Swing North-Fly Fishing Winter Steelhead-California Trout

Hidden behind deep gray fog, California’s North Coast is one of the most pristine habitats in the state. But the thick redwood forests and slate green rivers were almost devastated by the impact of industry. Once hosting runs of more than a million salmon and steelhead, the annual fish counts on the Eel River now often number less than 1,000. Yet, the salmonids persist. In recent years, signs of a recovery ripple through the waters. In Swing North, fishermen Mikey Wier and Jason Hartwick hook into the growing population of wild winter run steelhead on the Eel. With appearances by Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia and Shane Anderson, director of Wild Reverence: The Wild Steelheads’ Last Stand, the two discover a river that holds hope for one of California’s great remaining wild fisheries.
The full movie will be featured in the 2014 International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4). Visit their website for a screening near you. flyfilmfest.com
To learn more about what CalTrout is doing on the Eel River and other rivers on the north coast, visit caltrout.org

[@Irideus]

What a beautiful run.Check out our flies . Thank you for all you do.

[@lizzapaolia959]

That's such a beautiful area. Thanks for sharing this video. Definitely God's country..🙏🙏

[@patrickdonner3542]

Everything about this was amazing. Thank you. Steelhead fishing is truly spiritual.

[@editingreality4779]

I loved fishing the Northern areas in California and now I live in the U.P of Michigan, pretty nice fishin up her as well, thanks for a great one.

[@christophergarrett5978]

Thank you for the share!! Amazing fish,beautiful scenery and hella cool fellas.thank you

[@cutback747]

I've been fly fishing the Eel for 25 years, and if people are interested (@morrowproduction), two great places to start are two books: Clark C. Van Fleet's "Steelhead to a Fly," and Russell Chatham's "The Angler's Coast." Both are out of print, and "Steelhead to a Fly" is really hard to find, but well worth it (try Adams Angling). Many common steelhead flies (Fall Favorite), techniques, and even steelhead gear (shooting heads) were invented or refined just to fish the Eel. As Chatham said, it was the one-time "greatest salmon and steelhead river in the world." Maybe you can get ahold of an old article I wrote for Wild Steelhead and Salmon magazine that tried to summarize a lot of information about the Eel (winter, 1998). Maybe 15 Years ago my friends and I tried to urge the state of California to initiate catch and release of all wild steelhead in the state, before the federal government, specifically NMFS, listed all regions as "threatened or extinct" and shut down all fishing. It was a simple request and we were stunned that we were fought by nearly everyone, including many we thought were our allies. Eventually, due to the pressure from NMFS, the regulations were put in place by the Gray Davis administration and thankfully remain today. @pugiist102 you did not waste your time fishing the Trinity; I hope you had some great days there. The Eel is a spate stream, where conditions are completely dependent on rainfall and timing is everything, and the fish therefore come in and out very quickly, particularly the South Fork run, and are very tough to take on the fly. Fish headed down stream, or "downstreamers" are often caught in chrome condition. It is the most difficult river I have fished (other than the Smith), but also my favorite. I believe this is an excellent video and these anglers were more than careful and fair with their landing of the fish. Their technique is a common "beaching" technique that is handled by these fish and while not perfect, is hardly equivalent to dragging them over the rocks. Where I would disagree with the authors is their claim that the Eel is currently robust and recovering. A read through the historical literature shows that we have a long way to go before this happens. Some good steady rain for the next years will be very helpful : ).

[@mattyp7582]

This is literally why I am moving back in 11 days!!!! No joke! 2 miles from the Eel.

[@markedwayne1171]

Serious Steelheaders spend the summer chasing Western Pikeminnow, aka "squawfish". The largest of the minnow family, these ambush predators are non-native, voracious, and can reach 30-45 inches in length. Take out one breeding hen and save a few thousand steelhead fry per Pikeminnow fry. These fish drop lots of eggs, thousands per spawn. CADFG frequently posts bounties for Pikeminnow with a grand prize (usually a Quad) to the angler with the largest fish, and 2-5 dollars per Pikeminnow over 10". The Russian and Eel rivers are usually where it's at. Both are dammed at some point and prior to damming these rivers they historically went sub-surface during the dry summers. Something a local real estate/ plumbing supply magnate like Steve Kelly should know.

