weather

Dry Stretch Continues as North Coast Rivers Drop

Andy Peterson of Arcata landed a chrome-bright winter steelhead while fishing the Mad River last weekend. Photo courtesy of Andy Peterson

Another week of steelhead fishing is in the books, and once again it passed without any meaningful precipitation. Most North Coast rivers are now running low and clear, with the notable exceptions of the larger systems like the Eel and the Klamath. Redwood Creek has closed due to low flows, and the Van Duzen followed earlier this week, with additional closures likely before the weekend. Simply put, we’re running out of fishable water.

Unfortunately, the 10-day ensemble forecast offers little optimism. There’s no indication of significant rainfall through the first week of February. While there are rumors of a potential pattern change sometime in the middle of the second week, that’s all they are for now—rumors. Low, clear rivers remain the current reality.

Weather outlook
According to the Eureka’s National Weather Service office, global models continue to indicate another shortwave trough approaching NW California coast this weekend. “Surface frontal passage appears to hold off until Sunday when most of the precipitation is expected. A faster scenario suggests rain arriving earlier Saturday night. Multi-model ensemble continues to indicate a 40-60% chance for 0.25 inches or more in 24 hours ending 4 p.m. Sunday or 4 a.m. Monday for the northern most zones. There is a 13-23% chance for 1″ in 24 hours over Del Norte mountains and SW Humboldt (King Range) for the same 24-hour time periods.

Upcoming salmon information meetings
The California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will hold the annual Salmon Information Meeting in person at the California Natural Resources Agency Auditorium at 715 P St. in Sacramento on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at 1 p.m., and will also be livestreamed online. The meeting will feature the outlook for this year’s ocean salmon fisheries, in addition to a review of last year’s salmon fisheries and inland spawner returns.

CDFW statement:

“The 2026 Salmon Information Meeting marks the beginning of a two-month public process to help develop annual sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing seasons. The input is also used to inform inland salmon season development later in the spring.

The annual pre-season salmon management process involves collaborative negotiations between west coast states, federal agencies, tribal co-managers, commercial troll representatives, commercial passenger fishing vessel representatives, private recreational anglers, non-governmental organizations, and others interested in salmon fishery management and conservation.

These leaders utilize the most current information shared at the Salmon Information Meeting to work together to develop a range of recommended ocean fishing season alternatives at the March 4-9 Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting in Sacramento, Calif. Final season recommendations will be adopted at the PFMC’s April 7-12 meeting in Portland, Ore.

Salmon Information Meeting details, agenda, informational materials and instructions to view the livestream will be published in advance of the event on CDFW’s Ocean Salmon web page. Livestream login information and a handout with the meeting presentations will be posted by the morning of Feb. 25. Please see the Ocean Salmon web page for a complete Calendar of Events and contact information regarding the Salmon Preseason Process, including other opportunities for engagement in the ocean salmon season development process.”

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all North Coast rivers subjected to low-flow fishing closures were open to fishing, except Redwood Creek. The Mad, main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, Mattole, and Smith rivers all remain open to fishing. 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 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stanberry Creek are now open to fishing. More information can be found here.

Mad
According to Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors, the fishing has been a little slow and the pressure has been light. “There are quite a few fish in the system, but they’re scattered and not bunching up like previous years,” said Kelly. “You’ll need to move around a lot to find fish. Typically, the best fishing is in February, hopefully that will be the case this year.” As of Thursday, the river was holding steady at just under 7 feet.

Main stem Eel
The river was big over the weekend, but the color was just about perfect. With flows again on the drop, conditions are about ideal. That’s the good news. The bad news is there doesn’t seem to be a ton of fish around. Boats are reporting one to two fish per drift, with some zeros mixed in. To be fair, there were some better scores reported as well. With the current conditions, the river is attracting a crowd. As of Thursday, flows were right around 3,590 cfs at Scotia.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is on the low side and getting clear, running at 874 cfs at Miranda as of Thursday. Despite the conditions, fish are being caught, though the crowds have thinned. It’s predicted to be under 800 cfs by the weekend. Spots that hold fish will get fewer until we see some substantial rain.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was down to 146 cfs as of Thursday afternoon and could close by Friday due to low flows. CDFW closed the river on Tuesday, but it opened back up with the rain that fell Wednesday. When the flows were decent, there were fish being caught, mostly by bank anglers. Minimum flows to keep the river open are 150 cfs at the Grizzly Creek gauge.

Smith River
The Smith is low and clear and in need of some rain. As of Thursday, it was just under 6.25 feet (1,186) at the Jed Smith gauge. Despite the conditions, some fish are still being caught. Fishing pressure remains light as most have moved on to other rivers.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes/Rogue
“This week’s rain did little to boost flows on the Chetco, where steelhead fishing is fair at best, with a mix of hatchery and wild fish spread throughout the river,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “The river is driftable, but boats are scraping bottom getting downriver. With no major rain in the forecast, pressure has been light. The Rogue, Elk and Sixes also are low and clear, with slow fishing.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, rough weather has limited ocean fishing outside of Brookings. “Lingcod and rockfish action has been good, but more rough weather is expected through the 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.

