Russian River is in perfect shape. Most of the fish are in the lower river. We will be fly fishing to day.

Rusian River is fishable this morning. I'll be on the water in about one hour. Gualala is very clear, fish lower half of river.

Russian is still to high with the rain. It was all most fishable.

Fishing the Russian River in the morning. Looks real good for the next 5 days.

The Gualala River was two clear and too low in the upper stretch. We could see fish but very few. I think the 9 boats before me had spooked them. It is in great shape for Fly fishing. The Russian River looks like it we"ll be in shape to fish Thu.this week. I think next week will be the start of great Steelhead fishing until the rain starts again.

Fishing the Gualala River Sunday then the Russian River starting Wed. It looks like the Russian will be the place to be next week. Be there or be square.

Russian River and above are fishable. Will be fishing this coming week end if river holds.

Fishing the Smith River this week. Will not report in untill sat or sun. River is rising right now. Should open in the morning.

Back today from the Smith River. All the fish caught in my boat were large. But they all had to much color to them. Stopped fishing Saturday because fish are old an need to be left alone. As soon as rain hits I will be back to the Smith River. The best are still waiting to come in. Steelhead are showing up in the Russian River and the Smith.

Have not been up dating my report because I'm fishing! The Smith river is good, Oct 12 landed two fish out of 4. 56lbs. and a 38 pound fresh buck. This new front coming in Saturday should really turn things on. Well be back on the Smith Tues. or Wedsday for Three weeks straight.

Russian River is fishable. The best fishing should start Thursday.

The last three days have been great. We have been landing four or five fish a day. Most have been hatchery females. At least 30 percent are wild and large. 8 pound average with a few wild fish over 10lbs. The fly fishing is possible now. Alot of fish!

The Steelhead season has started on the Russian River. Well have about four days at least of great fishing. Will be on the river in morning.

Just got back from the Smith. Landed several Salmon over 30 lbs. Looks like a great year for big fish. Seen a 50Lb. Salmon caught on a fly, it took one hour and a half to land. My largest was 35 on a fly. Have not been reporting much but that will change. Fish are in the rivers!

Fishing on the Stanni has been good. The weather has been even better. Russain is low and clear well check for fish there today.

The Russian River is fishable. On the river starting this Saturday.

Fishing on the Russain starts today. Steelhead in the river from mouth to mountains. If the rains stay off this week the Russain River will be the place to be. Water color is brown but there is clear water coming out of the streams.

Smith River fishing slow. Left Monday with river rising and leave blowing of trees. Not good for fly fishing which I was going to be doing. The Russian river looks good. Steelhead being caught all up and down river. Russian might be the place to be by the end of December.

Fishing is still good on the Smith River. Right now it's just right for getting salmon in hte holes. Storm Friday should bring fresh fish.

Conditions are great and were catching fish. Yesterday landed 5 out of 10 Salmon hooked. These fish were landed by my 7 and 8 year old sons. It was a big deal! Water is good, storms here on the Smith River are going to be light looking for a great week.

Finally we are getting a good run of fish in the Smith River. Fish are sited on the lower river heading up to holding pools awaiting the next storm event. The big Salmon are caught before or during major storm events. Fish can predict when these events happen before our weathermen can. Big Salmon on the Smith River need to be in the river to get to holding water near the mouth of their spawning streams. Then at the perfect time head up to spawning gravel's. These next few weeks could be it, but I'm no fish.

Steelhead will get going about Christmas. The Russian River looks like a good bet for early fish this year. In 95 the best fishing for Steelhead was the 19th of December and then the rains hit. For those in the bay area the Russian River is close and has as many fish as any other river at that time. The majority of our early fish last year were wild fish. On the Russian there is a difference between wild and hatchery.

Will be fishing the Smith River starting Monday. Should be the kick off of a good season. Look in tuesday for up date.

Just heard that the Smith reached the level that opens it for fishing. Check with F&G. This rain is hitting all up and down the coast. Next week is the time to be up north to fly fish for Salmon. The Russian River gave up a few Salmon this week. Looking for some early Steelie to be in behind the Salmon. I'm keeping a eye on the Eel River for Salmon.

The Stanisluas River was great the last two days. Fly fished only with nymphs and glow bugs. The color of Glo bugs and type of nymphs made all the difference. Yesterday I fished by my self. Running the boat and fly fishing at the same time is very difficult. But still I landed a lot of fish about 20". The river was packed with Salmon all the way down the river. There are reports of Salmon in all the coastal rivers right now. This could be a very good year for Salmon and Steelhead fishing on the coast. I will be making repairs on my boats for a week and half, then off the Smith or the Eel Rivers.

