Trinity Floats - Indian Creek to North Fork

[James C]

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and am very excited to be here. It looks like a fountain of knowledge is available. I look forward to getting to chat with many of you.

I am going to do a trip on the Trinity next week and it looks like the river will be in good shape then. I've fished the Trinity many, many times, mostly walk and wade and I have done drifts from Big Flat to French Creek.

I was wondering if anyone would be able to suggest some good drifts for this time of year, I've heard that the Indian Creek to Junction City stretches are fishing well. I'm floating with my 9ft pontoon, so I can launch at some more rugged put-ins and take-outs to avoid other boat traffic. Keep in mind, I'm swinging with a two hander.

thanks for all of your help
Jimmy James

[Ben J]

Indian Creek to the North Fork would be a monster float... maybe JC to North Fork/Pigeon Point would be a good option.. Definitely shorten it up if you are swinging as you probably know. Some of the lower stretches are awesome earlier in the year for the whole swing thing.

[castaway12000]

I have gone from JC campground to Pigeon Point... great float. I would even go shorter... JC to the 20mph turn... More time fishing, less time floating.

[Larry S]

James,
you might want to do a search of past posts in the "steelhead/salmon" section. Not
long ago, someone was warning of a bad tree root snag(?) near the DC campground.
Might have been the owner of the Indian Creek Lodge. Give him a call?
Best,
Larry S

[NCL]

James,

There are several good floats from Indian Creek. I took your question to mean you were looking for a section between Indian Creek and JC, if you are thinking of doing that whole section you will probably not have time to fish. Also as mentioned the upper sections are not as good for swing a fly as below Junction City, I have used my spey rod in that area but usually just use a single hand rod. The hot flies last week were golden stones and psycho prince.

[bubzilla]

James,
you might want to do a search of past posts in the "steelhead/salmon" section. Not
long ago, someone was warning of a bad tree root snag(?) near the DC campground.
Might have been the owner of the Indian Creek Lodge. Give him a call?
Best,
Larry S


It is right in the middle of what used to be the deepest ledgerock section at the DC Campground. River splits right before it and then literally comes back together right on top of it. Pretty nasty. Real potential for disaster there if you are not careful or not familiar with navigating obstacles of that sort.

[Larry S]

Thanks bubzilla. Knew we could count on one of the Keine krowd.
Sounds like one of our San Diego street potholes!
Best,
Larry S

[James C]

Thanks everyone for your help. I was definitely not planning on doing Indian Creek all the way to the North Fork, but it sounds like a great multi-day trip. I'm also going to avoid that root ball around DC!

I searched all through the forum looking for more info, but didn't find anything that you haven't brought up here. I talked to Bill of Bill & Carol's Trinity Shuttle Service and Bill confirmed with me that Evan's Bar to the North Fork is not technical water and it looks like good gravel bar water from which to swing flies.

I'm planning on doing some 2 to 4 mile floats (at the most) so I can fish as much as possible.

If anyone knows of some specific obstacles or class 2 or 3 sections in there that I should know about, I'd greatly appreciate a heads up.

Again, thanks for all your help,
Jimmy James

[Larry S]

James,
Someone posted this a while ago - maybe Aaron?

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib//blm/ca/pdf/redding.Par.75e80a57.File.pdf/TrinityRiverboatinginfosheet.pdf

Rivers are dynamic and ever changing.

Best,
Larry S

[James C]

Thanks Larry. That doc is very informative.
Jimmy

[James C]

Thanks again everyone for your help. Did a walk and wade Day 1 in the Big Bar area, hooked and landed one. Floated near JC day 2 and hooked three. All on the swing.
thanks so much for all your help.

I highly recommend Bill & Carol's shuttle service if you need a shuttle. They do Lewiston to Pigeon Pt and are highly regarded by many. Bill and Carol Dickens... 530-623-1905

thanks again!
Jimmy James

[Ben J]

Hey James-
If you don't mind me asking, what type of patterns were you getting grabs on?

I spent a day swinging in the Del Loma area earlier this week, spotted a few adults from the road but ended up without a grab. Luckily the hatch really went off in the afternoon and landed a few half pounders and a solid brown throwing BWO's on top... lots of fun and i love the middle Trinity this time of year because it is an absolute ghost town.

[James C]

Middle T is a ghost town this time of year. Priceless.

I got all of my grabs on a Silvey's Tandem Tube in black with an orange cone. I tie them shorter than the commercial ones for the T. They've served me well. Fished a copper/olive Hoser and a black/purple fish taco. I'm sure the fish would have taken either of these, except they weren't there or weren't interested.

I tie all my T patterns smaller and more sparse than for any other rivers. The T was a foot over average October flows and was still absolutely crystal clear.

Jimmy James

[indiancreeklodge]

James, I haven't check in for a while--sorry I didn't respond earlier. I agree with everything said so far, and I would be happy to help out with info on other drifts. We have a number of regular pontooners who stay here as well as guides. The upper stretches of the river (above Douglas City) are fishing very well and are always at less risk of being blown out. Give me a call anytime.
John Letton
Indian Creek Lodge
Douglas City
530 623 3383