No Place for a Prius (places to fish north of Humboldt Bay)

Hi all,

I'm up north for a brief time, visiting my daughter in Eureka.  For a variety of reasons I didn't bring the hobie this trip, but I did some scouting and a little fishing. Today I went north, did some fishing, but no catching ... but I do have scouting pics. 

This morning I had "brunch" with a local friend who's an avid fly fisherman.  He suggested I drive up 101 and take the turnoff to Gold Bluffs Beach.   So I struck out to check out the Lagoons, Redwood Creek and places north of the Mad River.

First, I stopped off at the Redwood National Park office on US 101, just north of Freshwater Lagoon. I  bought a detailed map of the area, complete with relief, roads, and trails.  They had one-page summaries of the "fishing regs" for Redwood Creek and Freshwater Lagoon so I grabbed those, too.  While there the ranger said the road to Gold Bluffs Beach was washed out so I scratched that off my list and drove up to Orick to check out Redwood Creek.

Redwood Creek - It was very high and very muddy, no surprise given all the rain.   I tried to drive down Hufford Rd. towards the mouth but soon realized it was no place for a Prius and managed to turn around on the narrow road.    Because of the rain there's a lot of water running across the road, draining from the hillside to the north. So I went back to the bridge and took some pix of the creek from the 101 Bridge and walked the banks.  It looks like an interesting place with parking near the bridge and good access for bank fishing on another trip, but not today.  It's obviously not a place for a hobie, but I wasn't expecting that. (See first pix. -- looking upstream while on the 101 bridge. 0221.jpg)

Freshwater Lagoon - I actually fished here today, briefly.   There's easy access and parking, but you need a boat (ramp at north end is easy), and I really wish I'd brought my hobie for this one.     It was so nice today, not like the two previous days.  There were two power boats and a canoe on the water.  I spoke to some them as they got out and they said they caught three trout on spinner baits.  I understand it's stocked by F&G.  I fished from the bank for a while but it's so shallow near the shore I gave up.  The two boats on the water appeared to be trolling out in deeper water.  This looks like a good spot, even for a yucky day.  (2 pix  0232.jpg, 0233.jpg)

Stone Lagoon - According the the Park Ranger, Stone Lagoon was about to breech near the south end.   My friend mentioned that, when it does breech, there's usually a steelhead run up McDonald Creek.   It hasn't breeched yet, but it does look imminent.   At first I tried a rather steep and narrow road labeled "beach access" off 101 near north the end of Stone Lagoon.  OOPS when I was almost to the beach suddenly there's way too much water to cross in the Prius and no way to turn around.    I had to back out, uphill on a narrow road.  (I took one dramatic picture looking south down the sand 0234.jpg) There's an easier access place on the south end, near the Stone Lagoon Visitor Center which was closed.  There's parking and a little boat ramp there.  I also clearly heard shotguns several times and I suppose someone was duck hunting but I don't know that.  I fished for a brief time at the boat ramp and then went on.  (See pix 0235.jpg, 0236.jpg)

Big Lagoon - The easiest access to Big Lagoon appears to be through Big Lagoon Beach and County Park.  There'a an exit off 101 for this. (see pic 0237.jpg)  It was getting on towards dark so I stayed in my car for this one.  There are easy signs off 101 that show how to get to the park.  There's a day use fee of $1.00 but there's an easy boat ramp and lots of parking.  I didn't fish it but it looks like an easy place to put in and fish. (see pic 0244.jpg)

So I've had a great time on this trip.  I've found some new places to bring my hobie next trip (June?) and I've learned a lot!  I'd love to hear from any local NCKA members who've fished these places and I really want to THANK the local members of NCKA who've written me offline, answering my newbie/tourist questions.  You guys are great and very much appreciated!!  VERY APPRECIATED!!!

I'n headed back to LA tomorrow. *sigh*

dB   (still a newbie with a hobie) 

Thanks for that buddy!  I love scouting new places.  The trip is half the fun.  I'm happy you took pictures, they came out great.  Thanks again for spreading what you learned!

Very nice report, that is a nice area up there.  My parents used to take us to Big Lagoon all the time as kids.  Great memories.

Too bad you didn't take your kayak.  You could have floated your Prius across 

I knew a guy who fished Big Lagoon a lot from his kayak.  He caught some nice fish out of there.

Matt

@ MattS - What did he fish for/catch in Big Lagoon? -- Next time I'm bringing the Yak, no matter what.  (Had it up last August.) -- Maybe I can "jack up" the Prius.  It's great on mileage but really low to the ground!

Big Lagoon is home to steelhead (after a breach) and coastal cutthroat.  those are the only fish i've had any luck catching anyway.  kinda nice to have the campground right next to the lagoon thou... if i recall correctly, the lagoon was open for a long time this summer... (like weeks not days).  should be some steelhead in there.

glad you had fun up here. You come back up with the hobie pm me an we'll go out fishing. Have a safe trip an a happy new year

Cutthroat and steelies in Big and Stone - I've caught cutties in both, but never a steelie other than smaller ones.  Planter trout and bass in Freshwater.  Big Lagoon has breached, and your pics show much lower water than usual there at the ramp at the County Park.  Another, easier access for Big is right off 101 as you pass the lagoon on the northeast shore - it's hard to see the turnout, but it gives access right along shore there below some nice redwoods, and it's free. 

Another great report, db - thx.   

He did well on the coastal cutthroat.  He caught a few that were very impressive, 4-5 pounds.  He trolled from his Revo.  I will have to ask what type of lures he used for them.  He caught some steelhead, but remember him saying the cutthroat were what he was targeting, the steelhead were incidental.

I have a Toyota Yaris I use for a commuter, so know what it is like  .  I use my GMC truck to haul the yaks, but with the gas mileage from the Yaris, it is very tempting to use with the kayaks!  17 mpg in the truck and 38 mpg in the Yaris, it will likely be a project very soon!

Happy new year to all (from San Jose for the night.)  I got a good look at the South Eel on the drive today.  It's "chocolate" brown close to the coast, the further inland you go it turns kind of muddy green.  It's quite high all the way up.   I have no idea what that means, but that's what it looks like.  The Russian River looks just like the pics posted by others here.  -- I'll be coming back up to Eureka, likely in June.   Meanwhile I'll keep trying to catch a legal halibut out of Cabrillo, right by my house.  I learned quite a bit this trip and that's what it's all about. -- btw I BOUGHT some crabs off a boat at Woodley Island Marina and we cooked them Wednesday night. Man they were GREAT!... and now there's another whole thing for a newbie to learn to do.