T-River drifts...

[JGB]

Hi All-

Looking forward to the next few months on the Big T as the steelhead start to come in. I have reserved certain rocks at particular locations for the dates that I can go...

I have also purchased an inflatable kayak to improve the number of rocks I can reserve. I have never done the drift from Lewiston to DC, is this a trip that can be run in a kayak?

It's an Aire kayak, not one I bought from CVS and I absolutely love it. I have become somewhat proficient in kayak skills, but am not eager to take on III's or IV's as I will be solo. Portage if necessary will not be a problem.

Will the Lewiston-DC drift be an issue for me? I have fished the area extensively by foot, so am somewhat familiar...

DC to JC?

TIA, JGB.

[aaron]

DC to JC is mellow
http://cacreeks.com/trin-djc.htm Cal creeks is a good resource for beta.

[shawn kempkes]

Rather than doing drifts, I would use it to ford the river in several spots between big bar and cedar flat. theres some good gravel bars to swing down there.

[JGB]

Aaron- great link/site, thanx. The boat they are using in the pix is the exact boat I have!

Shawn - kinda my general idea. It's pretty hard to fish while I float because I don't intend to use an anchor, and its a pain in the a$$ to try and cast with one hand while rowing to hold position with the other!

Access is the goal, drifting and pulling over to get out and fish is the plan...

Used the boat in MT on numerous rivers and it has opened up a whole new fishing world. What took so long...?! Sheesh!

Thanx guys.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Old veteran Steelheaders Mike Murphy and his cousin Denny Murphy are some of the first people that I know who drifted the Trinity River. I think they were in a small raft floating from Junction City downstream. I think it was back in the 1970s or 1980s? Mike reported to me that it was amazing how many good runs you miss by just driving the road and walking to the runs.

Before that most people just drove the road, parked and walked down to the runs.

Sense they put in the dams in 1963 the willows started to really grow up on the river so you can't see all the nice runs anymore.

Also with all the private property, access is much harder now too.

I think if any of you can afford it, you might hire a good guide to learn some of the river.

[JGB]

Funny how the older we get the better it was. Getting old is fun, but it sure can be tiring sometimes!

A guide is most certainly an option that I need to consider, thanx. Am quite familair with the river by foot and 4x4, but doing a drift with a guide first would certainly be a good idea.

Cheers, JGB

[joshfish]

i agree with shawn. use it to ferry across the river to open more spots. not only will it open good spots to swing but spots to nymph also. a buddy and i have been eyeballing some spots and are goiong to take the ik this year.