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The Mighty Klamath
I got to fish the Klamath for a few days this month. It is a great river with the potential to be even better in the future. We fished in the Happy Camp area for three days and then floated the Iron Gate section the last day. Seemed like there were a lot of half pounders which I expect is from the good rainfall year in 2016/17. My history on the Klamath does not go back far but there were not as many adults I have seen in the past which I expect is from the bad rainfall years prior to 2016/17. Seems like next year could be a good one for fall adults. Pray for rain.
https://i.imgur.com/AfvmeEQh.jpg
Fall colors and morning overcast sky.
https://i.imgur.com/XWk1MuEh.jpg
Good spot to get out.
https://i.imgur.com/BTlwZyFh.jpg
Wade fishing.
https://i.imgur.com/0Rilh8ih.jpg
Nice reflection on the dark water.
https://i.imgur.com/lYNC2Blh.jpg
Blue Heron Riffle on the Iron Gate section. Quite a difference in the landscape.
https://i.imgur.com/wesDzf5h.jpg
A little half pounder.
https://i.imgur.com/fl3a0F2h.jpg
An adult on the big bug.
https://i.imgur.com/0UKTb6lh.jpg
Another nice adult.
https://i.imgur.com/wRufIHIh.jpg
Wide angle lens.
https://i.imgur.com/TS7rYgqh.jpg
Irongate dam - apparently not long for this world. Should be interesting to see what happens.
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Beautiful shots John! And I'm right there with you on the Klamath's future. Next year should be epic. And that's saying a lot after the incredible fishing I encountered in early September.
Thanks for posting that.
~Jeff
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As always great shots John! I really think that wide angle shot of the buck is is an incredible image! I am kicking myself in the arse for not getting up there this year!
I think the next couple of years are going to be good years up there. Hopefully, we get an average or better winter this year. If so, we could actually start seeing an increase in the numbers! And assuming the dams do come down, in about 5-6 years from now we could really start seeing some improvement! 2020 is when the decommissioning is supposed to start! Sure hope this comes to fruition. From what i have read, when the two dams on the Elwha in Washington came down, they started seeing Salmonids above the dams sites almost immediately! Fingers crossed!
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Thanks John......
Great photos......
I love that river.......
Fished it from Weitchpec up to Happy Camp in the 1970s / 1980s with old Joe Shirshac and friends.
We camped, drove, walked/hiked and wadded the river.
Last 10 years have been fishing the lower river with jet boat guides from Klamath Glen up to Johnson's Bar.
It is a magic river....
I met people who spend one to three months up there in the Fall.
Hope they can get those dams removed some day.
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The Klamath is remote, the watershed is relatively undeveloped and water diversions are small compared to other California rivers. Great opportunity for long term preservation and restoration and I think some agencies and non profits see it that way also. Most of our other rivers have large municipal and agricultural diversion rights that are not going away and limit what can be done to protect them. The Eel also seems to have potential for long term preservation but they divert to the Russian near the headwaters and from the tributaries which causes low summer flows and hurts summer fish survival. The Smith seems to be safe but you never know.
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Would be nice if we could bring back just few of our mighty Nor Cal rivers.
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John,
Thanks! Always look forward to another of your offerings.
Best,
Larry S
Sun Diego
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Just talked with a good friend who works for the CDFW.....
He said he knows folks who are working on the Klamath River dam removal and said eventually it will happen.
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What a beautiful trip! Good job capturing everything! Definitely picked the right time those colors are just popping for the camera! Glad you got into them John. Thanks for the report 100