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Good

After what has been the wettest start to any winter steelhead season in recent memory Northern California is finally getting a reprieve. As of this writing we have one more storm lined up for mid week which will impact Humboldt and Del Norte county. After that, the coast looks clear! It's going to take a while for many of the coastal rivers in Humboldt county to clear, some will need more time than others. Up north, that won't be the case. As we go into next weekend we will see our first decent window for finally being able to wade in and throw a line in hopes of feeling that big pull. I still have a few dates available for January for anyone out there who's been eagerly waiting for the chance to swing up a coastal winter steelhead. In the meantime get that tip wallet organized and put those scandi heads away, it's game time. 

What all the fuss is about
What all the fuss is about
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 Steelhead fishing in Northern California remains a game of hit or miss. During a recent trip on a coastal river with friends Gary and John it was a hit with a nice fish to hand in the third run of the day. More recently, with new comers to Spey Derek and Tim we fished hard all day with only the satisfaction of mastering a few new casts to show for our efforts. Swinging flies for Winter Steelhead is at its best an opportunity to encounter a single fish, anything beyond that is exceptional. After a prolonged spell of no meaningful precipitiation since around the first of the new year the weather outlook seems to be shifting towards increased chances of rainfall for Northern California. Hopefully this will see a few of our coastal rivers bump up enough to usher in some fresh waves of winter steelhead. As of right now low and clear conditions persist on all coastal steelhead rivers in Northern California and beyond, but that picture is sure to change with increased chances of precipitation. A few rivers have closed due to the newly extended low flow fishing regulations and others are getting close to the deadline. With March fast approaching and the weather outlook shifting towards more favorable conditions we should see an uptick in fishing opportunities heading into the final act of the season here in Northern California. Stay tuned!

A beautiful bright hen from a recent outing
A beautiful bright hen from a recent outing
Gary with his coastal prize from ealier this month.
Gary with his coastal prize from ealier this month.
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Good

After what seemed like a solid month of wet weather in December, a generous window of clear weather has graced California's North Coast. This prolonged dry spell has given us steelhead anglers the opportunity we've been waiting for. Over the past few weeks of January all coastal systems have been in play, with some fishing better than others. After having spent the better half of the month on the water I can say that the most consistent fishing we've had has come in just the past few days. Now, as we head into February we will need another shot of rain to keep some of the smaller and quick clearing coastal rivers in contention. We are lucky, however, to have a host of rivers that are still in prime shape for anyone looking to come find one of these elusive critters on the swing. If you have an itch to scratch I have lots of availibily starting around the second week of February for right now. On another note, an important regulation change has gone into effect on the North Coast steelhead rivers. Now the low flow fishing closure will be enforced through the end of April opposed to ending on January 31. This means that now most of the coastal rivers can be closed to fishing through the entirety of the winter steelhead season if they drop below the CFS threshold. It is important to call the hotline at (707) 822-3164 and follow the automated prompts to check on the status of the river you might want to fish. Considering that we currently have no rain forecasted going into this next month I think it is safe to assume that some of these rivers will potentially be closed to fishing.  

Having one of those days on the coast where it all comes together
Having one of those days on the coast where it all comes together
First run first cast first fish. True story
First run first cast first fish. True story
Tony with a pint sized buck
Tony with a pint sized buck
Misty morning light on the coast
Misty morning light on the coast
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It's the time of year when the commercial fleet is out to sea crabbing, the hills are coated in freshly fallen snow, and the rivers of California's North Coast are turning green. Winter steelhead season has come again for all of us who wait with eager anticipation for this time of year. Right now there are several rivers in play as they drop into shape but we have plenty of wet weather ahead of us as we go into the end of this coming week. The amount of precipitation in the forecast will make timing more difficult for those looking to hit a nice window of green water on the coast. Hopefully as we begin 2022 we'll see more generous conditions take shape to start off another season of chasing these elusive critters. I have plenty of open dates as of right now going into January and February for those looking to swing flies on the coast this winter. Happy Holidays to all! 

