Coquille River

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

100 years ago all the Sacramento Valley rivers had tons of Smallmouth in the lower reaches before the dams.

Imagine 100 years ago, or before all the dams, the fish could live were every they wanted in our drainages.

First LMB down low, then SMB, then Brown trout, then Rainbows and Cutthroat trout and then finally Brook trout up high?

I heard back then many of the Valley rivers dried up in late summer too.



Mostly dams, logging. development, backfilling, commercial fishing and AG have done in the anadromous species.

Now with the reduced numbers of anadromous fish the predators have a bigger negative impact.

Climate change too.........


I had an evil thought once: Eliminate the fish, eliminates the fishermen, eliminates the headache for the water barons?

[cutthroat22]

Not sure why you think Coquille River is a "no go" for steelhead in March. Check out the SF. It can be pretty good. The last week of March is the tail end of the season but there should still be fish. You are also not too far from the Elk, Sixes and more.

The Williamson is a very different fishery and can be quite challenging while learning. June is too early for me. I prefer to go later -Aug/Sept. Good luck!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The Grande Ronde river has the largest size SMB in the summer and good Fall Steelhead runs?