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Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Eel River Steelhead Season Opening Trips - 12/30 and 12/31/16
« on: January 01, 2017, 07:37:38 AM »
I've been waiting and watching the Eel as record amounts of rain have been keeping it high and turbid for weeks. Finally over the last couple of days it's come in to shape. With my ear to the ground I've kept myself filled in on guide reports up and down the river, and things are very slow. I've only heard of a few adults landed or even hooked, and half pounders have made up most of the catch reports - skunks are common. I like to keep it real and give the true report, but the fact of the matter is that being on the Eel when it's running in a beautiful emerald - Steelhead Green - is one of the most awesome experiences around.
My guests and I are on a 14 mile run through oldgrowth redwoods where I know all the access points by foot or 4x4. I'm familiar with the side creeks and have recently visited the biggest ones looking for spawning salmon and always finding magnificent beauty in the massive trees and the systems they support. I've been visiting several of the swimming/fishing hotspots along my route for well over 30 years, and since I've been guiding I've honed my knowledge of the runs and riffles. I am at home along my chosen route, and I love to share it with my guests.
Friday I greeted David Bradfield at my front porch as we met at sunrise to start our adventure. A 30 minute drive from my place upriver and we were leaving Dave's Prius along an access point low on the South Fork. We joined up in my rig and drove upriver to our launch in the heart of the Avenue of the Giants. With gear unloaded and ready, I drove my truck back downriver and brought the Prius back to launch - it's best to have the gear hauler at the takeout so you can burn all the light doing what you came for.
It's been really cold, and that presents a whole new challenge when it comes to being sure you have the gear that will save your ass if the shit hits the fan and someone gets wet. We carry lots of safety gear including some dry clothes and redundant communication devices - if cell service is lacking or the phones get wet your VHF could save the day along the wilderness river in mid 30's Fahrenheit.
David and I made our way down the first few runs, and our focus was to get David comfortable on an X-Factor and ready to deal with the few dicey spots along the route. I've taken Dave on many adventures (thank you, Bro!), and I know his skill level as well as his temperament - I was totally confident that he would fulfill his high priority to safely run the river under my guidance. That's a heavy one and may sound arrogant, but there's much to consider when you put someone on a 14'4" kayak on a river - it's probably got more potential danger than the ocean due to currents, trees, temperatures and the fact that it will push you into stuff that you can't just back away from like a driftboat or pontoon boat would do.
When we came to the first and biggest 'rapid' along our route (none of the lower SF is very extreme in that regard), David's safety and learning focus was confirmed and borne out when, as we drifted in to the whitewater, I gave a clear and urgent command: "TURN YOUR BOW TO THE RIGHT SO YOU'RE AIMED AT YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE!" - we were headed for a tree that blocks the main current and can strain (and kill) you quickly. I knew it was there - it's been there for the past few years. I also know what it's like to have someone dump there - my brother-in-law and niece went down right there on a summer run several years ago, in my formative guide days.
David did exactly as I said and used skills that I already knew he had, and the situation went from potentially deadly to absolutely routine with a dash of exhilarating thrown in! This was a good example of how we dealt with a number of tricky spots along the route, and showing people how to run the river in a big SOT is really a main focus of my trips - the fishing part isn't as heavy, but a lot goes in to that as well.
David and I got blanked for the day, and of all the people we saw along our drift we spoke to only one driftboat that had lost two adults and landed a half pounder - that boat had two pros and a third very prolific fisherman, all of whom I know well. It was slow on the river for sure, but our adventure has many facets, as I've said. We got our wildlife fix with a few otters, a Great Blue Heron, Kingfishers and various other birds of the river and forest. We challenged ourselves and got our exercise running the river from just after breakfast until just before dinner. Together we achieved communion with Nature and enjoyed strengthening our friendship. And all of these things added up to a great adventure - this is what I aim to fulfill as a guide.
