The ocean salmon season off of the mouth of the Chetco River in Brookings, Ore., got off to a slow start, but has since picked up. Best of all, the salmon are averaging 30 pounds, and fish to 50 pounds have been caught.
The ocean season closed Oct. 12, but when the river opens above rivermile 2.2 in November, fishing should be excellent, predicts guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing (www.wildriversfishing.com) in Brookings.
Only a couple dozen salmon were caught during the Oct. 1 opener. Since then, 30 to 50 fish a day have been caught, and they are all big fish.
Andy says he has been trolling plug-cut herring.
Expect fishing to improve in the mouth of the river over the next few weeks, baring a major rain, and then good fishing when the river opens.
