The rivers are dropping at a good rate and the fishing is starting o pick up on the Lower Trinity while the Upper Trinity is starting to get HOT. The Trinity River is starting to see more influx of Winter Run Steelhead as is the Klamath River. I would say Winter Steelhead fishing is starting. Of course, the best Winter Steelhead fishing starts after Christmas.    It looks like we are going to have some more weather soon. If so, the Steelhead fishing should improve.

 

A news release in a San Fransico paper stated that a California Tribe is suing the Bureau of Reclamation, “saying that Coho Salmon are suffering due to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s management of dams on Northern California’s Trinity River. The Yurok Tribe accuses the bureau of violating the Endangered Species Act by restricting water flows in the winter, which damages salmon nests and releasing higher flows of cold water in the spring, which lowers the water temperatures and stunts the growth of young salmon.” I can’t remember how many times I have requested the TMC and BOR to study the “old flow graphs” from the early 1900’s and try to mimic the water releases that match those winter water flows from before the Dams. It just fell on deaf ears because I had NO scientific evidence. If the water releases were to maybe come close to the winter water flows of those years and repair the water shed streams maybe we would have more Native Steelhead and Coho Salmon.  That’s where they spawn not in the main steam of the river. 

 

Klamath River summary: The latest weir summaries are the same as last weeks, sorry about that.  The counts would be for Julian Week 47, Nov. 19, 2024 through November 25, 2024: Shasta River; 4,932-adult Chinook Salmon, This would be the season total; 16-adult Coho Samon: Bogus Creek, November 19, 2024 through November 25, 2024: 354-adult Chinook Salmon; 3-adult Coho Salmon, no season total: Scott River, November 19, 2024 through November 25, 2024: 588-adult Chinook Salmon; 507-adult Coho Salmon; Jenny Creek Weir began operations: November 27, 2024; 332-adult Chinook Salmon; 0-adult Coho Salmon; Shovel Creek weir counts: Nov. 19 , 2024 through Nov. 25, 2024: 228-Adult Chinook Salmon; 0-Adult Coho Salmon. The Scott, Jenny Creek, and Shovel Creek weirs were pulled Nov. 20, 2024 and the Bogus Creek Weir was pulled Nov. 21, 2024 because of the storm forecast. All of these counts are not season totals, some are for the week.

 

Trinity River Hatchery summary: Julian Week 47 ending Nov. 25, 2024: (the weirs were pulled therefore the counts are not recorded); 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 47, 2024, ending Nov. 25, 2024 (no counts): 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 47 ending Nov. 25, 2024(no counts): 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.

 

Fishing: With the rivers dropping fishing in the Willow Creek area has picked up. We are seeing more half-pounders with a good scattering of adults. I was told of a float the other day from South Fork Sandy Bar put in to Big Rock garnered about 20 ½-pounders with two adults using single plastic eggs. This could be the way to go, I am switching over to Six Rivers scented soft eggs to see if I can improve my chances of landing some Steelhead. 

 

Lewiston Lake: 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 9,241cfs. This is a decrease of 685cfs.  Iron Gate Dam/Bogus Creek area is flowing 1,046cfs a decrease of 37cfs from last time. The Upper Klamath is flowing good right now. I’ve noticed that the water flows are decreasing so the fishing should be good for Happy Camp to above I-5. I have not heard about the Orleans to Happy Camp section so I have no fishing info for there. I suggest you call Marble Mountain Guest Ranch (800) 522-6284, or Scott Caldwell, SC Guide Service (530)905-0758 to get proper fishing information for that area.

 

Lake Conditions: Something was wrong with the water flow gauges report so I was unable to get a good report. Whiskeytown is N/A% of capacity (an increase of 2%) with inflows of 00cfs with releases of 00cfs into Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is N/A% of capacity (an increase of 6% and plus11ft) with inflows of 00cfs and releasing 00cfs into Keswick. Keswick is N/A% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows of 00cfs and releases of 00cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 56% of capacity (an increase of 0% and plus 3ft) with inflows of 2,564cfs with releases of 4,369cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is N/A% of capacity (a decrease of 2% and minus 3ft) with inflows of 00cfs with releases of 00cfs into the American river. Trinity Lake storage is 1,660,519AF an increase of 56,916AF of storage.

 

Trinity Lake: The lake is N/Aft below the overflow (an increase of 2ft) and N/A% of capacity (an increase of 2%) with inflows of 799cfs and releasing 275cfs into Lewiston Lake with -00cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant while releasing 4,202cfs into the Sacramento River. 

 

Trinity River flows and conditions: Trinity Lake is N’A% of capacity (an increase of 2%) and 54ft below the overflow an increase of 4ft. Lewiston Dam is 96% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) and water releases of 316cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 44.0 degrees, as of 11:00am today Sunday December 8, 2024. Limekiln Gulch is 4.73ft at 357cfs. Douglas City is 6.62ft with flows of 434cfs with water temperatures of 43.8 degrees. Junction City is N/Aft at N/Acfs. Helena is 9.26ft at 719cfs with water temps of 44.8 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 4.73 at 943cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 1,682cfs, air is 54 degrees and water at 45.5 degrees, Hoopa is 14.28ft at 3,311cfs with water at 46.5 degrees.

 

Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area flows are 1,046cfs, a decrease of 37cfs. Seiad Valley is 3.10ft at 1,955cfs. Indian Creek is 5.21ft at 531cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be 2,486cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 4,166cfs, and the Salmon River is 3.72ft at 1,764cfs. Orleans is 5.59ft at 5,930cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 11.33ft at 11,734cfs and water temps are 45.8 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 7.26ft with flows of 2,181cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 13.85ft at N/A.

 

Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 59 and a low of 33 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.02in with a water year total to date of 12.76 and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 58 and a low of 32. The weather predicted for the next week is looking like we could have some rain after the weekend.