[@ZugBug27]

I carry an aluminum "priest" that looks like a miniature baseball bat of about 18" when I fish rivers for trout or steelhead where squawfish are present ... I dispatch any squawfish unlucky enough to end up in my net ... they are cut up and returned to the river to provide nutrients ... they are about as ugly as steelhead are beautiful, so it's easy to kill these squawfish that are basically big heads with strong jaws and torpedo-like bodies that prey upon hapless steelhead and salmon alevins and smolts, and the big squawfish will seriously brutalize salmonids and will eat scads of 14" or 15" steelhead, salmon and trout with ease ... Oregon has the right idea by having a bounty on the damned things ... I was not aware that the California DFW (or whatever they changed their name to) did the same sort of common-sense thing to protect steelhead, salmon and trout and attempt to control the populations of squawfish ...

[@ericunderwood1482]

@@ZugBug27 For forty years I've been doing the squawfish punt....and for 11 years id play squawfish catch with my 111 lb Ralfy dog....he would break their backs and spit em back into the river! GOOD BOY RALF!

[@robgrubb420]

Please make more videos like this. thank you.

[@Hailexx]

That was a beautifully shot video!

[@salmonsteelheadnorthcoast7639]

Great video I wish I could show you the 3 wild fish I hooked and landed here

[@target.fishing1015]

Wow guys, nice vid. Beautiful fish!

[@alejalbor]

Great video guys!!! I hope to fish in Eel one day, I think is a similar river than Futaleufu (Patagonia)

[@lito_al_booboo]

I love flyfishing in nor cal and nevada county. Our fish are well populated., yet wary of hooks and lines so they do well to create a challenge. In a few hours I might go from streamers to dries to wets and it is always interesting because the same spot and same fly only works for maybe a week at most befor the fish change their menus. Even a perfect presentation of a streamer that worked a week ago will leave you guessing until you put a dry fly on there. It changes constantly and the fish population is good because they are wary.

[@ryana411]

Just fished @ leatherwood bar today... it's one of my favorite spots

[@mainHERO88]

You guys got Yvon Chouinard out there with you?!?! (8:46) What a legend. I'd love to meet that guy on the river some day.

[@samandjackvlog8948]

I catch my steelhead on the Skeena river and Bulkeley river

[@dylanrosenthal3554]

Where you guys getting access in leggett? Noticed a a spot right behind my property.

[@Machster10]

The Eel River is an example of an epically failed opportunity for the state to revitalize a once great fishery. It has been a textbook example of an extirpated fishery. The logging keeps it muddy all season with the lightest of rain. What a totally mismanaged train-wreck.

[@CeeEmmz]

Didnt know we have bigger fish here in Canada "B.C. STEELHEAD" compared to Cali...... but still the fish in the video are BEAUTIFUL!

[@tomsandersjr.7637]

NorCal steelhead aren't typically very large, except perhaps on the Smith. BC is what we call legendary steelhead. One can only dream of such fish in CA.

[@MorrowProduction]

Excellent work my friend =p Loved the way this was presented, great audio choices too =p I've only rod n reel fished for steelhead the last 6 years, I would love to be introduced to the fly fishing world of steelhead. I just filmed a little video we did in Humboldt count on the Madd River this last January.

[@markedwayne1171]

MorrowProduction I've had some interesting times on the Madd. The sea lions mass in the tidal zone during Salmon and Steelie runs. They tend to get very interested in a fish on the line, and when fishing from a 9' kayak things can get sporty. I've had them come up and snout-butt my kayak when things were slow, as if to say "hey man, Where T.F. are the fish,bro? I extend the same offer I made gatchel1990 to you. We will start off with putting a baitcaster on your 7-9 wt flyrod and doing some stripcasting. Maybe conditions will warrant an ultralight spincasting rod with a smallish flyreel for some ultra-ultralight guerilla sly-flycasting. Occasionally, a longish flyrod with a 1/32 oz spoon (cleo,if you can find them that small, little Phoebes work great too) is what it takes, using the lightest, longest leader possible. Whatever, we have the fish. Come on up. Don't bring roe.

