Rain and breezy conditions are the forecast for the week, with the possibility of “blow out” conditions on New Year’s Day and maybe Saturday. The Kilchis, however, comes back into shape quickly and will likely be fishable late in the week, and possibly Sunday. It’s still a touch early on the Kilchis, but after last week’s high water event there should be a few steelhead in the system.

The Kilchis is a mostly wild fish river for steelhead, and as is at its best mid-January through early April. The Kilchis is a small river and as such can get low and clear, but it is also one of the first basins to come back in shape after a storm, and is often fishable when other North coast basins are still blown out.

There is plenty of public access on the Kilchis River available from state forest lands, in addition to drift boat access.

Catching and releasing a big wild winter steelhead is one of the best experiences I know of, but anglers are encouraged to treat these fish with care. The best practices for a good release are to not over fight the fish, and release them as quickly as possible without taking them out of the water.

Trout season will reopen on May 22, 2020.