Russian River Guide?

[Rossflyguy]

Anyone know of guide to float the Russian? Have one in mind but need back ups just in case.

[East Bay Ed]

I've always fished it on my own. I was curious about guides, after reading your post, and did a quick search on Google asking for: "steelhead guides on the Russian River, CA" and up popped several:

www.offthehookflyfishing.com

www.watsonsguideservice.com

www.mikeswaneyfishingguide.com

I've never tried any of them, but I hope this helps.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Not sure if you need to drift the river but maybe it is an advantage?

Going with a fly fishing guide would be a good idea, especially to learn all about that fishing.

I think the big problem is knowing where the holes are and when the water is finally in shape after a rain.

It is way different than fishing the Lower American River.

Much of it is tide water fishing in lakey slow moving water.

After you cast to the place where the fish are holding you need to strip your fly to keep it off the bottom.

More like lake fishing that moving water river fishing.

9' #8 line rods with a selection of slower sinking shooting heads might be the standard setup.

I think that local use slow sinking lines in these conditions.

Jan/Feb is supposed to be the timing but the water conditions is the big variable.

Kings News & Tackle should be a good place to call for water/fishing conditions.

Get some good info and just start going over there and pay your dues.



*Jeff Putnam has fished over there and told me the fish can be very powerful because they can be hooked so close to the ocean.

Video......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5ASmMyz9QI

.

[Carl Blackledge]

Bill,

Is right on the money with his information.

Call King's for current up-dates

Carl

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here is a nice report on the Russian River from my friend Rob Russell who guides Putah Creek for wild trout and the Russian River for Smallmouth Bass and Steelhead.

__________________________________________

Hi Bill,

Just wanted to pass along a Russian River Fishing update after reading the threads about the Russian on the Kiene's forum...

All things considered, the Russian River was fishing pretty good before yesterday's storm (2.4 inches in Santa Rosa and 5.7 inches in Cazadero) Most fly anglers were getting a grab or so per day of fishing, with lucky anglers landing some beautiful 10# plus chrome steelhead.

Water was low and clear with flows of 350 cfs. Russian River Bosses and Comets were working well, along with leeches, on Intermediate or type 1 sinking heads.

Although single handed rods have traditionally been used on the Russian, two handed rods are gaining popularity and are what I use now exclusively, unless fishing from a boat. Two-handed rods can really make steelheading more fun!

Water should drop to fishable levels by this weekend, but clarity will probably be an issue with so much of the watershed having burned.

Access is good on the Lower Russian and locally tied flies can be found at Outdoor Pro Shop in Cotati, or King' s in Guerneville.
Feel free to call for condition updates, or if you would like to increase your odds and book a guided trip- Happy to chat-

Rob Russell

707-888-2571

russellrob5@gmail.com

- thanks for your time, Rob

[Rossflyguy]

Here is a nice report on the Russian River from my friend Rob Russell who guides Putah Creek for wild trout and the Russian River for Smallmouth Bass and Steelhead.

__________________________________________

Hi Bill,

Just wanted to pass along a Russian River Fishing update after reading the threads about the Russian on the Kiene's forum...

All things considered, the Russian River was fishing pretty good before yesterday's storm (2.4 inches in Santa Rosa and 5.7 inches in Cazadero) Most fly anglers were getting a grab or so per day of fishing, with lucky anglers landing some beautiful 10# plus chrome steelhead.

Water was low and clear with flows of 350 cfs. Russian River Bosses and Comets were working well, along with leeches, on Intermediate or type 1 sinking heads.

Although single handed rods have traditionally been used on the Russian, two handed rods are gaining popularity and are what I use now exclusively, unless fishing from a boat. Two-handed rods can really make steelheading more fun!

Water should drop to fishable levels by this weekend, but clarity will probably be an issue with so much of the watershed having burned.

Access is good on the Lower Russian and locally tied flies can be found at Outdoor Pro Shop in Cotati, or King' s in Guerneville.
Feel free to call for condition updates, or if you would like to increase your odds and book a guided trip- Happy to chat-

Rob Russell

707-888-2571

russellrob5@gmail.com

- thanks for your time, Rob

Yea Rob is my bud too. I’m actually floating the river with him. I just wanted a back up just in case he was booked. I’m just doing this to learn the river. It’s at least 3 hrs from me and it’s fairly long.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I always recommend taking a friend and going with every recommended guide on a new fishery if you have the time and money.

I have friends who have their own skiff and have been out with most of the top fly fishing guides in the Delta for Stripers.


Over my 5 decades of trying to help people be successful in their outdoor adventures I have actually had to advise people to stop buying more tackle and go fishing more.

Also rather than buying more tackle you can spend that money getting instruction from good fly fishing guide / instructors that will really improve your fishing.


Fly fishing is not as easy as pulling plugs, drifting bait for Steelhead especially with the reduced numbers we have today so doing more things right than wrong is very important.

________________________________________________

About 50 years ago when I was a young lad I worked in a very good bait-n-tackle shop.

One of our old friends, Jack McLaughlin (Mac), was a Sacramento City fire fighter, US Marine and a top local fly fisher.

He took me over to the Lower American River for Steelhead on winter.

While we were fishing the river Jack told me that I should try to get over to the coast in the winter for Steelhead.

He said if I could hook a wild fresh run hen Steelhead over 10 pounds close to the ocean I would never be the same.

__________________________________________

I was lucky to be able to fish the coast in the 1970s with some of the Greatest Generation who knew it well.

Old timers like Neil Hansen, Chuck Campana, Walt Bennett, Joe Patterson, Joe Shirshac, George Martin were always helpful.

Al Perryman, Larry Cullen, Cal Guin, Jim Potter and Al Fong were the next generation of younger guys who fly fished Steelhead.


I did hook some of those really hot fish back in the day on the Gualala, Garcia, and the Eel River.

I would say that my two weeks on the Dean River in British Columbia about 30 years ago was a highlight for me.



Al Perryman said that many of us can use the Lower American River as a training grounds so when we go to a better Steelhead

fishery we will have our act together and maybe catch some good fish.



Get a StreamTime map, take a friend or another forum member and head over to the coast for some recon.

From the Russian River north there are lots of Steelhead rivers.


The Russian, Gualala, Garcia, Eel and Trinity would be the closest for now.


.

[winxp_man]

Boy did the river jump in CFS!! 3970 at geyserville!!!