Smith River steelhead fishing Archives - Brookings Fishing Reports

Stormy weather, high water limits ocean, river fishing opportunities

BROOKINGS, Ore. (Jan. 21, 2024) – Stormy weather, with big swells, strong winds and rough bar conditions have kept the Southern Oregon ocean charter fleets at the docks, while steelhead fishing also has been hampered by near-flood conditions.

Lingcod and rockfish action is usually good during the winter months, when boats can get out, but ocean conditions have been rough and unfishable for most of January. More stormy weather is expected this week.

**An angler holds a steelhead on the Smith River, caught last week with Capt. Andy.**

Steelhead fishing on the Smith and Chetco rivers, meanwhile, also has been impacted by the stormy weather. January and February are peak season, but high, muddy water has limited the number of days fishing guides have been on the water. The Brookings Fishing Charters team of charter boat captains also are river guides, taking customers down the Smith and Chetco in drift boats. Light tackle is used to catch these prized, hard-fighting fish.

When conditions have been good, with dropping flows, and green water, steelhead fishing has been good. There have only been a few good days on the river so far this year. Better conditions are forecasted for next week. Catch rates generally improve quickly after high flows, as the rivers drop.

**Capt. Rye navigates his drift boat through a fishy looking spot on the Smith River.**

The Chetco reached 40,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) last week, the highest flows in four years. Minor flooding occurred on the Chetco and Smith, but flows were still well below the flood event of 2012, when flows hit 65,000 cfs. The Smith was near 100,000 cfs, or 30 feet, at the Highway 101 bridge. It rose 20 feet in 24 hours.

**Water reaches the parking lot of Loeb State Park on the Chetco River in January when flows crested at 40,000 cfs.**

**A flooded Chetco River, as seen from Second Bridge, or Ice Box, in mid January 2024.**

Flows dropped to 5,000 cfs on Saturday on the Chetco before spiking again at 10,000 cfs on Sunday. Ideal conditions are below 4,000 cfs.

Steelhead fishing continues through March on the Chetco and April on the Smith.

**Anglers admire a steelhead on the Smith River in January.**

The Brookings Fishing Charters crew will run steelhead trips through the end of the season, but will be focusing on ocean charters for lingcod and rockfish more beginning in February. Lingcod move into shallow water during the winter months, fueling good fishing in shallow water on calmer days. The commercial crab fleet reported big numbers of smaller lingcod showing up in their crab pots, a sign the males are migrating in from deep water to prepare to spawn. March often produces some of the best lingcod fishing of the year, and we will be running trips daily, as the weather allows.

Learn more about steelhead fishing at www.wildriversfishing.com. For ocean charters, book online at www.brookingsfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.

**Capt. Mick on the Smith River in January 2024.**

Steelhead action improves on rivers near Brookings

BROOKINGS, Ore. (Jan. 11, 2024) – Steelhead fishing on the Chetco and Smith rivers dramatically improved early this week before heavy rains returned, blowing both rivers out. Another series of storms is expected this weekend, which could bring numerous local rivers to the verge of flood stage. The rivers are then expected to drop back into fishable shape next week.

**A father and son hold a bright Chetco River steelhead caught with Capt. Andy in January 2024.**

Just before the rains, steelhead fishing had improved, with catch rates jumping to three to four fish per boat. The action was short-lived, as heavy rains increased flows to 10,000 cfs on the Chetco, and 22 feet on the Smith. Flows are expected to top 30,000 cfs on the Chetco this weekend, and 50,000 cfs, or 26 feet, at the Highway 101 bridge over the Smith River. The Chetco fishes best below 4,000 cfs.

