Trinity River Steehead 1st time!

[yankeefanbob]

I'm going to the beautiful Trinity River Nov 10-11, to try my luck at flyfishing for Steelhead.....this will be my 1st time and am really in need of some pointers,tips or anything else you may want to share about fishing this river. I fished for Steelies in Alaska but this will be an oppurtunity of a lifetime for me at this river, so I'm very excited. I won't be using a spey rod just my 5 wt. nymphing or streamers..... I know..I know.... 5wt. is too light, but, that's all I have at the moment...... I guess what is more revelent is fly patterns. I hear that black and purple colors work well??

I have an inflatable 11ft Seahawk boat so that may be helpful(hopefully), I know of Rush Creek boat access which I'll give that area a try, but that's about all..... I imagine drift fishing would be a plus vs. wading, I just don't know what areas would be productive or worth my wild.

Thanks, I appreciate any info if you'd like to share or you can PM me. Thanks again......

UPDATE: A friend will be lending me his 7wt. 10'....so looks like I'm styling! Hopefully!!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would say that November would be my favorite month.

I would fish from Junction City down stream.

I would swing a barbless #6 dark classic winged pattern early and late in the day or all day if it is overcast.

Use a 9' 1x leader for swinging .

Mid-day I would do your indicator nymphing.



Be sure to have a Steelhead card.



Stop by Kiene's on a weekend to get a StreamTime map of the river plus some tips and flies from Andy Guibord.

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If you can watch the movie, Rivers of a Lost Coast, you will see me in some old Super 8 footage taken by Joe Shirshac on the

Trinity River. I am wearing a camo hooded sweatshirt and it is early November 1982 after a good rain.

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A single hand Spey line would be perfect on the brushy upper/middle Trinity River.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9qowzLwIi8

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[yankeefanbob]

Great info Bill....I appreciate the knowledge!

[Trouter925]

when you get up there, check in with the folks at the Trinity Fly Shop in Lewiston.

[yankeefanbob]

Yup, I definetly will!!

[PV_Premier]

5wt is a bit undergunned in my opinion. If you have a 10’ 6wt it can pull double duty swinging and nymphing.

Otherwise a 9’ 6wt for nymphs and an 11’ 5 or 6wt switch for swinging. For flies, classic winged swingers and skaters...nymphing, rubber legs/golden stones/copper johns

I like using a boat to get between juicy runs then getting out to fish it thoroughly. Reputable runs should routinely yield a fish or two if covered thoroughly

[BumpBailey]

I agree with PV. 5 wt isn't going to be enough stick for steelies. 9'6" 6 wt would be the smallest I would go. For nymphing I like my 10' 7wt. My swing rod for steelies on the river above Pigeon Point is my 11'6" 6wt switch rod. Good luck and enjoy!

[yankeefanbob]

Thank you guys....keep 'em coming, I'm learning here!

[yubaman]

Another one on the rod weight. You might get away with a 5 weight up in the Lewiston area going after the half pounders. Down lower, around Junction City, the rod is way too small for most of the fish you will find in that area. You might be going home with 2 rods that are 4.5' depending on the line weight you will have the rod rigged with? As well, there are some nice drifts, but depending on the flows, which I did not look at right now, it can be challenging rowing.

There are many good put-ins around Junction City, and you have good take outs at Pigeon Point and Baghdad. You can put together all kind of floats depending on how much you want to get out of the boat.

Good luck.

[BumpBailey]

Thank you guys....keep 'em coming, I'm learning here!

I forgot to mention. If you need shuttle service call Bill and Carol at Gold Coast Shuttles. 530-623-1905. They can move you vehicle for you if you want drift some. Flows are way down, last I checked Lewi was only kicking out 300cfs. That makes that river pretty bony, especially up top!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Back in the 1980s Mike Murphy and his cousin Denny Murphy floated the river for the first time in 2 small rafts.

Floating the river back then was not very common.

We all had fished it a lot by driving, walking and wading back then.

Mike told me he could not believe how many good riffles we have been missing by not floating.

Back then the access was way better too.

I am sure floating is the way to go now.

It is not a good river for drift boats because of all the rocks especially when it is low.

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[BobVP]

Have a great time Yankee....