Emerald water ahead as coastal rivers improve

Eureka resident Bob Hurst landed a nice Chetco steelhead earlier this week. Photo courtesy of Michael LeGrand

It’s been a solid ten days since we’ve seen any measurable precipitation, and most of the coastal rivers are starting to feel the effects — some in a good way, others not so much.

Starting with the positives: the Mattole, South Fork Eel, and Van Duzen are all in great shape right now and should remain fishable through next week. That said, it won’t be long before they’ll need a fresh shot of rain. The Smith and Chetco, which tend to clear the quickest, will need a few inches as well, as they’re now starting to get low and clear.

The main stem Eel and the Mad River are right on the cusp of dropping into shape. By the end of next week, both should be running emerald green. However, just as they come into form, rain may be creeping back into the forecast. Dry weather is expected to persist through next Thursday, though some ensemble models are hinting at potential river rises by Friday. I’m certainly hoping that rain arrives sooner rather than later.

Weather ahead
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, “upper ridging aloft and offshore wind flow will ensure a continuation of dry weather for the remainder of the week into the weekend. So far there are not any strong signals from the global ensembles and deterministic solutions for any significant rain. Some drizzle could be squeezed out from a stratus push early or mid-next week as a transient front clips the area. Probabilistic guidance is not very high at this point even for a few hundredths. Mostly dry and stable weather is forecast for the next 7 days.”

Weekend marine forecast
Ocean conditions are looking excellent for offshore crabbing this starting Friday and going through the weekend. As of Thursday, Friday’s forecast is calling for southeast winds to 5 knots with waves northwest 3 feet at eight seconds and west 4 feet at 12 seconds. Saturday, the winds will be out of the east up to 5 knots and waves will be out of the northwest 2 feet at seven seconds and west 3 feet at 12 seconds. Sunday, winds will come from the north up to 5 knots with waves out of the west 4 feet at 15 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit https://www.weather.gov/eka/ or https://www.windy.com/. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Sport crab update
Ocean conditions are lining up for a great weekend for sport crabbers out of Eureka. Both wind and swells are expected to be minimal. Boats dropping gear on both sides of the entrance are averaging 10 to 15 keepers on an overnight soak.

Updated Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations Guide Now Available​
In an email sent out Jan. 13 by CDFW, the 2026 version of the ocean sport fish regulations are now online.

CDFW statement:

The updated guide is now available on the CDFW Fishing Regulations web page, in the CDFW License App, and on the CDFW Marine Region’s comprehensive Ocean Sport Fishing web page. 

Regulation changes and updates include the following:

  • Regulations governing the use of hoop nets north of Pt. Arguello, Santa Barbara County have been updated in the section titled “Gear Restrictions for Recreational Take of Saltwater Crustaceans” (see CCR T14 §29.80) 
  • Free Fishing Days information, website links, and various other items have been updated for the New Year.

To quickly check for open seasons, size limits, and bag/possession limits for popular California fish and shellfish, go to the regulation summary tables beginning on page 44 in the guide.

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all rivers subject to low flow fishing closures are open. This includes the main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Mad, Van Duzen, Redwood Creek, and Smith. 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 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stanberry Creek are now open to fishing. More information can be found here.

Mad
The Mad is starting to come around, both in color and height, but is still off color. As of Thursday, it’s dipped below 1,600 cfs (8.25 feet) and could be in decent shape by the weekend. It may still be a little on the pushy side. Should be plenty of steelhead around when it drops.

Main stem Eel
The main stem is still big, but starting to turn as of Thursday, flowing at just above 8,600 cfs and dropping. It should be down to a fishable height, though still big, by late next week. The next rise is forecast for next Friday, which is looking, which won’t give anglers much time before it muddies back up.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is green, and was holding right around 1,800 cfs at Miranda Thursday. It dropped into really good shape, especially in the Benbow area, on Wednesday. Boat traffic will likely be heavy over the weekend, but the river should be fishable to the forks. Not a wide-open bite by any means, but there were some nice fish caught. If the ensemble forecast is correct, we may see a rise starting next Friday.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was down to 425 cfs as of Thursday and should be plenty fishable. It should be a good option for the weekend, especially for bank anglers. Flows are predicted to be around 340 cfs by Saturday morning.

Smith River
The Smith is getting low and clearing, sitting at just above 9 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 8.7 feet by Saturday morning.

Chetco/Lower Rogue
“The Chetco dropped into prime shape, with fair to good action for steelhead,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Fish are spread throughout the river, with wild and hatchery adults. Guides working the upper river are finding fish early in the morning, while the lower river bite has been mid-day. Side-drifting roe and Puff Balls or soft beads has worked best. No rain is expected in the next week. 

The lower Rogue is kicking out a few nice steelhead, but the best action is still to come. Conditions are now near prime. Still a month early for the first spring salmon reports.”

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.