**A beautiful steelhead caught in the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco with Capt. Andy in January 2024.**

**Longtime customer Craig with a Chetco River steelhead caught with Capt. Rye in January 2024.**

The Brookings Fishing Charters team of captains are also licensed river guides in Oregon and California and have decades of experience fishing local rivers. Capt. Andy, Mick, Rye, Sam and Travis run trips from drift boats, navigating down the river with oars as customers use light spinning rods to drift tiny clusters of salmon or steelhead eggs. Pound-for-pound, steelhead are among the hardest fighting game fish, and often leap out of the water when hooked. The Smith and Chetco are among the most scenic rivers on the West Coast.

**Fish on! Fighting a steelhead on the Upper Chetco River using light spinning gear.**

Steelhead fishing was on the slow side in December and first few days of January before action accelerated late last week, as fresh schools of steelhead moved into the rivers. Fishing is expected to be good as the rivers drop back into shape next week. The peak of the steelhead season is mid-January through February. Steelhead are difficult to catch when rivers are muddy and blown out, but bite well as flows are dropping and river shifts from low visibility to what is known as “steelhead green.”

**Capt. Andy and a customer with an Upper Chetco steelhead in January 2024.**

Capt. Andy, Mick and Travis have special-use permits from the US Forest Service to fish the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco. Only a very limited number of guides have these permits, allowing customers to fish in an extremely productive, yet uncrowded section of river. All of the Brookings Fishing Charters guides also have Forest Service permits to fish the Smith River from the confluence of the Middle and South Forks, which allows them to drift through the stunning section of river through Redwood National Park.

To learn more about guided drift boat trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.

**A big wild steelhead released after an exciting battle on the Upper Chetco River.**

Steelhead arrive, lingcod bite between storms

BROOKINGS, Ore. (Dec. 14, 2023) – Fall salmon season is quickly coming to an end on the Southern Oregon coastal rivers, while the first steelhead of winter have shown up. Offshore fishing for lingcod and rockfish, meanwhile, remains good when weather conditions cooperate. Our saltwater captains have switched gears to steelhead, and will be running drift boat trips on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers through March, but will also take customers on ocean bottom fishing charters during the winter as conditions allow.

**The first winter steelhead of the season caught with Capt. Andy on Dec. 13 on the Chetco by Scott of Denver. We will be running drift boat trips through March.**

We fish for steelhead from drift boats, with a guide rowing two customers downriver. Light spinning rods are used to cast small clusters of roe. Steelhead are known for their non-stop fight, and pound-for-pound are one of the most prized gamefish. They also are caught on some of the most beautiful stretches of river in the country. Capt. Andy, Mick and Travis have special use permits to take customers on the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco, while Rye, Sam and Shane fish the lower end of the river, where hatchery fish are more abundant. All of our charter boat captains are also licensed river guides. For more information on river trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com.

**Capt. Sam runs the falls on the Elk River. The coastal rivers of Southern Oregon offer great salmon and steelhead fishing, and are among the most beautiful anywhere.**

**A large king salmon caught on the Chetco this fall with Capt. Rye.**

**Capt. Mick holds a lunker fall king salmon caught by John Curry on the Upper Chetco.**

Salmon season was decent this year on the Chetco, with the best fishing in late October and early November. A few kings will continue to trickle in through the end of December, but the vast majority of the run has already spawned. We saw big numbers of hatchery kings this year, and a lot of jacks, a good indication of what’s in store next year.

**Nice limits of lingcod caught on the Dash in early November. Winter fishing for lingcod and rockfish is often good, as big fish move into shallow water to spawn.**

While the best weather of the year for ocean charter fishing is April through September, calm weather days in the winter months often lead to wide-open fishing. Lingcod spawn in shallow water, where they can be caught on light tackle in calm, protected coves. We will be running ocean charters as conditions allow this winter. Call (541) 813-1082 to get on our call list for winter fishing.

Gift certificates make great stocking stuffers! We offer gift certificates for ocean and river trips, and our tackle shop. They can be printed and mailed with brochures, or emailed as a PDF. Call (541) 813-1082 for information.

Here are some of the photos from this past salmon season with Capt. Mick, Rye, Sam, Andy and Shane.