My weather station is predicting rain for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which means that we could possibly have rain for Halloween. What a bummer if that is correct! The good part is that rain brings in more fish and that makes fishermen and ladies happy. From what I have been able to find out is that fishing has picked up some. I am always happy to let the fishing public know that there is good fishing on the Trinity River. It also looks like fishing on the Klamath is starting to get better.

 

Last week TRRP Science on Tap at the Trinity County Brewing Company had a very good meeting about changes to the river’s flow had a lasting impact on the species. Eric Peterson from the TRRP was the presenter. I was not able to attend but several people told me about the meeting and said that it was very interesting. Back in 2000 when the restoration program was signed into effect the science from the prior 10 to 20 years was combined to form water releases into the Trinity River to help the Salomon and Steelhead improve spawning conditions for the fish thereby improving baby fish to going out to sea and become adult fish to increase returns.

 

The restoration program has help increase juvenile fish going out to sea but the returns are not coming back as expected. Prior to the placement of the Trinity and Lewiston Dams the water releases into the Trinity River was controlled by Mother Nature and the Trinity flowed freely down to the Klamath. Back then records we kept of the flow on the Trinity River, my question is, why are TRRP and the Bureau of Reclamation not trying to emulate those types of water flows. Mother Natures science produced many fish returning into the Klamath and Trinity Rivers. We had plenty of Salmon and Steelhead in the rivers for great fishing seasons. For the last two years there has been NO FISHING season, with the chance of another year of no fishing! Producing more Salmon and Steelhead in the Hatchery for releasing into the river instead of decreasing the amount being released into the river, I would think it would help to increase fish returns. Past hatchery performance has shown that there was good fish returns for a good fishing season. I would think that trying to copy Mother Nature’s science for the river water flows would be a good thing!

 

Junction City Weir summary:  Julian Week 42, 2024, ending Oct. 21, 2025: Chinook Salmon; 21- jacks, 39-adults, total 60, season total 293; Coho Salmon; 1-jacks, 1-adults, total 2, season total 2; Steelhead; 2-1/2lbs, 13-adults, total 16, season total 208; 0- Brown Trout, season total 25.

 

Willow Creek weir summary: Julian week 42 ending Oct. 21, 2024: Chinook Salmon; 28-jacks, 63-adults, total 91,season total 618; Coho Salmon; 1-jacks, 6-adults, total 7, season total 12; Steelhead; 4-1/2-pounders, 61-adults, total 65, season total 590. About 63% of the Steelhead this last count was hatchery clipped fish. With the number of Steelhead being counted at the weirs I would think I would hear about more fish being landed. One problem I see is the number of Salmon going through the weirs there should be a lot of catch and release of Salmon. This could make a problem for Salmon survival.

 

Fishing: Winter is here! There are lots of Salmon going through the Willow Creek weir these last few weeks, this could be a problem for Steelhead fishing. When fishing for Steelhead one could hook a Salmon because Salmon will go after the same presentation. Too much catch and releasing of Salmon could cause to much stress that would cause death. This would really hurt the spawning of the Salmon and then we would be right back where we started from for two the three years down the road for Salmon returns. There has to be a better way to solve the problem. Again, back to hatchery fish, why not increase fish at the hatchery for more fish to be release.

 

With the winter water releases form the dam down to 300cfs one will have to down size the spinners and spoons as the larger spinners and spoons so not to scare the fish but entice them to strike. Spinners, Blue Fox, orange or green bodies with silver spinner, Panther Martin, yellow with black or red dots spinner and black bodies work will down here. The Willow Creek weir has been counting a lot of salmon for this time of year so be careful when caching a Salmon. Be sure to release the fish properly so you don’t cause the fish a lot of stress.

 

Fishing has been good from Big Rock to South Fork for Steelhead but you will also hook a Salmon now and then. Hoopa has also been hot and cool fishing for the last couple of weeks. Some fly fishing has been good for half-pounders down in Hoopa below their weir at Tish Tang as well as up at the mouth of South Fork. Remember the flows have dropped to 300cfs so some areas are now shallow were before they held fish.

 

Lewiston Lake: Pine Cove Marina, Louise said fishing Lewiston Lake has been good with the rains you just have to go deep and soak worm for good result. Black Leaches for the fly guys and patients work well. Down to Indian Creek area he fishing is good but spotty. For Lewiston Lake and Trinity Lake information you can call, Pine Cove Marina, Matt or Louise (530)778-3878, for the river you can call Indian Creek Lodge, Andy or Hannah, (530)623-6294), Junction City Store, Butch, (530)623-2803.

 

Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 2,563cfs. This is an increase of 335cfs.  Iron Gate Dam/Bogus Creek area is flowing 1,026cfs an increase of 17cfs from last time. The Upper Klamath is still flowing a bit dirty. I’ve noticed that the water flows have picked up a bit so that should bring is more fish down at the mouth.  When fishing dirty water, you will have to use brighter gear (flashers) and go up in size to attract the fish. If you are interested in fishing the Upper Klamath you might call the Marble Mountain Guest Ranch (800) 522-6284, or Scott Caldwell, SC Guide Service (530)905-0758 

 

Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 99% of capacity (a decrease of 0%) with inflows of N/Acfs with releases of ---into Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is 572% of capacity (a decrease of 3% and minus 6ft) with inflows of ---cfs and releasing 5,198cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 92% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) with inflows of N/Acfs and releases of ---cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 50% of capacity (a decrease of 2% and minus 8ft) with inflows of N/Acfs with releases of ---1cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 42% of capacity (a decrease of 2% and minus 3ft) with inflows of N/Acfs with releases of ---cfs into the American river. Trinity Lake storage is 1,31AF a decrease of 75,027AF of storage.

 

Trinity Lake: The lake is 56ft below the overflow (an increase of 3ft) and 67% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) with inflows of N/Acfs and releasing ---cfs into Lewiston Lake with N/Acfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant while releasing N/Acfs into the Sacramento River.  For some reason the inflows and releases were not available this week.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Trinity Lake is 67% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) and 56ft below the overflow an increase of 3ft. Lewiston Dam is 98% of capacity (an increase of 2%) and water releases of 294cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 46.9 degrees, as of 9:00pm today Monday October 28, 2024. Limekiln Gulch is 4.62ft at 287cfs. Douglas City is 6.40ft with flows of 320cfs with water temperatures of 47.9 degrees. Junction City is 1.54ft at 321cfs. Helena is 8.39ft at 361cfs with water temps of 50.2 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is N/Aft at 0.00cfs (Gauge is still out of order). South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 2.13 at 107cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 468cfs, air is 51 degrees and water at 53 degrees, Hoopa is 11.35ft at 719cfs with water at 55.0 degrees.

 

Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area flows are 1,026cfs, an increase of 17cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.27ft at 1,305cfs. Indian Creek is 3.54ft at 69cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be 1,374cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 1,875cfs, and the Salmon River is 1.68ft at 269cfs. Orleans is 2.53ft at 1,844cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 8.17ft at 3,173cfs and water temps are 55.9 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 5.63ft with flows of 755cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 12.34ft at N/A.

 

Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 75 and a low of 36 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.37in with a water year total to date of 0.41 inches and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 72 and a low of 42. The weather predicted for the next week is rain for Halloween, fair for the weekend and then more rain showers.