Black Butte & Middle Fork Eel Rivers
![[Photo]: Middle Fork Eel River.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090511030724im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/recreation/fishing/images/eel_river_small.jpg)
Both these rivers are important spawning and rearing areas for salmon and steelhead which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In general, fishing is closed in most of the portion of these watersheds accessible to salmon and steelhead. This was done to protect these fish and encourage their recovery. In past years, many juvenile steelhead were harvested by anglers who thought they were catching resident rainbow trout.
Consult the California state fishing regulations for specific information.
![[Link]: GobiernoUSA.gov, información oficial en español.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090511030724im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/images/usagobierno_color.jpg){kind=small}
![[Link]: The U.S. government's official
web portal.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090511030724im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/images/usagov_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
![[Printer]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090511030724im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/local-common/images/print/print.gif){kind=small}