Along with others here I believe a 5 wt. is pushing the limits. That said, the biggest fish I have ever caught on the Trinity was on my five! I SWEAR I had packed the 7...but once there (4-5 hours from home) there was my five. I rigged it with a 3.5X tippet to protect the rod a bit and fished on. Not a problem to cast, especially if you are boating riffle to riffle, but there is the reality of hooking a larger fish than the rod can handle. Might make for a great story!

Water was high and cold when I caught that "big one" so I had no problem playing it for as long as I needed to bring it in. Of course I was also being careful to not exhaust the fish....wild female. She seemed pretty feisty when released.

Everything else here is pretty much the same I would tell you. Cover the holes and riffles well...JC down is your best bet (though I love the solitude below Willow Creek).

Do not overlook the old standards: Comets, boss and if you get desperate glo-bugs.

Have a great time.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Don't for to report in after that trip......

[yankeefanbob]

Sure will......

[yankeefanbob]

Thanks BobVP.....gotta a story for you..... Jan. 2017 fishing the lower Stanislaus below Goodwin Dam I hooked into a large male Steelhead on my 5wt. 5x throwing a size 14 pheasant tail in very shallow riffle. After awhile(felt like an hour) I finally got him to my feet, went down to net him and off he went ......so I'm thankful that my 5wt. rod held up and knots stayed, guess I was lucky that day, I left with my rod fully intact!! Might have a buddy who may lend me his 7wt. 10' though.

[yankeefanbob]

I forgot to mention. If you need shuttle service call Bill and Carol at Gold Coast Shuttles. 530-623-1905. They can move you vehicle for you if you want drift some. Flows are way down, last I checked Lewi was only kicking out 300cfs. That makes that river pretty bony, especially up top!

Great point...thanks BB

[TahoeJoe]

I just got back from fishing the Trinity and Klamath and the water is very low and clear on the Trinity. Small flies with a little sparkle in them were working well. We didn't see any adult fish in the Trinity, just half-pounders. Size 6 and 8, gold bead head Herniators were working best, Assassins weren't bad either. Purple was not so effective this time.

With the low water on the Trinity, we put a few dings in the drift boat and we were fishing below Willow Creek. A small rubber raft would be a better craft right now. Walk and wade would not be a bad option either. Some rain will help improve both the fishing and the boating. It's a beautiful time of the year up there.

The largest fish came from the Klamath on a very bright copper and olive tube fly sunk on a fast sinking polyleader (see Hickman's fish/flash taco for a similar fly). It might be worth the extra time to go up to Happy Camp or Seiad Valley and swing deep in the shadows during midday. The same style of fly was getting tugs but no hookups on the Trinity. I suspect that the size 4 hook was keeping the smaller fish off.

[yankeefanbob]

I just got back from fishing the Trinity and Klamath and the water is very low and clear on the Trinity. Small flies with a little sparkle in them were working well. We didn't see any adult fish in the Trinity, just half-pounders. Size 6 and 8, gold bead head Herniators were working best, Assassins weren't bad either. Purple was not so effective this time.

With the low water on the Trinity, we put a few dings in the drift boat and we were fishing below Willow Creek. A small rubber raft would be a better craft right now. Walk and wade would not be a bad option either. Some rain will help improve both the fishing and the boating. It's a beautiful time of the year up there.

The largest fish came from the Klamath on a very bright copper and olive tube fly sunk on a fast sinking polyleader (see Hickman's fish/flash taco for a similar fly). It might be worth the extra time to go up to Happy Camp or Seiad Valley and swing deep in the shadows during midday. The same style of fly was getting tugs but no hookups on the Trinity. I suspect that the size 4 hook was keeping the smaller fish off.

Great info and percise TJ.....We'll definetly enjoy the Trin no matter what!

[yankeefanbob]

My trip on the Trinity was uneventful.....no fish to be had, not even a tug. But, it was a beautiful and enjoyable trip, very cold 20's in early mornings 40's still at around 11:00am.....water is very low and very clear, saw a few salmon and steelhead trailing them along our float. All the guides we ran into(not literly) were unsuccessful and using floatable tube boats, didn't see any metal or fiberglass drift boats. We got hung up a few times in the shallow riffles and saw a guide also get hung up.......we need rain!! We did use Gold Coast Shuttle out of Weaverville......Carol's a very nice lady and easy to work with, I highly suggest you use their service!!