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NORTH COAST RIVERS REPORT: Smith ‘scratchy,’ Chetco had short-lived surge of steelies, now it’s Eel River bluebacks!...
BY BILL KARR/WON Staff WriterPublished: Mar 09, 2010
Northern Cal BILL KARR Coast Rivers Reports
BROOKINGS, Ore. — Steelhead guides and anglers seem to be in a “race to the rivers” this year, where quick-moving reports of good steelhead bites here or there generate mass rushes of anglers to one river… then another. This past week it was to the Chetco, then to the South Fork Eel.
A good influx of quality fresh steelhead into the Chetco River materialized last Wednesday and Thursday, but by the weekend it was over, and reports of a blueback bonanza on the South Fork Eel had everybody headed in that direction.
Meanwhile, the Smith River was “scratching out a fish or two” according to guide Phil Desautel of Phil’s Smiling Salmon Guide Service.
“Not a lot of downrunners have show up yet, and it seems like all the fresh steelhead haven’t show yet, so I’m looking for the next rain to bring in fresh steelhead and push the downrunners into the main river,” said Desautel. He said river height is 16 ? feet at the Hwy. 1010 bridge, and visibility is 10 to 15 feet of green water and getting clearer every day. “Conditions are perfect, there’s just not a lot of fish here,” he said.
Guide Dave Jacobs of Professional Guide Service fished The Forks on the Smith on an afternoon drift this past Friday and they caught “a couple of 7-pound” fresh fish on roe.
Then, on Saturday and Sunday, he fished the Chetco following reports of a “lot of fresh fish” on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, he was surprised that the bite was still good with over a dozen boats on the river, and most of them catching fish. “I saw one boat with five caught, but I only caught two,” Jacobs said. “It’s a mix of downrunners and fresh fish, with the biggest about 9 pounds, although we lost a 14-pound class fish on Sunday.” He said by Sunday the river only had four or five boats, the rest having left for other rivers, like the Eel.
Guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing out of Brookings was there for the influx of fish mid-week. “A surge of fresh steelhead combined with big numbers of recently-spawned fish moving downstream yielded some of the highest catch rates of the season,” Martin said. “Some boats were getting eight or more fish a day early in the week, with some big, fresh fish mixed in.”
Now, the reports are of a big influx of fresh, hard-fighting bluebacks from three to seven pounds flooding into the South Fork Eel, and with near-perfect conditions expected this weekend, anglers and guides are heading in that direction, big time!
file: N_north coast rivers 3-12
South Fork Eel bluebacks show up in big numbers
BY BILL KARR/WON Staff Writer
GARBERVILLE— Just as most north coast river anglers are catching mostly spawned-out downrunner steelhead, the South Fork Eel is seeing a big run of fresh blueback steelies straight out of the ocean, and with near-perfect conditions, anglers are cashing in on the 3- to 7-pound chromers.
“The river is shaping up just beautiful and quite a few fish are being caught,” said Darrell Brown of Browns Sporting Goods in Garberville. “The 3- to 6-pound bluebacks are moving in like crazy One guy caught three out of one hole using a plug.”
Brown said the river was a little on the high side but perfect color between Pearcy and Leggett, and visibility was about a foot at Garberville on Sunday when we called. “It’s good bait water,” said Brown, “and it will be perfect this weekend.”
Brown said he’s getting phone calls from guides in Washington who want to come to the Eel for the action. “It’s really good fishing and the guys are quite excited — they’re catching so many fish,” he said. Top fish so far has been 12 pounds, but the average is three to seven.
Guide Mark Nimits of Pipe Creek Outfitters, guide Wayne “Sierra” Hansen and guide Dave Jacobs of Professional Guide Service are all on the river currently, or will be soon.
Anglers may get good shot at Russian River steelies this week
BY BILL KARR/WON Staff Writer
GUERNEVILLE — The Russian River has been mostly unfishable for weeks now due to ongoing rains, but with flows out of upstream lakes stabilizing, and not much rain on the horizon, this just might be the weekend to score big time.
“The river is still high and muddy right now, but there’s very little rain on the horizon and nothing the rest of the week, so I’m optimistic about our chances for fishing this weekend,” said Steve Jackson of King’s Sport and Tackle in Guerneville. “They’re holding back water at Lake Mendocino and flows are only 50 cfs coming out of there, and Lake Sonoma is flowing at 250 cfs, so the river should be dropping out all week and be fishable by this weekend.” Barring no big rains, of course.
