Big returns of salmon off California coast.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I have heard about the great success in the ocean this summer and now, yesterday, in talking with Nor Cal guide Lincoln Gray @ Sierra Stream & Mountain fly shop in Chico, CA, I learned they are up in the Nor Cal rivers in big numbers now too.

They are in the Lower Sacramento River, the Lower Feather River, the Lower American River and more.....

They are probably entering the Rogue, Klamath and Trinity as we speak (text).

People fly fish for them in the lower Rogue River in August/September.

Early morning is always good for them.

October is best for fly fishing for them in the American River. Talk to Andy at the shop about how to catch them ewading in the river. He is working on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

You might try for them in the tide water of the Eel, Smith and Chetko Rivers starting in late October. November is a top month but it depends on the rain.

Some have found them in past years in the Lower Yuba River below Hwy 20 bridge.

You need to check the CA DF&G regualtions for these salmon fisheries to see what is open.

We fish barbless most all the time becuase it is usually required in rivers that have salmon runs.

This might be the year for you to catch salmon on a fly in CA.


Call or come by the shop....we can help you with this.

Open 7 days a week.

[Ned Morris]

and sadly for the past five seasons (since 2008). Not likely to ever open again per my CA DFG contacts as last stronghold of Central Valley Wild Chinook Salmon left with a couple other streams. Even if incidental catch while going for Steelhead or Resident Trout - Break them off ASAP and I wouldn't be caught dead using anything over a 7 wt. as DFG wardens are abundant and will enforce it if they suspect you are targeting Salmon

[winxp_man]

and sadly for the past five seasons (since 2008). Not likely to ever open again per my CA DFG contacts as last stronghold of Central Valley Wild Chinook Salmon left with a couple other streams. Even if incidental catch while going for Steelhead or Resident Trout - Break them off ASAP and I wouldn't be caught dead using anything over a 7 wt. as DFG wardens are abundant and will enforce it if they suspect you are targeting Salmon


What rivers are these you speak of?

Oh and Bill I hooked one on beads this Past Monday. I got it close and it broke off :) It was nice to get a rod bent and had fun fighting it. I used a regular baitcasting rod though. The flows are to high to be able to wade decently and cast where the fish are.

I used a reagular BC with 14lb running and 12lb leader. I will say this they are STRONG! salmon running now. They pull really good and will give you a good fight. To use a 8 wt rod might be undercutting yourself.

[Bruce Slightom]

There are fall salmon starting on the lower Klamath. I talked to some gill netters yesterday and they are getting a few.

I have to wonder if there is not just a little bit of coincidence that the large returns that are predicted have any thing to do with the band on suction dredging?

[Darian]

Another nail in the coffin of naturally spawning fish along with degradation of water quality, diversions, elimination of access to spawning grounds by dams, impacts of commercial/recreational fishing, etc., ad nauseum.... Other than in a few rivers/streams in California, Salmon and Steelhead populations are artificially maintained through hatcheries which by themselves have a negative impact on naturally spawned fish. :-|

[pvsprme]

There are fall salmon starting on the lower Klamath. I talked to some gill netters yesterday and they are getting a few.

I have to wonder if there is not just a little bit of coincidence that the large returns that are predicted have any thing to do with the band on suction dredging?

Way too soon to tell, couple years or more before you can begin to gauge that.

[Frank Alessio]

Why are people so afraid to speak the truth... Gill Netting is not good for the Fishery...Period

[Darian]

"Another nail in the coffin of naturally spawning fish along with degradation of water quality, diversions, elimination of access to spawning grounds by dams, impacts of commercial/recreational fishing, etc., ad nauseum.... Other than in a few rivers/streams in California, Salmon and Steelhead populations are artificially maintained through hatcheries which by themselves have a negative impact on naturally spawned fish."

And gill netting.... :\\

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Why are people so afraid to speak the truth... Gill Netting is not good for the Fishery...Period

Why get excited about taking the dams down on the Klamath River if the native Americans are going to net them?

[winxp_man]

Its fun to get excited :D

In all reality though what gives them the right to do this? back when there was no damns or nets like the natives use there were lots of fish. Most natives used very long spears to catch them which is in no way as effective as gill netting them. SO WHY not let them fish as the old days? My dad talked to a native up near the Klamath and he was telling him how they spread that damn net across the whole river! Thats a lot of fish that can get caught at once.

Imagine the ones that get away wounded and die before being able to spawn or make it to a hatchery. I also found out that is the US government that pay the natives for all the fish they catch. Its in above $4 a pound I believe. So our own government is encouraging this and we are here thinking about why there is no fish!!!!?????!!????!!????

Then here in our area the Sacramento river they are show in the damn TV news how they release the smolts in the delta and expect our fish to return here !!! HAHAHA What a joke! Its like giving a friend a couple of pigeon eggs and expecting that bird to fly back to your house when its capable of flying. Just not going to happen! So until our own government dont pull there heads from where the sun dont shine we will just not have things working right!

[Darian]

Playing Devils advocate here, If the anticipated benefits of removal of the dams on the Klamath occur, wouldn't that benefit all of the fisheries (commercial, recreational/tribal)??? Wouldn't a high tide float all boats???.... :D

[winxp_man]

Playing Devils advocate here, If the anticipated benefits of removal of the dams on the Klamath occur, wouldn't that benefit all of the fisheries (commercial, recreational/tribal)??? Wouldn't a high tide float all boats???.... :D


Good point :D

But since the population has increased way way more then what it was back in the day there would still be a need for regulations for everyone. (commercial, personal, recreational, tribal)

I have heard plenty of people I know and even people on the rivers that say that they just cant do C&R while fishing. So this means that if given the opportunity they might catch as many as possible. We dont live back in the freaking cowboy or native American days where this was a main source of food. So no real need to really become greedy and get a fish to bring home on every trip to make it worth your while or catching everything you come across.

I understand I myself love eating fish but even at that to much is no good naturally for your body because of how contaminated the waters have become.


I will keep my ways in the end and call it a day. :D

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

This past week Marilyn and I were in the Santa Cruz area for a family function.

We were on the Fisherman's Warf in Santa Cruz and the pier at Capitola too.

They have been catching Stripers, White Sea Bass, Halibut and lots of Salmon in that area this summer.

While on the main warf in Santa Cruz we saw schools of bait fish just under the surface which we assumed where Anchovies.

We say a large salmon, maybe 30 pounds, cruising behind those bait fish about 4 feet under the surface. It was very exciting to see this.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here is a photo off the deck of our firends place in Santa Cruz at the Natural Bridges State Park at the end of West Cliff Drive.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=541