Saturday the river had cleared a bit more, the temps were just above freezing under a sharp blue sky, and I had two more friends to do the run with! Nathan hired me last summer at the Cove (http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=74174.msg844454#msg844454), and I've known Walker for a few years - both great guys!
Walker would ride his older model Prowler 15 and I had Nathan on one of my X-Factors - I didn't think his PA12 would handle as well on the river. After learning the tricky spots and how river currents feel on a big yak I'm confident that Nathan will do well with his PA on certain sections of the river.
We met up just before 8AM at our launch, got our truck shuttling done, and we were launched onto the river in 34 degrees right after breakfast. I took time to show the guys how I run the river, what to watch out for...etc., and they were both all over it. Both of my guests this day had experience with the fishing techniques we'd use, and I didn't have to dictate anything about when and where to put a line in. They were dialed in, and it wasn't long before Walker got the skunk off the group by landing a beautifully healthy half pounder. We didn't take time for a quality pic - it's wet hand-dehook-fast pose from 20 feet away and get that dude back in the water. This early hookup had us hopeful for a really productive day and a chance at a bigger adult, but the fact was that the fishing was still slow. Walker caught one more larger half pounder, and all three of us had one brief hookup apiece - none of those could be confirmed as an adult, but 5 fish hooked and 2 landed was a pretty good number considering how slow it's been up and down the river.
We went on to have an awesome time where my guys got lots of confidence on the river on SOT's and learned the lay of the lower South Fork. The weather was perfect with no wind - that was crucial since high 30's to low 40's was brutal in the shade and way worse if there was any air movement. The river got better as the day went on, and we hit it hard - what a blast!
The end of the day came, and my guys were both due at NYE parties with their ladies and fams. Back on the bar at my truck near sunset, we enjoyed a beer, got the guys back upriver to their rigs, settled up the business part, and went our separate ways. Even without sticking an adult steelie in two full days trying, I was grinning ear to ear on my ride home. It's not the money - I figured that out after leaving my corporate job and letting myself come down off the type-A mentality of "gotta keep working as much as I can..." When I guide people I take all of the experience that I've gotten in these special places and I do my best to impart information with a positive spirit of friendship and conscientiousness - it's the Golden Rule, guide-style. I want to always live like that, and making it a vocation (albeit only part-time!), I have come to realize that it is good for me to be determined to give my best, all day, and with my heart.
Thanks for coming along - I hope to meet you at launch.
My guests and I are on a 14 mile run through oldgrowth redwoods where I know all the access points by foot or 4x4. I'm familiar with the side creeks and have recently visited the biggest ones looking for spawning salmon and always finding magnificent beauty in the massive trees and the systems they support. I've been visiting several of the swimming/fishing hotspots along my route for well over 30 years, and since I've been guiding I've honed my knowledge of the runs and riffles. I am at home along my chosen route, and I love to share it with my guests.
Friday I greeted David Bradfield at my front porch as we met at sunrise to start our adventure. A 30 minute drive from my place upriver and we were leaving Dave's Prius along an access point low on the South Fork. We joined up in my rig and drove upriver to our launch in the heart of the Avenue of the Giants. With gear unloaded and ready, I drove my truck back downriver and brought the Prius back to launch - it's best to have the gear hauler at the takeout so you can burn all the light doing what you came for.
It's been really cold, and that presents a whole new challenge when it comes to being sure you have the gear that will save your ass if the shit hits the fan and someone gets wet. We carry lots of safety gear including some dry clothes and redundant communication devices - if cell service is lacking or the phones get wet your VHF could save the day along the wilderness river in mid 30's Fahrenheit.
David and I made our way down the first few runs, and our focus was to get David comfortable on an X-Factor and ready to deal with the few dicey spots along the route. I've taken Dave on many adventures (thank you, Bro!), and I know his skill level as well as his temperament - I was totally confident that he would fulfill his high priority to safely run the river under my guidance. That's a heavy one and may sound arrogant, but there's much to consider when you put someone on a 14'4" kayak on a river - it's probably got more potential danger than the ocean due to currents, trees, temperatures and the fact that it will push you into stuff that you can't just back away from like a driftboat or pontoon boat would do.
