Navarro River Fishing Guides
A Mendocino coast steelhead river running through redwood canyon and Anderson Valley to a lagoon at the Pacific.
Guides on the Navarro River
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About the Navarro River
The Navarro drains Anderson Valley in Mendocino County and runs west through a redwood canyon to meet the Pacific at Navarro Beach, where it forms a lagoon behind a sandbar for part of the year. Highway 128 follows it for the whole of that canyon run, which makes it one of the more accessible coastal rivers in northern California and one of the prettiest drives in the state. The valley above is wine country and sheep country; the canyon below is second-growth redwood, dark and cool and damp, with the river running green over gravel beneath it.
This is a winter steelhead river, and the emphasis belongs on winter. Like most north-coast rivers the Navarro is rainfall-driven: it runs low and clear in summer, sometimes to the point that the mouth closes behind a sandbar entirely, and it comes alive when the winter storms arrive and lift it enough for fish to move. Steelhead are the target and the tradition here. Coho salmon are present in the system as well, and they are listed and fully protected – they are not a fishery and must be released without being removed from the water. Chinook show in some years.
Everything about fishing the Navarro depends on regulations that change and on flow-based closures that can shut the river with little notice, so checking current California rules for the Mendocino coast before every trip is not optional here. The gauge near Navarro publishes discharge and stage but no water temperature, which is workable because on this river the flow number is the fishing report – it tells you whether fish can enter from the ocean and whether the river has dropped back into shape after a storm. The window is a few days after a good rain.
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Access
Highway 128 pull-offs through the canyon - the primary roadside access for the whole river.
Navarro River Redwoods State Park - the main public tract along the canyon.
Paul M. Dimmick Campground - a developed access point mid-canyon.
Navarro Beach and the lagoon - access at the mouth, subject to seasonal closure.
Hendy Woods State Park - upper river access in Anderson Valley.
Anderson Valley road crossings near Philo - upstream bank entry.
Navarro-by-the-Sea area - lower river access near the highway bridge.
Seasons
Spring: the tail of the steelhead season, closing as flows drop and rules tighten.
Summer: very low and often closed at the mouth; not a fishing season on this river.
Fall: waiting for rain, with the first storms beginning to open the river.
Winter: the season - steelhead move on every good rise, fished as the river drops and clears.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Navarro River?
As of Sep 17, 5:15 am, the USGS gauge NAVARRO R NR NAVARRO CA reads 3 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Navarro River?
Anglers target Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Sacramento Pikeminnow, Sacramento Sucker, Steelhead, Striped Bass on the Navarro River in California.
Where can you access the Navarro River?
Highway 128 pull-offs through the canyon - the primary roadside access for the whole river. Navarro River Redwoods State Park - the main public tract along the canyon. Paul M. Dimmick Campground - a developed access point mid-canyon. Navarro Beach and the lagoon - access at the mouth, subject to seasonal closure. Hendy Woods State Park - upper river access in Anderson Valley. Anderson Valley road crossings near Philo - upstream bank entry. Navarro-by-the-Sea area - lower river access near the highway bridge.
When is the best time to fish the Navarro River?
Spring: the tail of the steelhead season, closing as flows drop and rules tighten. Summer: very low and often closed at the mouth; not a fishing season on this river. Fall: waiting for rain, with the first storms beginning to open the river. Winter: the season - steelhead move on every good rise, fished as the river drops and clears.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Navarro River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the California agency site: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations