Storms leave Chetco, Smith high and muddy, ocean too rough to fish (Dec. 11)

Stormy weather has been hammering the Brookings area the past two weeks, leaving the ocean out of the Port of Brookings Harbor too rough to fish, while the Chetco and Smith rivers have been high and muddy.
More wet weather is forecasted this weekend, but we are expecting a break in the storms next week, which could make the rivers fishable for steelhead by Tuesday or Wednesday.
Salmon season is practically over, as any kings waiting for higher water before spawning have now moved upstream.
There were a few steelhead being caught on the lower Chetco by plunkers just as the river began to rise over a week ago.
There also were some steelhead caught by side-drifters on the Smith River.
Extremely rough weather has kept the ocean unfishable. When it calms down, look for lingcod fishing to be good along the shallow reefs just outside of the Port of Brookings.

I will begin running lingcod trips in February, as the weather allows. I also will have a booth at the Medford sports and outdoors show the last weekend in February. Stop by to say hi, and pick up a coupon good for a discount on our ocean charters this summer.

To book a trip, visit www.brookingsfishing.com for ocea.n charters or www.wildriversfishing.com for drift boat trips on the river. Or call my cell (206) 388-8988 or home (541) 813-1082

This is a photo from one of our ocean charters this summer. We will have the boats back in the water by February for winter lingcod and rockfish action.

Salmon still being caught on Southern Oregon Coast (Nov. 30, 2015)

Yesterday, the 29th of November, my clients landed two chrome bright king salmon on the Chetco. I had two other guides out and they also landed multiple bright fish. There are still a lot of new salmon in the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers, even though conditions are currently low and clear. Fishing is tough, but there are bright fish available.

Tonight it is raining lightly in Brookings. Heavier rain is expected tomorrow night through Thursday, which could set up prime conditions for this weekend on all the area rivers.
Yes, it is late in the salmon season. Many of the kings on the Chetco and Smith have already spawned. But without a major blowout rain so far this season, there still may be a good group of salmon to come. We will find out this weekend.
If you want one more shot at king salmon this season, I have local guides available for the weekend and early next week.

Call 541-813-1082 to book a trip, email wildriversfishing@yahoo.com, or visit www.wildriversfishing.com.

For the past two weeks, we have been enjoying some pretty decent salmon fishing, despite the low water. Some of the kings have been pretty big, including a really nice 49-inch king caught and released last week by Matt Thompson of Prineville. The fish was around 55 pounds. The fish may have cut OK if we kept it, but I am glad my customers chose to let it go.

Steelhead are just around the corner. We may begin some winter lingcod trips in January.

Here are some of the photos from the past couple of weeks.

- Andy Martin
Wild Rivers Fishing and Brookings Fishing
www.wildriversfishing.com
www.brookingsfishing.com

One of the bigger kings from the past few weeks, caught on the lower Chetco.

Matt and Jamey with a 49-inch, estimated 55-pound king caught and released last week on the Chetco.

Salmon season in full swing on Chetco, Smith rivers (Nov. 14, 2015)

The peak of the fall salmon season on the Chetco and Smith rivers has arrived, with the best fishing right now on the Chetco out of Brookings, Oregon. There are good numbers of salmon in both rivers, but for the most part, low, clear water has hampered fishing at times. It is now raining on the coast, and we are expecting both rivers to be in prime shape next week. This is the best time of year to catch salmon from drift boats on the Chetco and Smith.
On the Chetco, we have been catching salmon on plugs, fishing salmon eggs below bobbers, and back-bouncing salmon eggs. There are nice fish spread throughout the river.
With the rain we will be focusing on the Elk and Sixes, as well as continuing to fish the Chetco.
There have been a few adult winter steelhead already caught on the Chetco, and there should be more after this weekend's rain. I still have some prime dates left in January and February for steelhead fishing.
We will begin our lingcod and bottom fishing trips in March.
Here are some of the salmon pics from the past couple of weeks on the Chetco and Smith.
- Andy Martin
www.wildriversfishing.com and www.brookingsfishing.com
(541) 813-1082 or (206) 388-8988 cell