For the first time this season steelhead anglers on the Chetco River were hoping for rain as the river continued to drop after a week and a half of dry weather.

Rain was expected before the upcoming weekend, just in time for the Rowdy Creek Derby on the Smith and Chetco rivers.

"The river has been dropping, but still has a green color, and there are still plenty of fish in the system," said guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing.

The recent dry spell has dropped other nearby rivers into shape, allowing steelheaders to hit the Umpqua, Rogue and Coquille in Southern Oregon and Eel in Northern California. The result has been fewer boats on the Chetco and Smith.

"For the first half of the season, the Smith was fishing better than the Chetco. Now the Chetco is producing some better action," Martin said.

Most guides are averaging one to three fish a day on the Chetco, with a few more hook-ups.

"It should get better after the next rain brings some more steelhead into the river," Martin said.

Chetco anglers are still catching more bright fish than downrunners, but more spawned out steelhead are showing up in the catch.

"I've been using pink Puff Balls with roe cured in natural-colored Pautzke BorxOFire," Martin said. "Size 2 Eagle Claw hooks have been working well, but with the lower water, I'm switching over to size 4."

Fish Species: winter steelhead
Bait Used: roe cured in Pautzke's BorxOFire
Tackle Used: Wright & Mcgill rods, Eagle Claw hooks
Method Used: side-drifting, pulling plugs
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Mike Smith of Salem, Ore., holds a steelhead caught Feb. 17 on the Chetco River with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. The steelhead hit a small cluster of roe cured in Pautzke's BorxOFire fished with a pink Puff Ball and size 2 Eagle Claw hook.
Mike Smith of Salem, Ore., holds a steelhead caught Feb. 17 on the Chetco River with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. The steelhead hit a small cluster of roe cured in Pautzke's BorxOFire fished with a pink Puff Ball and size 2 Eagle Claw hook.

Another Chetco river steelhead.
Another Chetco river steelhead.


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About The Author: Captain Andy Martin

Company: Wild Rivers Fishing Oregon and Alaska

Area Reporting: Oregon, Alaska

Bio: Andy Martin is a well-known Oregon and Alaska fishing guide and charter boat captain. He targets trophy halibut in Alaska, as well as six-fish-per-person limits of silver salmon. In Oregon, he catches some of the biggest salmon in the Northwest, including trophy king salmon over 60 pounds. Oregon salmon and steelhead trips are done out of clean, heated jet boats and drift boats on the Rogue and Chetco rivers. Andy also is a prolific outdoor writer, regular contributing to Fish Alaska, Salmon Trout Steelheader, Saltwater Sportsman, Game & Fish, Oregon Hunter, California Sportsman, Northwest Sportsman and ESPN Outdoors.

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