The salmon fishing on California’s Smith River has continued to be solid again this past week. A consistent supply of king salmon are coming in and out of the estuary. Putting chinook salmon in the boat hasn’t been a problem for the handful of boats who have been going out daily. “We’ve seen everything from Jacks and Jills, to thirty plus pound king salmon. We’ve even brought a few coho to the boat over the past week.” Reports salmon fishing guide Mike Rasmussen. who goes on to say the silver salmon are always a welcome surprise, but must be quickly released. Causing as little harm as possible to the endangered salmon species. On a positive note, there have been plenty of king salmon willing to bite. The 11” Pro-Troll 360 flasher in chrome prism has seemed to work the best in this estuary fishery. A 24”, 100 pound mono bumper to the flasher from the main bead chain. A 28” leader from the flasher to your bait has seemed to keep the salmon interested in striking. These Smith River estuary king salmon are willing to chew most all bait presentations. Artificial baits like the “cut plug” and “super baits” are effective when stuffed with tuna. However the Yakima Bait Co. “Spin Fish” has quickly become my personal favorite for artificial presentations. When it comes down to it the best bait would still have to be a properly rigged anchovy. The flash from the roll of a properly rigged anchovy is irresistible to king salmon. Proving itself true in the Smith River estuary. As it has on many of the west coast salmon fisheries.

In the weeks to come, with no particular reference to time. The Smith River estuary fishing will give way to the “up river” fishery. Restricted to the use of a drift boat, kayak, or bank fishing. Basically anything that doesn’t use a motor for propulsion. Motors are 100% restricted on the Smith River above the Highway 101 bridge. This is when the Smith River shines for the drift boat fishermen using a sardine wrapped kwikfish or flatfish, maglips and cured salmon roe. The more traditional “in river” approach to tackle and methods of take. When exactly does this take place? All I can tell you is when it rains….Period. As soon as we get a significant Pacific rain storm to pump a couple inches of rainfall in the surrounding mountains, the estuary will empty out, and the river itself will fill up with salmon. Being one of the very last rivers to not have a dam. This wild river relies heavily on rainfall to raise its river water levels giving the chinook salmon access to their ancestral spawning grounds. As was intended in all rivers prior to colonization of the west coast. Basically when the rain comes we put away our jet sleds and take out our drift boats. Drift boat season has arrived.

As for now the Smith River has continued to pump out legit salmon fishing, and the quality of salmon doesn’t get any better. I expect a large push of newly arriving salmon to show up in the next week with the onset of this months full moon cycle. The largest tides of October will accompany this full moon phase. Bringing great tidal salmon fishing conditions to the Smith River, and Chetco River estuaries. If you are looking to book a guided fishing trip for the remainder of this month, or for drift boat king salmon fishing in November. Please give us a call at 530-722-8876. Or you can fill out a submission via our website salmonsacriver@gmail.com. We urge everyone who has not taken part in the North Coast chinook salmon fishery to consider experiencing everything it has to offer. I hope to see you all out there. Tight lines….

Mike's Fishing Guide Service for Sacramento River fishing targeting King Salmon, Striped Bass, White Sturgeon, American Shad and Rainbow Trout. The Best Sacramento River Salmon Fishing Guide and Striped Bass Fishing Guide on the Sacramento River.