Dry Stretch Sets the Stage for Prime Steelhead Conditions

Crescent City resident Kam Hafezi landed this nice winter steelhead while plunking on the Smith River Monday. Photo courtesy of Kam Hafezi

After a very wet end to the year, the rain has finally shut off and it’s time to watch the rivers drop into fishable shape. The “last hurrah” of rain came earlier this week, and we’re now entering an extended stretch of drier weather — exactly what we’ve been waiting for.

Over the next week, most coastal rivers (aside from the Smith) will finally fill in with green water. The Smith is in perfect shape right now, but will be low and clear by next week. The Chetco is already dropping into shape and should offer prime conditions next week. The upper South Fork Eel should come into shape early next week and be fishable down to the confluence by later in the week. The Van Duzen, Mad, and Mattole shouldn’t be far behind.

The main Eel still has some work to do and will likely need a couple weeks of dry weather to reach fishable levels. That said, early reports from both the Smith and Chetco suggest we’re off to a strong start numbers-wise — now we just need the conditions.

And they’re about to line up.

Weather ahead
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, “showers associated with a passing cold front will continue to diminish through Thursday afternoon. Along the coast, 0.3 to 0.6 inches of rain fell Wednesday night into early Thursday with locally higher amounts in the mountains (especially in Del Norte). Lower amounts are expected for the southern half of the area as the showers diminish Thursday.

Otherwise, weak ridging will slowly build into the region this weekend and into early next week. Gradual warming will occur by late this weekend and build into mid next week. Above average temperatures are forecast by Tuesday with some daytime interior highs in the low 70s by early next week. In contrast to the last couple of weeks, there is very little chance of rain with only 10% of ensemble members indicating any chance for wetting rain during the week.”

Commercial Crab season to open in parts of the North Coast
In a press release issued Jan 8., CDFW will open portions of northern California on Jan. 15 under a 15% gear reduction. 

CDFW statement:

“The commercial fishery will open in the following areas at 12:01 a.m., Jan. 15 preceded by a 64-hour gear setting period beginning at 8:01 a.m. on Jan. 12:

  • California/Oregon border (42° 0.0’ N. latitude) to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock State Marine Protected Areas (41° 17.6′ N. latitude), and 
  • Cape Mendocino (40° 10.0’ N. latitude) to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line (38° 46.125’ N. latitude). 

This follows the Jan. 5 opening of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the Central Management Area (south of the Sonoma/Mendocino County line, 38° 46.125’ N. latitude).  

In one area of northern California, state health agencies determined that Dungeness crab have unhealthy levels of domoic acid, a naturally occurring toxin, and recommended delaying the opening of the commercial fishery in that area. Following this recommendation, the Acting Director of California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) ordered a delay in the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery from the southern boundary of the Reading Rock State Marine Protected Areas (41o 17.6′ N. latitude) to Cape Mendocino (40° 10.0’ N. latitude). 

Please see the CDFW Director’s Declaration regarding allowances for transiting, possessing, and landing Dungeness crab within this closure area.

The Fair Start Provision is also triggered when there are commercial season delays along the West Coast for Dungeness crab. This provision prohibits vessels that fished in another area prior to the opening of a delayed area from fishing in the newly opened area for a period of 30 days. This will apply to the fishing areas that are scheduled to open Jan. 15 and vessels subject to Fair Start may not begin fishing in these areas until Feb 14. For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions for the current 2025-26 commercial Dungeness crab season. 

The delayed opening of commercial Dungeness crab fishing in this area 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. If a determination is made that any part of the delay should be lifted, announcements will be made as soon as possible. Pursuant to Section 5523 of the Fish and Game Code, the CDFW Director may provide a minimum of 72-hour notice to the fleet when trap gear can be set.”

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all rivers subject to low flow fishing closures are open. This includes the main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Mad, Van Duzen, Redwood Creek, and Smith. 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 and the Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream are now open to fishing. More information can be found here.

Mattole River opened to fishing Jan. 1
The Mattole River is now open to fishing as of 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.

Lewiston dam increasing releases down the Trinity
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has issued a change order notification ceasing the ramp-down from our Synchronization Flow and will be increasing releases from Trinity and Lewiston dam starting Jan. 7, 2026 in order to manage reservoir storage volume. An additional change order was issued that same Wednesday that will increase releases beginning Monday, Jan. 12. Releases will begin at 6 a.m. and go from 1,500 cfs to 1,750 and will peak at 4 p.m. at 3,000 cfs. For more information, visit www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/flow-release-notifications/

Mad
The Mad is sitting right around 11 feet as of Thursday and is now on the drop. With no rain in the forecast, it could drop down to a fishable color and height by late next week. It’s predicted to be at 8.5 feet by mid-next week.

Main stem Eel
The Eel is still big and brown, flowing at 28,800 cfs as of Thursday. It will be on the drop for at least the next 10 days, but it doesn’t look like it will get down to a fishable level next week. It’s predicted to still be around 8,000 cfs at the end of next weekend.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork is on the drop and should be in fishable shape by mid-next week. Flows are predicted to be right around 2,200 cfs Wednesday, which will be a little on the pushy side. But the water should be green. Conditions are looking excellent through next weekend.

