Jedidiah Smith State Park - 11/13

Had work up in Crescent City and Smith River this past Tuesday, so I hauled a 9' boat up with me and had the chance to fish for a couple of hours.  Getting up there, even on US 101, is an adventure in itself as a few big bull elk stopped traffic in Redwood National Park.  Then, passing by Wilson Creek or "False Klamath Cove", the ocean looked so uninviting I didn't care that rockfish and ling season ended early - for a minute...  It rained Monday to the tune of a few inches in Smith River country, so the river was flowing strong and dark green - almost "blown out" for it, but I knew it would be clearing very quickly.  By 2 when I hit the water there was 3' or more of visibility and it improved from there.  A bank fisherman wasn't doing much, but he mentioned seeing plenty of rollers.  I glided in on the hole and was able to hang in a huge eddy and cast on the rolling salmon for a long time.  Couldn't get 'em to bite though, so it was a practice in casting, retrieving, and appreciating being there in the ancient forest.  Several drift boats went through over the two hours, and I'd seen many more downriver before I came into the park.  I banked it and hiked up Mill Creek trail a half mile or so to see if I could spot a spawning king in there, but it was flowing heavy, and it's early yet - all I saw were some giant shrooms and some bear poop.  The Smith isn't somewhere you can drive right up to and catch a fish - unless you're really lucky...

Beautiful Country

Beautiful photos and great narrative abking. where did you get the little kidseat in the photos on your eel river report?

Dude! you go on a JOURNEY like, every week?!  dam I'm jealous.   Nice pics to go with the story.
I GOT to GIVE it to YA',seeing those fish and not gettin one to cooperate would have drove me nuts!
...at least your DOING IT! Hats OFF! 

That's about as Norcal as you can get. You have a good scene up there keep it up