Fishing the North Coast

Ocean Salmon Season Showing Signs of Life

By Kenny Priest

fishing@northcoastjournal.com

Well, it looks like the salmon season on the North Coast has a pulse after all. After the fi rst three weeks of the season produced very little, especially out of Eureka, salmon are fi nally starting to show up. The hot spot has been right out front of Trinidad. “It’s been like this o and on all season,” said Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing. “I’ve had a handful of days where we’ve done a fi sh a rod or better.” After long stretches of unfi shable weather and the salmon nowhere to be found, the Eureka fl eet joined the Trinidad party over the weekend. The fi shing was good, with some boats getting limits and others close to it. Most of the boats were working the 03 to 06 lines in 180 to 220 feet of water. There have been plenty of shakers to keep you on your toes as well as plenty of coho. With only 12 days left in the season, it’s good to see some smiles at the dock. It’s been a tough year but it looks like it may well end on a high note. For more information on the ocean sport salmon season, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/ Ocean/Regulations/Salmon.

Marine Forecast

Fresh to strong northerly breezes and steep seas will persist all week. As of Tuesday, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and waves northwest 6 feet at seven seconds. Saturday, the winds will be out of the north 10 to 15 knots and waves will be out of the northwest 6 feet at seven seconds. Sunday, winds will be out of the north 10 to 15 knots with waves out of the northwest 7 feet at seven 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. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit www.wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the o ce on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

The Oceans:

Eureka

With few signs of salmon, the Eureka fl eet has moved its e orts north to Trinidad, where a decent bite has been going on for a couple weeks. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing made the run north the past few days and reported a pretty good bite. “There’s lots of shakers around and keepers up to 20 pounds,” said Klassen. “We boated seven on Sunday and Monday, with fi sh to 14 pounds fi shing in 200 feet of water. Most of the fi sh are coming at 70 feet and shallower.”

Trinidad

Petaluma resident John Burch landed this beautiful 19-pound king salmon while fishing out of Trinidad. Trinidad is currently providing the best action for ocean salmon anglers.

Photo courtesy of Tony Sepulveda/Shellback Sport Fishing

“We’re seeing a pretty good salmon bite right out front of Trinidad now,” said Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “Most of the fi sh are in 200 to 250 feet of water from Trinidad Head to Cone Rock,” said Wilson. Some of the boats are reporting limits but most days are more than a fi sh a rod. I wouldn’t call it limit-style fi shing yet. The rockfi sh bite remains steady, with limits of blacks coming easily between the Head and Patrick’s Point.

Shelter Cove

The rockfi sh bite has been great all week, reports Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “Most of the boats were getting quick limits,” said Mitchell. “The lingcod bite picked up this week as well with limits on most days. The salmon bite showed signs of life again starting Thursday and peaking on Friday. It slowed to about a fi sh per rod over the weekend for those fi shing the Old Man.”

Crescent City

The salmon are spread out but some are being caught each day, according to Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The best bite has been between Round Rock and the green can in 100 feet of water,” said Carson. “The guys putting in the time are getting limits while others aren’t doing as well. There’s been lots of zeros. The rockfi sh and lingcod bite continues to be excellent when the boats can get out. The California halibut bite has been slow due to the wind and lack of e ort. Clamming was good on the last round of minus tides, with lots of limits reported. The clams continue to be on the small side.”

The Rivers:

Lower Klamath

The salmon bite has slowed in the estuary. Only a handful of fi sh were caught each day over the weekend. There were quite a few rolling but the bite never turned on. Anchovies rigged with a spinner blade has been the top producer so far. Best fi shing has been on the incoming and a couple hours after the high tide. ● Read the complete fi shing roundup at www.northcoastjournal.com.

Kenny Priest (he/him) operates Fishing the North Coast, a fi shing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fi shingthenorthcoast. com. For up-to-date fi shing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fi shingthenorthcoast.com

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