Van Duzen
The Duzen is still on the big side, flowing at 1,900 cfs at Bridgeville as of Thursday. Like the rest of the coastal rivers, it will be on the 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 boats plunking as well as drifting did very well. Both bank and boat anglers reported multiple hookups and fish landed. As of Thursday, the river was 11.25 feet at the Jed Smith gauge and dropping slowly after rising slightly overnight. It should be in prime shape through the weekend, but will start to get low and clear by later next week.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes/Rogue
The Chetco fished well for steelhead before blowing out last week, with a mix of wild and hatchery adults up to 15 pounds reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Drift boaters found fish spread throughout the river,” said Martin. “Plunkers also did well last week at Social Security Bar and the water tower. The river should fish by Thursday or Friday, with prime conditions expected next week.

The Rogue is high and muddy, with a few anglers trying their luck plunking. The Sixes will be blown out through the weekend, but the Elk will be fishable this week.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, high swells are expected to subside by Saturday, allowing anglers to get offshore for lingcod and rockfish. “Lingcod fishing has been good from Bird Island north, away from the freshwater pouring out of the Chetco.”

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

Rising rivers reset coastal steelhead conditions

Mark Parrish holds a hefty Chetco River steelhead that hit a roe and Corky combination while fishing with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing on New Year’s Eve.

The Smith and Chetco have been in great shape this week, and green water was finally on the horizon for some of the other coastal rivers. Unfortunately, that’s all about to change — again. Mother Nature is again hitting the reset button, putting rivers back on the rise and erasing about a week and a half of progress toward fishable conditions. And we all know what comes next.

The Smith will be the first river to drop back into shape and looks driftable early next week. The Chetco will likely be a few days behind, becoming fishable later in the week.

As for the rest of the coast, it’s back to square one when it comes to fishable conditions. Looking at the 10-day forecast, it appears the Smith and Chetco will be the only options for the first couple weeks of the new year.

Weather ahead
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service, “the first in a series of storm systems is now moving through northwest California producing light to moderate rainfall throughout the region. Up to 0.75″ has been recorded in parts of Mendocino and Lake counties with much less rain off to the north in northern Humboldt and Del Norte.

A more potent front will approach the region on Friday, first bringing increasing southerly winds across the entire region. Ridgetop winds could reach advisory levels by late Friday morning across Humboldt and Del Norte counties, expanding inland through the day. The front will then rapidly move through the region during the evening or overnight hours Friday night with a narrow band of potentially very strong winds which could mix down to the coastal plain. Wind advisories have been issued for all coastal areas and coastal ridge tops.

There may be a quick hit of stronger winds to warning levels on the ridgetops near Cape Mendocino and a high wind watch is in effect for that area. Behind this front a secondary low will approach the northwest California coast within a more unstable, mixed atmosphere. It is highly likely that this low will bring another round of strong southerlies on Saturday, especially in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, and the winds could mix better down to the coastal plain and again bring strong winds to the ridgetops.

In addition to the wind from these two systems, heavy rain is also expected. Guidance is now in very good agreement on a band of rain with heavy rain rates rapidly moving through the region in advance of the front. Total rainfall is not expected to be exceptionally heavy, around 1-3 inches across the region, but this rain should allow for many small streams to begin to rise. Quickly behind this front the rain will re-enhance as the secondary low approaches and an atmospheric river may aim toward Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, and Lake counties. Guidance continues to increase the rainfall potential and Saturday into Sunday. Overall rainfall during the Thursday through Monday could range from 3-6 inches across the region with locally higher amounts up to 8 inches. This heavy rain could easily result in small stream flooding and even main stem rivers reaching critical flood levels. Thus, a flood watch has been issued for all of Humboldt, Mendocino, and Lake counties. If these trends continue it will be highly likely that flood advisories and/or warnings will be needed this weekend into Monday.”

Humboldt County sport Dungeness crab fishery opens
In a press release issued by CDFW very late Tuesday, sport crab anglers learned the season in Humboldt had opened earlier in the day. According to CDFW, “state health agencies determined that Dungeness crab in waters from the southern boundary of the Reading Rock Marine Protected Areas to Cape Mendocino can open. While the area is open to fishing, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a health advisory to not eat crab viscera (also known as guts) and to clean crab prior to cooking.

Due to the potential for whales in this area to become entangled in trap buoy lines, Dungeness crab may currently only be taken with hoop nets, crab snares, or by hand in accordance with the declared trap prohibition in RAMP Fishing Zone 1. Effective 8:01 a.m., Jan. 2, 2026, crab trap restrictions in this area will be lifted and all recreational gear types may be used statewide.”

Commercial crab fishery in Northern Management Area to open Jan. 15
The Dungeness crab season in the Northern Management Area (California/Oregon border to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line) remains delayed because of the inability to conduct meat quality testing due to elevated levels of domoic acid. Pending results of ongoing domoic acid testing, the season will open on Jan. 15, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., under a 15% trap reduction.

After being delayed due to entanglement risk, the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the Central Management Area (Sonoma/Mendocino County line (38°46.125’ N. latitude) to Point Conception (34°27’ N. latitude)) will open on Jan. 5, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., under a 40% trap reduction. 

