Eel River MLK weekend

[Petundra]

Heading up to the Eel and was hoping for a little help for areas that are good to swing flies. Ive fished the main stem below the forks but not above. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and Happy New Year's

Adam

[JasonB]

Tons of water to swing flies up there, the issue is catching a good flow with some decent water clarity. Seems to me that the last few years the south Eel has gotten worse in terms of water clarity. If at all possibly I usually hit the main stem for swinging flies, even if the clarity is a bit murkier I have done much better down there than way up the south fork. I’d be happy to answer more specifics via pm, though I am pretty sure there are others who are far more knowledgeable about the Eel forks who would be willing to help too.
Good luck,
JB

[Petundra]

Thanks JB

I have 4 days so I think I cruise around and explore above the forks a day or two, but as you said its all weather dependent. Thanks again for the info.

Adam

[PV_Premier]

Thanks JB

I have 4 days so I think I cruise around and explore above the forks a day or two, but as you said its all weather dependent. Thanks again for the info.

Adam

Don't forget about the Van Duzen if the Eel is running too high or murky for your liking. The Van D tends to clear a bit quicker, I believe.

[Rick J]

There is a large slide on the VD so it stays muddy for awhile.

Just a heads up - both SF and Main stem above forks are still closed due to low water but storm Monday should open them up but also blow them out for awhile

[BumpBailey]

Don't forget about the Van Duzen if the Eel is running too high or murky for your liking. The Van D tends to clear a bit quicker, I believe.

Really falling in love with the two handed rods and swinging for steel. Not that i won't ever fish the indicator on the Trinity again but, this year, I want to concentrate my efforts more on swinging flies and preferably, with a two handed set up.

Is the Van Duzen a single handed or two handed river? Other than the Eel, Klammath and Smith, are any of our other Coastal Rivers suited for the two handers?

Happy Steelhead Season!

[winxp_man]

Really falling in love with the two handed rods and swinging for steel. Not that i won't ever fish the indicator on the Trinity again but, this year, I want to concentrate my efforts more on swinging flies and preferably, with a two handed set up.

Is the Van Duzen a single handed or two handed river? Other than the Eel, Klammath and Smith, are any of our other Coastal Rivers suited for the two handers?

Happy Steelhead Season!

The VD is really nice for a two handed rod! Especially in the lower section. The Klamath also good! The Trinity is good to go.... I would say all of the rivers that have steelhead in CA are good to go with two handed rods. Some runs on some rivers are also good to swing using a switch rod! Switch to rods can be lots of fun!

[Petundra]

The VD is really nice for a two handed rod! Especially in the lower section. The Klamath also good! The Trinity is good to go.... I would say all of the rivers that have steelhead in CA are good to go with two handed rods. Some runs on some rivers are also good to swing using a switch rod! Switch to rods can be lots of fun!

Thanks for the info Gents, I think I'm going to swing below the forks on Friday hoping that it does not completely blowout on Tuesday/Wednesday. I will also be checking out the lower section VD, will report back info on river conditions on Friday night or Saturday. Hope to be including a nice pic of a large angry Eel river chromer. If blown out heading up to the trinity with the pontoon. Looks like heavy rains starting Jan 16th

Adam

[njbeast]

Just drove by the Eel on Friday on my way back from the Smith. River was low and muddy from the rain.

[Bwag]

Just putting this out there, take it for what it is, I'm by no means an expert, but I don't think it would be worth the time to go unless it's a one time shot and you can't reschedule. The river is projected to be at 23000 cfs by Wednesday at Scotia, it's projected to drop to 4200 by Saturday however there's a steady supply of rain on the way with the only forecasted break to be Fri-Sun.

That's not a major blow out but it might be a bit of a stretch for the river to clear in 5 days (By Monday) along with more rain all be it not much in total amounts forecasted. I don't fish the Eel, I do fish another river close to there and it usually takes a good dry 7 days to get fishable water, granted the river I fish is a shorter system.

Might be worth a call to the sports shop in Garberville and see if they think it'll clear up in time.

Consider this, njbeast drove by on Friday and it was muddy, it got about a 5-700 CFS bump that Friday which dirtied it up, it was last above 10000 cfs around December 1, and it hasn't been above 1000 cfs since mid December prior to 1/5/18.