My first look at the rivers of Northern California was during a family trip. We’d traveled up the coast along the scenic Avenue of the Giants, overshadowed by the towering redwoods and dotted by Bigfoot statues. We crossed a bridge over Highway 1 and as I glanced down at the winding strip of turquoise passing beneath, the question rang in my mind: “What are the fish that travel this river?”

Many years later, my good friend, photographer Lee Church, was living in the area. He’d been fishing NorCal for a year or so, and shot me an invitation to join him for a week. We hit the Trinity River and explored our way up to the Oregon border. That hauntingly beautiful wilderness, with its singular fishery and meandering rivers, made a powerful impression I couldn’t forget. 

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above Front-row seats to a beat down. Wild and scenic on the Trinity. Location: Trinity River, CA.