Consolation prize for putting in the time
Consolation prize for putting in the time
The Redwood Curtain
The Redwood Curtain
Keep calm and hang on
Keep calm and hang on
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Good

If every winter steelhead season was a play of three acts then this next storm is the final scene of the first act. The past 10 days saw every system fall into shape after a big push of rain brought all of our rivers up to their highest peaks of the season so far. As the rivers dropped and turned green many of us who wait in eager anticipation for the chance to shake hands with a winter fish found ourselves traveling north to the rivers of the coast. My first handful of guide days were spent in the upper reaches of the river, hoping to find a fish or two up high. Angling pressure was high, as is to be expected early on in the season and especially during the first stages of a dropping and clearing river. The first four days on the water proved to be tough fishing. That is almost always true for us folks swinging flies, but I got the feeling from talking with other boats that fishing was just as tough for them as it had been for us. Simply put, there just were'nt that many fish around. It wasn't until the lower end dropped into shape that we saw our fortunes shift. I fished with husband and wife duo Jim and Vivian midweek on an abnormally pleasant and sunny day for January on the coast. Just before 9am Jim hooked into a good fish in the first run of the day. We landed her by the skin of our teeth and were all three of us excited to see what turned out to be a truely impressive specimen. Swinging flies for a winter fish is a game of long odds, mostly you end up with nothing to show for your efforts, but sometimes you shake hands with something that will stay with you for a lifetime. The fishing continued to be productive heading into the end of the week. I was lucky enough to have a few more considerably good days on the water with one time Confluence guide Tyler and his longtime friend Steve. On the last day we fished together they tied each other with each a fish landed and each a fish lost. All said and done, it was a whirlwind of days spent searching for something that is exceedingly hard to find, but once found is always worth the effort. Thanks to everyone who came out to fish with me. It was a pleasure being on the water with you all. Looking ahead into the month of Febuary we are set to see another massive rise for all of our local rivers. Right now as I type away the coast is being lashed with heavy winds as another big storm moves off of the Pacific. If last season is an indicator for what is instore for the second act then we should see a major improvement in fishing as we head into this next month. Lets all keep our fingers crossed for good river conditions after this next round of storms has passed. Stay tuned for more. 

Colin swinging the green ditch
Colin swinging the green ditch
Jim with his prize doe
Jim with his prize doe
Sometimes the clients let me pretend I swung up their fish
Sometimes the clients let me pretend I swung up their fish
Tyler with a early morning hen
Tyler with a early morning hen
Tyler on the board early for day two
Tyler on the board early for day two
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I just had next Wednesday, 1/20, open up next week for anyone looking to venture North for a day of hucking wiggly bugs for winter steelhead. River conditions should be in top form after the big rise currently taking place on all of our North Coast rivers. Coupled with some of the highest tides of the winter steelhead season taking place over the last few days I'd say stars are aligning to usher in a fresh batch of dime bright metal heads into all of our local systems here in Northern California. If you've been jonzing for the pull next week is looking like a good one.  I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy out there. Here's to bent rods and screaming reels coming soon to a river near you!   

A few squids for the prince of tides
A few squids for the prince of tides
Matching the hatch on the Pacific Coast
Matching the hatch on the Pacific Coast
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This morning I awoke to the most pleasant sound a steelhead fisherman can ever hope to hear: the hard patter of rain beating steadily against the gutters. Finally, after a dismal Fall of very little precipitation for our Northern California steelhead rivers, we have rain. Being well into the month of December, accompanied by a generous forecast of rain with a  prediction to see all of our coastal systems on a steep rise towards the end of this coming week I feel like it's safe to say that winter steelhead season has come again at last. Time to dust off your skagit heads and organize your tip wallets for another season of swinging flies for saltwater rainbows. Put away the 5 and 6 weights for next time and bring out the big guns. For everyone out there who spends a majority of their year dreaming of green water and hard fighting silver fish this push of rain marks the official kickoff. Let the games begin. Keep checking in for more condition reports and local info. Stay safe and healthy friends. 

