Flow increases on Klamath spoil good steelhead fishing

[Craig Nielsen]

Fly fishing the Klamath River continued to be very good with bright fresh spring run steelhead arriving until April 5th when flows out of Irongate Dam unexpectedly increased to nearly 4,000 cfs. We have contacted the hatchery to see if the sudden increase from 1800 cfs was due to hatchery operations as they recently released some juvenile Coho and may have requested a pulse flow to help encourage the fish to migrate downstream and out to the Pacific?

Stay tuned if you are hoping to get in your last steelhead trip of the season, particularly if you are interested in finding a final fish or two on the swing. If flows drop soon, you may get your chance. Feel free to drop us a line for the latest on conditions.

[Craig Nielsen]

Flows (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv/?site_no=11516530&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060%20%3Chttp://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv/?site_no=11516530&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060) on the Klamath have just dropped to fishable, though not optimal levels, providing a slim opportunity to find some spring run steelies. We recommend swinging this time of year to avoid disturbing spawning fish. The vast majority of our steelhead in the upper river are wild and it is critical for them to successfully procreate. Do drop us a line if you are headed this way, we are always pleased to share all we can.