Boat-based rockfish season comes to a close
The rockfish and lingcod season is now closed as of Dec. 31, 2025, for boat-based anglers in the Northern and Central Management Areas. The season is open year-round for Shore-based anglers that fish from beaches, banks, piers, jetties, breakwaters, docks, and other manmade structures connected to the shore and spear fishermen entering the water either from the shore or from a boat or other floating object.

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all rivers subject to low flow fishing closures are open. This includes the main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Mad, Van Duzen, Redwood Creek, and Smith. 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 and the Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream are now open to fishing. More information can be found here.

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 is still high and dirty and is about to get another big rise. The next round of storms is forecast to push levels past the monitor stage (over 15 feet) Sunday evening. It will need a couple weeks of dry weather before we see some green water.

Main stem Eel
The Eel dipped below 13,000 cfs at Scotia Thursday, but another big rise is on the way. Flows are expected to surpass 85,000 cfs Sunday night. Will need at least 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 was green above the East Fork Wednesday and needed just a few more dry days before it became fishable to the forks. All that is out the window now as the next round of storms approach. It was on a slow rise Thursday but will pick up steam over the weekend. It’s predicted to peak at over 19,000 cfs Sunday afternoon. It will likely need up to 10 days of dry weather before the color and height align. It will typically fish a few days earlier above Benbow.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen is back on the rise after getting down to 800 cfs Wednesday. Flows are predicted to reach 11,700 cfs Sunday morning before it goes back on the drop. If the 10-day forecast is correct, it likely won’t fish the first couple weeks of January.

Smith 
The river dropped into shape last weekend and has been fishable since. A few fish were caught each day by the plunkers as well as the boats drifting from the forks down. It was just starting to rise slowly Thursday, and it’s predicted to peak at 10.6 feet on the Jed Smith gauge early Friday. With a break in the rain, it should be driftable by mid-day Friday. By Saturday its forecast for a much steeper rise, reaching 14.5 feet Sunday afternoon. Monday looks like a good day for plunking, and by Tuesday it should be in great shape to drift. The 10-day forecast has the river hovering between 11 and 12 feet from Tuesday through next weekend.

Chetco/Elk
“The Chetco dropped into shape over the weekend for plunkers and on Monday for drift boats,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “Rain is expected to push the Chetco above 5,000 cfs on Friday and blow it out Saturday and Sunday. Plunkers did well on the lower river early in the week, while guides reported a mix of half pounders and larger adults, with a few fish pushing 15-plus pounds. Overall action has been fair. The Elk produced a mix of late salmon and early steelhead before it closed for the season Wednesday night. It remains open for steelhead.”

Brookings ocean update
According to Martin, sport crabbing has slowed out of Brookings since the commercial opener, but pots soaking in 100 feet of water are still getting half a dozen or more keepers per trap, with most barely legal and few jumbos. “Lingcod and rockfish action remains very good, although stormy weather is expected for the next 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.

All Eyes on the Smith as Storms Limit Winter Steelhead Options

Sisters, Oregon, resident Taylor Robertson landed this beautiful winter steelhead back in January of 2023 on the Smith River. Recent storms have left the Smith River as the only fishable river for the next couple weeks. Photo courtesy of Josh Smith Guide Service

If you’re looking to tangle with your first coastal winter steelhead between now and the end of the year, your options will likely be limited to the Smith River. It’s currently the only river on the coast running green and fishable, and it’s expected to remain that way as the region stays locked into a wet weather pattern over the next couple of weeks.

A larger rise is forecast for Friday, which could make the river unsafe to drift, but plunking will be an excellent option. Weekend conditions are shaping up well, with the river expected to hover in the 11- to 12-foot range. Beginning Monday and continuing through next week, flows are forecast to range from 11 to 13 feet on the Jed Smith gauge—ideal plunking conditions from both the bank and a boat. Drifting from the forks down should also be a good option on the lower end of those flows.

Elsewhere on the coast, from the Mad River south to the South Fork Eel, green water appears unlikely before 2026. Multiple storm systems are expected to bring rain this weekend, followed by additional rainfall next week that will keep rivers high and off color.

Weather ahead
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service office, moderate to heavy rainfall will begin spreading into Del Norte County late Thursday as the next IVT plume sags south. Mean HREF and RRFS hourly rainfall rates are 0.3 to 0.5 inch per hour, with locally up to 0.6 inch per hour over the higher and windward facing terrain through a large portion of Del Norte County.

The front and focus of moderate to heavy rainfall and chances for minor flooding will then progress southward through North California throughout the day Friday. South of Del Norte, the heaviest rainfall rates will be mostly along the windward slopes of the higher terrain. All main stem rivers are forecast to remain below action or monitor stages, however rivers in narrow basins will likely once again quickly rise. Creeks and streams will also quickly rise and could result in nuisance flooding. Ponding on roadways is also likely throughout the duration of heavy rainfall. Rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches are forecast for Del Norte County, with 1 to 3 south through Northern Mendocino County. Outside of Del Norte, there is up to a 70% chance for 24-hour rainfall over 3 inches for southwest facing slopes of Cape Mendocino and some higher interior ridges of Humboldt.

