We have been having rain for the past week and I is getting soaked. Willow Creek has had over five inches of rain now with more to come. The weather people ae predicting more rain for the coming week. This is good for the firefighters here in northern California. Too bad some of this rain isn’t reaching southern California, they could really use it! The good part is that fish are moving and being caught on the Trinity.

 

This last week the “Science on Tap”, held in Weaverville, was very good about the recovery efforts on the Eel River have been good at times and hard to explain at other times. The effort is great and reasonable, the recovery is slow for returns. Fish need cold fresh water for good recovery efforts. The trouble is water over 72 degrees causes algae and algae is not good for the fish. Back in the 1970s the coast had great weather for the fish and we had great runs which equated to great fishing. We have great problems trying to convince the people in power that you can’t continue to take unlimited water form the north and ship it to the south without there being some back lash to the environment. The idea of recovering fish runs of the years past needs cooperation from everyone NOT just one group. The idea of the “Record of Decision” had good intensions but the lack cooperation.

 

The Dam Removal on the Klamath seems to be having some good results as there are some good fish counts above the Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area. If this continues there just might be some great recovery of the runs of years ago. Man, that would be great for the economy in the coast and for the commercial fishermen. They could make a living again. It hurts everyone when there is no fishing for salmon. Its NOT just the fishermen but all of the support businesses that depend on fishing.

 

Klamath River summary: August 29, 2024 through November 13, 2024: Shasta River; 4,869-adult Chinook Salmon; 9-adult Coho Samon: Bogus Creek, September 13, 2024 through November 12, 2024: 340-adult Chinook Salmon; 0-adult Coho Salmon: Scott River, September 13, 2024 through November 13, 2024: 557-adult Chinook Salmon; 142-adult Coho Salmon; Jenny Creek Weir began operations September 26, 2024; 310-adult Chinook Salmon; 0-adult Coho Salmon; Shovel Creek began operations October 16, 2024 through November 8, 2024: 198-Adult Chinook Salmon; 0-Adult Coho Salmon.

 

Trinity River Hatchery summary: Julian Week 43 ending Oct. 28, 2024: 35-Jack Chinook Salmon; 89-adult Chinook Salmon, total 124, season total 124 Chinook Salmon; 0-adult Coho Salmon, season total 0: 1-1/2- pounder; 13-Adult Steelhead; 13-hatchery Steelhead.

 

Junction City Weir summary:  Julian Week 43, 2024, ending Oct. 28, 2025: Chinook Salmon; 14- jacks, 16-adults, total 30, season total 323; Coho Salmon; 2-jacks, 2-adults, total 4, season total 6; Steelhead; 2-1/2lbs, 10-adults, total 12, season total 220; 1- Brown Trout, season total 27.

 

Willow Creek weir summary: Julian week 43 ending Oct. 28, 2024: Chinook Salmon; 11-jacks, 53-adults, total 64,season total 694; Coho Salmon; 0-jacks, 6-adults, total 6, season total 18; Steelhead; 1-1/2-pounders, 1-adults, total 37, season total 647. About 61% of the Steelhead this last count was hatchery clipped fish. The numbers are starting to go up with the rains.

 

Fishing: We are experiencing winter type of weather this last week or so. This is great as the fishing has picked up, the problem being that there are very few fishermen in the Willow Creek area most people fish on the Lower Trinity are fishing down in Hoopa. Now on the other hand fishing up river is getting a bit crowded. The majority of the drift boats are working Evans Bar to Pigeon Point. The rest of the drift boats are using the Junction City run. I was told that a 13lb Steelhead was landed on that run but I didn’t get the name of the fisherperson or the location. Any way there is some great fishing going on in the upper river. I would hope that more fish will move into the Trinity with the coming storms that are predicted. Many of the fishermen fishing the Evens Bar run were fly fishing while the Junction City run was mixed with some hardware fishers. Spinners like Blue Fox, orange or green bodies with silver spinner, Panther Martin, yellow with black or red dots spinner and black bodies work well.

 

Lewiston Lake: Pine Cove Marina, Louise said fishing Lewiston Lake even better with the coming storms. I didn’t hear from Louise this week so I am not sure how Lewiston Lake was doing. 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 6,793cfs. This is an increase of 6,294cfs.  Iron Gate Dam/Bogus Creek area is flowing 1,109cfs an increase of 83cfs from last time. The Upper Klamath is flowing good right now. I’ve noticed that the water flows have picked up a bit so that should bring is more fish down at the mouth. If the predicted weather hits the north coast, we should start to see more winter steelhead moving up the rivers. Fishing Happy Camp or above I-5 should really start to pick up now with these better flows. 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 94% of capacity (a decrease of 5%) with inflows of 101cfs with releases of 253cfs into Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is 55% of capacity (a decrease of 2% and minus 4ft) with inflows of 2,323cfs and releasing 4,382cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 88% of capacity (a decrease of 4%) with inflows of 4,459cfs and releases of 4,349cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 48% of capacity (a decrease of 2% and minus 8ft) with inflows of 2,004cfs with releases of 3,962cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 36% of capacity (a decrease of 6% and minus 6ft) with inflows of 762cfs with releases of 1,529cfs into the American river. Trinity Lake storage is 1,31AF a decrease of 75,027AF of storage. 

Trinity Lake: The lake is 58ft below the overflow (an increase of 2ft) and 66% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows of 399cfs and releasing 265cfs into Lewiston Lake with -40cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant while releasing 4,349cfs into the Sacramento River. 

 

Trinity River flows and conditions: Trinity Lake is 66% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) and 58ft below the overflow an increase of 2ft. Lewiston Dam is 97% of capacity (a decrease of %) and water releases of 305cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 46.2 degrees, as of 11:00pm today Monday November 18, 2024. Limekiln Gulch is 4.69ft at 332cfs. Douglas City is 6.53ft with flows of 383cfs with water temperatures of 44.1 degrees. Junction City is 1.75ft at 432cfs. Helena is 8.92ft at 565cfs with water temps of 45.3 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 2.72 at 222cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 787cfs, air is 44 degrees and water at 46 degrees, Hoopa is 13.15ft at 2,064cfs with water at 47.2 degrees.

 

Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area flows are 1,109cfs, an increase of 83cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.78/ft at 1,647cfs. Indian Creek is 5.09ft at 481cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be 2,168cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 5,071cfs, and the Salmon River is 3.68ft at 1,722cfs. Orleans is 6.13ft at 6,793cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 12.34ft at 15,449cfs and water temps are 47.3 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 11.61ft with flows of 10,271cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 18.21ft at N/A.

 

Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 65 and a low of 39 degrees. Rain for the week was 2.93in with a water year total to date of 5.87 inches and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 53 and a low of 40. The weather predicted for the next week is rain to the weekend then scattered showers for the weekend. This kind of weather is going to bring up the rivers and should improver fishing for Thanksgiving week.