like it will be a break in the rain. Another fairly strong system is expected on Monday with additional rain, wind and snow. At this point it looks weaker than the Friday night system, but it is still 5 days out.”

Sport Dungeness crab season now open to CA/OR border
As of Dec. 9, the sport Dungeness crab season is now open from the California/Oregon border (42° 0.00’ N latitude) to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock State Marine Reserve (41° 17.6’ N latitude). State health agencies determined that consuming the meat of Dungeness crab no longer poses a significant threat for domoic acid exposure. More information can be found here.

Commercial Dungeness crab season delay continues
The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season for Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties remains closed due to poor quality crab. Crab meat quality tests were not conducted due to continued high domoic acid concentrations at one of the northern sampling locations. The season is currently closed until 12:01a.m. Dec. 31, 2024. Another round of testing is anticipated to occur around Dec. 15 to determine whether the fishery may open on Dec. 31, or be delayed an additional 15 days until Jan. 15, 2025. For more information, visit the Marine Management News Blog.

Shelter Cove update
“We only fished a couple days this week, and the rockfish bite was a little tougher, but still good,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We spent most of our time just outside the Hat. Crabbing is still going strong, with easy limits of nice crab.”

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all North Coast rivers subjected to low-flow fishing closures were open to fishing, except for the Van Duzen. (The recording should be updated sometime today) This includes the Mad, main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Redwood Creek, and Smith rivers. 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 at any time. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is 707-822-3164. NOTE: The main stem Eel from the South Fork to Cape Horn Dam, the Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream and the Mattole River will be closed until January 1, 2025. More information can be found here.

Mad
The river has been in great shape this week, but that’s going to come to an end sometime Thursday as the river was on the rise. Flows are predicted to peak at 13,400 cfs Saturday afternoon. It will likely be blown out for quite a while, especially with Ruth Lake being full. A few steelhead have been caught, and there’s been quite a few coho around. Look for that to change once the flows come back down.

Main stem Eel
Flows dipped under 3,500 cfs Wednesday and the river was in perfect shape. Unfortunately, Wednesday was probably the last fishable day for a while as lots of rain is in the forecast. Flows are predicted to reach nearly 113,000 cfs early late Saturday. It will be off color for some time if the predictions are correct. There have been a few adult steelhead caught and quite a few coho.

South Fork Eel
River conditions were about perfect as of Wednesday, but that is going to change Thursday. The river is predicted to rise beginning Thursday afternoon, with flows peaking at 32,900 cfs at Miranda Saturday evening. The river has been full of coho as well as some older kings. No big numbers of steelhead have entered the river yet, but that could change after the latest round of storms. A week of dry weather could get it back to fishable shape, but that may not be in the cards.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen has been closed the last few days due to low flows, but that is changing Thursday. The CDFW recording still said the river was closed, even though flows were well above 400 cfs in the morning. It’s predicted to peak at nearly 33,000 cfs Saturday evening. Will likely be blown out the next couple weeks.

Smith
The Smith had been low and clear, but it’s now receiving some much-needed rain. As of Thursday morning, flows were 4,000 cfs on the Jed Smith gauge and starting to peak. The next round of rain will be more substantial, and should see flows reach roughly 16,500 cfs (13.8 ft.) by Saturday afternoon. If the rain comes as predicted, it should be fishable by Sunday and all next week. We should see the first wave of steelhead by the weekend or early next week.

Eel River Chinook salmon returns
From Nov. 25 through Dec. 1. 497 Chinook salmon (female 162, male 179, unknown 56, Jack 100) were observed moving upstream through the fishway at Cape Horn Dam. The season total for upstream migrating Chinook salmon stands at 713 (female 244, male 249, unknown 78, Jack 142). The last year the Chinook count went over 500 at Van Arsdale Reservoir was during the 2014-15 season. For more information, visit https://eelriver.org/the-eel-river/#fishcount.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“A mix of late salmon and early steelhead were caught the past week on the Chetco, but fishing likely will come to a standstill beginning Saturday as heavy rain is expected to blow the river out for several days,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “More than a week of high water conditions are expected. There could be a window to fish the Elk between storms, while the Sixes is also expected to be blown out. The number of early steelhead caught by drift boaters and shore-based plungers is promising for the latter part of this month, when the river drops back into shape.”

Brookings rockfish update
According to Martin, sport crabbing has been very good out of Brookings, but catches likely will drop significantly once the commercial crab season begins Monday. “Commercial fishermen may drop pots as early as Friday. Rockfish and lingcod action has been good out of Brookings. High surf conditions and stormy weather begins Friday.”