Smith River fishing guides Archives - Page 3 of 3

2020 steelhead run above average

Customers of Wild Rivers Fishing guides Andy Martin and Rye Phillips hold limits of steelhead from early Feruary 2020 on the Chetco River.

The 2020 winter steelhead run on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers is winding down, but looking back, the return to the coastal rivers was above average, with very good fishing when conditions were right.

We began the season with high, off-colored water, and spent much of early January on the Smith River in Northern California. The Chetco was too high until late January, but as it dropped, fishing was excellent. He encountered large numbers of hatchery fish this year, along with a strong run of wild steelhead. Overall, the Smith had one of its best runs in years, with new fish continuing to arrive. The Chetco was also very good, although it has been low and clear since mid-February. There are plenty of fish around, but they are tough to catch with low, clear water.

An angler holds a dandy winter steelhead from early February 2020 on the Chetco River, caught with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing.

We caught most of our steelhead this season on roe and Puff Balls or Corkies, side-drifting on the lower portions of the river. The lower Chetco was especially productive this season, as was the Smith between the Forks and Ruby.

We ran several large groups this season, and found good success on the Chetco and Smith rivers. With several full-time guides working out of the Brookings Fishing Charters and Wild Rivers Fishing office, we can accommodate groups to 12 people or more.

Steelhead season remains open through March on the Chetco and through April on the Smith. We are now focusing on ocean charters out of Brookings, where lingcod and rockfish season is under way.

Some of the lingcod caught in March 2020 aboard the Miss Brooke of Brookings Fishing Charters.

During our ocean charters, we target rockfish and lingcod year round. The ocean salmon season is expected to open in mid-May. Halibut season opens May 1. Our very popular Rogue Bay summer salmon season begins in late June or early July, as fall king salmon begin to arrive.

Some of the nice kings we caught in August 2019 on the Rogue River Bay. We begin Rogue Bay salmon trips in late June or early July.

You can follow our daily fishing reports at https://www.facebook.com/brookingsfishingcharters/ or at https://www.facebook.com/Wild-Rivers-Fishing-208106299199775/

To book a trip, visit our online booking calendar at www.brookingsfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.

Steelhead fishing heats up on Chetco, Smith

After hit-and-miss steelhead fishing on the Chetco and Smith rivers in January, fishing picked up the first week of February as fresh fish moved in from the ocean.

Wild Rivers Fishing guides have been catching as many as half a dozen steelhead a day. Andy and Travis, with special-use permits from the Forest Service, have been concentrating on the upper Chetco, while Rye has been fishing the lower section of the river. Rye also has spent some time on the Sixes River, while Andy and Travis have made a couple trips to the Smith.

All of the rivers have good numbers of steelhead now. Schools of fish can be seen in the tailouts and the edges of the riffles.

On Monday, Feb. 4, Travis got a double hookup on the Smith just above Ruby. Over the weekend, Andy found a couple of bigger schools on the Chetco and got into several fish in the Wild and Scenic section.

Fishing should stay strong in February, which is the peak season. This year’s run appears to be a little later than most seasons, so fishing likely will remain strong in March.

Wild Rivers Fishing and Brookings Fishing Charters also have been running ocean charters, with good success for lingcod, especially further north near Arch Rock.

Fall salmon season heats up

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.

To book a trip, call 541-813-1082.