Rainfall will turn much lighter Friday afternoon with a transition to lighter rain or showers. Rainfall will then begin trending higher Saturday south through Lake and Mendocino counties.”

Oregon sport bottomfish regs set for 2026
In a press release issued Dec. 12, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission finalized the 2026 recreational bottomfish season and regulations.

Bag Limits

  • General Marine Species:
    • 4-fish bag limit (new in 2026)
    • Canary rockfish: 2-fish sub-bag limit (new in 2026)
    • Cabezon: 1-fish sub-bag limit
      • 16-inch minimum size limit
      • Opens July 1
  • Lingcod: 3-fish bag limit (new in 2026)
    • 22-inch minimum size limit
  • Flatfish: 25-fish bag limit
  • Sablefish: 10-fish bag limit
  • Offshore long-leader fishery: 10-fish bag limit
    • Canary rockfish: 2-fish sub-bag limit (new in 2026)
    • For a 10-fish bag limit to apply, long-leader gear must be used outside (seaward) of the 40-fathom regulatory line
    • 10 midwater rockfish species only
  • Retention of yelloweye and quillback rockfishes remain prohibited.

The bottomfish fishery will again be open at all-depths year-round (no seasonal depth restriction).

Beginning in 2026, an Ocean Endorsement is required for most anglers fishing in the ocean from beaches, jetties, and boats except when taking shellfish or when fishing for and retaining salmon or steelhead unless other marine finfish are retained. For more information on requirements and fees, please visit myodfw.com/articles/ocean-endorsement.

Recreational Red Abalone fishery to remain closed until 2036
In a press release issued Thursday, the California Fish and Game Commission has extended the Red Abalone recreational fishery closure.

CDFW Commission Statement:

“In a move to protect red abalone populations that have suffered drastic population decline, the California Fish and Game Commission at its Dec. 10-11 meeting extended the red abalone recreational fishery closure 10 years.
The Commission unanimously voted to adopt regulatory amendments to extend the red abalone recreational fishery closure in Northern California until April 1, 2036. The Commission determined that continuing the closure is necessary to protect red abalone and help facilitate its restoration.
California’s red abalone population suffered a drastic decline, approximately 85%, following the 2014 kelp forest collapse triggered by a marine heatwave. The loss of kelp greatly contributed to this decline and the increase in purple sea urchin densities prevent kelp recovery, abalone’s primary food source. CDFW will be supporting abalone restoration through the development of a statewide red abalone restoration plan that will include robust and adaptive strategies to support abalone populations.”

Guy Mitchell from Laytonville with a nice ling cod caught over the weekend out of Shelter Cove. Photo courtesy of Jake Mitchell, Sea Hawk Sport Fishing

Shelter Cove update
“Fishing and crabbing was great over the weekend, until the weather turned,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “Both Sunday and Monday we had limits or rockfish, lings, and crab and were off the water by 11 am. The crabs aren’t really big, but they’re nice and full.”

Brookings update
According to Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters, Lingcod fishing has been good out of Brookings, but rough weather is expected for the next week. 

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all rivers subject to low flow fishing closures are open. This includes the main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Mad, Van Duzen, Redwood Creek, and Smith. 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 is high and off color, sitting at just over 9 feet on Thursday. With more rain in the forecast, it will likely remain that way through all next week and weekend. The likelihood of seeing green water is slim between now and the new year. Once the flows do recede, we should be off and running on the steelhead season.

Main Eel
After reaching 48,000 cfs Wednesday night, the man Eel was on the drop Thursday. The next round of storms will put it back on the rise Friday, with flows predicted to reach 65,000 Monday morning. Needless to say, it will need a couple weeks of dry weather before it rounds into shape. When the river drops down to a fishable height and color, we should see some pretty good steelhead fishing.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork Eel is big and muddy, and temporarily on the drop. It peaked Wednesday at over 21,000 cfs, but was right around 5,000 cfs Thursday. With more rain on the way, it will likely remain too high and off color all next week and through the weekend. There should be some winter steelhead around once it drops and clears.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen peaked at over 8,700 cfs Wednesday morning, but has dropped quickly. It was down to 1,600 cfs Thursday, but was still dirty. More rain Friday and throughout the weekend will keep the river off color. It’s not forecast to drop down to a fishable height between now and the first of the year.

Smith
The Smith jumped to over 21 feet Wednesday, but has since dropped down to a fishable height. As of Thursday afternoon, it was just above 10 feet, perfect for drifting. However, more rain is predicted for Friday, which could push flows to high to drift. The weekend looks plenty fishable, as does next week. It’s forecast to remain in the 10-12-foot range all next week, and will likely be the only game in town. Should be some steelhead making their way in.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“The few boats fishing the Chetco before Tuesday’s rain were finding decent numbers of adult steelhead, but high water will now have the river blown out of at least a week,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “River levels jumped 10 feet overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, from 1,500 cfs to nearly 20,000 cfs. Another big storm on Thursday may blow the river out for the rest of the year. Prior to the storms, ODFW crews doing salmon spawning surveys observed impressive numbers of adult steelhead spread throughout the river. Plunkers could have a chance between Christmas and New Year’s, while drift boaters may have to wait for the first week of January. The Elk and Sixes also blew out Tuesday night, with the Elk jumping to nearly 7.5 feet. Both rivers close to salmon fishing Dec. 31.”

