BROOKINGS, Ore. (Feb. 24, 2025) – Winter steelhead fishing has been slower than expected from Forks, Washington, down to the Eel and Russian rivers in Northern California, and the Chetco, Smith, Rogue, Elk, Sixes, Coquille and Umpqua rivers have been no exception. Steelhead are being caught, and our guides are getting fish, but catch rates are down compared to recent years, while the size of the steelhead also has been smaller than average. Steelhead fishing is fair at best, but beautiful conditions, a few fish a day, and relatively uncrowded conditions have made fishing worthwhile.
A nice steelhead from the Chetco River caught with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing.
Our team of river guides – who also run ocean charter boats out of Brookings, Oregon, during the summer months, have been fishing the Chetco and Smith rivers since mid-December. The Smith has fished the best among the local rivers, but steelhead also have been in the Chetco. Small clusters of roe combined with small Yakima Bait Co. Corkies are producing best for our guides. A few steelhead also have been caught on MagLip plugs.
Corkies and roe have been the best producers for steelhead this winter on the Chetco and Smith rivers.
Steelhead season runs through March on the Chetco, Elk and Sixes rivers, and ends April 30 on the Smith. Good fishing typically extends through the middle of March. Spring salmon, meanwhile, will soon begin arriving on the lower Rogue River in Gold Beach, where our guides use jet boats to anchor and fish anchovies or spinners for springers.
A double hookup of steelhead on the Smith River for guide Sam Stover.
Our guides also have been running ocean trips as the weather allows this winter. Lingcod and rockfish action has been good, with limits of rockfish and limits or near limits of lingcod. Ocean fishing is open year round on the Oregon Coast.
Limits of lingcod on the Miss Brooke in February 2025.
Many of our customers have spent one day on the river and one day on the ocean, for a great combination of action during their trip to Brookings.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (Sept. 22, 2024) – Big king salmon are already being caught at the mouth of the Chetco River, building anticipation for one of the best drift boat fisheries on the West Coast. A 53-pound king salmon was caught in early September by an angler trolling an anchovy along the Chetco jetties. Lots of fish in the 20-pound range also have been caught in recent days, along with plenty of jack salmon. All signs point to a strong salmon run this fall in the Chetco, as well as the Smith River a few miles to the south.
Salmon began entering the mouth of the Chetco River in late August, earlier than usual, and the handful of local anglers trolling were catching fish daily. The word got out, and more boats arrived, along with bigger numbers of fish. The first part of the estuary season has been above-average. Generally, an early run is an indication of a big run. Good fishing is expected in October and early November, the peak season on the Chetco.
The 53-pound king salmon caught by a private angler in his own boat at the mouth of the Chetco River in September 2024. Photo courtesy Mike at ODFW.
The Chetco had strong salmon runs the last few years, with high spawner escapement. Ocean closures in California, where Chetco and Smith river salmon spend the saltwater portion of their lives, also has led to significantly less mortality of local salmon stocks, which will result in bigger returns this fall.
A few salmon are already holding in the deeper tidewater pools of the Chetco. By early October, fishable numbers of kings will be available in the lower river, where bobber-only rules are in effect until the first few days of November. The first major rain of October will flood the Chetco and Smith with big numbers of fall kings. From that point fishing is generally good well into November.
Some of the kings caught in September 2024 with Capt. Rye and Capt. Sam.
The Wild Rivers Fishing team of guides – Andy Martin, Mick Thomas, Rye Phillips, Sam Stover and Travis Sallander – is the only group of full-time fishing guides that fishes in Brookings year round, 12 months of the year. They run ocean charter boats in the summer months and guide out of drift boats on the Chetco and Smith rivers from October through March. With decades of combined experience, they have a well-earned reputation of producing some of the best catch rates on the local rivers, as well as the biggest kings. Local guides are your best chance of success on the Chetco and Smith!
58-pounder!65-pound Chetco record!Just under 50 pounds!Fall fishing in the beautful Chetco River with Capt. Andy.