Green water and a deeply bent rod. What winter steelhead fishing is all about
Green water and a deeply bent rod. What winter steelhead fishing is all about
A prime specimen taken during last season. Fish like this keep you coming back for more
A prime specimen taken during last season. Fish like this keep you coming back for more
winter workshop with all the fixings.
winter workshop with all the fixings.
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Good

Just wrapped up a two day swing trip on the Trinity with newcomer to spey Peter. On the first day we went over casting fundamentals on a day that seemed tailor made for swinging flies to steelhead: we had constant rain, heavy cloud cover, and a river with a healthy tea stain. Peter found a player in the third run of the day. After an epic grab followed by a brief and choatic skirmish the fish got the best of us and was off. We tried to cover as much ground as possible in hopes of intercepting another moving fish as the river was on the rise for the entirety of day one. We fished down as low as the S. Fork confluence where the tea stain turned to slate with the influence of the heavily off color major trib pumping in sediment. On day two we floated the upper river and improved on the different casting techniques we had gone over on day one. You would harldy have known that the prior two days had been nothing but rain on the float we did. The water was gin clear up above the N. Fork confluence. We fished hard but came up empty handed. Even the guys fishing from boats reported tough fishing on that stretch for the day. Peter's casting improved considerably on day two and by the last run he was sending them to the far bank with ease. Interestingly enough when I got home to check what the river had been doing during our two day trip I was surprised to see a very dramatic rise in CFS below the N. Fork confluence and hardly any substantial change above it. All in all fishing on the Trinity is solid. There should be plenty of fish making their way up into the higher stretches of the river with the healthy bump in flows. Whenever we are graced with the next round of substantial rain on the coast winter steelhead will be on the menu. Happy Thanksgiving and stay tuned! 

Peter getting bent early in the day
Peter getting bent early in the day
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Good

After spending a little over a week in Oregon I was eager to get back up to the Trinity for a shot at some late fall steelhead. With flows down to around 300-350 wading was a dream. One thing I have noticed is how much the lower river has filled in over the last few years. Some of my favorite spots have lost a lot of the definition that I remember from previous seasons. I guess that's what happens when winter rain storms don't pack the same punch they used to? After months of blocked off access Big Rock is finally open to the public in Willow Creek. It didn't take too long before I'd released a few half pounders down low. Heading further up river through the gorge I found myself a nice peice of shadow water that reminded me of what the Trinity can be like when the fishing is good. Two adults to hand and a slew of half pounders later I was all smiles as I drove the winding road back home to the coast. I would say that the Trinity is as good a bet as any for anyone looking to catch the last bit of fall steelhead fishing in Northern California. We had a welcome shot of rain last night and into today on the coast and looking ahead into next week it's looking like there's more on the way. Hopefully we'll see our first decent storm sometime between now and Thanksgiving to kick off the beginning of winter steelhead season. Stay tuned...

A healthy wild Trinity hen that fell for the moss back.
A healthy wild Trinity hen that fell for the moss back.
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Good

