I hope everyone had a good family Easter. The Friday and Saturday before was a great day to be on the river. The trouble is which one? Easter was kind of soggy and wet for most of us but for those that live south of Sacramento it was not so bad.

Most of the rivers are high due to the “Safety of Dam” releases. Translation, this means that most rivers are unfishable at this time due to the high water flows. It is still snowing above 4,500ft and the snow pack just keeps getting deeper and deeper with greater water content. This is all good in that the reservoirs will have a continuing water supply into late summer which will benefit everyone. At least that is what it looks like from the information being published. I understand that it is confusing when the information says that the snowpack is 161% of the average for this time of year. What it is saying is that the average of so many years is such but it is now 161% over that. Any way we have a lot of water coming. Right now the best place for river fishing is the Sacramento River.

Fishing: The increase of water releases from Lewiston to the Trinity (1,520cfs) has ended fishing on the Trinity for any time soon.

Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate Dam is releasing 6,870cfs and Seiad Valley gauge is reading at 10.8Kcfs, so the Klamath River is also unfishable.

Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 92% of capacity with inflows of 1,767cfs and releasing 1,301cfs into Clear Creek & Keswick. Shasta is 96 of capacity (an increase of 3% & plus 6ft) inflows of 30,341cfs and releasing 8,741cfs, Keswick is 93% of capacity with inflows of 8,795cfs and releasing 8,812fs; Oroville Lake is 81% of capacity (an increase of 5% & plus 12ft), inflow is 37,532cfs and releases are 12,753cfs; Folsom Lake is 66% of capacity (plus 6% & plus 6ft.) inflows are 10,219cfs and releases are 9,899cfs.

Trinity Lake: The Lake is 15ft below the overflow (decrease of 2ft)and 94% of capacity (2% increase) Inflow to Trinity Lake is 4,862cfs and Trinity Dam is releasing 1,278cfs to Lewiston Lake with 14cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Keswick Power Plant with 20,955cfs being released to the Sacramento River.

Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 1,520cfs, water temps of 47.2 and air is 66 degrees at 2:00pm. Saturday. Limekiln Gulch is 6.2ft at 1,660cfs, water temps are 47.3 degrees and air is 83.  Douglas City is 8.2ft at 2,130cfs, water temps of 47.4 and air is 62. Junction City is 4.8ft at 2,780cfs.  Helena is 13.1ft at 2,920cfs with water temps of 46.6. Cedar Flat is 8.6ft at 4,780cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 8,670cfs air is 62 and water at 48.5. Hoopa is 19.5ft at 12.8Kcfs with water temps of 49.5.  Flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at Klamath River are estimated to be 24.2K cfs.

Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 6,870cfs.  Seiad Valley is 8.8ft at 10.8Kcfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 11.6Kcfs. Somes Bar is estimated at 16.8Kcfs. Orleans is 11.4ft. at 19.9Kcfs. Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 18.1ft at 439.7cfs and water temperatures of 49.3 degrees. Flows at Smith River, Dr. Fine Bridge are 10.4ft at 6,850cfs.

Temperatures in the Valley last week were 66/39 degrees with 2.0 inches of rain with a season total of 78.95in of rain and 3.5in of snow. Temperatures in the valley next week are expected to be 72/39 degrees; with rain and showers the first part of the week and then cloudy for the weekend.  

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