Loleta Eric's Guide Service

Wendell called me up looking to get more exposure to outdoor opportunities along the Humboldt Coast. Today was our Humboldt Bay adventure, and the weather was nearly perfect. Worked the tide for a few dozen meaty bivalves, enjoyed an exploration paddle on the glassy bay waters, and by just before 1PM we had a fat sack of clam meat in Wendell's cooler, ready for family chowder projects and clam fritters. Good Times for sure - our next outing is set for July down at my main ocean port. Stay tuned, get tuned in with your own trip, or, if you're not considering an adventure on the water, get tuned up! Let's do it!

After my recent marketing blitz, Jose hit me up for a river date. What's been a really tough steelhead season was rapidly winding down, so we agreed on a late May warm weather river tour with no fishing involved. Several days later I saw a weather forecast and a river flow that just don't coincide very often at this time of year. I asked if he wanted to move our appointment up to this weekend, and my guy was all in. It was still planned as a get-acquainted, nature tour, b...ut I offered to bring a couple of casting rods so we could at least toss spoons along the edges for the day - that turned into a steelhead season redemption kind of move. I've gotta thank Jose for engaging me for a trip. I don't think I've ever seen a day on the Eel River with no wind until after 5PM. The mid morning covid-free shuttle went great, and by about dinner time we were all smiles over the river miles. If you want some Eel, let's make a deal!

Took an old friend and his wife down the South Fork today. They're up from Santa Rosa and camping out at Burlington. Flows were robust, making for a fast ride and plenty of room to navigate the obstacles. Fishing wasn't on their wish list, so the trip was a nice break from that pursuit and a good opportunity to just enjoy the scenery of the oldgrowth corridor and a gorgeous late winter flow. We shared the route with a bunch of mergansers, two pairs of mallards and two bal...d eagles. Between now and about July, depending on rains, there will be more ideal river conditions for outings such as this. If you've ever wanted to check out one of the most magnificent redwood reaches on the planet, don't be shy! I concentrate on safety - including a covid-free shuttle. I show all access points, creeks and other places of interest, and I offer natural history and other info based on my knowledge of and experience in this place. Bring your own gear like my guests today, or I can completely outfit you for the day. This is the Eel River - my home water.

I'm running a special on my Steelhead Habitat Excursion through the oldgrowth corridor of the South Fork Eel - I'll show you all the places where I've caught them in past seasons! Yesterday's run on a near perfect flow featured sunny skies and just a few minor breezes mid afternoon. Thomas came up from the Bay Area for his first river run on his Outback, and since his son couldn't join us he had welcomed me to recruit another guest or two for our day. Not just a cost-sav...ing move, it's always good to have more participants than just two, and I had a couple of locals in mind who have done multiple trips with me. David and Yaad were stoked to hook up for this run, and their very positive and engaging natures added so much to the quality of the group. In the days before the trip I devised a covid-free shuttle scheme that was to entail an open-air Avenue ascent, and at the end of the day I would ride my bike eight miles back to launch for my truck. I love incorporating an additional challenge into an already long and demanding day - 37 minutes pedaling through the oldgrowth that we'd just paddled through wasn't torturous, but tiring for sure. The guys accommodated the time needs for this plan, and in the end we were all pleased with the ability to pull off the trip without compromising our standards for personal and community protection - this is the world we live in at this point. The OG Corridor was gorgeous as always. We took the usual brief side hike onto the low end of one of my favorite tribs at lunch, and one bald eagle along with many ducks, two otters and a pair of loudly honking geese spiced the air and sparkled the view for our sensory pleasure. On the fishing front, the steelhead were a no-show, and it's been that kind of season for many. Thomas got a great intro for techniques, but it helps if some proof follows the practice. Discovering new territory and learning how to safely navigate river currents and potential hazards along with the beauty of Humboldt Redwoods State Park added up to a happy client, and getting to know a new friend in an area where I know all the features was a pleasure for me as well. David and Yaad had both been on the route, and each trip they come to better know the landscape here along with its potential pitfalls and positives. I have big appreciation for my returning guests, and high on my list of reasons is the all-day-smile that these two in particular have such a knack for sharing with those in their company. Thanks again, guys - we'll get 'em next time.

Had a blast with a special guest today. Looking forward to being on my second Monday's with Michaele next week - Good Times!

Kitty, David and I got on it for some crabbing this afternoon down at the mouth of the Eel. Conditions weren't ideal, ranging from whitecaps with rain to glassy and calm, we took it all in stride and focused on getting the trainee some time on the water running gear and handling the animals. We were treated to a decent bite and a rich experience where goals were met and joy was had. We got blown off by a squall at the end, loaded the gear in the rain, and socially distanced and masked steaming of the catch was topped off by a well deserved beer on my patio at dusk. It doesn't get much better, and we shoot for that.

Got to take Michael and Silas crabbing today. We did the full tour and worked eight rings at two locations. Beautiful day that went from ice on the yaks to full sun to mild afternoon breeze - steaming crab and cold beer to top it off. Humboldt Life with Loleta Eric's Guide Service - "no gym membership needed."

Ten foot tide change coming this weekend. Combined with storm swells and a rising river, the mouth will represent maximum hazard conditions at times. When I was very young in the early 1970's, my best friend's dad and another man were killed at the mouth of the Eel while crabbing in a small dory. It was thought that they got sucked into the breakers just outside the mouth when their motor died. Twenty years later I started boating around the estuary and sometimes near the m...outh, and that early lesson about how deadly the area can be has never faded from my mind. The mouth changes constantly, and tides don't follow the book very well. Nothing is to be taken for granted down there.

Got to take a good friend around on the lower river today.

Greg and Kerry came up from Lakeport to enjoy the Cove after their Mexican vacation plans got Covidized. I got to take them out for some fishing, and we had a ball! The forecast was one of the best of the season with 5 knots of wind and a 4' swell from the north that would basically be eliminated by points northwest of the Cove. I arrived just before sunrise to see a foggy ocean with wind chop on it - for first thing in the morning, this was more ripply than basically all s...Continue reading