Eel River South Fork

KAMASU · May-31-2007, 01:17 PM

Yo BDr's
I will be taking my family up to the Avenue of the Giants during the first week of August. Will be staying at the Hidden Springs Campground in the Humbolt Redwoods State Park. The South Fork of the Eel river runs through this area. I don't have a clue

as to how or what to fish for but would love to try something. This would be a far change from Halibut Seabass and all of the Pelagics. Any info to get me in the right direction would be so appreciated.

Thanks,

Daniel

Firebird · May-31-2007, 02:51 PM

Going up for a little Reggae on the River?
I went to school at Humboldt St. and you are in for a great trip. Perfect time of year to go. The weather that time of year in that area will be between 85 and 95 with medium to low humidity and plenty of sunshine with plenty of huge redwoods for shade. If you fish the river you might be a little early for steelhead but not unheard of. I certainly don't claim to be an expert but if you try for steelhead, use 20# spinning equipment with a salmon egg lure. They are not feeding but their instinct to pick up eggs and blow them back into the rocks is how you hook them. Needless to say, very challenging. Probably most likely to get rainbow trout. If you try Benbow Lake you should do well also.
Garberville is the closest town, but if you blink, you'll miss it. You should be able to find a guide service there but if not, Eureka will definately have something.
Shelter Cove will have charters for salmon. Check out the Shelter Cove Inn for charter info.
Fishing aside, this will be a trip your kids will always remember. It is so breath takingly beautiful that you have to pinch yourself. It's hard to believe you are still in California. That's why they film so many commercials up there. It's also not far from where the filmed the ewok forest in the Empire Strikes Back. It looks just like that.
Have a great time! Take lots of pictures. I'm jealous. We do this trip every year but my wife will be so pregnant with #3 by then that the Dr. said no road trips.
Good luck and great choice on vacation location,
Chris

catchabigone · May-31-2007, 06:39 PM

I live in Shelter Cove no need for a fellow bd'r to charter in the cove, if I am here I will take you fishing. But remember I have family in San Diego and will be wanting to ho sometime in the future. Lets see in august in the cove we could get 2 salmon ( in august last year there were many 40 # salmon caught and the early fish this year are bigger than last years ), 10 rockfish ( blacks blues olives reds ),2 ling cod ( some as big as 30# ) 1 Cabizone,1 pacific halibut( 30 to 75 pounds) , and 2 California halibut....... Each...... Plus albacore are always out there sometimes as close as 12 miles if mama ocean says it's ok and lays down for us. We have no limit on albacore up here so we can really send you home with some fish if all the stars line up just right. PM me if you think Shelter Cove is in your plans and we will be glad to meet a fellow bd'r.......................... David

catchabigone · May-31-2007, 06:40 PM

I don't guide in the cove i just take friends fishing. My outtfitter biz is in Idaho.

catchabigone · May-31-2007, 06:47 PM

I don't think there will be much fishing in the eel this summer as the water is really low already. I think I would make plans to fish somewhere else than the ell river in august. But I don't know everything at least check with a guide.
But the part about how beautiful it is up here is no exageration(sp). And the big reggae festival will be in Pearcy CA. that weekend so the area will be hoppin mon................................

getthagaff · Jun-01-2007, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firebird

