SMITH RIVER – Although a few late salmon are still being caught, many anglers on the Smith and Chetco rivers have switched gears to steelhead and have been pleased with some early season catches.
Good numbers of steelhead have already been caught on the Chetco, while Smith River anglers also are encountering early steelhead. A big storm in the forecast this weekend could draw in bigger numbers of steelhead.
Guide Mick Thomas of Lunker Fish Trips was on the Smith last week, and with few other boats on the water, he got into decent numbers of kings on the lower river. There also were lots of half-pounder steelhead caught and a few adult steelhead, Thomas said. There are riffles between Outhouse and Outfitters where anglers can hook into half-pounders on nearly every cast, Thomas said.
The Smith closed above Rowdy Creek on Saturday as flows dropped to 600 cfs, but reopened Sunday morning as flows at Jed Smith passed 900 cfs. Another closure is possible this week as flows drop. A big storm is expected by the weekend, however. Call the CDFW low-flow hotline at (707) 822-3164 for the latest conditions and closures on North Coast rivers.
