Anglers Await Steelhead on the Lower Klamath

By Kenny Priest fishing@northcoastjournal.com

Steelhead have been trickling into the lower Klamath, and the fishing so far has been on the slow side. That’s the tough news. The good news is the river is in great shape. The water temps are slightly cooler than previous years, and the water is clear and free from moss. These excellent conditions, however, could be working against anglers. Cool temps aren’t providing a reason for the steelhead to stop and the few coming in are likely blowing right through. But it’s still very early in the season and the steelhead action really starts to pick up toward the end of July into early August. Until then, anglers can enjoy the chance to hook a steelhead or two with very little angling pressure. The daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery trout per day on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers, with a possession limit of four. Anglers must have a Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. For more information, visit nrm. dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=202686&inline.

The California halibut bite is heating up, with a few more caught daily. There aren’t a lot of anchovies in the bay yet, but there seems to be plenty of shiner perch for those wanting live bait. Anglers fishing dead bait and even jigs and swimbaits are having plenty of success. The fishing seems to really improve when we have the smaller tide swings, which will start this weekend. The minimum size is 22 inches and the daily bag and possession limit is two.

Rough ocean conditions have prevented most boats from chasing Pacific halibut the past several days, reports Tim Klassen, of

Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “We’ve been o the water since late last week but there were a couple of fishable days in there,” says Klassen. “Prior to the seas coming up, most boats were still getting limits of Pacific halibut. The large area between the Eel River and Mad still has plenty of fish, but they are moving around a bit. Boats have been fishing between 250 and 300 feet. And there’s still plenty of hake and black cod you’ll need to deal with. Ocean conditions finally look like they’ll improve starting Thursday.”

We’ve been dealing with some sloppy conditions the last few days, reports Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “The Pacific halibut bite has slowed dramatically, and so has the e ort,” says Wilson. “The black rockfish has been good and we’re getting limits, but it’s been a little tougher. When we can get there, Redding Rock continues to produce some quality rockfish and lingcod. Crabbing has been decent, we’re sending the customers home with a few each trip.”

According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, ocean conditions have been pretty sloppy the past few days, but boats have made it out most days. “Rock fishing remains pretty solid and the lingcod fishing improved a little with the opening of the all-depths fishery Sunday,” says Mitchell. “Due to the conditions, we’ve been fishing right around the whistle. Crabbing is still really good, as well, and we’ve been setting gear below the bell.”

“Thresher sharks have showed up on South Beach this week and a few were caught,” says Britt Carson, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The biggest one over the weekend weighed in at 168 pounds. Anglers are slow trolling a herring or anchovy. A few California halibut are being caught along the beach, as well, but it’s not red-hot. The rockfish bite continues to be excellent, with both reefs kicking out limits of rockfish and lingcod. The Pacific halibut bite is still going strong. Guys who have figured out the anchor system are doing well.”

Brookings

Ocean salmon fishing remains slow out of Brookings, says Andy Martin, of Brookings Fishing Charters. “A few hatchery coho are being caught on calm weather days,” he says. “Halibut fishing is good on flat days, with many six-pack charters getting two-fish limits. Herring and squid combinations fished in 200 to 230 feet of water are working best. Windy weather kept boats close to shore on Sunday and Monday, but rockfish are thick on the inner reefs.”

Read the complete fishing report at northcoastjournal.com.

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Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@ fishingthenorthcoast.com.