FISHING THE NORTH COAST
Kings Tough to Come by on Smith, Chetco By Kenny Priest
after being open for just over a week, salmon fishing on both the Smith and Chetco has proven to be challenging. By the sound of things, the end is likely near for the run of late-fall kings on the coast. Only a couple small storms hit the coast and dropped enough rain to open the two rivers to fishing. While the fishing window was very small, that doesn’t necessarily mean the number of returning salmon was small. Even during the low water conditions, salmon were seen making their way upriver on all of our coastal streams. Typically, the season’s
Minda Lawrence and Grant Vallier, of Lakeview, Oregon, hold one of the two kings they caught to limit out Saturday on the Chetco River while fishing with guide Michael McGahan of Wild Rivers Fishing. Photo courtesy of Wild Rivers Fishing
first big rains come in October, leaving us a good four-to-five-week window to fish. That hasn’t been the case the last few years as the salmon didn’t bother to wait for us or the strong flows to get them to their end destinations. On the other hand, as we inch closer to December, it’s time to start thinking about winter steelhead. There are some half-pounders around, and the adults typically start showing up in December.
Happy Holidays
Sport crab fishing update Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sportfishing reports the crabbing is a little on the CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 →
We wish our members, community friends and neighbors peace and health now and in the new year.
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But don’t give up entirely on salmon just yet. The Smith, Chetco and even the Eel could each see another spurt or two of fresh kings move in on the next substantial river rise.
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