I spent a few days swinging flies for steelhead up on the Trinity river earlier this week with fellow angler Joel. After weeks of smokey conditions it was a welcome relief to finally breath some fresh air. We started off in the lower river and it didn't take long to get a rod bent. Joel swung up a nice half pounder in a good run and then hooked into a hot adult that gave us a solid two minute steelhead rodeo before bucking itself off the line. Heading furthur up river past the gorge we were greeted with ideal water conditions and stunning fall colors beginning to pop on the sourrounding ridges. I fished my muddler religiously but never got a proper fish to blow up on it by the end of the first days fishing. Joel fished an assortment of more standard Trinity patterns; sz 6 rubber legs and buggy soft hackles. Day two started early but it wasn't until the sun was high overhead that we got into fish. We targeted heavier water with sink tips in tow and were rewared with multiple half pounders and a nice rainbow colored adult. By the end of the second day we found ourselves back down in the lower river were we each did well swinging small leech patterns for chrome bright half pounders. All in all the Trinity is fishing well from top to bottom. We found fish in more runs than not. The water temps have finally dropped in the lower river, giving the fish a reason to slow down a bit. We caught the last day of water releases of 450 cfs coming out of Lewiston. They have ramped down to winter flows of 300 cfs as of this week. There is still no public access to Big Rock in Willow Creek but the gravel bar at Kimtu is now open. We stopped by the fish counting weir to chat with the fish biologist on duty. He said that morning they had counted good numbers of adult steelhead in their traps. The biologist was excited to see larger sized adults coming through the weir, something he said he had not seen in the same numbers going back a few seasons. Going into the second half of October fishing on the Trinity should only improve as more fish come out of the Klamath and Hoopa valley. I have plenty of prime dates available for anyone looking to get out on the water and swing some of the best spey water in Northern California. Swing season is here folks! 

A beautiful wild hen that crushed a swung soft hackle
A beautiful wild hen that crushed a swung soft hackle
You know you're in the right spot when you see him
You know you're in the right spot when you see him
Fall colors on full display
Fall colors on full display
Joel bent to a nice half pounder in a good riffle
Joel bent to a nice half pounder in a good riffle
Fall fishing at it's finest.
Fall fishing at it's finest.
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Last week I made a day out of scouting some runs on the Trinity River. After spending three consecutive summers in Alaska, I've missed out on the early part of the summer steelhead run back home on the North Coast. While I'm not sure how much I've missed setting my alarm clock to 4:00AM in hopes of being on the water as early in the morning as possible, I've sorely missed being able to swing a fly through some of my favorite water during the dog days of late summer. I was able to make it up the winding 299 from the coast before the sun had broken over the ridgeline, but was dissapointed to find a valley devoid of any morning fog. Also a surprise was to see the Willow Creek Valley smoke free on the morning I went up. There are two major fires burning in the hills between the Hoopa Valley and the Salmon River drainage; the Red Salmon complex. For this reason Big Rock river access in Willow Creek has been completely shut down for Heli fire crews. During past fire seasons they have allowed limited public access, leaving the boat launch open, but not this year. You cannot even park on the road and walk in to reach the river. I was able to walk into another favorite run a little further up river, and was greeted with water that felt very warm for such an early hour in the morning. Heading up river from WC I made a quick stop at the S. Fork confluence and was somewhat relieved to find the water noticably colder just above the confluence. I made my last few honest attempts to swing one up proper on the floating line with a traditional bug, but by 10:30 am with the sun racing high above the canyon walls, the Scandi head was off. The Skagit head and tip were on. Driving further up river through the gorge I ran into the mother of all road construction projects. It seems like the 299 is one of the worst local highways to be affected by this perenial annoyance, and this season will be no exception. Around Burnt Ranch one can expect delays of up to an hour while work crews install new caging to the cliff face to keep rock falls from impacting the roadway. By 12:30pm the temperature was on a steady rise and the sun was directly overhead. I knew I had to find some heavy fast water if I wanted to eek out a shot at a fish. I got lucky walking into a spot I'd never been to before, finding the water I thought would be most productive during this time of day. I few casts later and I was rewarded by a spitfire of a half pounder. A nice wild fish, just starting to display it's full array of rainbow coloration. Not bad. The water temps felt significantly colder the higher I went. I didn't carry a thermometer with me, but I would guess that they ranged somewhere in the low 60's to high 50's above the S.Fork confluence. Flows were stable just below 500 CFS and all the wading I did felt completely manageable (although I was in a bathing suit so there wasn't much at risk if I did fall in.) With one of the worst fire seasons already off to an early start here in California we will all have to hope for the best that the Trinity and Klamath do not see the destruction that has visited them in the past. For now, the crowds have yet to descend on the river en masse, and for a lucky few there are some fish around. Best fishing times are going to be by first light and last. Bring a scandi rig for the beginning and end of the day, and a skagit head for the constant mid day thermals.Tight lines out there! 

