Klamath fall steelhead advice...

[Jcolin]

Hello, wondering if anyone can recommend a mellow float on the mid Klamath section, like the Happy Camp area, or further downstream at Orleans, or anywhere really. Ill be up there in October for the first time, and will be taking my inflatable 2 man pontoon, and am hoping to do a few floats by myself in addition to walking and wading.

I am newish to rowing, have only drifted very mellow coastal rivers for steelhead the past year since buying my boat in addition to one float on the lower American during shad season. When I spoke to the folks at Klamath River Inn about shuttles, they recommended Gordon's Ferry to Indian Creek, however my StreamTime map showed a few rapids there.

Any suggestions for a good float for a newbie at rowing would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[MThompson]

I'm in the same boat (literally) as you. Hoping for some good suggestions. I don't think I would float that river alone though. There's just no help down there if you get in trouble and no cell service.

[Jeff F]

I've never floated up that high by Happy Camp, but one stretch to NOT float for a newbie is Ullathorne to Big Bar below Orleans. There is a dangerous rapid right below the Ullathorne put-in that almost took us out a couple years ago. I was in a my pontoon and Eric O. in his kayak. Sketchy stuff. You can however bypass it on river right if you get in position early and know where the rapid is. The other drawback to that stretch is there are looooong stretches of frog water deep in the canyon. And if the wind is blowing upstream, you're in for a tough time. A little motor would help.

~Jeff

[John H]

Get the stream time map. Those things are great. Gordon’s is doable. There are some other floats you could do but make very sure there is not a big nasty on your planned float. Shuttling is also kind of problem up there.

[Jcolin]

Thanks guys, jeff good to know i definitley wont do that float:D. Mthompson i hear you about not floating alone, going to try to get a buddy to come up there for a weekend to float as ill be up there the 2nd and 3rd week of october camping out of my truck. Johnh actually do have the streamtime map, and i misread it about gordons ferry, was mixing it up with a different float that had rapids, so hopefully Gordon’s ferry will be a good one. Frog water is definitley tough on my pontoon when there is an upstream wind.
Thanks again guys, if anyones going to be up there in october and wants to float send me a pm.

[WLREDBAND]

UMMMM, I would NOT recommend any stretches of the Klamath along HWY 96 for a "newbie at rowing". I'd recommend a bit more experience on the oars before you attempt that. Unless you want to drag your craft down from the road a long ways for a few very short floats (to avoid challenging water) and then drag it back up to the road away from the usual launch/recover areas.

[TahoeJoe]

Happy Camp (Indian Creek) down to Dillon Creek is mostly class 2 water with some class 3 and one class 3+ rapid, ominously called Dragon's Tooth. All of it is pretty easy going at summer flows, if you have some skill on the sticks. YMMV. Higher flows would increase the degree of difficulty. Having 2 boats is always good safety practice and would help with rescue, if one of them flips.

[Andy]

"Happy Camp (Indian Creek) down to Dillon Creek is mostly class 2 water with some class 3 and one class 3+ rapid, ominously called Dragon's Tooth." Not to be contentious but this is a multi day float and definitely not for a novice rower. Dragons Tooth is the real deal and there are several other rapids that require skills and scouting.

Gordons to Indian is a good float. Some spots require hitting the correct channel but consequences of a miss would not include a swim. Do not leave valuables in vehicle, especially at Indian Creek.

Good Luck!

Andy

P.S. I guide down there so if you need a preview hit me up. fishon.96067@gmail.com

[avidangler]

Anyone ever float Weitchpec to the Glen in a pontoon?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You might put in below Weitchpec at Johnsons Bar and float-n-camp down to Klamath Glen?

You might need a big pontoon with a Honda 2 hp outboard?

I think I would start your float Sept 15?

[Jcolin]

The Dragons Tooth sounds very much like something id like to avoid. Thanks everybody for the replies, all good stuff to learn.

[Terry Thomas]

More “bear sign” on the river this year than I have ever seen. I even saw one walking around a cabin in mid day. Come prepared.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Veteran Klamath River jet boat/drift boat guide Bruce Slightom, just replied to my email:

"Bill, An easy float is put in at Dolan Bar and float to Ullathonre riffle. Bruce"




On a StreamTime river map Dolan Bar is above Orleans and Ullathornre Riffle is below.

____________________________


The late Stanley Inouye had a cabin at the Ullathornre Riffle but after the big flood of 1964 not only the cabin was gone, but so was his

property.

___________________________

In the 1960s when Joe Shirshac started taking us Baby Boomers with him to the Klamath River there were way more people up there.

All the camp ground were full of travel trailers and big canvas wall tents from World War II and the Korean War.

Orleans Hotel was open with rooms, meals and guides.

It was still thriving up there even though the season was only August through November.

Retired folks went up there for several months ever year with their trailers.

Joe knew lots of folks up there....Mac the Barber in Happy Camp.

___________________________

Many anglers used long 8'6" Fenwick fiberglass spinning rods with a Garcia Mitchell 300 spinning reel with a clear bubble and a fly.

They could cast twice as far as we could with a fly rod so they could fish the seam on the other side of the river.

__________________________

Even today the Klamath River is one of the most beautiful rivers to fish.......I like October for a safe timing.

[Jeff F]

In my post I meant to say Ullathorne, not Ukonom. Sorry about that. I've edited the post.

~Jeff

[TahoeJoe]

"Happy Camp (Indian Creek) down to Dillon Creek is mostly class 2 water with some class 3 and one class 3+ rapid, ominously called Dragon's Tooth." Not to be contentious but this is a multi day float and definitely not for a novice rower. Dragons Tooth is the real deal and there are several other rapids that require skills and scouting.

Gordons to Indian is a good float. Some spots require hitting the correct channel but consequences of a miss would not include a swim. Do not leave valuables in vehicle, especially at Indian Creek.

Good Luck!

Andy

P.S. I guide down there so if you need a preview hit me up. fishon.96067@gmail.com

Andy,

No offense taken. I was trying to say that section of the river has its challenges in places and requires some skill and that the risk of a flip at Dragon's Tooth is real. Maybe I wasn't so clear.

And, you're right, it would take 3 days to do the whole run. Probably longer, if you stop to fish a lot.

--Joe

[TahoeJoe]

Anyone ever float Weitchpec to the Glen in a pontoon?

I've floated from Weichpec to Johnson's in a driftboat. Johnson's is the last takeout before the Glen. I've been told that the lower section below Johnson's is tough without a motor, especially with an upstream breeze - lot's of flat water to push through.

There is one big drop below Weichpec at Coon Creek - Class 3 and mostly straight ahead without too much of a move to make. Even sneaking the rapid, the wave at the bottom put a lot of water in the boat. It changes from year to year and is worth scouting.

--Joe

[avidangler]

Thanks Tahoe Joe. I plan on doing a drift from either weitchpec or johnsons with a couple pontoons. Maybe. Before I get too old. I will have an electric motor for the frog water.