Klamath River Fall Chinook (KRFC) salmon stock abundance and In-River return reports were very low for 2016. In fact, they were so low that the stocks were approaching an overfished condition. This being crafted on a minimum of 11,379 natural and hatchery adult salmon return to the Klamath River Basin. We can expect a drastic reduction of surplus harvestable Fall Chinook salmon for the 2017 In-River quota. The number I have heard was a total 1,111 for the Klamath – Trinity Rivers In-River Sports fishing and a total Tribal harvest of 7,404. This is not a very large amount of Fall Chinook salmon to harvest! I can only hope that someone will speak up for us In-River sports fishers. The declaration of overfished stock could mean “NO salmon fishing”! I would really hate to see this happen but I can remember that happening to the Sacramento River in years past. 

Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 2,460cfs.  Seiad Valley is 6.6ft at 6,670cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 7,354cfs. Somes Bar is estimated at 12.3Kcfs. Orleans is 10.2ft. at 16.29Kcfs. Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 17.7ft at 37.4Kcfs and water temperatures of 45.4 degrees. Flows at Smith River, Dr. Fine Bridge are 11.2ft at 8,480cfs. 

Temperatures in the Valley last week were 60/35 degrees with 2.45 inches of rain with a season total of 63.95in of rain and 3.5in of snow. Temperatures in the valley next week are expected to be 56/37 degrees; with rain the first of the week then showers into next week. 

Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate Dam is releasing 2,460cfs and Seiad Valley is reading at 6,670cfs, so I cannot say the Klamath is real fishable. The present storms are creating problems in the upper river, but if Iron Gate gets down to 1,500cfs it could be good fishing. A good source of information for fishing conditions is Scott Caldwell of S C Fishing; look him up on the internet.  

Websites: MyOutdoorBuddy.com, Willowcreekchamber.com,
from Willow Creek, CA Phone 530-629-3554, E-mail yen2fish@yahoo.com