Beautiful spectrum on this one. Just don't tell him he's not a grown up yet!
Beautiful spectrum on this one. Just don't tell him he's not a grown up yet!
My summer run fly box. All the best traditional offerings on tap.
My summer run fly box. All the best traditional offerings on tap.
High noon in the canyon.
High noon in the canyon.
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Good

Fishing conditions have improved considerably over the past week with the first decent rainfall to find it's way to the North Coast since early February. While most rivers still remain low, the rains that fell have put a healthy stain into most. The Eel basin has benefited the most from the recent precipitation giving the few of us who are still out fishing our last glimpse of steelhead green water before the closure on March 31. My past few outings have met with big rewards with clients shaking hands with some very nice fish. With more rain on the horizon for the North Coast, fishing should remain strong until the end of March. (Just a reminder that on April 1 most North Coast rivers will close to fishing, two notable exceptions are the Smith River and the Main Stem Eel below the SF confluence.)I still have available dates on my calendar, but with everything going on it seems very plausible that this might be one of my last fishing reports for the winter season. Thanks to everyone who made the journey to fish the rivers of California's Redwood Coast with me this season. There were some tough days with some that were the stuff of legend. I hope everyone stays safe and healthy through the weeks and months that lay ahead. I'll see you on the water!

A dreamy buck pulled from some dreamy water
A dreamy buck pulled from some dreamy water
The letting go
The letting go
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Good

At long last we have some actual rain in our forecast for the parched North Coast. While it's nothing amounting to a gully washer it's a welcome change from the prolonged dry spell we've been going through since early February. Despite exceptionally low and clear conditions there are still fish coming into the rivers and over the past few weeks every outing has offered a handful of opportunities to find one of these fish before the season closes (mostly) for 2020. Scaling way down on fly profile and being selective to certain water types has proven to be successful, but conditions are tough on the days that are bright and sunny, and there have been more than a few of those over the past few weeks! Fishing pressure has seen a major drop during March as most rivers have gotten too low to drift. Hopefully this shot of rain will put some fish on the move that are kegged up in the lower stretches and give us a fitting end to our 2020 season. If you've been holding out on making the journey North you still have a shot at finding a fresh from the salt chromer. Tight lines out there! 

Fishing Report Image
Fishing Report Image
Fishing Report Image
Fishing Report Image
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Great

