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TOP PICKS
AMERICAN RIVER -- It's not fast fishing to be sure, but the reports of steelhead on the American were the best so far this fall. Most of the action has been on flies, but that might just be because that's where most of the effort is taking place. Swinging leeches, burlaps, and brindle bugs has been effective for fish to around 5 pounds--although most have been smaller. Dead-drifting nymphs under indicators has been effective, too. Swing spinners and small spoons or drift nightcrawlers if you are not into fly fishing.
SACRAMENTO RIVER -- The Port of Sacramento and Deep Water Channel continued to be just about the only places stripers were being reported caught. A bit of good news for anglers is the first reports of sturgeon being taken this far upstream this season. The news came from the Port and Clarksburg. Try ghost shrimp and pileworms.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Knights Landing -- Crowds were big as expected for the salmon opener, especially around Knights Landing and most of the boat ramps. Most anglers did pretty well the first few days of the season though. Toward the end of the week the "easy biters" had bit, and it was the "anglers in the know" who continued to catch fish while many others sat and waited--and waited for the strike that never came. But fish are still coming and will continue to come throughout the season. Patience and stealth are key to success.
LAKE OROVILLE -- Bass action is still very good with fish being caught all over the lake on drop-shot or splitshot worms in dark colors and topwater very early. The newly planted cohos are hitting anything that gets put in front of them. Bass anglers report catching lots of cohos on their lures and are having trouble getting away from them. Some catfish are hitting worms and minnows in the South Fork.
NORTH COAST RIVERS
CHETCO RIVER -- The river was fishable, and king salmon were being caught from the river as of Monday morning. The kings are in the river from top to bottom now, and although it was well over fishable stage on Sunday due to melting snow, it was being fished on Monday morning, fishing was expected to be "prime" by Thanksgiving, according to WON Field Reporter and Chetco Outdoor Store manager, Dave Pitts. Anglers were just hammering the kings, and many of them over 30 pounds. Call ahead for river conditions. Some of the kings are already turning dark, but still plenty of bright ones.
EEL RIVER, Main Stem -- Remains open to fishing and salmon were being caught and released down by the mouth of the VanDuzen prior to the most recent rains. Now blown out.
EEL RIVER, South Fork -- Opened to fishing from the low flow closures, but murky from Miranda to Garberville, probably fishable upstream towards Judges Hole, but no reports available at press time.
ELK RIVER, Ore. -- Still good fishing for kings, although some are getting dark. This small river can't handle a lot of pressure.
REDWOOD CREEK -- Open for fishing after lifting the low flow closures, but no reports available as of press time.
ROGUE RIVER, Lower -- The lower river is pretty dead except for the occasional late salmon and a few steelies, but the middle river is still good for ongoing summer steelhead action.
RUSSIAN RIVER -- Kings Sport & Tackle in Guerneville said the river came up with the rain, but not much, dropping out at 250 cfs as of Monday morning. The mouth closed right before the rain, but will be opened up. There was a push of salmon that came through, and a lot of halfpounders. Steelies are getting larger and a hatchery four pounder was caught the other day. Should see adult steelies coming in very soon, and maybe when the mouth opens up this week. Salmon cannot be targeted or kept, but accidental hookup should be released as quickly as possible. Don't take it out of the water.
SMITH RIVER -- Kings were being caught as of Monday morning. "The Smith continues to be among the entire coasts top producing rivers," said WON's Dave Pitts from the Chetco Outdoor Store, "and guide Jimmy Dean is putting some very big fish in his boat. One fish bent a split ring on a Kwikfish, and nearby boats said that fish--even for only a brief glimpse--was pushing the 50-pound mark. Dean pushed downriver, only to connect into another over the 40-pound mark. Ruby and Jed Smith are two good areas others are the Cable hole and Peacock." Guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing confirmed the good reports: "Salmon fishing has been hot on the Smith River," he said. "After this weekend's expected heavy rain, the rivers should be in prime shape for Thanksgiving week.
