Salmon fishing heats up on Southern Oregon Coast rivers

Fall has begun to arrive on the Southern Oregon Coast, and with it the best bay and estuary salmon fishing of the year.

Guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing and Brookings Fishing Charters spent all of August on the Rogue River Bay in Gold Beach, where the salmon fishing has been good.

Salmon caught in the Rogue Bay in Gold Beach, Ore., in August, 2018, with guide Andy Martin.

A big run is expected back to the Rogue this year, and August didn't disappoint. Fishing was solid all month on the Rogue Bay, with a fish-per-rod average, limits some days, and a few slower days mixed in. The size of the salmon was good, with a solid 20-pound average.

The average size of the salmon on the Rogue Bay in 2018 has been around 22 pounds. Great fish.

Now that September has arrived, Andy is switching gears to the Coos and Coquille rivers. The Rogue will continue to fish well in September, but with cooler water upriver, the fish will not hold as long in the bay, instead they will quickly move upriver toward their spawning grounds.

The Coos has one of the biggest hatchery runs of king salmon on the West Coast, and limits are common in peak season in September. Anglers can keep two salmon a day, which can be wild or hatchery kings.

In October, Andy and the Wild Rivers Fishing crew will focus on salmon in the Chetco estuary, as well as the special ocean salmon season off the mouth of the Chetco, which runs Oct. 7-8 and 13-14. This is when the biggest salmon of the year are often caught. The biggest salmon in Andy's boat caught during the estuary was a 58-pounder caught several years ago. It is the biggest fish in recent memory from the estuary.

This 58-pound king caught in 2009 with guide Andy Martin is the largest in recent memory from the Chetco Bay.

In late October and November we begin our drift boat season on the Chetco and Smith rivers. This is by far our most popular fishery of the year. With several local, year-round guides working with us, we can still accommodate anglers for the 2018 season, but dates are filling fast. Visit www.wildriversfishing.com to learn more.

The first big rain of October will bring hundreds, or thousands, of salmon into the lower Smith and Chetco rivers. The run continues through December. The Smith will fish will first, followed by the Chetco, and then the Elk and Sixes rivers. Once fishing slows in the lower rivers, the Upper Chetco, where Wild Rivers Fishing guides Andy Martin and Travis Sallander have special-use permits from the Forest Service, will heat up. This is a limited-entry fishery for guides, so the Upper Chetco does not get anywhere near as crowded as the lower Chetco or Smith rivers.

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

Rain arrives, salmon in Chetco and Smith (Oct. 25, 2015)

Rain is falling today on the Southern Oregon and Northern California coast, and the Chetco and Smith rivers are slowly rising, Both are still very low, but there are big numbers of salmon in the lower sections of both rivers.
We caught salmon last week in the tidewater sections of both rivers, either trolling herring, or floating salmon roe and sand shrimp below bobbers.
The Smith River is still closed below Rowdy Creek and flows need to surpass 600 cfs for the river to open. They are around 270 cfs this morning. The Chetco is around 110 cfs.
Until we get enough rain for an upstream opener on the Smith, we will be bobber fishing the lower section of the Chetco. The rain will help make the fish more active and bring in some fresh, bright fish.
Prime time for the drift boat season on the Chetco River, Smith River, Elk River and Sixes River is rapidly approaching. I have several local guides available for the peak season. This is when we see some of our biggest salmon of the year.
To book a trip, call (541) 813-1082 or visit www.wildriversfishing.com,
Below is one of the nice salmon we caught last week on the lower Chetco River.
- Andy Martin
www.brookingsfishing.com
www.wildriversfishing.com
(541) 813-1082
(206) 388-8988 cell

A 25-pound kings caught on the lower Chetco River last week on a plug-cut herring with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing and Brookings Fishing.

Super easy Salmon Cake recipe (July 22, 2015)

People tend to think fishing guides get an unlimited supply of salmon and other fish to fill their freezers and cram their smokers. In reality, guides seldom get a chance to take fish home. Their customers catch, and keep the fish, and in some areas, such as Alaska, guides aren't even allowed to fish themselves with clients on the boat, and they certainly are not allowed to keep a limit for themselves.

To enjoy salmon myself, I have a favorite recipe that utilizes the scraps of meat left on the carcass that most people throw away. After filleting my customers' catch, I put the carcasses back in my fish box (unless of course they want them), and after seeing my guests off, I use a spoon to scrape the bits of meat left along the backbone. The small bits of salmon flesh are perfect for salmon cakes.

Below is a recipe for salmon cakes, made with the carcass scraps from my customers' catch today out of the Port of Brookings Harbor on the Southern Oregon Coast.

Salmon cakes are a mixture of fresh (or smoked, or canned) salmon, chopped onion, raw egg, bread crumbs, dill weed, salt and pepper, and if desired, a little cream cheese. Easy to make, and delicious, the salmon cakes are a meal in themselves, or a great way to utilize leftover grilled salmon.

Small pieces of salmon, scraped from the backbone and carcass, are the main ingredient in salmon cakes. Left overs from grilled salmon also work great, as does smoked or canned salmon.

In a large bowl, combine the salmon, chopped onion, bread crumbs, egg, dill weed, salt and pepper. Use roughly 1/8 cup onion, one or two eggs, 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1 cup salmon.

Mix well.

Shape the salmon mixture in small patties, or "cakes." I like to add cream cheese to some of the cakes.

Cook the cakes in a skillet over medium high heat with butter or olive oil. After cooking one side, turn the cake and firmly press with a spatula. The cakes are done in just a few minutes.

Serve with fresh lemon, and homemade tarter sauce for a delicious meal or snack.

If you would like to catch a fresh salmon to try this recipe, give me a call, or visit www.brookingsfishing.com or www.wildriversfishing.com. 

- Capt. Andy Martin

(541) 813-1082

wildriversfishing@yahoo.com