Month: December 2022

Steelhead season off to good start on Chetco

Steelhead have arrived early in the Chetco River, a good sign as the peak season rapidly approaches. Guides fishing for Wild Rivers Fishing have been finding a mix of hatchery and wild steelhead in the Chetco, along with late fall salmon. An early showing of steelhead in December generally signals good fishing in January and February, when the bulk of the run arrives.

Don Williams holds a hatchery steelhead caught in December with Capt. Mick.

Heavy rain just before Christmas is expected to blow the Chetco out for several days, but as it drops into shape around New Year’s Day, except very good fishing. Big numbers of steelhead have already moved into the river, and more fish will come with the higher flows.

Throughout December, steelhead were caught as guides targeted late fall salmon. Capt. Sam got a customer into the first adult steelhead of the season, while Capt. Michael and Capt. Mick also have enjoyed success on the lower Chetco River for winter steelhead. Most of the steelhead have been caught side-drifting roe, but a few also have been caught with MagLip plugs.

Eric holds a large Chetco River steelhead caught in December with Capt. Michael.
A nice December steelhead caught with Capt. Mick on the Chetco River.
An early steelhead caught with Capt. Mick on the Chetco River in December 2022.

The Wild Rivers Fishing guides are licensed in Oregon and California and offer winter steelhead drift boat trips on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers. Peak season is January and February, but fresh fish arrive well into March. Capt. Andy, Mick and Travis are licensed to take customer to the Wild and Scenic section of the Upper Chetco River, home to some of the best steelhead fishing in Oregon.

The Chetco is home to a healthy run of wild steelhead, and also has large numbers of hatchery fish, especially in late January and early February. Both wild and hatchery steelhead may be kept.

On the Smith, only hatchery steelhead can be kept, but anglers have a decent chance at a large fish. Steelhead over 20 pounds are caught each winter.

For more on guided steelhead trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.

River salmon season well above average

King salmon are continuing to trickle into coastal rivers even as Christmas approaches, as one of the best fall salmon seasons in recent memory winds down. The numbers of kings returning to the Chetco and Smith rivers were well above average this year, while the Elk and Sixes rivers also had solid runs.

Customers hold limits of kings caught with Capt. Andy on the Elk River in November 2022.

Salmon fishing was very good on the Chetco estuary in September and October. By late October, the Wild Rivers Fishing guides found big schools of salmon in the tidewater, and further upriver, and enjoyed good catch rates using bobbers, roe and sand shrimp. After fall rains increased flows, fishing was good throughout the river. November produced solid fishing for kings until low flows again made fishing tough, although there was no shortage of fish.

Capt. Rye holds a lunker fall salmon.

Another shot of rain arrived in early December. The Chetco fished well, while the Elk and Sixes rivers produced great fishing for a week. Just before Christmas, guides fishing the Chetco continued to catch salmon, although most were dark and ready to spawn.

Spawning surveys by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife showed an above-average spawning run. Large numbers of salmon spawned in tributaries throughout the river, while salmon also spawned in the main part of the river. Lots of jacks, which are 2-year-old salmon, indicate next year’s run also should be large.

Brookings Fishing Charters deckhand Eric holds a nice king caught with Capt. Michael on the Chetco.

Steelhead also made an early showing in the river. January and February are peak season, and good fishing is expected this season. To book a drift boat trip, visit www.wildriversfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.

Capt. Sam nets a Chetco River chromer while bobber fishing in October.

Chetco estuary has best salmon season in years

The 2022 salmon season at the mouth of the Chetco River was the best in years, as big numbers of kings stacked up in the estuary waiting for fall rains. Catch rates were the best in recent memory, with guides boats and private boaters catching impressive numbers of wild and hatchery kings. The total run ended up well above average.

Dave Gilmore with the 42-pound king salmon he caught in the Chetco estuary with Capt. Michael. It is the largest king caught with our crew in 2022.

The action picked up in late August, with a full kings trickling in, and by early September, the action was already in peak-season form. Limits were caught throughout the season. Capt. Michael, Mick, Sam and Shane ran estuary trips for Wild Rivers Fishing. They trolled anchovies or herring along the jetties, targeting salmon moving in and out of the lower river on the tides. The salmon held up along the jetties until fall rains allowed them to migrate upstream to spawn.

Capt. Mich with a heft Chetco River estuary king salmon from 2022.

Action remained good through most of October, before significant rains allowed the fish to move into the tidewater. Once more fall rains arrived, our crew switched over to bobber fishing the tidewater areas of the Chetco, and eventually running plugs and back-bouncing roe as major rains arrived in November.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife indicated the 2022 run was well above average, with lots of hatchery and wild fish returning. Lots of jacks showing in the catch indicate another good year likely in 2023.

The hatchery run received a boost from a fairly new broodstock program where hatchery fish are acclimated in Ferry Creek, the lowest tributary of the Chetco. Those fish tend to hold up in the lower river, where anglers trolling the estuary have an easier shot at caching them. The Oregon South Coast Fishermen club plays a key role in collecting broodstock, which are wild salmon returning to the Chetco. The fish are brought to Elk River Hatchery near Port Orford, where they are spawned. The juvenile salmon are then returned to the Chetco. After a brief time in the river, they migrate to the ocean, then return to the river on a spawning run two to four years later.

Salmon return to the Chetco estuary late August through December. The peak season is September and October. After fall rains, the salmon quickly move upriver, spending little time in the estuary. Winter steelhead arrive late November through March. Wild Rivers Fishing guides target salmon first in the estuary, then upriver in their drift boats. They switch to winter steelhead in late December. Peak season for steelhead is January and February.

To book a trip, visit www.wildriversfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.