Customers fishing in Andy’s boat are no stranger to trophy kings. A 65-pounder was caught with a HawgNose FlatFish in Andy’s drift boat in November 2011. A few years earlier, an angler caught a 58-pounder with Andy trolling the Chetco River estuary. Dozens of salmon in the upper 40-pound range and over 50 pounds have been caught with Andy. Mick, Travis, Rye and Sam also have numerous trophy kings under their belts. They are the go-to team of guides for trophy kings on the Chetco and Smith rivers. They also spend considerable time on the highly productive Elk and Sixes rivers north of Brookings.
A giant king caught last fall with Capt. Sam in the Chetco River.
Many of the drift boat salmon trips begin in the upper sections of the Chetco and Smith, with spectacular wilderness settings, clean water, and big fish. Salmon are caught back-bouncing roe, fishing sand shrimp and roe below bobbers, and running MagLip and HawgNose plugs with sardine or tuna wraps. Top-quality gear is used when in pursuit of fall kings.
Salmon season peaks in early November, with fish continuing to arrive through December. Late October and early November are peak season.
Capt. Mick with a hefty king from last fall on the Chetco River.
Both the Chetco and Smith have strong runs of wild king salmon. They also have hatchery fish, which increase catch rates. Both rivers also have a reputation for big fish. The majority of the run is made up of 4-year-old fish, from 15 to 25 pounds. There are a large number of 5-year-old kings, which can top 40 and 50 pounds. And a few 6-year-old kings arrive each fall.
Capt. Sam helps a young angler with a trophy Chetco king, which was released!Capt. Rye hoists a trophy Chetco king, which was released!
To book a river salmon trip with a local, year-round fishing guide, call (541) 813-1082. More information can be found at www.wildriversfishing.com. For information on ocean charters, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.
Limits of Elk River kings with Capt. Andy.Capt. Sam taking a crew down the spectacular Elk River last fall.
During the fall and winter, the Wild Rivers Fishing crew runs guided drift boat trips on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers for salmon and steelhead. As spring arrives, our crew shifts gears, putting the drift boats away and instead focuses on ocean charters out of the Port of Brookings. Our team of guides are also full-time charter boat captains for Brookings Fishing Charters.
A 28-pound lingcod caught in mid-March aboard the Nauti-Lady with Capt. Andy.
Capt. Andy, Capt. Rye, Capt. Mick, Capt. Sam, Capt. Michael, Capt. Shane and Capt. Travis run charters boats for lingcod and rockfish during the spring. Stormy weather kept boats at the dock for much of January and February, but in mid-March, the ocean settled down and fishing has been good. Last week was the unofficial kickoff of the ocean season, with light winds and small swells.
The biggest lingcod so far is a 28-pounder caught last Sunday aboard the Nauti-Lady with Capt. Andy. Several other fish close to 20 pounds also have been caught.
Bruce and Vince with limits of lingcod caught last week on the Nauti-Lady.
Frequent Wild Rivers Fishing customers Bruce and Vince fished aboard the Nauti-Lady last week, and caught limits of nice lingcod. Bruce was the jackpot winner for the day as well. They caught lingcod and rockfish near House Rock, about 6 miles north of Brookings.
Capt. Sam gaffs a lingcod for Bruce on the Nauti-Lady.Anglers hold limits of lingcod caught on the Miss Brooke with Capt. Travis.
Lingcod and rockfish is open year round out of Brookings. Salmon season opens in June. Halibut season opens May 1. The Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, home to some of the best lingcod fishing on the Pacific Coast, opens May 15. Albacore tuna arrive in July.
Capt. Mick helps a young angler hold his limit of lingcod from the Nauti-Lady in late March.Nauti-Lady deckhand Kirby holds a lingcod caught by Sarah, the office manager at Brookings Fishing Charters.
Steelhead fishing is winding down on the Chetco and Smith. Capt. Mick and Sam are still running a few trips. The season closes March 31 on the Chetco, and April 30 on the Smith. With good flows, steelhead will continue to arrive through the end of the season. Spring salmon also are arriving now on the lower Rogue River.
