Curry Coastal Pilot, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010-Page 7A
Hang on, the salmon and steelhead aren’t done yet More fish are expected up the river as storms alter the rivers’ water levels
Bank fishing made easy
After this weekend’s rain starts abating, the rest of the week is looking very promising for more fresh runs of salmon, and believe it or not — steelhead. I saw more than one metalhead being cleaned at the fillet station last week. So bank fishermen, get ready to stuff a steely for Thanksgiving. This column is especially geared for neophyte anglers, so if you are new to the sport of fishing, please have this column laminated and tape it to your refrigerator. What many experienced fishermen tend to forget is that at one time, we were also new to salmon fishing, and what appears to be common lingo to us is a foreign language to fledgling fishermen. Before I moved up here from Oceanside some 30 years ago, I was deckhanding for Joe Cacciola at Helgren’s Sportfishing, spending every weekend fishing the southern California coast, thinking I was a pretty good fisherman. Naturally, I thought catching Chetco River salmon would be a piece of cake. Was I ever surprised. My wide awakening came when fall Chinook made their first appearance on the Chetco. Kings of mammoth proportions were rolling and jumping on both sides of the river, and everyone seemed to have a fish on except for me. My ego was truly deflated. The lesson here is: When it comes to fishing rivers for salmon and steelhead, everyone is a beginner. If you’re really serious about becoming a successful angler for salmon and steelhead, there are several things you need to do. Believe it or not, fishing is work — hard work. It’s not a lazy man’s activity as some people think. So I’ve decided to make it a little easier on you by clueing you in on bank fishing the Chetco River.
The Pilot/Larry Ellis
George Daves from Medford, Oregon was fishing on the Chetco River with Craig Paulson of Side Line Guide on Monday when this lunker Chinook fell for a back-trolled Kwikfish with a sardine wrapper. The first thing you need to do is realize that bad weather and good weather are only relative terms. When folks are depressed about having too much rain, I’m in seventh heaven. For good fishing, I’ll take a rainy, overcast day on the river any time. Rain makes the rivers rise, and when the Chetco rises, that sparks batches of fish to enter. So the manner in which you fish for salmon is totally dependent on water levels. There is no one method that consistently catches fish in coastal rivers. You must absolutely have a minimum of four different fishing techniques and the gear to match them for different river heights. In the old days, people knew when to fish by paying attention to weather reports,
sticking their head out the door and looking at the river. While that’s still done today, there’s an even more accurate way of gauging whether or not to use one fishing method over another — the internet. Reading the Chetco River gauge is absolutely critical to success. Get in the habit of looking at it every day. Water levels dictate the fishing method you’ll use. To view the Chetco’s daily river flows in real time, go to: www.rivervilla.com. At the top left-hand side of your computer screen you will see “Recreational River Flows.” Left click on that link. You will now come to a list of the most popular rivers in this area. Left click on the Chetco River and you will come to current river levels. In the last 10 years, plunk-
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Michael Moss, DDS Announcement of retirement and closing of dental office Dec. 20, 2010 My sincere appreciation to all the patients I have had the privilege to serve. You or any dentist may request your records at P.O. Box 2277, Harbor, OR 97415
LARRY ELLIS
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Fishing Report
ing from the bank or from a boat has taken its rightful place in the fishing repertoire, but it is only effective when the river has been high and is on-the-drop. In the Chetco, plunkers do quite well for steelhead and salmon from the bank when the river levels are between 5,000 and 9,000 cubic feet per second (CFS). Plunking is best done after the river has been blown out and muddy and has taken on a slate-gray or pea-green appearance while the river is dropping. For plunking, you will need size 2, 4 and 6 SpinN-Glos. The color Flame Chartreuse is a stalwart favorite on this river. You will also need a lot of different size lead sinkers ranging from 4 to 8 ounces. Just get a dedicated plunking box and the local tackle dealers will sell you the rest. Don’t bother plunking when the river is 2,000 cfs, unless you want a few rocks and four-letter expletives thrown your way. You’ll not only look like a fool, but you will hog all the good drift-fishing spots. See, the manner in which you fish changes with river levels. When the river is between 1,500 and 4,000 cfs, that’s textbook drift-fishing water for bank fishermen. You will need another dedicated fishing box full of slinkies, leadcore sinkers (AKA pencil lead), some Puff Balls, ‘Lil Corkies, Okie Drifters and roe. Roe is simply a term for salmon eggs. To drift-fish from the bank, find a tail-out and use enough lead to keep you bouncing on the bottom. Salmon are usually at the bottom pool of a riffle while steelhead will often be at the upper end. You will be cutting off pieces of pencil lead to match the speed of the current. Again, local tackle shops will show you how to rig up. When the river is 1,500 cfs and below, then you can cast and retrieve three-quarter ounce gold Kastmasters and one-ounce Krocodiles in the lower river and estuary. At this level, you can also use bobbers and sand shrimp, or bobbers and sand shrimp cocktails in the slacker water. We’re not talking about the
Golf News The Salmon Run Men’s Club held their 10th Annual “Turkey Shoot” Wednesday and despite the threat of rain, the turkeys, ‘er men, came out in a “flock.” The tournament featured 33 players in three and four man teams playing a scrambel format. “Our tournament director, Bob Almada, did a very good job,” men’s club President Ron Sloniker said. “Everyone seemed to have a good time out on the course and enjoyed the great lunch prepared by the Salmon Run restaurant staff.” On a cloudy, cool morning the golfers’ attire ranged from shorts to heavy jackets and ski caps. Results were: First Low Gross – Jim Barnes, Frank Congdon, Steve
Poponi. Second Low Gross — Don Stiles, Luke Thornton, Bill Vanscoy, Larry Wallen. First Low Net — Jamie Berkowitz, Dick Craig, George Frick, Ron Sloniker. Second Low Net — Gary Cooper, Dave Mahaffey. Mike Murray, Bill Smyth. Awards given for closest to the pin were: Don Jackson, Team Robin-
son, Team Strahm and Team Congdon. The men’s club also raffled off “goodies” that ranged from free hair cuts to golf equipment. Dick Craig, in a turn of good luck, won both pair of golf shoes raffled. The men’s club is planning a Super Bowl Tournament to be held either the week before the Super Bowl or on the day itself, Sloniker said.
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By Don Vilelle Special to the Pilot