Fishing the North Coast

but nothing compared to the Totalizator system that followed soon after the fair ended. Purses were paid by sponsors but also there was a takeout from the betting pool. The fields were usually just two to four horses per race.

The track was kept in perfect condition and horses were stabled at the grounds and in Hydesville. The races were divided by class and speed. Sometimes the owners drove their own horses; sometimes they hired a driver. These were often very classy Standardbreds and Morgans. Waldstein, who was considered the greatest horse on earth, shipped here but apparently did not race. Another horse that was bred here, Humboldt Maiden, raced in Chicago and was a close second where the winner broke the world record. It is unclear if Sam Adams, at one time considered the best horse in the world, raced here or not. He was stabled for a time in Bridgeville and ran in some meets in Williams, Red Bluff, Chico and Stockton. The Eel River Jockey Club was considered the nicest of the venues in California and was described by the Humboldt Times as “The Paradise of Racing.”

There was a story of a fast teenage runner (human) from Alton whose father put him up against an average Standardbred with a driver in a race to the first turn for a rather large bet. Harness horses started slowly at the time, so the idea was to see when the horse caught up and overcame the runner. There was an argument as to who won, as there was no photo finish camera and it was not clear when the horse overtook the runner or even if the bet was on the horse or the cart.

In those times in places like Rohnerville, there were disputes and some fights at the saloons at night. There is however no indication that the horsemen were anything but respectful to each other and had a lot of camaraderie. This was not Dodge City depicted in films.

We know there will never be another race meet at the Eel River Jockey Club, but we do not know if there will ever be races again at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in Ferndale. When the COVID-19 crisis ends, the fair board will need to establish a semblance of vision, open their meetings and work with local townspeople and press. The fair manager is currently “on leave” and the fairgrounds are broke and broken. The facility needs to be used year-round and the fair manager needs to court and entice the racing people from Oregon and California to bring their horses here to race.

It would be incredibly sad if 100 years from now someone is writing how there used to be a racetrack back on the flats behind Ferndale High School. l Rod Kausen (he/him) is a retired teacher and coach. FISHING THE NORTH COAST Storms Will Kick Off Late Run of Fall Kings Big, late-fall kings will be making their way into the coastal rivers this weekend following the first real storms of the year. Pictured is Jeremy Baker, of Santa By Kenny Priest Cruz, with a nice king taken on the Chetco in 2018. fishing@northcoastjournal.com Photo courtesy of Mike Stratman/Redwood Coast Fishing

The season’s first sizeable storms Sport Dungeness crab update are bearing down on the North Conditions made for some tough Coast. And that means hard- crabbing over the weekend. Boats weren’t charging, fresh-from-the-salt king able to head offshore until Monday to set salmon — big and bright — will their gear due to extremely rough seas. be making their way up all of our coastal Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing rivers starting this weekend. So, if you see was pulling pots on Tuesday morning for a steady stream of drift boats heading clients and reported a solid 10-keepernorth on U.S. Highway 101, you’ll know per-pot average. Inside Humboldt Bay and why. The Smith and Chetco rivers should some of the local estuaries reported some be fishable on Saturday, but both will be decent fishing with a few keepers per on a pretty decent rise. Both rivers should trap along with plenty of small ones. The have fresh kings moving through, and ex- keeper crabs are full and clean. pect plenty of debris and leaves, as well.

As of Wednesday, the Smith is predicted The Rivers: Smith to peak at just over 1,100 cubic feet per Fishing at the mouth and the Sand Hole second on the Jed Smith gauge on Saturday was dead over the weekend, according evening. With the rain tapering off over to Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund the weekend, the river will drop slightly on Marine. “Up river, every hole is full of Sunday. The next big weather system arriv- salmon but they are mostly dark,” said ing Monday will put the river on an even Carson. “Once the rain hits this weekend, steeper rise the first half of next week. those fish will be moving quickly to the The Chetco flows should mirror the Smith. spawning grounds. The hope is that there’s Following a decent rise on Saturday, it will lots of new ones in the ocean that will drop on Sunday. As the rain ramps up on come in with the increased flows.” Monday, expect a steady rise all week and reaching roughly 5,500 cfs on Friday. Chetco

According to Kathleen Zontos of Eure- “The Chetco is full of salmon, with fish ka’s National Weather Service, the North spread throughout the river, and should Coast will see pulses of rain Thursday fish well if it opens this weekend,” said through Sunday. “The bulk of the rain will Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing in fall on Thursday and Friday, with lighter Brookings. “It could blow out by Sunday rain in the forecast for the weekend,” if the forecast is correct. Anything above said Zontos. “The first half of next week 4,000 cfs this time of year will be muddy. is looking wet as well before letting up Chetco kings will still bite in high flows on late next week. For the seven-day period the softer edges of the long flats, like the ending next Tuesday morning, the Smith Willow Run below Loeb Park and Moffett basin could see 5 inches of rain. Here in Rock. ODFW will make a decision to open Humboldt, 3 to 5 inches are likely and the based on the arrival of the storm, probalower Eel basin could see 3 to 4 inches. bly on Thursday or Friday.”

The Mad, Eel and Van Duzen rivers are l all expected to rise slightly this weekend, Kenny Priest (he/him) operates but it doesn’t look like it’ll be enough Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide to open them to fishing. With more rain service out of Humboldt specializing coming early next week, they should in salmon and steelhead. Find it on open to fishing next week, but don’t Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and expect green water. Call the low-flow www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For hotline (822-3164) before you head out to up-to-date fishing reports and North determine if your favorite river is open or Coast river information, email kenny@ closed to fishing. fishingthenorthcoast.com.

341 West Harris St., Eureka 707 445-3138 poletskis.com

• Servicing Humboldt County for over 40 years • Largest in stock new & used inventory • Competitive price guarantee • Delivery and Service after the sale