Bill Kiene semi-retired
09-07-2014, 06:00 PM
TRINITY RIVER FISHING REPORT – September 7, 2014
by E. B. Duggan
No flows then flows, prevent fish kills then fish kills, the pour river is like a political football that is being pushed and pulled all over the place and the fishermen or the fish do not know which way to go! Water is becoming scarcer every day we have no rain and no winter snow pack in the mountains. The loss of salmon in 2008 hurt but the Klamath-Trinity Rivers did recover and I have to believe that the loss of the Kokanee from Trinity Lake will make a recovery over time. What can we do to recover the water? It is going to take some great conservation practices from all fractions involved to help solve this problem. fishermen, farmers, water authorities, legislatures and governments will somehow have to sit down at the table and “compromise for the good of all”.
The water releases have helped move fish into the rivers and cooled down the water to the point that fish are now being caught in the Klamath and Trinity. This is good news and hopefully will boost the economy of the local areas. The reports I have been receiving is all good. Fish are being caught at Weitchpec, Orleans, Hoopa, Willow Creek and Del Loma. It appears that the last big push of spring salmon moved on up the Trinity and Fall Run Chinook are moving up the Klamath and into the Trinity. In between we are having good fishing on half-pounders and adult steelhead. To top it all off the weather is not too drastic and allows people to get out and fish. Granted you have fish early morning and late afternoons but that gives you the opportunity to eat a nice lunch and take a How good can it get?
The Spit reached its quota and was closed last week (Aug 31) to the take of adult salmon just as the Lower Klamath met its 2014 quota and was closed to the take of adult salmon over 22 inches Friday Sept 5th . One can still fish for steelhead and jack salmon in those areas. Sept. 1st the upper Klamath and Trinity opened to the take of adult salmon. The Upper Klamath is allowed 702 adult Fall Chinook, the Lower Trinity below Hawkins Bar Bridge to the confluence of the Klamath is allowed 681 adult salmon and the Upper Trinity above Cedar Flat Bridge is allowed 681 adult salmon. Once those numbers are reached in their respective areas the take of adult salmon over 22 inches cease but one can still catch and keep jack salmon under 22 inches and steelhead.
I did not receive the J.C. and Willow Creek Weir counts this week.
Junction City Weir Count: Aug 26; Spring Chinook, adults 16, season total 1,012; 2013- this date 833; Coho 0, steelhead1, total 29, 2013- this date 84; Brown Trout, adults 0, total 148, 2013 this date 188.
Willow Creek Weir: CDFW is partially installed and the W.C. Weir but will NOT be operating it until the water temperatures drop to 70 degrees for fear of stressing the salmon too much and causing them to die. Very good decision!
Lower Klamath Creel Count: Week ending Sep. 2 Below Hwy 101, Chinook Harvested 438, total 531, Released 58, total 89: Steelhead Harvested 0, total 17, Released 112, total 266: Above Hwy 101, Chinook Harvested 557, total 1,529; Chinook Released 289, total 4746; Steelhead Harvested adults 0, total 66, Released adults 0, total 2,034, ˝-lbs 0, total 2,509.
Fishing: The cooler water pushed up the last of the spring Chinook upriver and started more fish to move into the rivers. One of the benefits of the flush was it helped to get rid of the blue-green algae to some intent and made the Willow Creek and Hoopa are much cleaner. I know the Trinity from Junction City down to Hoopa is much clearer than it was before the releases. Up at Del Loma one of the locals fished for four days and was able to catch and release 17 fish on spinners and roe. Most were steelhead. The group from San Diego came up after the Labor Day holidays and fished for a week and was able to take home limits of salmon and steelhead. They were using Panther Martins, 90% of the fish were caught on spinners. In the Willow Creek area some nice adult steelies were landed using spinners and the ˝-pounders just would not leave the spinners alone. I would say that the fly fishers should be out there giving it a try.
Mid-Klamath: The Lower Klamath below the Weitchpeck Bridge is closed to the take of adult salmon but there is still plenty of good steelhead fishing going on. Slate Creek is producing some really good fly fishing for e1/2-pounders and a few nice adults. John from E Ne Nuck said that his campers are doing well fishing and also catching some salmon. In fact a couple of large salmon came into camp weighing 30 & 22lbs. I would say that that is some good fishing for the Mid-Klamath.