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AMERICAN RIVER -- It's not fast fishing to be sure, but the reports of steelhead on the American were the best so far this fall. Most of the action has been on flies, but that might just be because that's where most of the effort is taking place. Swinging leeches, burlaps, and brindle bugs has been effective for fish to around 5 pounds--although most have been smaller. Dead-drifting nymphs under indicators has been effective, too. Swing spinners and small spoons or drift nightcrawlers if you are not into fly fishing.
SACRAMENTO RIVER -- The Port of Sacramento and Deep Water Channel continued to be just about the only places stripers were being reported caught. A bit of good news for anglers is the first reports of sturgeon being taken this far upstream this season. The news came from the Port and Clarksburg. Try ghost shrimp and pileworms.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Knights Landing -- Crowds were big as expected for the salmon opener, especially around Knights Landing and most of the boat ramps. Most anglers did pretty well the first few days of the season though. Toward the end of the week the "easy biters" had bit, and it was the "anglers in the know" who continued to catch fish while many others sat and waited--and waited for the strike that never came. But fish are still coming and will continue to come throughout the season. Patience and stealth are key to success.
LAKE OROVILLE -- Bass action is still very good with fish being caught all over the lake on drop-shot or splitshot worms in dark colors and topwater very early. The newly planted cohos are hitting anything that gets put in front of them. Bass anglers report catching lots of cohos on their lures and are having trouble getting away from them. Some catfish are hitting worms and minnows in the South Fork.
NORTH COAST RIVERS
CHETCO RIVER -- The river was fishable, and king salmon were being caught from the river as of Monday morning. The kings are in the river from top to bottom now, and although it was well over fishable stage on Sunday due to melting snow, it was being fished on Monday morning, fishing was expected to be "prime" by Thanksgiving, according to WON Field Reporter and Chetco Outdoor Store manager, Dave Pitts. Anglers were just hammering the kings, and many of them over 30 pounds. Call ahead for river conditions. Some of the kings are already turning dark, but still plenty of bright ones.
EEL RIVER, Main Stem -- Remains open to fishing and salmon were being caught and released down by the mouth of the VanDuzen prior to the most recent rains. Now blown out.
EEL RIVER, South Fork -- Opened to fishing from the low flow closures, but murky from Miranda to Garberville, probably fishable upstream towards Judges Hole, but no reports available at press time.
ELK RIVER, Ore. -- Still good fishing for kings, although some are getting dark. This small river can't handle a lot of pressure.
REDWOOD CREEK -- Open for fishing after lifting the low flow closures, but no reports available as of press time.
ROGUE RIVER, Lower -- The lower river is pretty dead except for the occasional late salmon and a few steelies, but the middle river is still good for ongoing summer steelhead action.
RUSSIAN RIVER -- Kings Sport & Tackle in Guerneville said the river came up with the rain, but not much, dropping out at 250 cfs as of Monday morning. The mouth closed right before the rain, but will be opened up. There was a push of salmon that came through, and a lot of halfpounders. Steelies are getting larger and a hatchery four pounder was caught the other day. Should see adult steelies coming in very soon, and maybe when the mouth opens up this week. Salmon cannot be targeted or kept, but accidental hookup should be released as quickly as possible. Don't take it out of the water.
SMITH RIVER -- Kings were being caught as of Monday morning. "The Smith continues to be among the entire coasts top producing rivers," said WON's Dave Pitts from the Chetco Outdoor Store, "and guide Jimmy Dean is putting some very big fish in his boat. One fish bent a split ring on a Kwikfish, and nearby boats said that fish--even for only a brief glimpse--was pushing the 50-pound mark. Dean pushed downriver, only to connect into another over the 40-pound mark. Ruby and Jed Smith are two good areas others are the Cable hole and Peacock." Guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing confirmed the good reports: "Salmon fishing has been hot on the Smith River," he said. "After this weekend's expected heavy rain, the rivers should be in prime shape for Thanksgiving week.
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