Given the wealth of experience/knowledge/information here on Bill's board, I hope someone can help me with an answer to this question - I'm looking for a way to determine whether coastal rivers are fishable or blown-out during our winter fishing season? Especially given the recent batch of well needed storms. I don't have a specific river in mind and I know each river reacts differently to each storm.

I am familiar with CDEC, it is a great resource that provides information on flows at a number of gauging stations along our rivers, but it really doesn't tell the clarity story. Is there some sort of rule-of-thumb that I would have access to that says river X is unfishable at Y flows, a river report, website, local fly shops, etc. Maybe the answers are readily available and I'm just not aware of where to find them.

I'd like spend more time steelheading our CA coastal rivers. I know I have to put in my time and take my lumps, and I'm willing to do that. But I also don't want to take time off from work, make campsite reservations, pack-up the dog and drive over the coast to find unfishable conditions. Just looking for some kind of gauge that gives me some sort of an idea whether river X, Y or Z MAY BE in fishable shape, then I can make a semi-educated decision to take time away from the family and go steelehading.

Thanks,
Randy