As levels rise, you can always go higher up, or try some of the side creeks. Being the largest undammed river in California, flow conditions fluctuate freely, so you could run the same section many times and encounter different rapids each time. With headwaters mostly in well-managed national forests, water on all forks of the Smith is generally crystal clear, even after heavy rains. The run below Gasquet is too short to be satisfying, unless you do it twice, combine it with something else, or include it on a travel day. The road is almost always visible, and there are some paddles across flatwater.
Most rapids are simple drops thru gravel bars.
Class IV boaters often continue into Oregon Hole Gorge and take out at the South Fork Road bridge, or further down at Jedediah Smith State Park. Large raft is a tiny speck in the first big drop Punching another huge hole near the end To reach take-out, drive one mile east of Hiouchi, pass the South Fork road, and proceed just beyond the tricky gorge drops that are visible from the highway. Park at the next turnout, where a trail descends to the river. Walk down to the river so you can recognize the take-out and avoid blundering into Oregon Hole Gorge. To reach put-in, drive about six more miles east on 199.