How to Catch a Humboldt King

Catch a glimpse, that is.     Since that Marin Salmon report was here in fishing tips I thought I might as well follow it up with a Humboldt Salmon post.

I've been working 12 hours a day since the big freeze and finally had the chance to break free of the office early today.  I picked up a good friend at 3PM and headed to my favorite creek, deep in the Humboldt Redwoods where I've been watching Kings spawn for 13 years in a row.  The recent rains have the rivers muddy and even the smallest seasonal streams are pumping nicely.  The high water in the middle of December is what signals my annual trek to watch the spawners and feel first hand a reverence that I try to always carry with me.

The creek was in near perfect shape with good volume and good visibility.  With reports of above average runs and some of the best fishing in years on North Coast streams I hoped to see many fish.  It wasn't happening today, but we did see two Kings - the larger around 15 pounds digging a redd and the smaller, likely a Jack, hanging around waiting for some action.  There was another redd just above them, and about a 15 pound carcass just down stream.  We watched for a bit, but it was too dark for a decent photo, so we headed home and were pleased to have shared a great visit.  I'm hoping to go back for more at another spot this weekend.   

After our trip up there in the fall I can't wait to get back, as I walked around the forest I could only hope to be there someday during the wet season, to me the rain adds something.

Thanks for the report

I love to hike in the wood too!  Thank you Eric for the beautiful pictures!  Maybe I'll come up there and do some hiking with you sometime next year.

now that's pretty zen Eric

Beautiful place.

Lucky guy. Love your natural backyard. Beats what I have here in the Bay Area.

Jedmo

Thanks for the pix! -- even for a newbie down in SoCal, they were great.  I hope to get up for a walk along the Mad River in a few weeks.  I'm anxious to see how it has changed since late November and the rains.