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 Set Stage for Winter Steelhead Kickoff

Eureka angler Bob White shows off a quality winter steelhead from last year. Incoming storms are expected to jump-start this season’s run. Photo courtesy of Kenny Priest/Fishing the North Coast Guide Service.

Winter steelhead season has been slow to ignite on the North Coast, but that’s about to change. A series of storm systems is lining up over the Pacific, and the impacts could be significant beginning next week and beyond.

According to the National Weather Service, rain is expected to arrive Monday and persist for several days, with a few inches forecast along the coast — exactly what the rivers need. Steady rainfall and resulting pulse flows should be enough to draw the first major push of winter steelhead out of the salt. If the storms materialize as predicted, the Smith River could be in excellent shape sometime next week. The Chetco is projected to spike to around 9,000 cfs and will likely remain unfishable through the week.

Elsewhere, the Eel, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen and Mad rivers are expected to take on plenty of color and will probably need some time before dropping back into shape. Once all the rivers crest and begin to recede to fishable levels, the first wave of winter steelhead should follow.

After a standout late-fall salmon season, seeing the rivers fill with bright winter steelhead would be a welcome encore.

Weather ahead
According to Eureka’s National Weather Service office, Sunday is expected to start to see conditions transition to a wetter pattern. “Winds start to turn southerly and increase Sunday morning. High clouds are expected to start to move into the area as well. There is a slight chance for rain in Del Norte county Sunday evening, but the rain will likely stay to the north of the area.

Monday the wet pattern is expected to return. The first system is expected to move through Monday afternoon or evening with a second Tuesday afternoon or evening. The ECMWF and ensembles keep the heavier rain a bit farther north for the first one, but is in better agreement with the GEFS on the second one. Some areas may not see much of a break between the systems and it this point it is hard to time a break out. Confidence is growing that we will see 1 to 3 inches of rain over Monday and Tuesday in Humboldt and Trinity counties with more like 2 to 3 inches in Del Norte County. In Mendocino and Lake counties rainfall amounts drop off quickly with amounts ranging from a quarter of an inch in southern Lake County to 1.5 inches in northern Mendocino County. These amounts may continue to rise.

Later in the week there is the potential for continued wet weather, but details are low at this point. There are some indications that this could be a colder storm with some snow at the higher elevations.”

Shelter Cove update
“The rockfish and lingcod fishing continues to be great,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We’ve been having some excellent December weather to go with it. We’re spending most of our time at the Hat and the Old Man.”

Brookings update
According to Martin, lingcod action has been very good out of Brookings, while sport crabbing also is excellent. “Crabbing will remain good through Saturday, and then likely drop off sharply with the commercial opener and incoming storm. Calm conditions are expected through Saturday. A major winter storm arrives Sunday night.”

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, the main stem Eel and Smith were open to fishing. The Mad, South Fork Eel, Van Duzen, and Redwood Creek remained closed due to low flows. 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 remains closed, but changes are on the way. Rain is in the forecast for Monday, and we should see the river start to rise early Tuesday. It’s predicted to stay in the 9-to-10-foot range through at least next Sunday. Once the flows recede, we should see the first push of winter steelhead. Minimum flow: 200 cfs at the gauging station at the Highway 299 bridge.

Main Eel
The main Eel remains open, but is now under 700 cfs as of Thursday. The next rise is forecast to start late Monday or early Tuesday and will likely turn the river muddy. There should be some late kings and coho making their way in along with the first round of steelhead when the river drops down to a fishable height and color. Minimum Flow: 350 cubic feet per second at the gauging station near Scotia.

South Fork Eel
The South Fork Eel remains closed to fishing, but some much-needed water is on the way. With rain starting Monday, the South Fork is forecast to rise early Tuesday morning and will likely blow out. Flows are predicted to be above 3,000 cfs by next Sunday. We should see a few winter steelhead show up on the next rise.Minimum flow: 340 cfs at the gauging station at Miranda.

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen is currently closed due to low flows, but that will soon change. The river is predicted to rise Monday evening, and will likely blow out soon after. It’s predicted to be high and off color through next week. Minimum flow: 150 cfs at the gauging station near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.

Smith
The Smith remains open as of Thursday, but is low and clear with very little fishing pressure. There’s a chance it could close prior to the rain coming late Monday as flows were 620 cfs at Jed Smith Park Thursday. It’s predicted to rise starting Monday evening and could be in plunkable or in drifting shape throughout next week as it should be in the 10-to-12-foot range. The next rise should bring in the last of the kings as well as some bright winter steelhead. Minimum flow: 600 cfs at the Jedediah Smith State Park gauging station.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
Salmon fishing has been slow on the Chetco, Elk and Sixes with prolonged low water reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “A big boost in flows is expected Sunday night, but the river will quickly blow out and could be high for more than a week,” said Martin. “Expect steelhead fishing to kick into gear as the river drops. Flows are expected to approach 10,000 cfs by early next week. Flows were between 500 and 650 cfs 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.

