Smith walk and wade

Hello everyone. I'm going to ask the dreaded question. I'm heading up to the Smith the last week of Feb/first week of March. I'm going to walk and wade the main, middle fork and/or the south fork depending on flows and which section is in the best shape with rain on the forecast.

Would anyone be willing to just generally tell me where the stretches of public walk in access are? I'm not asking for any secrets or maps, just a general idea of where to look for walk in areas. I want to avoid the lower end, the boats, etc. I'll be swinging a two-hander FYI.

Thanks for your time. PMs greatly welcome.
Jimmy James

There is a Streamtime map for the Smith & Chetco:

http://www.streamtime.com/images/Smith_Chetco06.jpg

There are a couple of spots below the forks, and a few off of the north bank road, but most bankies fish above the forks(where the south enters the main).

Use Google Earth. Spots to gear fish are not that hard to find, spots to fly fish...ummm, different story. The river tends to be deeper narrower and faster when compared to others. People do fly fish and catch fish tho.

Also your timing is a bit late for the Smith. Might want to think about rivers farther south as they tend to have later runs. Altho, I think the south fork fishes later than the main - access is a little tuffer, and the neighborhood can get a little itchy.

Report to follow?
JGB

fished the south fork of smith this past weekend with my brother. We fished with the only guide that guides fly fisherman on the south fork. All I can say in BRUTIAL. Both my brother and I perfer to swing with spey rods, but hardly did any of that. The river was very deep and gorge like (some pools 20 plus feet deep), and not conducive to getting a fly down with T-14 plus extra weight. We were bobber fishing with 13+ plus feet on liters, and some times using up to 6 large spilt shot. What a nightmare trying to cast, even with spey rods. I managed to hook one fish in two days, and my brother hooked two. None were landed. It is a beautiful river, but I'm not sure if I want to go back and fish it again using the technique we were doing, plus it is a long ass drive.

Scott

Jed Smith state park has excellent swing water. From the top all the way down around the bend. A lot depends on the flows. 8-9' is usually really good. Straight across the river and just upstream is Stout Grove park, another good run of swing water but a bit brushy. Of coarse these spots are prone to gear crowds.

The road to hwy 101 along the north banks has some access points with excellent fly water.

But I agree with the previous comment. Its pretty late for that river. You may find some downers.

Too late for the Smith. Thanks everyone for sharing this invaluable information with me. I really appreciate it.
Jimmy James