Smith River Fishing Guide

The Smith River is a wild river, which means there aren’t any water diversion or dams to alter the natural flow of the river. Its pristine water flows over giant granite boulders and winds through majestic redwood groves. This river produced California’s State record steelhead weighing 27 pounds, 4 ounces. Salmon in the 50 pound range are caught every year. Salmon fishing on the Smith starts with the first big rain in the fall around October or early November and lasts until December. Steelhead season on the Smith begins in late December and continues through April.