[@MorrowProduction]

marked wayne Do you happen to work for cal trout by any chance?

[@markedwayne1171]

No. Not Cal Trout. Until 2006 I worked with a local non-profit org managing some thing called E-Center's Mendocino Fisheries Program. We contracted with Fed, state,and Local Gov, agencies for Habitat restoration and data collection projects. In 2006, Obama eliminated agency administration from the federal grant system and mine and many other programs went kaputski. What's your story, Morrow?

[@iklink]

What is the weight on those Rods?

[@skypieper]

Sweet video.

[@EdwardAkop]

How did you come across Yvon Chouinard? Did you invite him to a fishing trip with you or did he just appear there?

[@mrcodesteez1211]

great video men

[@extorter]

tight lines bro!!

[@Luvbonne]

Hope ... Doesn't , Disappoint ... The Mighty Eel will Come Back / with all the Help from the Ghosts , that Grew up Wading this Holy Water ... Who Learned to Love these Straight Fish ... Our NorthWest Game Fish ...

[@martingremm1178]

I will came this year, at summer for 6 weeeks, I need a local guide, anyone interested to guide me?

[@salmonsteelheadnorthcoast7639]

Right on the main below the forks

[@Dellytron]

Dope ass opening beat

[@kristenbatjer2994]

Ok so I will never hate on wild steelhead but why are they so small and skinny where I come fork out steelhead are like 6lbs on average

[@kristenbatjer2994]

Big ones are like 20lbs

[@babawawasrk]

the eel dried up

[@707AR15]

How about we stop shipping water to southern CA, and build desalinization plants down there?

[@markedwayne1171]

707AR15 Not a single drop of Eel or Russian river water goes to So.Cal. The fact is you and the rest of the state voted down de-sal plant development in CA because you think water is free and fear taxes more than thirst. Fact. Sorry, bud. However, if you choose to fund it, I will gladly drink the water.

[@josejimenez5618]

marked wayne fuck those tunnels bro. I live in the east delta and that project will destroy my fishing sport plus my water bill will only go up.. specially during drought season. . I will be real upset if me and my family have to move somewhere else up north. . STOP THE TUNNELS

[@philipmorphew6301]

How about you start paying your taxes like So. Californian's do?

[@bombingbloke]

why not net the fish rather than dragging it on the rocks!

[@avid2112]

bombingbloke You're seriously bagging on their fish handling techniques?

[@smitty96161]

Nice video, but beaching fish is lame and by showing it others are going to think it is ok to do it that way. Land the fish in knee deep water , you can watch people do it in hundreds of videos here on youtube. you don't need a net and you don't need to beach fish to land them.

[@paulmerelrich9863]

Yah tell the state to keep their greasy fingers outta the rivers

[@pugilist102]

When I lived in SF, I wasted my time fishing the Trinity. Should've spent the few extra hours driving to the Eel.

[@bigluke138]

pugilist102 few extra hours? The eel is below the trinity

[@hightideadventures9471]

👍👍

[@kristenbatjer2994]

And also no steelhead run will ever the top the terrace/Smithers area

[@seanconnors654]

Lol you have several factors that give it an advantage, and the Oregon run has some great ones. You guys are about to ruin it though so we'll see

[@tro4404]

Lame. Drop the uber- cool nonsense. It is pretentious.

[@krishurt7338]

catch and release is good and all, but we should be able to keep at least one a trip. Be responsible and let them live and keep coming but theres no point in fishing if you cant keep at least one.

[@smoketears6874]

Kris Hurt fish in the ocean man, let these fish repopulate

[@andymac390]

You have clearly missed the point of this video and the steelheader’s ethic.

[@PewGoBoomLife]

I have never kept a steelhead in my 25 years of fishing. Numbers are to low, and dont care for the meat.

[@chrismontreuil2206]

@@PewGoBoomLife I have to agree with you. The meat is poor quality. They never used to be like that.

[@briangreenwood6948]

Completely missed it.