When we came to the first and biggest 'rapid' along our route (none of the lower SF is very extreme in that regard), David's safety and learning focus was confirmed and borne out when, as we drifted in to the whitewater, I gave a clear and urgent command: "TURN YOUR BOW TO THE RIGHT SO YOU'RE AIMED AT YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE!" - we were headed for a tree that blocks the main current and can strain (and kill) you quickly. I knew it was there - it's been there for the past few years. I also know what it's like to have someone dump there - my brother-in-law and niece went down right there on a summer run several years ago, in my formative guide days.
David did exactly as I said and used skills that I already knew he had, and the situation went from potentially deadly to absolutely routine with a dash of exhilarating thrown in! This was a good example of how we dealt with a number of tricky spots along the route, and showing people how to run the river in a big SOT is really a main focus of my trips - the fishing part isn't as heavy, but a lot goes in to that as well.
David and I got blanked for the day, and of all the people we saw along our drift we spoke to only one driftboat that had lost two adults and landed a half pounder - that boat had two pros and a third very prolific fisherman, all of whom I know well. It was slow on the river for sure, but our adventure has many facets, as I've said. We got our wildlife fix with a few otters, a Great Blue Heron, Kingfishers and various other birds of the river and forest. We challenged ourselves and got our exercise running the river from just after breakfast until just before dinner. Together we achieved communion with Nature and enjoyed strengthening our friendship. And all of these things added up to a great adventure - this is what I aim to fulfill as a guide.
Saturday the river had cleared a bit more, the temps were just above freezing under a sharp blue sky, and I had two more friends to do the run with! Nathan hired me last summer at the Cove (http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=74174.msg844454#msg844454), and I've known Walker for a few years - both great guys!
Walker would ride his older model Prowler 15 and I had Nathan on one of my X-Factors - I didn't think his PA12 would handle as well on the river. After learning the tricky spots and how river currents feel on a big yak I'm confident that Nathan will do well with his PA on certain sections of the river.
We met up just before 8AM at our launch, got our truck shuttling done, and we were launched onto the river in 34 degrees right after breakfast. I took time to show the guys how I run the river, what to watch out for...etc., and they were both all over it. Both of my guests this day had experience with the fishing techniques we'd use, and I didn't have to dictate anything about when and where to put a line in. They were dialed in, and it wasn't long before Walker got the skunk off the group by landing a beautifully healthy half pounder. We didn't take time for a quality pic - it's wet hand-dehook-fast pose from 20 feet away and get that dude back in the water. This early hookup had us hopeful for a really productive day and a chance at a bigger adult, but the fact was that the fishing was still slow. Walker caught one more larger half pounder, and all three of us had one brief hookup apiece - none of those could be confirmed as an adult, but 5 fish hooked and 2 landed was a pretty good number considering how slow it's been up and down the river.
We went on to have an awesome time where my guys got lots of confidence on the river on SOT's and learned the lay of the lower South Fork. The weather was perfect with no wind - that was crucial since high 30's to low 40's was brutal in the shade and way worse if there was any air movement. The river got better as the day went on, and we hit it hard - what a blast!
The end of the day came, and my guys were both due at NYE parties with their ladies and fams. Back on the bar at my truck near sunset, we enjoyed a beer, got the guys back upriver to their rigs, settled up the business part, and went our separate ways. Even without sticking an adult steelie in two full days trying, I was grinning ear to ear on my ride home. It's not the money - I figured that out after leaving my corporate job and letting myself come down off the type-A mentality of "gotta keep working as much as I can..." When I guide people I take all of the experience that I've gotten in these special places and I do my best to impart information with a positive spirit of friendship and conscientiousness - it's the Golden Rule, guide-style. I want to always live like that, and making it a vocation (albeit only part-time!), I have come to realize that it is good for me to be determined to give my best, all day, and with my heart.
Thanks for coming along - I hope to meet you at launch.