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Northern California and Southern Oregon

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If you like looking through binoculars and appreciate good optics then the Abert Rim is for you. Photo by Larry Arbanas

If you like looking through binoculars and appreciate good optics then the Abert Rim is for you. Photo by Larry Arbanas

Dropping Quickly
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, MARCH 24, 2016
Eel River - South Fork

With no rain in the forecast, the quickly-dropping South Fork should be fishing by sometime early next week. As of Wednesday, flows were around 6,000 cfs on the Miranda gauge and predicted to drop below 2,000 cfs by Monday. The South Fork Eel will close to fishing next Thursday, March 31.

Running at 30,000 cfs
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, MARCH 24, 2016
Eel River

As of Wednesday, the main stem was still running at over 30,000 cfs on the Scotia gauge and nowhere near fishable. The good news is the main stem will remain open to fishing after March 31.

FIshing Good
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, MARCH 24, 2016
Smith River

The Smith dropped back into shape late last week and provided some decent steelhead action prior to blowing back out on Monday. It’s projected to drop back under 10-feet on the Jed Smith gauge by Friday and conditions should be ideal through the weekend. The main stem of the Smith will remain open through the end of April from its...
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Back in Shape
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, MARCH 24, 2016
Chetco River

The Chetco dropped back into shape late last week and scores ranged from two to six fish per trip. The majority of the catch was made up of downers, but a few fresh ones are still making their way upriver. The rain that fell earlier in the week turned it big and brown, but it’s dropping quickly. With no rain...
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Steelhead season winding down on the North Coast
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, MARCH 24, 2016

It’s been an interesting steelhead season to say the least — and probably somewhat normal. After suffering through three years of low-water conditions, water was plentiful this year. And the fishing followed suite, especially the northern most rivers like the Chetco and Smith. It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen steelhead return like this year, which provides hope for...
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SF Ocean Beach Surf Fishing: Dawn Patrol
Jerry Back
by Jerry Back, MARCH 22, 2016
Ocean Beach

With all the recent El Niño storms during the first half of March, conditions have not been favorable for surf fishing on Ocean Beach, a beach that serves as a border between the Pacific Ocean and my sleepy San Francisco neighborhood, the Sunset District. The Sunset District is an unassuming place that features rows upon rows of quaint, mostly two...
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