Smith River shaping up for smooth transition

Newest SFR sponsor Phil Desautels says king salmon were still on the chew for his Smilingsalmon.com clients fishing the Smith River during the up and down water conditions over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Desautels said Gregorio Slovik and his boys Cooper and Griffin were up just before the holiday and got blown off the river by one of the biggest rises of the season. Slovik, a Smith River veteran, had planned his trip well and they were able to get in on a good bite in the subsequent dropping water.

Cooper landed a 31-pound hen and his younger brother Griffin added a 26-pound hen to the take.

Both fish were caught pulling Kwikfish below the 101 Bridge.

Desautels then took clients out the day after Thanksgiving for 4 more king salmon before another rise from the weekend storm.

"These storms should bring in the last of the salmon and the first of the winter run steelhead," said Desautels. "We should be fishing steelhead full speed by Dec. 15."