Limits of lingcod from the Miss Brooke in mid-March with Capt. Travis and Capt. Andy.
To learn more about our ocean fishing charters, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.
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.
The 2021-22 winter steelhead season has come to an end on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers. Fishing closed for the season March 31, and re-opened May 22 for sea-run cutthroat trout. Anglers will begin to catch a few king salmon in the Chetco estuary in June and July, with the best trolling in September and October. The fall drift boat season for salmon begins in late October or early November, after the first major fall rains. Winter steelhead will arrive in early December, with the best fishing in January and February.
A nice steelhead from February 2022 on the Chetco River with Capt. Andy.
This past season was good overall, despite high water in December, then a prolonged period of low, clear water. Even though the river was low, and difficult at times to get a drift boat through shallow riffles, fishing was good. There was an above-average return of both hatchery and wild steelhead in both the Chetco and Smith rivers during the 2021-22 season.
Fishing was especially good late in the season, after the crowds were gone. Rain in March brought in impressive schools of hatchery and wild steelhead, leading to high scores for the handful of local guides still on the river.
Currently, the best fishing opportunities are in the ocean, through our partner charter company, Brookings Fishing Charters. Learn more about ocean charters out of Brookings at www.brookingsfishing.com
To book a river salmon or steelhead trip, call (541) 813-1082 or visit www.wildriversfishing.com.
A nice limit of Chetco River steelhead with Capt. Andy in January 2022.
Steelhead season is off to a strong start on the Chetco and Smith Rivers, with near-perfect conditions and a big return of winter fish. The Wild Rivers Fishing crew has been enjoying success on both rivers.
Despite cold weather, with lots of snow in the hills, fishing has been has been good the past week. A major winter storm is expected to start the new year, which could limits options for the first week of 2022.
A beautiful Chetco River steelhead caught with Capt. Andy.
Both rivers blew out around Christmas, but the Smith quickly dropped back into shape, and the Chetco has been in prime shape for the past few days. During the higher flows, plunkers fishing large Spin-N-Glos from shore did well. Drift boaters side-drifting roe and Corkies did well as the river began to drop.
A wild hen steelhead is released on the Upper Chetco.
Wild Rivers Fishing has guides licensed in Oregon and California to fish the Chetco and Smith rivers, and operates under special use permits from the US Forest Service to fish the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco and launch at the Forks on the Smith River to drift through Redwood National Park.
Nice Chetco steelhead caught on a 3.5 MagLip plug.
We also fish the Elk and Sixes rivers during the winter, and occasionally on the lower Rogue River. Steelhead season is off to a great start on the lower Rogue, where some guides are getting into double-digit numbers anchoring and fishing 3.5 MagLip plugs.
The Chetco is expected to blow out by Jan. 2, and could approach flood stage with the combination of heavy rain and melting snow. When we get back on the water, we will start by running plugs and then side-drift as flows drop.
Frequent storms with heavy rain have steelhead season off to an early start on the Chetco and Smith rivers. A mix of hatchery and wild steelhead have already been caught on both streams, and now anglers are waiting for a break in the weather to get on the water.
Capt. Michael holds a Chetco steelhead caught in December 2021.
Steelhead began arriving in late November, but low, clear conditions made getting a good drift difficult. After heavy rain in early December, steelhead arrived in big numbers on the Chetco and Smith. The water has been high for the past few weeks, making side-drifting difficult, but giving plunkers using large Spin-N-Glos a good opportunity to catch fish from shore.
Our guides have had some success so far this season side-drifting when flows are below 4,000 cfs, and also have caught steelhead anchoring in the softer water near shore and fishing 3.5 MagLip plugs.
Capt. Mick with a nice Chetco steelhead from early December.
Peak season for Chetco River winter steelhead is the last week of December, all of January and February, and the first week of March. The season runs through March 31. The Smith River also fishes best during the same time frame, but remains open through April.
Many visiting anglers will book two days, so they can fish the Smith River and the Chetco River during their same trip to the coast. Our guides are licensed in Oregon and California, and also have special use permits for the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco River, located within the U.S. Forest Service boundary.