Yesterday I got to fish with Jeff from the Bay Area. Jeff reminded me of a lot of guys I've met and talked with over the years who are new to swinging flies and speycasting. He's a serious fly fisherman, has been involved in the sport for a long time, and has plenty of experience fishing for trout in Northern California and beyond. But he has never ventured into the world of speycasting, mostly because at some point as an angler you stick to what you know, and speycasting can seem intimidating. So much new information to digest. So much new gear to figure out. Who wants to relearn how to cast? Where to begin? I count myself lucky that he obliged and decided to venture out into new territory with me. As a guide there's something special about being there at the very beginning of someones journey into the world of speycasting. I get to relive all of the excitement and frustration of when I was first learning, and get to watch the same progressions and rewarding moments that everyone experiences when learning how to speycast. Remember how epic it was when you first threw a truly long cast and it burped the reel because it wanted more running line?  It's hard to explain, but for those in the know it's something you never forget. We set off on a day that met every standard for winter steelhead. A steady drizzle fell in the dim light of morning, the mist like thick smoke turning the huge redwoods into looming shadows along the rivers edge. Jeff was a quick study. We worked on dialing in his double spey in the morning and graduated to the snap t by noon. He picked up his on shoulder snap t and ran with it. By the time we had finished lunch and he had stepped back into the run he was in the zone. It was a good cast that caught the fish. One that turned over well and emptied all the running line through the guides. This was something! The fish faught well, a chaotic fit of runs, tailwalking jumps and nerve racking headshakes in close to the bank. Just as we we're landing him another angler happened upon us and we were able to get a picture with the three of us. Jeff's fish was a good buck, still clad in his chrome camo from a life in the salt. After it was all over I half jokingly told him to be careful about who he told about getting a winter steelhead on his first day swinging flies. Some folks might go ahead and put their rods on ebay after hearing a thing like that. I knew that I had a convert before me, that he was sold on what I had just shown him was possible, and for that I am humbled and grateful.Looking at the weather ahead there is some rain forecast for next weekend along with snow falling at lower elevations. Whether or not this system will have any impact on our coastal rivers is hard to say, but what is apparant is the need for some soaking rain. Despite low and clear conditions that now prevail on nearly all rivers on the North Coast fishing has been solid. Yesterday I spoke with a handful of other guides who all reported getting into good numbers. I personally have found success the last handful of occasions I've had time to fish for myself coupled with getting clients into fish on my last two trips. If you're looking to head north and swing a critter for a chrome fish this would be a good time to make the journey.  Tight lines!  

Jeff with his first coastal steelhead.
Jeff with his first coastal steelhead.
A healthy buck to hand on the coast
A healthy buck to hand on the coast
I even got to make a cameo appearance thanks to a fellow angler. Thanks Don
I even got to make a cameo appearance thanks to a fellow angler. Thanks Don
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Great

On Monday I got on the water with Kris to swing some flies for winter steelhead. We had fished together before. Twice last season Kris made the voyage from the high desert of Reno to the fog lorn coastline of Northern California and Southern Oregon in the hopes of making the connection with a winter fish. Despite ideal conditions on the two occasions we fished together we struck out. Being a recent convert to spey fishing Kris was still looking to get that first fish to hand on the swing as we began our day together. Thick fog in the morning gave way to a blue bird day on the water. By mid day the temperatures had become pleasantly warm for February as we made our way further down river with the hopes of finding some fresh and eager fish coming up from the tide. Under bright sun in a tell tale riffle I watched as Kris' skagit head swung lazily into the soft water and suddenly jarred tight. It was a good eat, perfect. She jumped for us almost immediately in the place she ate and we saw that she was a near perfect dime bright hen. After some excitement and boat wrangling we made it to shore and brought her to hand for a quick meet and greet and then watched as she quietly dissapeared into the riffle. Spirits were high, and the monkey was now officially lifted from Kris' back. We rowed on, looking to get into one last run before the day was over. Now the wind came up, and casting became a challenge. The sun dipped beyond the ridge and the light went off the water. Nearly towards the end of the run came another freight train grab. It was different then before. No jump, just stubborn headshakes and a refusal to budge an inch. This was a good fish, bigger than the first. It fought well in the riffle and finally came to hand along the willow line. A beautiful wild buck. We saw him off and knew we were done for the day. As we walked off the river we were both laughing and spellbound by our good fortune. Few things in the world of angling compare to the days you find them on the swing.  Looking ahead conditions on the North Coast are fair but we are now in need of some substantial rainfall to bump up our low and clear rivers. Some rain is forecast over the weekend but it doesn't look like anything heavy enough to make a significant dent in river conditions. It might put the Smith River on a slight rise and add a little color to the rivers further south but that's about it. As of now there is nothing looming in the forecast to make a dramatic change in river conditions. Hopefully within the next few weeks that will change. What started off as a dormant January heated up into February and gave way to some of the best fishing of the season for the North Coast. Hopefully we'll see a continuation of that trend as we round the corner into the end of this month and the beginning of March. Tight lines out there!