Trinity Lake: The Lake is 156ft. (a change of 3ft.) below the over flow and 28.4 of capacity (1.5 decrease) at 11:00am today. Inflow to the lake is 34cfs and the Trinity Dam is releasing 1,220cfs to Lewiston Lake with 278cfs going on to Whiskytown Lake and then to the Sacramento River through Keswick Power plant.
Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 942cfs, water temps are 54.8 and air is 77 degrees. Limekiln Gulch is 5.6ft at 967cfs, water temps are N/A and air is N/A; Douglas City is 6.9ft at 912cfs, water temps of 55 and air is 80. Junction City is 3.7ft at N/A cfs. Helena is 10ft at 931cfs with water temps of 58.9. Cedar Flat is 3.8ft at 954cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 969cfs, air is 80, and water 64. Hoopa is 12.1ft at 666cfs, water temps 68.8. Flows at the mouth of the Trinity at the Klamath are 1,936cfs and water temps are 66.8. At Weitchpec Bridge water temps are 68.4 and water temps at Tully Creek (below Trinity) on the Klamath are 68.2 degrees.
Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 984cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.1ft at 1,130cfs. Happy Camp estimated at 1,154cfs. Somes Bar is estimated at 1,164cfs. Orleans is 2.4ft at 1,270cfs. Klamath at Terwer Creek is 8.2ft at 2,580cfs and water temps of 68.1 degrees. Smith River is 4.8ft at 246cfs.
Temperatures in the Valley last week were 98/52 degrees with 0 inches of rain, total rain to date 36.55 inches of rain and 2.5in of snow for the season. Temperatures in the Valley next week are expected to be 91/52 degrees. Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu-Fri, sunny; Fri-Sat, mostly sunny; Sun-Mon-Tue, sunny.
Good Fish’en and Good Luck but remember; “Keep your tip up with a tight line lands fish.”
Websites: www.MyOutdoorBuddy.com, www.Willowcreekchamber.com,
from Willow Creek, CA Phone 530-629-3554, E-mail yen2fish@yahoo.com
EBD
by E. B. Duggan
No flows then flows, prevent fish kills then fish kills, the pour river is like a political football that is being pushed and pulled all over the place and the fishermen or the fish do not know which way to go! Water is becoming scarcer every day we have no rain and no winter snow pack in the mountains. The loss of salmon in 2008 hurt but the Klamath-Trinity Rivers did recover and I have to believe that the loss of the Kokanee from Trinity Lake will make a recovery over time. What can we do to recover the water? It is going to take some great conservation practices from all fractions involved to help solve this problem. fishermen, farmers, water authorities, legislatures and governments will somehow have to sit down at the table and “compromise for the good of all”.
The water releases have helped move fish into the rivers and cooled down the water to the point that fish are now being caught in the Klamath and Trinity. This is good news and hopefully will boost the economy of the local areas. The reports I have been receiving is all good. Fish are being caught at Weitchpec, Orleans, Hoopa, Willow Creek and Del Loma. It appears that the last big push of spring salmon moved on up the Trinity and Fall Run Chinook are moving up the Klamath and into the Trinity. In between we are having good fishing on half-pounders and adult steelhead. To top it all off the weather is not too drastic and allows people to get out and fish. Granted you have fish early morning and late afternoons but that gives you the opportunity to eat a nice lunch and take a How good can it get?
The Spit reached its quota and was closed last week (Aug 31) to the take of adult salmon just as the Lower Klamath met its 2014 quota and was closed to the take of adult salmon over 22 inches Friday Sept 5th . One can still fish for steelhead and jack salmon in those areas. Sept. 1st the upper Klamath and Trinity opened to the take of adult salmon. The Upper Klamath is allowed 702 adult Fall Chinook, the Lower Trinity below Hawkins Bar Bridge to the confluence of the Klamath is allowed 681 adult salmon and the Upper Trinity above Cedar Flat Bridge is allowed 681 adult salmon. Once those numbers are reached in their respective areas the take of adult salmon over 22 inches cease but one can still catch and keep jack salmon under 22 inches and steelhead.
