The Meandering Angler: Good guides bring the fish to you

Longtime Sonoman Bill Fernandez took a long drive up to Coos Bay, Oregon, last week, where he spent several days fishing with his friend and local guide Cooper Hedgecock, who runs Indigenous Adventures.

Taking advantage of the clear weather and even clearer water, they fished for steelhead in the pretty Millicoma River, east of Coos Bay. They hit the conditions just right and caught numerous steelhead. While trying for steelhead they also hooked and released several Coho salmon.

Bill’s friend Cooper sounds like a good guide. He operates both drift and jet boats in western Oregon, specializing in rivers like the North Umpqua, Umpqua, Coos, Elk and Sixes rivers. You can contact him at cooperhedgecock@yahoo.com or by calling (541) 537-0256.

Sturgeon and striped bass fishing in San Pablo Bay is fabulous right now with large numbers of fish being caught every day, says Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait Shop in San Rafael. Anglers in boats are fishing near the Pump House in the North Bay, and from shore off China Camp and McNear Beach Pier. Call Keith at (415) 3456-0321 for the latest conditions, fresh live shrimp for bait and connections to a guide if you need one.

Depending on the volume of rain that falls over the next several weeks, steelhead fishing could really be good on the Trinity River, the Klamath, and points north including the Rogue. Freshwater runoff usually prompts these ocean-going rainbow trout to leave the Pacific and start migrating upstream to spawn.

Coastal rivers in northern California and Oregon are good bets, as long as you can stay flexible on what days you can fish. If it rains too hard, the rivers rise too much and become unfishable. If it doesn’t rain for weeks, the fish stop coming up. Hitting it just right is mostly luck.

You can strengthen the odds considerably by setting yourself up with an experienced guide. The good ones watch the river flows constantly, and will call to alert you if you have a trip scheduled and the water blows out. You can usually get a rain check for a future day.

My favorite guide is Jim Andras of Andras Outfitters, whose home water is the Rogue River near Ashland. Jim is the best, and he knows the Rogue so well, that I’ve suggested he also knows the fish living there by name. Rachel Andras, Jim’s wife, is also a guide and fly-fishing instructor, and handles most of the bookings for them both. Call (800) 488-5794 to check on available dates. Another good thing about this option is that there is plenty to do and see in Ashland, and the town has some great restaurants.

Another excellent guide for northern California and southern Oregon is former Sonoman Tyler Lee. He lives near Redding and works with Confluence Anglers. You can contact Tyler at (530) 515-3787, or via his email at tylerlee72@gmail.com. He is a great guy and a lot of fun to fish with.

Moving a little closer to Sonoma, I also recommend guide Hogan Brown, for the Yuba River, the Sacramento River and other waters near his home base of Chico. Besides having the best fishing guide name ever, Hogan really knows the Sac and the Yuba. A high school teacher who guides part time, he knows how to find fish.

He too, is a lot of fun to fish with. Hogan’s guide dates fill up well in advance, so if you’re thinking of fishing with him, it’s best to look ahead. His phone is (530) 514-2453, or check out his website at hgblyfishing.com.

All of the above are solid, dependable and excellent guides who I recommend for a winter steelhead trip.