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There are not many "Tide Water Steelhead/Salmon fly fishers" left.
Back in the drought of the late 1970s Al Perryman took Craig Ziegler and I to the tidewater of the amazing Eel river.
It was in the winter and the fresh run wild Steelhead were stacked up in the lower 20 miles? of the river, called Tide Water.
Tide water is that water close to the Pacific ocean and that is usually smooth, lakey and effected by the daily tides.
Al had his 8 foot Valco aluminum pram and Craig and I were wading next to him. It was dam cold.
With no or almost no current flow we were using slow sinking heads and Comet style flies.
In most of the tide water fishing you cast, let it sink as much as you think you need to, and then strip like in a lake for trout.
We fished from before sunrise to after sunset for two or three days? so in the mornings you could hear reels screaming.
Being a beginner to that extremely specialized fly fishing, I did well because of all my years of lake fly fishing.
First morning Al asked me if I had gotten any grabs? I told him I thought there was some smaller fish pecking at my fly?
Al said that the CDF&G estimated that there were 3,500 to 5,000 adult steelhead in Singly pool.
They were in a long slot or long hole right in front of us, some happily rolling in the surface.
He said any small fish were probably behind us near the bank now. Next time you feel anything, set the hooks on it.
Shortly, in the low light of early morning, I was into a 15# 'chromer' that was going wild out in front of us.
We were on the top of the of Singly pool, below the Ferndale Bridge, on the north side and across from us was about 50 prams.
We landed and released it and that changed my life forever. After that, old tired spawning hatchery steelhead did not seem exciting.
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On the pamphlet of the movie "Rivers of a Lost Coast" CD is top Steelheader, Mike Murphy, with a 19# Steelhead.
I was there for that photo opt on the Eel's tide water that same weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmo_q6fh2gw
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After that huge drought in the late 1970s, the Steelhead fishing in Nor Cal in the 1980s and 1990a was very sad.
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The next Fall Sacramento Legend, Joe Shirshac, took me for King salmon in that same area of the Eel river's Tidewater.
We put both of our 8 foot prams completely inside his big Chevy Suburban along with our gear.
We launched on a dirt road between farms on the south side of lower Singly pool and rowed down into Snag pool?
It was extremely early in the dark and salmon were running in 6 inches of water like torpedoes from Snag up to Singly.
Joe Patterson, our Cortland Rep, had been up there fishing the week before with Mac and Larry of Time Flies and drew us a map.
This long slot was on the south side of Snag with about 30 prams already anchored up on the outside of it.
Joe Patterson told us that the salmon would swim up and down that long slot, and the turn around at both ends.
Hal Janssen, one of the best fly fishers I know, was at the very top of the pool in his anchored pram with his little dog, Crystal.
If you know Hal, he fishes extremely light fly tackle to allow him to land huge fish with lighter tippet.
He had a nice Winston 8'6" #6 line fiberglass fly rod, Hardy "Princess" and one of his "special" small tide water flies.
I was near Hal in my pram, but out of the fishing a bit, just watching all this so I could learn something.
Hal was at the best spot on the pool, at the top of this long slot, at the turn around.
I saw him pull up slowly up on a fish and then back off a little.
He looked at his wrist watch and then said, "I think it is about time for the bite to turn on?"
With that he gentle set into this big fresh King salmon and the fight was on.
He rowed over to the bank and someone got in and rowed his boat as he fought this monster.
There was a pictures of this 44#er in Angler Magazine.
I went down to the bottom of the long slot as Joe Paterson said it was the other good spot.
All by myself down there I hooked and landed 4 chrome bright King salmon from 10 to 30#.
The biggest one ran way out into the shallow open area of the big pool and in 6 feet of gin clear water it sank to the bottom?
I had to hand line it up slowly into my pram and it was a really different experience.
I had a Scientific Angler "System #9 fiberglass fly rod, Fin-Nor #2 Anti-reverse fly reel and slow sinking head.
After that day it is hard to fly fish for hatchery salmon in our Valley rivers.
The King salmon on the Eel river were noted for actually taking flies well, which is not the norm for King salmon.
The Eel river use to get in a nice run of smaller fresh King salmon called Jacks? that were around 5 pounds.
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Today, to protect the Steelhead and salmon in the tide water of CA short coastal rivers there are special "low water closures".
Oct 15 through November was the "old" timing for the King salmon on our CA North Coast tidewater.
The timing for winter run Steelhead on our short coastal rivers was December though March, on average.
If I was young and adventurist I would be on the coast from October through March scratching around.
You have check all the regulation as well.
As usual most of my information is from top veteran fly fishers who are way better anglers than I.
Funny, our "Salmon/Steelhead" category was at one time the most spirited one.
Remember, back in the 1970s we did not let fresh salmon go......we ate them.
I brought home a limit in the ice chest and my friend, Cecil Wilder (Junior), canned them all for me.
Many of us got to fish the tide water a bit before it all disappeared.
Try to watch the "Rivers of a Lost Coast"...all those old guys are mostly gone now and many were my mentors and good friends.
Carl Blackledge is one person here on our Forum that spent decades on the North Coast.
Jay Murakoshi did his time over there as well.
Darian Calhoun is here and very active as well.
Most of the rest are passed on now.
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Tidewater (estuaries).....
With a few exceptions, I agree that there're not many fly fishers who fish tidewater from the valley area at least. I'd like to think that there are still some dedicated guys who fish estuaries with a fly around. MLPA's may be at least partially to blame (closing access to some of the productive coastline).
As one who spent most of the fall/winter seasons roaming the coast from Santa Cruz to Crescent City, I've watched the decline in Salmon/Steelhead numbers and decided (during the 80's) that I would change the species of fish I targeted and the places that I would fish to warm water/saltwater (inshore/surf) and have not regretted it.
Altho I really like the cities/towns along the coast, a trip over there now may be to dine at good restaurants and sightseeing. Good memories, but few places along the Cal coastline still offer good estuary fishing to fly guys.