A beautiful hen in full sun.
A beautiful hen in full sun.
Kris with his end of the day buck
Kris with his end of the day buck
First fish to hand on the spey. A worthy pursuit and epic reward
First fish to hand on the spey. A worthy pursuit and epic reward
Getting dialed in before the burn off.
Getting dialed in before the burn off.
As wild as they come.
As wild as they come.
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Good

Conditions are shaping up nicely for getting out on the water to do some swinging for chrome. After the biggest rise of the season for all of the rivers of the North Coast we are seeing an extended period of mostly dry calm weather. This is the generous window we've been waiting for, so if you've been cooped up at home tying flies and scouring the internet for images of salty fish it's time to wax your ferrules and hit the road. By this weekend we should see a number of North Coast rivers come online, and looking further ahead with no major systems threatening to rain on the parade more and more water will become fishable. Hope to see you on the water. 

Andrew Harris in the goods
Andrew Harris in the goods
Mad River projection into February
Mad River projection into February
S. Fork Eel river projection into February
S. Fork Eel river projection into February
Smith River projection into February
Smith River projection into February
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Fishing on the North Coast has been hit and miss over the past few weeks with brief windows opening up between storms. The Smith River has been the best bet for finding green water and conditions have been ideal for swinging. With flows remaining on the higher side the river has been showing off its iconic emerald green color, and with it the first decent push of fish. Reports from most of the guides I talked to who were floating from the Forks down were getting into a few fish a day. The Eel River has remained largely unfishable since blowing out earlier this month, with the upper S. Fork above Benbow being the excpetion. I spent a few days poking around up there last week and while conditions were near perfect I didn't talk with anyone who had hooked up. As of right now all rivers on the coast are anticipated to be on a steady rise through the beginning of this week. The projections for the Eel are pointing to the most significant rise of the season to date, restarting the clock for any hopes of being able to fish on the lower stretches of the system for some time to come. The Smith should be a player by as soon as mid week. There is a system hot on the heels of the current one due to deliver soaking rains late on Monday into early Tuesday, after that things are looking to quiet down for now. Hopefully with the close of January and the end of the winter seasons first act we will see some respite from the wet weather and more rivers turning from brown to green. Tight lines out there! 

Great aerial shot by Dax Messett. Big mean and green,
Great aerial shot by Dax Messett. Big mean and green,
Snowy morning from one of the heaviest snowfalls during a winter steelhead season
Snowy morning from one of the heaviest snowfalls during a winter steelhead season
Offerings
Offerings
Some wild mushrooms picked on the way into the run.
Some wild mushrooms picked on the way into the run.
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Good

Last week I got to fish with Hayden, Josh and Jerrett; three buddies from the Sacramento area. We just squeeked by on having the lower Eel river stay a few shades away from being blown out on the day we fished, it held on by a thread giving us some of the most ideal conditions one could ask for when it comes to swinging big nasty flies for a bright winter fish. In the morning we worked on casting and by the time we had gotten through with the second run of the day everyone was dialed in. After lunch we lucked into a good run that was open and I had my guys spread from top to bottom hoping between the three of them a fish would take a liking to one of their flies. It was Jerrett in the bottom of the run who got the grab. It held on long enough to give us one good jump out in the heavy water to show us how chrome it was before it came unpinned. It was a nice fish. A real one. The boys stuck around to fish the next day on their own and from their report all the action came in those brief moments when Jerrett was connected to the one that got away. The Eel held on through the weekend and was fishing well for guys in the right spots on the Main and especially for guys on the S. Fork. A few exceptional winter specimens were brought to hand before it all blew out on Tuesday. Right now it looks like there could be the potential for a brief window to open up by Sunday and into Monday for a shot at the S. Fork before the next storm blows in on Tuesday to take it offline again. The flows are projected to be ideal but what the color will be is another story. The Smith River looks to be in good shape as of this writing and should remain within fishable conditions through the weekend and into next week. All said, this last round of rain was the storm we needed and have been waiting for. If your'e looking to get out on the coast in pursuit of winter steelhead, this is it. They're in. 

