Kenny Priest

As of April 1, the 2025 boat-based season for rockfish and lingcod is officially open state-wide. This year’s season and depth structure is identical to 2024 for the Northern Management Area, which runs from the CA-OR border to the 40°10′ N. latitude (near Cape Mendocino). The seasons in Mendocino, San Francisco, Central GMA North of 36º N. Latitude, Central GMA South...
Full Story 

It looks like this year’s winter is refusing to end, but unfortunately, the winter steelhead season will. Enough rain will fall over the next few days to keep just about all of the coastal rivers high and off-color, essentially washing away the last weekend of steelhead season. As of Thursday, all of the coastal rivers, most of which were still off...
Full Story 

Following last weekend’s drenching, all of the coastal rivers are now back on the drop. But with just a handful of days left in the season, and more rain predicted next week, the options are few for those looking for the last of the winter steelhead. The Smith, though still big but green, is always the first to clear and...
Full Story 

If you’re looking to do some late-season steelhead fishing this weekend, you’ll have some pretty good options. To our north, both the Chetco and Smith rivers are in good shape and should provide some good action over the weekend. The Mad isn’t green, but there are quite a few fish in the river and those who know how to catch...
Full Story 

Ocean and River Salmon Closures Likely On Wednesday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) hosted its annual 2025 Salmon Information Meeting where fishery agencies provided ocean salmon abundance forecast information to the public. And if these forecasts are accurate, Chinook salmon will once again be scarce this year in both the ocean and rivers. It will also likely result in...
Full Story 

he Pacific Fishery Management Council released its “Review of 2024 Ocean Salmon Fisheries” report Wednesday, and the news was not good for the Klamath Basin. Based on an ocean abundance of 178,200 Klamath River fall Chinook thought to be swimming in the ocean last fall, forecasters predicted roughly 65,138 adults would return to the river. Unfortunately, the run fell well short...
Full Story