Great two days on the Stanisluas River this week end. Did not see anyone else on the river all day. We caught several Rainbows over 20 inches and got bites from stripers. The Salmon are starting to spawn so there were several in the riffles. No fish on dry flies all of them took nymphs.

Stanislaus River closes the 15th of October. The water right now is clear emerald green color and cold. Saturday we hooked one salmon 2 stripers and several Rainbows. The water is so clear you can see stripers 15' under the boat. Sunday clients from Monterey hooked one striper, two King Salmon and a Rainbow that was at least 22" long. The Rainbows were all large with and exception of a few small ones that were not as large as the lure. Small mouth fishing on the Stanni is in full swing with large mouth and stripers filling in between. The season will reopen the 1st of January with trout and Steelhead. Russian River has some good small mouth and large mouth fishing right now until the weather turns cold. There are a few Kings in but they are hard to locate. Smith River had a few Jacks move in so the fishing for Cutthroat trout can have a bonus with an energetic salmon. This could be the last year that a King Salmon can be taken on the Eel River. The Eel River Kings have just been listed so in another 8 months the restrictions might stop the fishing for Kings there.

Striper fishing is getting good on the Stanisluas River. Yesterday I saw schools of Stripers of 20 or 30 fish. Fished with my 8 year old son from 8am to 2pm. Rainbows were not on the bite, I think dropping water levels and the full moon were slowing them down. When I hooked the first fish I gave the rod to my fishing partner. Thought it was a striper but turned out to be a 7 lb. Sacramento minnow pike. The next one I hooked was very big; when I look around to give the rod to my son he wanted no part of it but finally took it. This fish was a 15 lb. King Salmon. It cleared the water three times and took us 15 min. to land. I took a fin clip for Fish & Game and released her unharmed. At the end of the day we hooked about 4 stripers but only landed the King. The water is dropping again next week, then the best Striper fishing should start.

Back from the Stanni Sunday, it was great fun! We caught over 18" Rainbows in the middle of rafting trafic. Two fish bounced off rafts that were too close. It was fun to see a 18" fish jumping out of the water all around a raft full of 12 teenage girls all the time they were screaming and then the fish comes down on the side of the raft. They almost jumped out of the raft. Found a big school of Stripers sunday moving up the river. I came up on them to fast and was not able to back off. Next trip I'll know right were they are. We did get one Striper but we where after big Rainbows. The rafters will not be a problem after school gets started. Reports of Salmon moving into rivers on the coast already. This could be a good year for the returns to the Eel and the Smith River.

Will be on the Stanislaus River for the next few days. Have seen Stripers moving up river. Looking to do some site fishing for them. Small Mouth are biting too.

Fished the Stanni again this weekend. The fishing was great and the clients had a great time. We are getting big Rainbows now (18" plus) with a few Stripers thrown in.

Fished on the Stanislaus River Friday night and Saturday morning. Just made a quick trip, then stayed on the river over night. It was a much-needed break from civilization. Steve Trafton from Trout Unlimited fished with me Friday night then left for home. We fly fished for Rainbows and Stripers from 5:00 PM until 8:30 PM. Hare's ear nymphs worked great for two hours until the sun started to go down then a hatch started. Once the hatch started dries were the fly of choice but we did not have the time. After a porter house steak dinner prepared directly on mesquite charcoal I slept the night dreaming of dry fly fishing in the morning. Saturday morning was beautiful but the Rainbows preferred streamers so I gave them want they want. I was out of the water by 10:30 am. boat on the trailer and on my way home. To fish this length of water takes a full day. I make a two-day trip out of it with a stay in over night boat in campgrounds. The Porter house steak dinner is included! Stripers and Small mouth bass fishing has started on the lower stretch of river.

Well it's good to be home! I Spent 7 day hoofing up and down the Middle Fork of the Upper Stanislaus River. The first of the week was great fishing with several Brown's over 17". Lots of Rainbow in the fast water. By the end of the week the water dropped and put the fish into a picky feeding trend. The lower Stanni dropped and the fishing should be great the rest of the year. Stripers are in!

Fished the Stanni this last weekend. The rafters had it strired up and the fish were slow on the bite. The water will start to recede this week. About the 12th of July the water will be just right. Will be fishing the upper Stanislaus untill then. Big Browns in the upper part of the river.

Fishing friday was great. No stripers but we landed two Steelhead at 20". Several Rainbows over 16". The river is high and the area at Knights Ferry is dangerous for those not used to Class 4 or 5 water.

