Sunshine daydreams and metallic energy
A change in regulations on the Smith that no longer allows the take of wild fish on the river -- combined with a couple previous winters of tough fishing -- have the waterway ridiculously empty of anglers, but not fish.

The launch ramp at the Forks looked more like a weekday in March than prime time in January and word had it that everyone was on the Chetco in Oregon, where you can still take a wild fish and even add a second hatchery fish.

All I can say is the weather was perfect, Chad Woods got his first steelie to get us off the schneid and then we had our hands full with a couple huge steelhead, one that spun off early and another native buck that broke off at the net after a mile of river and 15 minutes on the line.

Pictured here is a chromer native that cooperated just long enough to get this shot before it was swam strongly away. To top it off was the most beautiful day on the North Coast I have ever seen. We had to buy sunscreen before we made the second run down the river. There are going to be a lot more big fish this season - don't let them just swim by. We're going to give it another try tomorrow. If you want your chance, contact Phil Desautels at Smiling Salmon Guide Service .