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."
