Kenny Priest

Following a dry and unseasonably warm first half of February, there is finally some good news to report – widespread rain and heavy mountain snowfall are imminent across nearly all of California. For the North Coast, weather models are indicating above normal precipitation in the coming weeks, which could turn March into a heck of a month for steelhead fishing....
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We’ve got a long way to go, but it looks like the worst may be over for the run of fall kings on the Klamath. In 2016, the number of returning Fall Chinook adults to the Klamath River was estimated at 27,353. At the time, those were the lowest returns ever recorded. In 2017, CDFW predicted the numbers would go...
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While the lack of rain has most steelhead anglers singing the blues, there are however, a few bright spots. Especially if you like to throw on a pair of waders and head to the river bar. The Mad River is probably as good now as it’s been all season. With plenty of bank access, it’s probably the best steelhead option...
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This past weekend saw all of our coastal steelhead rivers turn some shade of green – some emerald and some olive. Condition-wise, it was probably the best we’ve had this season. But pristine conditions only last so long. And now, as we go another week deeper into a disheartening dry spell, some rivers are getting too low to drift and...
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It’s shaping up to be one heck of a weekend on the North Coast — expect the green water euphoria to be in full effect. All of the coastal rivers, except for possibly the main stem of the Eel, will be some shade of green. This only happens about once a season, and it typically follows an extended period of...
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Our coastal rivers are finally getting the flushing and scouring they desperately need. The latest round of storms has brought the rivers to their highest levels of the season, providing ample water for steelhead to make it back to the streams and creeks where they were conceived. The extra flows will also trigger the fish that are still swimming in...
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