As soon as increased flows hit the lower Klamath, big schools of salmon and steelhead charged upriver. Fishing was excellent earlier in the week, and small pulses of fish should continue moving in over the next few weeks. Flows peaked at 4,172 cfs Wednesday and are now dropping but will remain high through the holiday weekend, around 3,100 cfs Saturday morning. Angling pressure has been light so far, but expect that to change as the holiday crowd arrives.

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 Report/Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. Both the Klamath and Trinity rivers are closed to the take and possession of Chinook salmon. More information, can be found here.

Yurok gill net quota reached
On Monday, the Yurok Tribe announced that their fall personal subsistence gill net quota has been reached within the Yurok Reservation. Tribal fishery employees will continue to gill net for the 300 elder’s fish quota.

Weekend marine forecast
Conditions are looking excellent the next few days for those looking to hit the tuna grounds. Out 10 to 60 nautical miles, Friday’s forecast is calling for southeast winds up to 5 knots and waves out of the northwest 2 feet at seven seconds and south 2 feet at 16 seconds. Saturday is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots and waves north 1 foot at 6 seconds and south 3 feet at 16 seconds. Sunday, winds will be out of the south 10 to 15 knots and waves north 3 feet at 5 seconds and northwest 2 feet at 10 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Pikeminnow Fishing Derby ends Saturday
There are just a few days remaining to bring home some cash as the Eel River Pikeminnow Fishing Derby ends after Sunday, Aug. 31. Visit https://tribresearch.org/pikeminnow/ to learn more, sign up for the derby, and submit your catch to the contest before it ends.

Saturday is statewide Free Fishing Day
The last chance of the year to fish for free arrives over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Free Fishing Day is offered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Saturday, Aug. 30. While no fishing license is required on free fishing days, all fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. Every angler must have an appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead or sturgeon anywhere in the state or salmon in the Smith River system. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days

Bay Area ocean salmon season reopens Sept. 4
The ocean sport salmon season will re-open on Sept. 4 in two Bay Area subareas.

• Point Reyes to Pigeon Point (San Francisco Subarea):
  • September 4-7 & 29-30; October 1-5 & 27-31 – Minimum size limit: 20 inches total length. Two salmon of any species except coho

• Pigeon Point to Point Sur (Monterey Subarea)
  • September 4-7 & 29-30 – Minimum size limit: 20 inches total length. Two salmon of any species except coho

Fall Harvest Guideline: 7,500 Chinook. In-season action may be taken to close remaining September – October days when the total harvest is approaching a statewide limit of 7,500 Chinook salmon. More information can be found here.

The oceans:
Eureka
Tuna anglers reported Thursday that the warm water is now at least 60 miles out of Eureka. They also reported the fishing wasn’t very good. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, along with many others were planning on heading out Friday, but plans are likely changing for some. “The weather looks excellent for Friday and Saturday, hopefully we get a good SST shot to see where the water is,” said Klassen. The Pacific halibut bite has been good when we can get out. Quite a few limits are being caught near the 55-line. Cape Mendocino has been producing some really good rock fishing, and it should be an easy ride down there the next few days.”

Shelter Cove
“Rock fishing remains solid, with limits coming every day,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “Most of the effort this week was around the Old Man. Pacific halibut has been slow, although there were a couple caught this week. Boats will be trying for albacore the next couple days for the first time in a week. We haven’t had a good satellite shot in a week or so, we’re expecting to close to 50 miles out.”

Crescent City
According to Chris Hegnes of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, the fishing effort has slowed. He said, “There’s been a couple boats out for tuna, but the fishing hasn’t been. Most guys are headed north to Charleston. The rockfish and lingcod bite remain excellent, no change there. The California halibut bite has slowed down as well as the effort. There have been a couple Thresher sharks caught off of South Beach last few weeks.”

Brookings
“The best halibut fishing of the season is happening right now,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Boats are focusing on 200 to 250 feet of water off of Bird Island. Combinations of squid and herring are working best. Lingcod and rockfish action also is good, while sport crabbing has improved in recent weeks.” 

Low Flow River Closures begin Sept. 1
North Coast rivers that are regulated by low flow closures, including the Eel, Mad, Mattole, Redwood Creek, Smith and Van Duzen begin angling restrictions on Sept. 1 and will run through April 30 2026. As a reminder, in 2022, a low-flow angling restriction was added to the section of the Eel River from the mouth to Fulmor Road (Eel estuary) at its paved junction with the south bank of the Eel River. When a low-flow closure occurs in this section of the Eel, it will be closed to hook-and-line fishing; other legal fishing methods are allowed during this timeframe.

The Department of Fish and Game will make the information available to the public by a telephone recorded message updated, as necessary, no later than 1 p.m. each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as to whether any stream will be closed to fishing. The rivers can be opened up at any time. The low flow closure hotline for North Coast rivers is 707-822-3164. NOTE: The main stem Eel from the South Fork to Cape Horn Dam and the Mattole River will be closed until January 1, 2026.

Areas subject to low flow closures:

Mad River: The main stem Mad River from the Hammond Trail Railroad Trestle to Cowan Creek. Minimum flow: 200 cfs at the gauging station at the Highway 299 bridge. The Mad River from the mouth to 200 yards upstream is closed until Jan. 1, 2026.

The main stem Eel River: New in 2022, a low-flow angling restriction was added to the section of the Eel River from the mouth to Fulmor Road at its paved junction with the south bank of the Eel River, Sept. 1 through April 30. The stream flow will be monitored as follows: Minimum Flow: 350 cubic feet per second at the gauging station near Scotia.

The South Fork of the Eel River: The South Fork of the Eel River downstream from Rattlesnake Creek and the Middle Fork Eel River downstream from the Bar Creek. Minimum flow: 340 cfs at the gauging station at Miranda.

Van Duzen River: The main stem Van Duzen River from its junction with the Eel River to the end of Golden Gate Drive near Bridgeville (approximately 4,000 feet upstream of Little Golden Gate Bridge. Minimum flow: 150 cfs at the gauging station near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.

Mattole River: The main stem of the Mattole River from the mouth to Honeydew Creek. Minimum flow: 320 cfs at the gauging station at Petrolia.

Redwood Creek: The main stem of Redwood Creek from the mouth to its confluence with Bond Creek. Minimum flow: 300 cfs at the gauging station near the Highway 101 bridge.

Smith River: The main stem Smith River from the mouth of Rowdy Creek to its confluence with Patrick Creek; the South Fork Smith River from the mouth upstream approximately 1000 ft to the County Road (George Tyron) bridge and Craigs Creek to its confluence with Jones Creek; and the North Fork Smith River from the mouth to its confluence with Stony Creek. Minimum flow: 600 cfs at the Jedediah Smith State Park gauging station.

The Rivers
Lower Rogue/Chetco
According to Martin, the first kings of the season have been caught in the Chetco estuary. “Salmon to 25 pounds have been weighed in, along with numerous jacks. Bottom fish anglers are encountering salmon along the coast of Brookings, but the ocean is now closed to both kings and coho. The Rogue Bay has been fair, with lots of boats and a few good days each week. Labor Day Weekend is peak season on the Rogue Bay.”

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 www.fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.