CRESCENT CITY, Calif.—An unexpectedly large run of salmon in the rivers of far Northern California this winter is providing an economic boost to local communities across the hard-hit region.
After years of declining fish numbers, some waterways, including the Smith River—which flows through giant redwoods into the Pacific Ocean near Crescent City—have seen their best salmon returns since the 1970s, according to the California Department of Fish and Game and local biologists.
That is jump-starting the business for guides like Ken Cunningham, who lives near this town of 7,500 and fishes for salmon from a small boat drifting downriver. The 63-year-old said he spent about 20 days guiding last October at the height of the run, compared with about 10 days in October 2009. At $250 to $350 a trip, depending on the number of people, Mr. Cunningham made more than $5,000 in October.
The revival of freshwater recreational fishing is especially important for areas like Crescent City, which 30 years ago was a booming forestry and commercial-fishing town. "It was a very different community. There was a lot of economic activity," said Richard Young, the Crescent City harbor master and a former commercial fisherman.
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