The Chetco fishes best for steelhead between 2,500 cfs and 3,500 cfs. The Smith River will fish during higher flows. The Elk River to the north of the Chetco also fishes well immediately after a heavy rain, while other rivers take a couple of days to come into shape.
To book a trip with a local, year round fishing guide, call Wild Rivers Fishing at (541) 813-1082.
The 2021 drift boat salmon season on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers started hot, as big storms brought impressive numbers of fish in, but ended on a slow note, as prolonged low, clear water made fishing tough the second half of November and in early December.
Capt. Andy holds a pair of Chetco River kings from early November.
In October and early November, the action was great. The Wild Rivers Fishing crew of Andy, Michael, Rye, Mick, Sam and Shane bounced around from the Smith to Chetco and then Elk and Sixes, getting into decent numbers of kings on each trip. The rivers then blew out in early November, and then slowed as the rain stopped.
Capt. Michael with a chromer Sixes River king salmon.
Action overall was above-average early in the season, but slow during the second half. Focus now turns to winter steelhead, which are already showing up on the Smith and Chetco rivers, and should get better with rains in mid-December. A few more bright salmon also should show up on the Chetco and Smith, and especially on the Elk and Sixes, after the first big rain of December.
The first drift boat salmon trips started in late September, when rains increased flows on the Smith River and a bunch of jacks moved in. Andy, Rye and Sam got in on the action, and caught big numbers of salmon on plugs. Lots of doubles on the smaller kings stacked up in the lower section of the Smith.
In mid-October, more rains fell, and the drift boat season got underway on the Chetco and Smith. We used bobbers and eggs, plugs and divers and bait to get into fish on both rivers. Another big rain in early November brought in the last decent fishing on the Smith and Chetco, which then slowed as the bulk of the fish moved upstream to spawn.
The action was good on the Elk and Sixes for a couple of weeks, but they too got low and clear and the action slowed.
Peak season for steelhead fishing is late December through February. With several local guides working out of our office, we have some availability. Call (541) 813-1082 to schedule a winter steelhead drift boat trip.
Here are some more photos of our 2021 drift boat salmon season on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers.
The highly anticipated fall salmon season has begun on the Chetco River, where anglers are focusing on the area near the mouth and awaiting fall rains to start fishing upriver.
Big numbers of jack salmon have already shown up. An abundance of jacks early in the season is generally a strong indicator of good fishing during the peak season upriver, according to longtime Brookings-based guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. Andy has been fishing several Oregon Coast rivers in recent weeks, but will now focusing mainly on the Chetco and Smith rivers since salmon have arrived. He was on the Coos and Millicoma rivers near Coos Bay, Ore., last week, as well as the Umpqua and Rogue rivers in recent weeks.
Customers of Wild Rivers Fishing hold nice kings caught last week on the Coos River.
The Chetco River is the biggest draw in early October because of the potential for a trophy fish. In 2008, one of Andy’s customers caught a 58-pound king at the mouth of the Chetco, the biggest king in recent memory there. He also guided customers into a 65-pound king upriver in recent years, and has guided anglers to more than a dozen salmon over 50 pounds on the Chetco and Smith rivers.
Bright jack salmon caught Sept. 28 with Capt. Andy of Wild Rivers Fishing on the Chetco estuary, plus an adult king.
This year, despite ODFW’s forecast of a less-than-stellar return to the Chetco, big numbers of jack salmon have arrived. Several nice adults also have already been caught in the Chetco. The salmon are a bit early, an indication of a strong run, Martin said. The popular bubble season, where anglers fish in the ocean off the mouth of the Chetco in October, was canceled this year by ODFW, but there is a silver lining. That means 1,000 king salmon will not be harvested in the ocean by sport and commercial fishermen this year, adding to the in-river fishery. In years without an October bubble season, the fishing in the estuary and upriver after the rains is often above average.
A 29-pound king caught Sept. 28 at the mouth of the Chetco by a customer fishing with Capt. Rich of Brookings Fishing Charters.