Colton Schwenning brought this specimen to hand before the river blew out on Tuesday
Colton Schwenning brought this specimen to hand before the river blew out on Tuesday
The boys: Hayden, Josh, and hotrod Jerrett.
The boys: Hayden, Josh, and hotrod Jerrett.
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Slow

The coastal steelhead season in Northern California is off to a catagorically slow start. We've had bouts of rain to bring in the first flush of chrome fish from the salt but nothing constituting a major storm so far. I've been out on several occasions since the holidays guiding and fishing for myself and have heard mixed reports from fellow guides and anglers alike. All said and done it seems like fishing has been slow up and down the coast. That being said there are fish being caught, it's just not a bonanza. A few days before the new year I got out on the water with Ken Frank from the Bay and we fished on the MS Eel. Day one saw a steady rain and light pressure from the bank with few other boats on our float. A nice grab on the hang down came easy in the first run we fished that morning, but with the exception of a small half pounder that got off in the afternoon that would be all the excitement for us. Looking ahead into next week it looks like someone is finally going to turn the faucet on high. Our cycle of glancing blows from storms making landfall to the north will come to an end. Some major wet weather is on tap as of this writing with chances of rain blocking out the 10 day forecast. It looks like a possible pineapple express in the works. Hopefully this will be the bugle call for our anadromous friends still milling around in the ocean waiting to get a wiff of their natal stream. As always with heavy rainfall, look to the Smith River to be a player early on. The Eel, which has been fishable since Christmas and in need of a good old fashioned gully washer will most likely be out of the picture by mid week. Stay tuned....

The anticipation is everything
The anticipation is everything
Blue bird day with Ken Frank in a good run on the Eel
Blue bird day with Ken Frank in a good run on the Eel
Old and golden on the coast
Old and golden on the coast
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Okay

We can officially say we are at the beginning of another winter steelhead season here in Northern California. With a series of moderate rain events and healthy rises under our belt the coastal rivers have all been in decent shape throughout the past two week period, but the steelhead have been characteristically hard to come by. I fished on the Smith river one week ago with Cory Robertson from the bay area. We squeeked into fishable conditions by the skin of our teeth and began the day with the river dropping from the top of 12' falling from where it had crested at 16.5' the prior afternoon. Conditions were ideal for swinging; marginal visibility and high cfs forcing fish to take the inside lanes. Cory had never cast a spey rod before this trip, but he was a quick study, getting dialed into his double spey to the point of being able to send out forty feet of running line by the time we were finished in the first run of the day. We pushed our luck in that first run and managed to beat the rain but by the time we stopped again to fish we were in for it. We ended the day with our Gor-Tex soaked through taking one last look back at the river which now had fallen to around 11.5' and had cleared significantly throughout the day. We didn't find one, but it was rewarding enough to have taught Cory how to cast and fish a spey rod with confidence.  Looking ahead things are lining up to bring us into the next decade with favorable river conditions on the North Coast. A steady rain is falling on the gutters as I type this report and should continue for most of tomorrow. Everything from the SF Eel to the Smith is on the rise once more. As we draw closer to the end of the month we should see the first big push of winter fish come into their home rivers to spawn. It looks like after this system moves through things will quiet down for the holiday week giving the rivers the needed time to drop and clear up enough to be fishable. The Smith will probably stay fishable throughout this rain event. Look for the SF Eel to come online sometime midweek and the MS Eel to be a player by late next week at the earliest. For everyone who has been biding their time waiting for ideal conditions to take shape on the coast your wait is nearly over. Merry Christmas! 

Cory waiting for that steel handshake
Cory waiting for that steel handshake
Standard winter steelhead swing thing
Standard winter steelhead swing thing
Eel River projection
Eel River projection
Smith River Projection
Smith River Projection
Shiny and chrome
Shiny and chrome
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