Going up for a little Reggae on the River?
I went to school at Humboldt St. and you are in for a great trip. Perfect time of year to go. The weather that time of year in that area will be between 85 and 95 with medium to low humidity and plenty of sunshine with plenty of huge redwoods for shade. If you fish the river you might be a little early for steelhead but not unheard of. I certainly don't claim to be an expert but if you try for steelhead, use 20# spinning equipment with a salmon egg lure. They are not feeding but their instinct to pick up eggs and blow them back into the rocks is how you hook them. Needless to say, very challenging. Probably most likely to get rainbow trout. If you try Benbow Lake you should do well also.
Garberville is the closest town, but if you blink, you'll miss it. You should be able to find a guide service there but if not, Eureka will definately have something.
Shelter Cove will have charters for salmon. Check out the Shelter Cove Inn for charter info.
Fishing aside, this will be a trip your kids will always remember. It is so breath takingly beautiful that you have to pinch yourself. It's hard to believe you are still in California. That's why they film so many commercials up there. It's also not far from where the filmed the ewok forest in the Empire Strikes Back. It looks just like that.
Have a great time! Take lots of pictures. I'm jealous. We do this trip every year but my wife will be so pregnant with #3 by then that the Dr. said no road trips.
Good luck and great choice on vacation location,
Chris

Just to clear some stuff up, the salmon and steelhead start to show once we get our first rain, usually in october or november. The season lasts all winter until april. after that the adult fish leave and all that is left in the river are squawfish and salmon/steelhead smolts. These fish ARE NOT rainbow trout!! Please do not fish for them!! The south fork is a wild catch and release river ONLY. That means all salmon and steelhead are wild. There is no hatchery and the smolts need to be left alone. You can fish for as many squawfish as you like though....

But please dont target any "rainbow trout" in the south fork!

August is prime time for ocean fishing though, whether you go to shelter cove or eureka/trinidad there are boats to charter. fishing for salmon will be in full swing as will halibut, rockfish, and lingcod. The distance to shelter cove is about the same as eureka from where youre staying, trinidad being another 20 min. If you decide that you would like to make the trip to eureka or trinidad pm me for the # of a good charter, or any questions for that matter.

Its gonna be a great time to take the family camping there, you should have a blast no matter what

Nick

Firebird · Jun-01-2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getthagaff

Just to clear some stuff up, the salmon and steelhead start to show once we get our first rain, usually in october or november. The season lasts all winter until april. after that the adult fish leave and all that is left in the river are squawfish and salmon/steelhead smolts. These fish ARE NOT rainbow trout!! Please do not fish for them!! The south fork is a wild catch and release river ONLY. That means all salmon and steelhead are wild. There is no hatchery and the smolts need to be left alone. You can fish for as many squawfish as you like though....

But please dont target any "rainbow trout" in the south fork!

August is prime time for ocean fishing though, whether you go to shelter cove or eureka/trinidad there are boats to charter. fishing for salmon will be in full swing as will halibut, rockfish, and lingcod. The distance to shelter cove is about the same as eureka from where youre staying, trinidad being another 20 min. If you decide that you would like to make the trip to eureka or trinidad pm me for the # of a good charter, or any questions for that matter.

Its gonna be a great time to take the family camping there, you should have a blast no matter what

Nick

Help me out here.
If you intend to C&R, you should still not target rainbow?
I have a little background in the area and understand how sensitive the Six Rivers area is, but why is it not advisable to C&R rainbow? Is it because you will catch smolts if you are targeting rainbows?

seagipsy · Jun-01-2007, 04:33 PM

He is saying that what some call "rainbow trout" in the Eel are actually salmon and steelhead smolts, not true rainbow trout. Catch and release of smolts isn't very challenging and you will end up killing a good percentage of them, even if they seem alive when you let them go.

Firebird · Jun-01-2007, 05:01 PM

I getcha. Thanks John. Now that I think more about it, that does ring a bell.
So Daniel, Disregard what I said about catching rainbows on the Eel. But have a great trip any way.
Chris

KAMASU · Jun-04-2007, 09:49 AM

Thank you all for the information and especially you David (catchabigone) for the invite to fish out of your home port there @ Shelter Island. I can't pass-up that invite!

As for the sensitivity of the smolts I can totally understand and I will definitely not target them. Am I correct to say the squawfish are non indigenous fish who actually feed on the smolts? If this is the case please provide me some detailed information how/where to catch them and my boys and I will conduct a little eradication project on them while we're there!

Thanks,

Daniel