Smith and Chetco Best Bets for the Weekend

John Curry of Reno with a chrome-bright Chetco king caught Tuesday on a 5.0 MagLip with guide Andy Martin.

If you haven’t gotten in on the late fall king action on the coast, this is your weekend to do it. Not only are the river conditions lining for both the Smith and Chetco, it’s getting towards the end of the run. The rain earlier in the week shot both rivers well above projections, and by the weekend they should be in really good shape. If the projections are correct, the Smith could be clearing, but still at a very fishable height and flow. The Chetco blew out on Wednesday, but will come around by the weekend. It may start off a little high Saturday, but by Sunday it should be prime. Another small bump in flows is predicted for Sunday afternoon, which should keep both rivers humming along. Here locally, the main stem Eel could remain fishable this weekend, depending on how dirty the creeks get. It’s predicted to peak Friday at just over 1,600 cfs. That could be a good option if it doesn’t muddy up. The Mad did just that Thursday afternoon, and was still rising. It will likely be off color for the weekend.

Weather ahead
According to the US National Weather Service Eureka, rain will continue through Thursday, with up to a .25 inch predicted. Rain will taper off by Friday morning and we should remain dry through most of Saturday. Rain is forecast to return early Sunday morning and will persist through the night. Rainfall totals from Saturday through Monday morning are anticipated to be between a .5 and 1 inch in Humboldt and up to 2 inches in the Smith basin.

Weekend Marine Forecast
Ocean conditions look to be improved by Saturday, with the south wind returning by Sunday. Saturday’s forecast is calling for east winds 5 to 10 knots with north waves four feet at 5 seconds and northwest seven feet at 12 seconds. Sunday is looking a little worse, with winds out of the south 10 to 15 knots and southwest waves four feet at 5 seconds and northwest six feet at 11 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Sport crab fishing update
Crabbing has been good when the boats can get offshore out of Eureka. Both sides of the entrance have been fishing well and averaging roughly 10 to 15 keepers per pot. The crabs are reportedly in really good shape, with some nice jumbos in the mix. Ocean conditions don’t look good for the weekend, and even worse early next week. Crabbing inside Humboldt Bay has been slow.

Shelter Cove update
“We had some good weather last week and took advantage by running north to Rodgers Break for some excellent rockfish and ling cod action,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “Crabbing has been excellent as well, and they’re nice and full. There’s still some albacore around and boats did fairly well on them 20 miles out last week. We even ran out Friday afternoon and landed 21. No one has been out since then due to weather, but the water still looks good though.”

Brookings update
According to Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters, ocean fishing is very good out of Brookings on calm weather days, which are few and far between right now. He said, “Lingcod are already in spawning mode, while rockfish are schooled up over shallow reefs. Big swells have kept boaters at the docks for the most part.”

The Rivers:
As of Thursday, all North Coast rivers subjected to low-flow fishing closures, including the Smith, the main stem Eel, South Fork Eel, Mad, Redwood Creek and Van Duzen are open to angling. The South Fork Eel will be closed beginning Friday according to the CDFW hotline. 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. 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.

Mad
The Mad was still rising and starting to color up Thursday morning and was headed above projections. It should begin to drop Friday, but will likely be too dirty for the weekend. Minimum flow: 200 cfs at the gauging station at the Highway 299 bridge. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=ARCC1

Main Eel
Forecasted to reach 1,200 cfs Friday morning. The color was good Wednesday when it opened and some salmon were caught. Minimum Flow: 350 cubic feet per second at the gauging station near Scotia.
cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=SCOC1

South Fork Eel
Flows are predicted to peak at around 485 cfs Thursday afternoon. Forecast for a quick drop and will be closed to angling Friday. Minimum flow: 340 cfs at the gauging station at Miranda. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=MRNC1

Van Duzen
The Van Duzen was peaking just above 700 cfs Thursday afternoon and will drop quickly. Flows are predicted to stay above the threshold before the next storm hits Sunday 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 went well over predictions and peaked at just under 16 feet on the Jed Smith gauge Wednesday evening. With very little rain the next three days, it will drop quickly. It’s forecast to be down to 8.5 feet by Sunday morning when the rain returns. Minimum flow: 600 cfs at the Jedediah Smith State Park gauging station. cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=CREC1

Nov. 29 and 30 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://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2024/11_Nov/111324.asp for more info.

Chetco/Elk/Sixes
“Heavy rain blew out the Chetco, Elk and Sixes rivers Wednesday morning,” said Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “The Chetco was low and clear prior to the storm, with fair fishing for late-season kings. New fish should move up with the storm. The Elk and Sixes were too low for drift boats. A few boats drifted the Sixes on Tuesday with good results. Good conditions are expected on all three rivers this weekend. The Elk should have big numbers of hatchery fish, based on results of the ocean bubble season off of Port Orford.”

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.