I did not receive the J.C. and Willow Creek Weir counts this week.
Junction City Weir Count: Aug 26; Spring Chinook, adults 16, season total 1,012; 2013- this date 833; Coho 0, steelhead1, total 29, 2013- this date 84; Brown Trout, adults 0, total 148, 2013 this date 188.
Willow Creek Weir: CDFW is partially installed and the W.C. Weir but will NOT be operating it until the water temperatures drop to 70 degrees for fear of stressing the salmon too much and causing them to die. Very good decision!
Lower Klamath Creel Count: Week ending Sep. 2 Below Hwy 101, Chinook Harvested 438, total 531, Released 58, total 89: Steelhead Harvested 0, total 17, Released 112, total 266: Above Hwy 101, Chinook Harvested 557, total 1,529; Chinook Released 289, total 4746; Steelhead Harvested adults 0, total 66, Released adults 0, total 2,034, ˝-lbs 0, total 2,509.
Fishing: The cooler water pushed up the last of the spring Chinook upriver and started more fish to move into the rivers. One of the benefits of the flush was it helped to get rid of the blue-green algae to some intent and made the Willow Creek and Hoopa are much cleaner. I know the Trinity from Junction City down to Hoopa is much clearer than it was before the releases. Up at Del Loma one of the locals fished for four days and was able to catch and release 17 fish on spinners and roe. Most were steelhead. The group from San Diego came up after the Labor Day holidays and fished for a week and was able to take home limits of salmon and steelhead. They were using Panther Martins, 90% of the fish were caught on spinners. In the Willow Creek area some nice adult steelies were landed using spinners and the ˝-pounders just would not leave the spinners alone. I would say that the fly fishers should be out there giving it a try.
Mid-Klamath: The Lower Klamath below the Weitchpeck Bridge is closed to the take of adult salmon but there is still plenty of good steelhead fishing going on. Slate Creek is producing some really good fly fishing for e1/2-pounders and a few nice adults. John from E Ne Nuck said that his campers are doing well fishing and also catching some salmon. In fact a couple of large salmon came into camp weighing 30 & 22lbs. I would say that that is some good fishing for the Mid-Klamath.
Trinity Lake: The Lake is 156ft. (a change of 3ft.) below the over flow and 28.4 of capacity (1.5 decrease) at 11:00am today. Inflow to the lake is 34cfs and the Trinity Dam is releasing 1,220cfs to Lewiston Lake with 278cfs going on to Whiskytown Lake and then to the Sacramento River through Keswick Power plant.
Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 942cfs, water temps are 54.8 and air is 77 degrees. Limekiln Gulch is 5.6ft at 967cfs, water temps are N/A and air is N/A; Douglas City is 6.9ft at 912cfs, water temps of 55 and air is 80. Junction City is 3.7ft at N/A cfs. Helena is 10ft at 931cfs with water temps of 58.9. Cedar Flat is 3.8ft at 954cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 969cfs, air is 80, and water 64. Hoopa is 12.1ft at 666cfs, water temps 68.8. Flows at the mouth of the Trinity at the Klamath are 1,936cfs and water temps are 66.8. At Weitchpec Bridge water temps are 68.4 and water temps at Tully Creek (below Trinity) on the Klamath are 68.2 degrees.
Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 984cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.1ft at 1,130cfs. Happy Camp estimated at 1,154cfs. Somes Bar is estimated at 1,164cfs. Orleans is 2.4ft at 1,270cfs. Klamath at Terwer Creek is 8.2ft at 2,580cfs and water temps of 68.1 degrees. Smith River is 4.8ft at 246cfs.
Temperatures in the Valley last week were 98/52 degrees with 0 inches of rain, total rain to date 36.55 inches of rain and 2.5in of snow for the season. Temperatures in the Valley next week are expected to be 91/52 degrees. Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu-Fri, sunny; Fri-Sat, mostly sunny; Sun-Mon-Tue, sunny.
Good Fish’en and Good Luck but remember; “Keep your tip up with a tight line lands fish.”
Websites: www.MyOutdoorBuddy.com, www.Willowcreekchamber.com,
from Willow Creek, CA Phone 530-629-3554, E-mail yen2fish@yahoo.com
EBD