Klamath fall steelhead advice...

[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.