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SMITH RIVER



Please support the California
Sportfishing Protection Alliance
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October 27, 2009
Headlines
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Fall Kings Push In With
Rains
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The Smith is back under low
flow closure and only the
tidal waters are open to
fishing here on Monday
10-26. There are lots of
kings staging in the lower
river and it looks like we
will see one of the best
returns since 2005. The
weather forecast calls for a
chance of rain later this
week but until we actually
see rain the river will
remain closed above the
estuary. Once the river does
reopen we expect counts to
climb and we will post
scores and highlights.
Low flow restrictions have
been lifted on the Smith
river. Tuesday's 10-13 storm
dropped 2 to 4 inches of
rain across the North Coast.
In turn most rivers jumped
from trickles to torrents.
Wally Johnson passed along
reports that guides saw
exceptional action on
Thursday 10-15 with
counts of 5 to 12 plus fish
per boat. The fish are big
chromers most running 15 to
35 pounds with reports of
fish to the low 40s. Most
guides are pulling plugs on
the lower river below Ruby
Park but there are bright
salmon throughout the system
and up through Jed Smith
state park. The river is
dropping fast and fishing
will get a bit tougher until
the next system arrives
which could be this Monday.
An inch or two or rain would
turn the bite back on. Kenny
Armstrong will be running
fall salmon trips through
November. 707 498-4087
Fall Preview
It's
that time of year when the largest salmon in the
state start returning to the Smith river. The Smith
is now under low flow closures but salmon are
filling into the estuary where fishing is legal and it looks like we will
see an average salmon run on the Smith this
fall. Anglers working the lower river are seeing
decent catches working the section below Rowdy Creek
from the mouth and the Sand Hole. The fish tend to
move in and out with the tide and as they acclimate
they will start to move up river where they will
"park" in the deeper holes awaiting the first rains
of the season.
For
now top bets from the bank are to toss Cloes,
Kastmasters and flying Cs at the mouth or the deeper
holes of the lower river. From a boat Kwikfish K15s
and K16s in chartreuse and silver with a sardine
wrap trolled through the schools of fish laying in
the holes is also very effective. Fishing will be
sporadic (and limited due to the flow closures)
until we see the first big rains of early winter. In
most years the first rises occur in late October and
early November and fishing is usually best from late
October through Thanksgiving depending on how much
or little rain fall we see.
Once the rains arrive and the river climbs above
500- 600CFS the low flow closures are lifted and the hot
fishing begins.
Guides find their most success
pulling kwikfish in the deeper holes and slots while
a few will back bounce roe. From the bank anglers
bouncing roe and a Fish Pill
and
fly-fishers in prams have some exceptional
days. Salmon on the Smith are big by California standards averaging 15 to
25 pounds and fish over 40
and even 50 pounds are seen every season. The key to
success is to be on the river just as it's crests
and starts to drop. The best days are usually one to
two days following a heavy rain and anglers that
time it right are well rewarded.
Ma Nature doesn't always
cooperate and this river can
go from low and closed to
high and blown in just a few
hours. Those anglers lucky
enough to hit this river
"just right" can
catch the king of a
lifetime. We hope that our
readers consider releasing
any trophy size fish to seed
future runs.
 USAFishing's
Kenai Vacation Home
Our Alaska vacation rental is located
right in the heart of the Kenai
peninsula. This fully
outfitted 3 bedroom, 2 bath coastal
cabin sleeps 7 plus and sits on over 2 wilderness
acres and is just a short drive to all
five of the Kenai peninsula's salmon
filled rivers.Looking
for an affordable Alaska vacation and
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own private home to stay? Please give us
a call and we will be
more than happy to answer any questions
you may have about the house, the area
or fishing in general.
707 762-9776
River Levels:

For river status (low flow closure) updates from Fish and Game please call +1.707.442.4502 for the North coast and +1.707.944.5533 for Central coast streams. Be sure to check out the
California Fish and Game regulations before you go. Regulations vary on every river and you need to pay attention to bait and hook restrictions. Due to winter closures on HWYs 5, 101 & 299 we recommend you check Caltrans road conditions
as well.
Prime steelhead flows on the
Smith river are between 12
and 9 feet. Fish are caught
in higher flows by those
plucking and even in the low
and clear waters below 8.5
feet but prime fishing is
always found with a dropping
river in the 9 to 12 foot
range. No one can predict
the best day or conditions
but put in a few days in and
you will be rewarded. All of
our sponsors have room
available for the prime
January - mid March period. Please call the DFG
flow information hotline at
707 822-3164 for additional
information.
Caught
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