FISHING THE NORTH COAST
Tough Go for Eureka King Opener
341 West Harris St., Eureka 707 445-3138
By Kenny Priest
fishing@northcoastjournal.com
F
or at least the past few weeks, there were all sorts of signs indicating salmon were plentiful off the coast of Eureka and Trinidad. But somehow those signs, and the salmon, all but vanished by the time the sport salmon season opened Tuesday. While the majority of boats opted for Pacific halibut, a group, including Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, spent a good part of the day hunting for salmon. And what they found was pretty disappointing. According to Klassen, there were no keeper kings caught that he had heard of. The overall salmon abundance numbers weren’t projected very high for our area, but there should have been at least a handful caught. But it wasn’t meant to be. At least not yet. For all we know the fish could be out in deeper water, or they could still be making their way here. Shelter Cove had a decent opener, so that’s encouraging. Until the kings arrive, rockfish will suffice.
Pacific Halibut closes June 30 The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday that the recreational Pacific halibut fishery will close Wednesday, June 30, at 11:59 p.m. for the remainder of 2021. Based on the latest catch projections, CDFW expects the 2021 California recreational quota of 39,260 net pounds will be exceeded unless the fishery is closed. Similar to the hot Pacific halibut bite observed in 2020, the 2021 season has proven to be very successful. During the second half of June, CDFW field staff recorded a very high number of Pacific halibut being caught. Visit www. wildlife.ca.gov/News/recreational-pacifichalibut-fishery-to-close-june-30-for-restof-the-year# for more information.
Weekend marine forecast Ocean conditions look fishable through the weekend. As of Tuesday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds at 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 6 feet at nine seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds at 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 4 feet at nine
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seconds. The winds will be the same on Sunday, with waves northwest 5 feet at eight 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 Laytonville resident Jack Kuykendall landed this nice king salmon bar conditions, visit while fishing out of Shelter Cove. www.wrh.noaa.gov/ Photo courtesy of Jake Mitchell, Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. eka/swan. You can the water,” said Mitchell. “We opted to also call the Naput some rockfish on the boat first before tional Weather Service at 443-7062 or the salmon. We ended up with only three office on Woodley Island at 443-6484. kings, but a lot of boats did better. Overall, the rock fishing has been great with limits of nice quality fish every day. The Eureka lings continue to be a little more stubborn The salmon fishing was tough for but the grade is good and we got limits all the sport boats that gave it a whirl on but one day.” Tuesday’s opener. Some undersized kings Crescent City and a couple silvers were all the fleet “Sport salmon season opened Tuescould muster. The majority of the boats day and there were a handful of salmon opted to fish Pacific halibut and leave the caught, including some bigger ones,” said salmon for later. A wise move as it turns Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund out. While the boats were on the water, it Marine. “The rockfish bite remains was announced that the season would be solid, with limits reported by just about closing after Wednesday, following a full everyone. The California halibut have quota. Hopefully the salmon bite will pick finally shown up with quite a few being up, otherwise it’s going to be rockfish from caught daily off of South Beach by boats here on out. and kayaks trolling anchovies. Last week’s Trinidad minus tides produced excellent clamming The salmon opener didn’t produce conditions. Anglers reported limits of much, but the rock fishing is still outstandrazors, and some bigger ones are starting ing. Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters, to show.” ● along with the other charters, has yet to come back to port shy of limits. “There’s Read the complete fishing roundup at just a lot of fish between the Head and www.northcoastjournal.com. Patrick’s Point this year,” said Wilson. “It’s been pretty easy to get 10 rockfish per Kenny Priest (he/him) operates person. The crabbing is still good, we’re Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide sending clients home with limits each day.” service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Shelter Cove Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and The sport salmon opener was decent, www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For according to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk up-to-date fishing reports and North Sport Fishing. “There were probably over Coast river information, email kenny@ 50 kings caught by the 35 or so boats on fishingthenorthcoast.com
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northcoastjournal.com • Thursday, July 1, 2021 • NORTH COAST JOURNAL
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