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Thread: Klamath River Report

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    West Sacramento
    Posts
    288

    Default Klamath River Report

    We just spent 3 days on the Klamath and I promised Andy G. I would post a report. In those 3 days we probably fished 12 hours, if that. BTW I rarely almost never take pics sorry....no proof!

    A long story short: Klamath Basin blue-green algae bloom....see ya!

    A short story long: We dropped into Seiad Valley around 2pm and skipped a few spots along the way because the river was polluted with algae. It looked like radiator fluid, so we bombed down as far as we thought we could fish before it caught up to us. We got ready fast and booked down to the water, praying it wasn't as green. Luckily it looked like typical fall season before the rains Klamath water. I stuck a half pounder and an adult in the first 5 casts, spent about 1 hour more in the same run and picked up another half pounder and adult. I brought a friend who just picked up fly fishing so I spent the rest of the evening talking about the river and showing him how to cast, swing and more. He didn't get any grabs but we left feeling satisfied that this could be a decent trip regardless of the lack of rain and cool weather. Which I should mention it was getting cooler and shutting down the hatch causing a lack of active fish like the last few weeks. We stayed that night in Happy Camp with the plan that we would hit that same spot first thing in the morning and then work our way up until we hit the Radiator Water.

    My friend was slow getting up the next day and we missed the entire morning and didn't get on the water until 11:30am. We walked down to the water and it was pea green soup. I had a bad feeling about it all morning and I knew as soon as I saw it we needed to change gears fast. So, after a few casts since we were already there, I decided to book down river and get past the algae bloom again. The first place we stopped which was a good 10 miles past Happy Camp, I picked up 2 adults and lost another. One was 20" and the other was a beauty at 27" (best fish of the trip). We ate a quick lunch and rolled down to Green Riffle and I picked up a small adult while waiting for my friend to get ready so we could walk up to the top. As soon as we got to the top I stuck a half pounder in that shallow part of the riffle and another adult about 10 yards down from it. I lost about 4 or 5 fish in the run as well. Between that and working with my friend, the day was quickly gone.

    We stayed in Happy Camp again, don't know why! I guess because we already paid for the room. We packed everything up the next morning and arrived first light at Green Riffle with a plan to fish down to Weitchpec and then hit the trinity until dark and maybe try up in Lewiston the next morning. Unfortunately I don't know the Klamath that well below Orleans so we spent a lot of time trying to find good water to swing. I picked up another nice adult in Green Riffle and a half pounder in a different run closer to Weitchpec. We were kind of on the fly so we didn't spend a lot of time in each place. We were going to try the riffle below the bridge in Weitchpec but their were so many drunk/high dudes rollin' around the store and both sides of the bridge that we didn't want to leave our truck with all our gear in it for long and decided to burn over to the Trinity and maybe fish around Hoopa or between Willow Creek and Hoopa. Well, Hoopa isn't allowing anyone to stop in the city limits unless you live their and the day was getting shorter by the minute so we just blazed to Willow Creek and then toward Redding. The Trinity is a bust...we didn't fish it but the water is so low that you can walk across to the other side in every run. I'm guessing the water temps aren't even cool enough to fairly fish it, although it was full of folks as usual. It didn't get any better as we continued up it and we just bailed home.

    I probably could of just wrote: Klamath - Algae Bloom - Run for your lives - caught some fish but was a lot of work. However, I came home a day early and I am still on vacation until tomorrow morning so I had nothing better to do that bore you with all these details knowing all you wanted to really know is, "how is the fishing, good or bad".

    We still had a blast and the Algae Bloom caused me to venture into areas I haven't tried before so all in all a great trip. My friend didn't pick one up, but it was tough out their so next time. It was fun watching his cast get better each day and talking about fly fishing and how to read water and find good runs to swing.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,836

    Default

    Thanks so much......

    Over the past 50 years we have had the "good, bad and the ugly" as far as trips to the Klamath go but never had a bad time.

