FISHING THE NORTH COAST
Steelhead Anglers Dealing with Tough Conditions By Kenny Priest
fishing@northcoastjournal.com
F
rom high water to low water, North Coast rivers are all feeling the effects of the yo-yo syndrome. We’ve had some good storms roll through the area, bringing with them some decent river rises. Unfortunately, dropping flows have been as abrupt as the rises. This recipe does not make for quality steelhead angling. Having storms closer together keeping water levels a little more consistent, along with some snow in the hills, would be ideal. But this is 2020 and Mother Nature is going down swinging. And it looks like more of the same on the horizon. Storms later this week will bring the river levels up but they’ll descend just as quickly, making for a narrow window of opportunity.
The weather ahead
“We have two batches of rain headed our way,” said Scott Carroll of Eureka’s National Weather Service. “The first system is forecast to arrive Wednesday afternoon and stick around into Thursday. A more significant storm is set to arrive Friday night and will linger through the weekend, with the majority of the rain falling on Sunday. The Smith basin could see an inch on Sunday and we’ll see slightly less here locally. Rainfall totals for both of these systems combined is roughly 3 inches in the Smith basin and up to 2 inches in Humboldt.”
Mad River Steelhead Derby to start Jan. 1 The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association’s (NCGASA) second annual Mad River Steelhead Derby starts Jan. 1 and runs through March 31. Anglers must be signed up prior to Jan. 1 to be eligible to win cash and prizes. Only hatchery steelhead can be entered. The largest steelhead wins $500, second place $300 and third place $150. A youth division
Dave McGrouther, of Menlo Park, holds a 15-pound steelhead he caught winner (16 and released Dec. 27 while fishing the Smith River with guide Mick Thomas and under) of Lunker Fish Trips. He was using roe near Jedediah Smith State Park. wins a $150 Photo courtesy of Lunker Fish Trips tackle gift card. In trickle in all winter.” addition, anglers who submit a winning video of their catch in action get a $100 Main stem Eel gift card to Bucksport Sporting Goods. The main stem was muddy as of Anglers can sign up online at www.ncgasa. Tuesday, but dropping quickly. Predicted org or in person at RMI Outdoors and to be at 1,500 cfs on the Scotia gauge by Bucksport. Part of the proceeds benThursday and should be fishable. efit the Mad River Steelhead Stewards volunteer angler’s broodstock collection South Fork Eel program that works in concert with The South Fork was dirty Monday, the California Department of Fish and mostly due to the muddy water coming Wildlife. For more information, visit www. from the East Branch at Benbow. Flows on madriversteelheaderby.com. Tuesday were right around 500 cfs. By the time it clears in the next couple days, it could be tough to drift. Haven’t heard of Smith any steelhead being caught as of yet. The Smith dropped back into shape Van Duzen Sunday. Boat pressure was very light, and Flowing at just under 300 cfs on Tuesonly a couple adult steelhead were landday and predicted to get below 200 cfs ed. There continues to be no shortage of before the next rise. Reports have been half-pounders. Should remain in fishable hard to come by so far but there should shape through the next two small storms. be some steelhead around once it clears.
The Rivers:
Chetco/Elk/Sixes
The Chetco blew out over the weekend, reaching 9,000 cubic feet per second Saturday, but was down to 5,100 cfs Sunday night, reports Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. “It will be in prime shape this week before another big storm arrives to start the new year,” said Martin. “Plunkers caught a few steelhead Sunday in the high water. Catch rates tend to accelerate in early January on the Chetco and often remain good through February.” According to Martin, the Elk and Sixes are kicking out a few late salmon. He said, “Guides reported catching salmon and steelhead on Sunday on the Elk, while the Sixes was still blown out. Salmon season ends Dec. 31 on the Sixes but continues into January on the Elk, where fish will
Mad
The Mad has been the place to be for winter steelhead. The river isn’t plugged with fish but there are some being caught each day. Muddy conditions haven’t slowed the angling pressure. Read the complete fishing roundup at www.northcoastjournal.com. ● Kenny Priest (he/him) operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@ fishingthenorthcoast.com.
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northcoastjournal.com • Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 • NORTH COAST JOURNAL
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