Gualala

[PV_Premier]

Anyone fish the Gualala yet this year? I’d love a low level report. PM is fine. I’m a couple weeks away from being able to get out there. Pending what the flows do.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Timing is everything....

Check with King's Sport & Tackle in Guerneville on the Russian River.

[Trouter925]

I met up with PV_Premier on the river this weekend. We fished low on Saturday. I fished high on Sunday. The river was ~ 450 cfs on Saturday and green. No tugs or fish for me. Last check in with PV - he didn't have any fish either. I didn't see any fish and I didn't see anyone catching fish. Most likely, the river was too low - lots of easy wading. To me, there doesn't seem to be a lot of riverbed structure on the river that would hold up fish. I'm thinking they just move right on through to the spawning grounds ASAP. Stopped by Monte Rio on the way home to have a look at the Russian - a brown muddy mess still. The guys at King's said at least another week to green up and with the rain coming this week, maybe not.

[Jeff F]

I met up with PV_Premier on the river this weekend. We fished low on Saturday. I fished high on Sunday. The river was ~ 450 cfs on Saturday and green. No tugs or fish for me. Last check in with PV - he didn't have any fish either. I didn't see any fish and I didn't see anyone catching fish. Most likely, the river was too low - lots of easy wading. To me, there doesn't seem to be a lot of riverbed structure on the river that would hold up fish. I'm thinking they just move right on through to the spawning grounds ASAP. Stopped by Monte Rio on the way home to have a look at the Russian - a brown muddy mess still. The guys at King's said at least another week to green up and with the rain coming this week, maybe not.

Was the river a zoo? I learned the lesson last year to never fish that river (when it's in shape) on a weekend. Especially when the Russian is blown. Couldn't find a single pullout that wasn't occupied by at least two cars. Never even rigged up. Weekdays are much calmer over there.

Yes, the Russian will will blow out again this week. Along with every other north coast river. Too bad, I was planning on heading up to Fortuna this weekend. But, that's the way it goes with such rivers........

[PV_Premier]

It was busy but not insane. We found 10 or so consecutive runs above the north fork where we could swing without company on Saturday.

I got a couple little grabs. They were soft and short and felt not so convincing but one never knows since the energy of the grab doesn’t always correlate to the size of the fish.

I dunno what the “right” flow to fish that river is but I wish it had been around 700-800 instead of 450.