    We got up there once, sleeping on a gravel bar, rain started, never stopped, we had to leave in the dark because the water

    came up 20 to 30 feet and so we drove home.


    The Klamath river is a big, long, magically river that is a favorite of many for decades.

    In the length of it there are all types of water to fish. The lower river is wide, open with beautiful views and lots of easy wading on

    gravel.

    In the middle river parking on little high pull outs, gearing up and taking narrow trails down to beautiful hidden runs is so memorable

    for me.

    It would take a lifetime to fish the entire length of that river, plus you have the Trinity river next door.


    It is an advantage if you can get your casting skills up too because you don't need to indicator fish that river in Sept/Oct/Nov.


    For the total experience you will need a ratchet reel or click-n-pawl reel to fish there.


    Many of us old Klamath lovers are waiting to see the river without dams too.


    I am having trouble stopping on this post but it got me going.......
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Stockton
    Posts
    269

    Default

    Hell of a report. With all the things working against you I'd say you did really well. I'm guessing the algae is coming out of the dam and therefore the entire river will soon be off color? Sure hope we get a wet winter or next year will be a mess also.
    You must be a very patient friend to miss half a days fishing after driving all the way up there.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Nashville
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by itsbenlong View Post
    We just spent 3 days on the Klamath and I promised Andy G. I would post a report. In those 3 days we probably fished 12 hours, if that. BTW I rarely almost never take pics sorry....no proof!

    A long story short: Klamath Basin blue-green algae bloom....see ya!

    A short story long: We dropped into Seiad Valley around 2pm and skipped a few spots along the way because the river was polluted with algae. It looked like radiator fluid, so we bombed down as far as we thought we could fish before it caught up to us. We got ready fast and booked down to the water, praying it wasn't as green. Luckily it looked like typical fall season before the rains Klamath water. I stuck a half pounder and an adult in the first 5 casts, spent about 1 hour more in the same run and picked up another half pounder and adult. I brought a friend who just picked up fly fishing so I spent the rest of the evening talking about the river and showing him how to cast, swing and more. He didn't get any grabs but we left feeling satisfied that this could be a decent trip regardless of the lack of rain and cool weather. Which I should mention it was getting cooler and shutting down the hatch causing a lack of active fish like the last few weeks. We stayed that night in Happy Camp with the plan that we would hit that same spot first thing in the morning and then work our way up until we hit the Radiator Water.

    My friend was slow getting up the next day and we missed the entire morning and didn't get on the water until 11:30am. We walked down to the water and it was pea green soup. I had a bad feeling about it all morning and I knew as soon as I saw it we needed to change gears fast. So, after a few casts since we were already there, I decided to book down river and get past the algae bloom again. The first place we stopped which was a good 10 miles past Happy Camp, I picked up 2 adults and lost another. One was 20" and the other was a beauty at 27" (best fish of the trip). We ate a quick lunch and rolled down to Green Riffle and I picked up a small adult while waiting for my friend to get ready so we could walk up to the top. As soon as we got to the top I stuck a half pounder in that shallow part of the riffle and another adult about 10 yards down from it. I lost about 4 or 5 fish in the run as well. Between that and working with my friend, the day was quickly gone.

    We stayed in Happy Camp again, don't know why! I guess because we already paid for the room. We packed everything up the next morning and arrived first light at Green Riffle with a plan to fish down to Weitchpec and then hit the trinity until dark and maybe try up in Lewiston the next morning. Unfortunately I don't know the Klamath that well below Orleans so we spent a lot of time trying to find good water to swing. I picked up another nice adult in Green Riffle and a half pounder in a different run closer to Weitchpec. We were kind of on the fly so we didn't spend a lot of time in each place. We were going to try the riffle below the bridge in Weitchpec but their were so many drunk/high dudes rollin' around the store and both sides of the bridge that we didn't want to leave our truck with all our gear in it for long and decided to burn over to the Trinity and maybe fish around Hoopa or between Willow Creek and Hoopa. Well, Hoopa isn't allowing anyone to stop in the city limits unless you live their and the day was getting shorter by the minute so we just blazed to Willow Creek and then toward Redding. The Trinity is a bust...we didn't fish it but the water is so low that you can walk across to the other side in every run. I'm guessing the water temps aren't even cool enough to fairly fish it, although it was full of folks as usual. It didn't get any better as we continued up it and we just bailed home.

