Kenny Priest

More Rain on the Way
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, DECEMBER 17, 2015
Chetco River

Flows were back down under 6,000 cfs late Wednesday, but it was a brief reprieve. With more rain on the way, it’s predicted to peak at roughly 26,000 cfs on Friday morning. According to Val Early of Early Fishing Guide Service, after the next rise, it looks like it will be on the drop through next week. “I’m guessing we’ll...
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Set to Open January 1st
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, DECEMBER 17, 2015
Mattole River

The Mattole River is scheduled to open to fishing on January 1, 2016 from 200 yards upstream of its mouth to the confluence with Stansberry Creek. Barbless hooks are required. The Mattole is also regulated by low flow closures, with a minimum flow of 320 cfs at the Petrolia gauging station.

Steelhead make a showing on the Smith
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, DECEMBER 17, 2015

Last week’s deluge put a little bit of a damper on the start of our coastal winter steelhead season. All of the North Coast rivers blew out, and some, like the Smith, even surpassed flood stage. But the quick-clearing Smith rebounded nicely, and by Tuesday it had receded enough to provide some decent action for those plunking by shore and...
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Mad River Update
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, DECEMBER 9, 2015
Mad River

According to Justin Kelly of Eureka's RMI Outdoors, the Mad was fishable on Sunday, but has since blown out. He said, "There were a few steelhead caught last weekend, both wild and hatchery. I didn’t see or hear of any big ones caught, most were in the four to five pound range. Once the river drops and is fishable again,...
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Steelhead in the Future
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, DECEMBER 9, 2015
Smith River

It doesn’t look like the Smith will be fishable at least through the weekend reports guide Mike Coopman of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service. “If the rain falls as predicted, it will be sometime next week before we’re back on the water. There were quite a few salmon around before this big rise, and there may be a few around after,...
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Chetco River Update
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, DECEMBER 9, 2015
Chetco River

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Chetco was flowing at 20,000 cfs and still rising. It’s predicted to peak early Thursday morning at roughly 26,000 cfs, and likely won’t fish until sometime next week. Once the river drops to a fishable level, we should start to see plenty of steelhead around.