Fished the Stanislaus River today. Caught 1 striper 11 1/2 lbs. Hooked 35 rainbows, landed 25 between 14" & 17". Will be fishing tommorow, then back home. Water high but will hold all summer.

Just back from the Stanisluas River. It was great for Rainbows but the stipers would not bite. We got a look at serveral that chased the lures but would not take them. Hooked and lost a big fish Monday that looked like a Steelhead about 5lbs.

On May 22, 1999 caught 30 -35 Rainbow Trout on the Stanislaus River. Today I will be Fly Fishing the same river.

I'll be on the lower Stannisluas River this week end. The fishing will be great. Rainbows, Stripers, Large mouth, Small mouth and Shad. There is a short window in river conditions until the big snow melt.

Fishing on Lake Sonoma was very good until winds started. Will be on the upper Stannislaus River fishing for Browns next week. The upper Stanni will have about one to two weeks before the big snow melt starts. The openner on the lower Stannislaus should be very good. Before it closed I was getting Rainbows , Stripers, Small mouth and large mouth Bass.

Back from the Smith River three hours ago and heading to the Stanislaus in another four hours. Will be fishing for Rainbows and big Stripers until it closes March 31. The fishing on the Smith was very slow.

Fished the Stanislaus River Yesterday. Hooked 50 Rainbows and 3 Stripers with two people fishing. The largest Bow was 17" and Stripers about 10lbs. The Russian River is in perfect shape but very few are fishing.

This week is the last of the Steelhead fishing. All coastal steams look very good. There are fesh fish in the Rssian River and alot of down streamers. The fly fishing here on the coast should be very good. Attending Mike Fongs Lunchen in SF Sat. then off to the Stanislaus River Sun. This is it for most rivers until the end of May. Be there or be square.

Fished the Stanisluas River yesterday. It was very high but the fishing was great. Hooked 15 Rainbows, one Small Mouth and 3 Stripers. Lost one of the Stripers when it straightened my hook. The largest fish was the one I lost (close to 30lbs). Two other Stripers weight 14 pounds and a 8 pounder are going to be eaten. I fished by my self because the water was so high, safety was a big concern. Water was fast and for those who are not experienced with white water need to stay off this river at this level. I am booking trips now.

Fishing the Russian River Sunday, maybe a little high. Trying to get some fishing in on the Russian before the end of the month. Fishing the Stannislaus River Monday will know if it is safe for the boat to go down the river. Will report as soon as something breaks.

Have been fishing Lake Sonoma this last week. The spring bass fishing is just starting up. Russian River is clearing and I'll be fishing for Steelhead on Monday. The Gualala and Garcia Rivers are fishing well and should be fly fishable by Monday. This is it for the Steelhead fishing, we have two or three weeks more. The Stannislaus River is close to being fishable. I hope to be fishing there by the end of the month.

We were blown out here on the coast Sat. The Russian River will take at least one week to clear, but the smaller rivers to the north will be in good shape by Thursday. I'll be booking days on the Smith River starting Feb. 12th into the next week. The Smith is the best bet for a chance at Steelhead.

Russian River is fishable today! The river is dropping fast and should be perfect by Sat. Fish being caught all up and down the coast.

Rivers ae still high but are dropping fast. The end of this week could be the start of great fishing on the Russian River. Water on the Russian is clearing very fast. We have not had a push of hatchery fish yet and the ocean conditions have been very good. There should be fish on the entire river all the way up to Lake Medocino.

The Gualala River should be fishable Tuesday. All the coastal rivers will be fisable by Wednesday. Remember that on most coastal rivers you can not keep any wild fish. Please handle these fish carelully, after you release these fish they have a difficult journey to make. Let's not make the closure of these rivers neccessary.

Fly fishing on the Smith River should be picking up as soon as the flow drops down to at least 11' at Jed Smith Park. If planning a trip to the Smith River try to take a few days, Smith River requires patience and time.

Rainbow Trout fishing is still great on the Stannislaus River. The numbers of fish that I'm landing with conventional gear and flies are incredible. The water is a little high right now but it should change any day

Well it's winter for sure! All rivers are blown out. The first to become fishable will be the Smith and Gualala. There is still more rain expected today. I will be back up to the Smith this weekend with openings at the first of the week. Bernard

January 13, 1999 Heading for the Smith River for 4 days. I still have openings for fly fishing. This rain coming should really break things open every where on the coast.

The Stanislaus River is hot. 60 hookups a day an at least half of those landed. Fly fishing for these Rainbows is the best in the state right now. There is hatches of may flies happening every afternoon.

Russian River will be great with just a bit of rain to get the flow up. There is fish just waiting to head up.