    I probably could of just wrote: Klamath - Algae Bloom - Run for your lives - caught some fish but was a lot of work. However, I came home a day early and I am still on vacation until tomorrow morning so I had nothing better to do that bore you with all these details knowing all you wanted to really know is, "how is the fishing, good or bad".

    We still had a blast and the Algae Bloom caused me to venture into areas I haven't tried before so all in all a great trip. My friend didn't pick one up, but it was tough out their so next time. It was fun watching his cast get better each day and talking about fly fishing and how to read water and find good runs to swing.
    It is good fishing hunting event in which there is fun and experience.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    shasta
    Posts
    72

    Default

    Good work not bailing at the sight of the antifreeze, I took this pic last week:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Which caused me and my friends and family to bail to the Trinity. Fished hard for 3 days for very little fish love. Water was nice and clear and cold and scenery beautiful but I began to doubt my muddler even worked.
    Hit the Klamath yesterday for a quickie. Saw a warrior hanging out in the clear water of a side current he likely did not want to end it all in antifreeze which returned after a brief break end of last week:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Despite hating the surreal green I swam the muddler a bit and got some tugs. I broke the keep 'em wet rule for a quick snap on the river grass:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    That green shi* is pooled up in Irongate and Copco, those dams just gotta go!

    Andy
    Last edited by Andy; 10-27-2020 at 02:11 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Location
    Guerneville
    Posts
    290

    Default

    Nice fish Andy! Great trip report itsbenlong. Congrats on hooking into a really nice klamath steelhead, almost landed one in that size range last year and from what ive heard from other people thats a real needle in the haystack. Kind of a late report, but i was up there too for 2 weeks, got back on wed. The algae was definitely a bummer, got up there on the 9th and the smoke was awful, then much better after the rain the next day. Numbers wise i swung up less half pounders than last year, but hooked more adults this year, until the water got nasty. Also fished the rogue for the first time which was pretty slow but beautiful in the wild and scenic section, and went south and got my first decent trinity fish. That river has really kicked my butt in past years but will be fishing it more in the future. At the end of the trip got to spend 2 days out on the lower klamath with a friend in his jet boat, was really cool to see that part of the river and swing a fly thru some of those runs. Hopefully the photos i attach work.
    Joel
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Yreka, CA
    Posts
    75

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    I checked out the upper Klamath below the intersection of 263 and 96 yesterday - it's starting to clear up. I think it should be back to it's typical late October, brown stained somewhat clear self by early next week.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    shasta
    Posts
    72

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Smith View Post
    I think it should be back to it's typical late October, brown stained somewhat clear self by early next week.
    I agree it is better hoping this trend continues. Despite the green factor they are looking up!

    Click image for larger version. 

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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    West Sacramento
    Posts
    288

    Default

    Good to hear that it is clearing up. I must have just hit it at a bad time. Things were feeling good out there too. I have been fishing that area for many many years and it is the first time I have run into the water like that. I didn't want to fish it because I am not sure how it is on the fish and I make things tough enough for them if you know what I mean....lol

    Anyway, it seems like there are a lot of nice size adults in the river right now too. Looking forward to getting back up there as soon as possible.

    The nice thing about the last trip was it forces you to check out new water and hit up places you wouldn't have gone before. Only thing that sucks about that river to me is when you aren't on it.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    27

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    Where do you stay in Happy Camp?

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