Kenny Priest

The howling north winds have provided a much-needed break for both the salmon and the quota. Since last Saturday, winds that are all too common in late June and early July have kept boats tied to the docks at every North Coast port. Fortunately, the weather is finally starting to lay down, and the timing couldn’t be much better. The...
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It’s beginning to feel like the old days out of Eureka. Salmon and Pacific halibut are both biting, and rockfish are providing easy limits at ports all along the North Coast. Everyone wants to talk about salmon—and for good reason. After a three-year closure, the return of the king salmon fishery has anglers fired up. But the biggest story this week...
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The day we’ve had circled on the calendar for months has finally arrived. King salmon season opens along the North Coast this Saturday, and it looks to be the best opportunity anglers have had in three years. Pacific halibut and rockfish have provided a nice alternative, but they simply don’t generate the excitement that comes with the chance to hook...
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It’s been a slow start to the Pacific halibut season for most ports, but Tommy Cordoza was lucky enough to find one while on a recent trip out of Shelter Cove with Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. Photo courtesy of Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing Up and down the North Coast, anglers are asking the same question:...
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As the famous saying goes, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” I’ll go out on a limb and add a third — North Coast rockfish. From Shelter Cove north to Crescent City, and just about everywhere in between, the nearshore rockfish bite has been nothing short of outstanding this season. Private and charter...
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A lack of effort, fish, or less-than-ideal ocean conditions — whatever the cause — it’s led to another slow start to the Pacific halibut season, eerily similar to last year. If I had to pin it down, it’s likely a mix of the first two, with the biggest factor being the earlier-than-normal opener. This year’s April 1 start is something few...
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