BROOKINGS, Ore. - The Chetco River is expected to be in prime shape as the weekend approaches after blowing out last week when a major storm pounded the Southern Oregon Coast.
Steelhead catches were good just before the storm, with a mix of hatchery and wild fish, and guides predict more steady action as the river continues to fall.
"We were blown off the river, literally, on Friday," said guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing (206-388-8988, www.wildriversfishing.com). "We launched at Ice Box and by the time we got below Loeb the river was rising and the winds were gusting to 50 or 60 mph. It was much more than was forecast and we had to call it quits. We probably got 2 inches of rain in just a couple hours"
The river crested at 12,000 cfs late Friday night, and was expected to drop through the week. Guides expected to begin fishing the Chetco again Monday or Tuesday, and predicted prime flows through the upcoming weekend.
"Just before it rained the Chetco was fishing great," Martin said. "Drift boaters were getting two to three fish Wednesday and Thursday. I saw David Castellanos' guys hook five."
Steelhead catches have improved in the Forest Service area of the Chetco. Boaters launching at the South Fork saw their best catches of the season last week. Most of the fish have been bright, fresh fish, although a few down-runners are beginning to show up as well.
"We've been getting one downer for about every four or five fish," Martin said. "That shows we still have a few weeks of good fishing before it starts to slowly taper off. With the river dropping now, I'd expect some pretty good fishing this upcoming weekend."
Roe and Puff Balls have been the hot bait all season on the Chetco. Orange has worked best during high flows, and pink has been the go-to color once the river drops below 4,000 cfs.
"Small clusters of roe cured in Pautzke's BorxOFire have worked really well," Martin says. "I use a size 2 Eagle Claw hook most of the time, but go down to a size 4 once it starts to get low and clear."