In recent years, the Chetco estuary has fished better than normal because of the release of 15,000 fall chinook smolts that are acclimated to Ferry Creek, the first tributary of the Chetco above the estuary. Those salmon tend to hold longer in the estuary, fueling the sport fishery in late September and October. Another 100,000 fall chinook smolts are released at Social Security Bar. Lots of hatchery fish are already showing in the catch of the 2020 salmon return. Since the majority of the salmon on the Chetco are wild, that indicates there are a lot of bigger wild fish to come.
Ana of Brookings caught this big salmon over the weekend on the Coos River with Capt. Andy.
Anglers and guides will focus on the Chetco estuary until fall rains come. They will then head upriver on the Chetco, or to the Smith River in Northern California, with their drift boats. Both rivers produce big salmon. Capt. Andy said he will be bobber fishing with eggs, back-bouncing eggs, and running plugs, especially MagLips, HawgNose and FlatFish from Yakima Bait Company.
A pair of nice salmon caught on the Coos River in September 2020.
The limit on the Chetco is one adult salmon a day, wild or hatchery, beginning Oct. 1. Anglers also can keep five jacks a day less than 24 inches. New this year, after an adult salmon is retained, the angler must rack their rod.
The Chetco estuary is currently open. The river above the estuary, marked by the powerlines across the river at rivermile 2.2, opens after significant fall rains. ODFW’s Gold Beach office will decide when to open the river.
The Smith River opens above Rowdy Creek any time flows pass 600 cfs. Until then, fishing is limited to the Sand Hole and mouth areas near Ship Ashore. Capt. Andy will spend some of his time trolling herring at the Sand Hole. He also bobber fishes the area.
Along with Capt. Andy, guides Travis Sallander, Rye Phillips, Michael McGahan and Shane Brooks run trips for Wild Rivers Fishing. Rich Signorello, Mick Thomas and Sam Stover also help out with larger parties.
To book a fall salmon trip, visit www.wildriversfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.
Salmon caught in August 2018 with guide Andy Martin on the Rogue Bay.
Our 2018 fall king salmon season on the Southern Oregon and Northern California coast is off to a great start. Capt. Andy spent August on the Rogue River Bay in Gold Beach, where an above-average salmon run has been expected. While not epic, fishing was solid all of August. We averaged a fish per rod all season, with limits several days and a few slower days mixed in.
Salmon caught in August 2018 in the Rogue Bay with guide Andy Martin.
The size of the salmon on the Rogue Bay was great this year, with a solid 20-pound average. Fish to 30 pounds were caught each week. This salmon were caught trolling with anchovies and Yakima Bait spinner blades.
A nice king from August 2018 on the Rogue Bay in Gold Beach.
Now that September has arrived, Andy will be shifting gears to the Coos and Coquille rivers, which has some of the prolific fall salmon runs each year on the entire West Coast. The Coos has an abundant run of hatchery kings, with limits common during peak season. Here, we troll plug-cut herring and Fish Flash flashers. Salmon have been caught on the Coos since late August. Peak season is all of September.
In October, Andy and the Wild Rivers Fishing crew will focus on the Chetco estuary and upriver on the Chetco and Smith rivers. The ocean “bubble” season at the mouth of the Chetco runs Oct. 7-8 and 14-15. We have five guides working this fishery so a few seats are still open.
Until the October rains come, Andy will be trolling the Chetco estuary and combining bottom fishing trips. This is a great way to fill the freezer before winter.
The drift boat season will begin as soon as the fall rains arrive. News this year is Andy’s customer 18-foot Clackacraft ClackaMax. This is the same size as the 19-foot Willie boats and is extremely comfortable and roomy to fish from.
Capt. Andy’s new 18-foot ClackMax drift boat.
The Chetco and Smith fall salmon season will run from mid-October through early December. We also will fish the Elk and Sixes if the Chetco and Smith slow.
Andy and Travis are two of the few guides with special-use permits for the Upper Chetco. This is a great fall salmon fishery without the crowds of the lower river.