Jackson said he expected the upper river around Healdsberg to be fishable by Thursday, and over the weekend, it should be “bait fishable” down in the lower Russian. One of his guides was in the background during the call, and he said the fish are a mix of about 50/50 downrunners and fresh.
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Northern Cal BILL KARR Coast Rivers Reports BROOKINGS, Ore. — Steelhead guides and anglers seem to be in a “race to the rivers” this year, where quick-moving reports of good steelhead bites here or there generate mass rushes of anglers to one river… then another. This past week it was to the Chetco, then to the South Fork Eel.A good influx of quality fresh steelhead into the Chetco River materialized last Wednesday and Thursday, but by the weekend it was over, and reports of a blueback bonanza on the South Fork Eel had everybody headed in that direction. Meanwhile, the Smith River was “scratching out a fish or two” according to guide Phil Desautel of Phil’s Smiling Salmon Guide Service. “Not a lot of downrunners have show up yet, and it seems like all the fresh steelhead haven’t show yet, so I’m looking for the next rain to bring in fresh steelhead and push the downrunners into the main river,” said Desautel. He said river height is 16 ? feet at the Hwy. 1010 bridge, and visibility is 10 to 15 feet of green water and getting clearer every day. “Conditions are perfect, there’s just not a lot of fish here,” he said. Guide Dave Jacobs of Professional Guide Service fished The Forks on the Smith on an afternoon drift this past Friday and they caught “a couple of 7-pound” fresh fish on roe. Then, on Saturday and Sunday, he fished the Chetco following reports of a “lot of fresh fish” on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, he was surprised that the bite was still good with over a dozen boats on the river, and most of them catching fish. “I saw one boat with five caught, but I only caught two,” Jacobs said. “It’s a mix of downrunners and fresh fish, with the biggest about 9 pounds, although we lost a 14-pound class fish on Sunday.” He said by Sunday the river only had four or five boats, the rest having left for other rivers, like the Eel. Guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing out of Brookings was there for the influx of fish mid-week. “A surge of fresh steelhead combined with big numbers of recently-spawned fish moving downstream yielded some of the highest catch rates of the season,” Martin said. “Some boats were getting eight or more fish a day early in the week, with some big, fresh fish mixed in.” Now, the reports are of a big influx of fresh, hard-fighting bluebacks from three to seven pounds flooding into the South Fork Eel, and with near-perfect conditions expected this weekend, anglers and guides are heading in that direction, big time! file: N_north coast rivers 3-12 South Fork Eel bluebacks show up in big numbers BY BILL KARR/WON Staff Writer GARBERVILLE— Just as most north coast river anglers are catching mostly spawned-out downrunner steelhead, the South Fork Eel is seeing a big run of fresh blueback steelies straight out of the ocean, and with near-perfect conditions, anglers are cashing in on the 3- to 7-pound chromers. “The river is shaping up just beautiful and quite a few fish are being caught,” said Darrell Brown of Browns Sporting Goods in Garberville. “The 3- to 6-pound bluebacks are moving in like crazy One guy caught three out of one hole using a plug.” Brown said the river was a little on the high side but perfect color between Pearcy and Leggett, and visibility was about a foot at Garberville on Sunday when we called. “It’s good bait water,” said Brown, “and it will be perfect this weekend.” Brown said he’s getting phone calls from guides in Washington who want to come to the Eel for the action. “It’s really good fishing and the guys are quite excited — they’re catching so many fish,” he said. Top fish so far has been 12 pounds, but the average is three to seven. Guide Mark Nimits of Pipe Creek Outfitters, guide Wayne “Sierra” Hansen and guide Dave Jacobs of Professional Guide Service are all on the river currently, or will be soon. Anglers may get good shot at Russian River steelies this week BY BILL KARR/WON Staff Writer GUERNEVILLE — The Russian River has been mostly unfishable for weeks now due to ongoing rains, but with flows out of upstream lakes stabilizing, and not much rain on the horizon, this just might be the weekend to score big time. “The river is still high and muddy right now, but there’s very little rain on the horizon and nothing the rest of the week, so I’m optimistic about our chances for fishing this weekend,” said Steve Jackson of King’s Sport and Tackle in Guerneville. “They’re holding back water at Lake Mendocino and flows are only 50 cfs coming out of there, and Lake Sonoma is flowing at 250 cfs, so the river should be dropping out all week and be fishable by this weekend.” Barring no big rains, of course. Jackson said he expected the upper river around Healdsberg to be fishable by Thursday, and over the weekend, it should be “bait fishable” down in the lower Russian. One of his guides was in the background during the call, and he said the fish are a mix of about 50/50 downrunners and fresh. |
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