Cabin Riffle??

[matt johnson]

Greetings fellow steelheaders,

It appears that there are some hardcore Klamath/Trinity members on this BB. Do any of you have any experience fishing this fabled piece of water?

The run in question peaked my interst while reading Michael Checchio's "Mist on The River". I then tracked down a copy of Jim Freeman's "California Steelhead" and figured getting on this water was as simple as following Jim's kindly direction...

I set off on my adventure last September with great expectation. I was met with some dissapointment. Either the odometer in my car is screwed up or they have lengthened or shortened the road between Hoopa and Weitchpec. I drove that stretch back and forth about 4 times trying to duplicate Jim Freeman's mileage guide but could not find a trailhead. There do not appear to be any well-used trails dropping into the lower Trinity Gorge? I thought people would be beating down the banks trying to get on this water?

I finally did commit to bailing off down a goat trail which led to a pretty good looking riffle that did not look like it had been fished in the last 5 years. I caught one half-pounder on a Silver Hilton. No Trinity greatness for me, and I felt like I was dying while climbing out of there.

Have any of you actually fished this water, and is it any good? I do not expect anyone to reveal exactly how to get there on the internet, but would just like to know if it exists. Thanks, Matt.

[Darian]

Hey Matt,..... Spent many hours in and around the area from Willow Creek thru Wietchpec since the late '60s..... Like you, I've heard of this place but never took the time to look for it..... Too busy catchin' fish elsewhere in the gorge....

There was a guide in the Hoopa Reservation named Red Staten who fished the gorge, daily. He fished a number of spots, tho. Always came home with fish..... He said they weren't Steelhead and they (the fish) appeared to be resident rainbows. All about 16" fish.... I've taken several 8 - 10 lb fish during late September to early October at the upper end of the gorge where there is a large pool that breaks into a run. These fish were all bright as opposed to those caught earlier.

Guess what I'm trying to say is that I always found a lot more Steelhead on the Hoopa during October than earlier in the year. Also, I never concerned myself about trying to find a particular run or pool as there're too many good ones that aren't as crowded as the "fabled" ones.... Nowadays, It's better to have access to a drift boat and cover a bunch of water. Best advice is get out there and fish.....

[Jasonh]

Matt, i have read those pieces of work and have wondered where that riffle was and if it is really that good. My guess would be that if you really want to find it, email michael checchio and he might be able to help you out. I have fished that area a little and agree with Darian that you can find great steelie water and stay away from the famous crowded runs. There is a lot of good water in that lower river that is well suited for spey casting and swinging traditional flies which is what i love to do.

Jason Hartwick

[Digger]

Are there issues about fishing in the 'Hoopa Reservation' area ?
meaning do you need consent or anything about the land around there.
I've only fished closer to Willow creek area, Tish Tang and above or down by Weitchpec. Also, the gorge seemed an awfully tough trek to get down to.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Matt,

I wonder if Herb Burton would know? He does fish down on the lower Trinity River early on.

I can check with Joe Shirshac too.

Ron Hayashi use to hike down in the canyon with an inflatable kayak years ago and float/fish to the mouth.

I wonder if Larry Simson who had Time Flies years ago would know?

Most of those old Steelheaders are in fly fishing heaven now.

I read all thoughs descriptions in Jim Freeman's old book "California Steelhead Fishing" years ago when we were fishing the Trinity and Klamath a lot.

[ycflyfisher]

The Cabin Riffle does exist. There is no sign. I wouldn't say the trail is marked by a trailhead. The mileage to the Cabin on the Streamtime Access map puts you in the ballpark.

The Cabin is probably the most fabled run on the Trinity and with good reason, it used to fish like magic. From my experience the trail down to the Cabin has never been well worn. This from what I can tell is from a few reasons:

1- It's Hell(and somewhat dangerous) getting down to it.

2- Getting back up is even worse.

3- It has a history of being a good spot to encounter vandalism.

I'm guessing by your description that the place you were at was the Cabin. It's the only riff between Red Rock and the confluence that you can get to by "trail" that I'm aware of. Most people would not venture down this "trail", but you can still get to it. I've never floated the Gorge but from what I'm told there are few riffs in that 8 mile or so stretch. The concensus was that with few riffs, the fish would hold here for a while longer than the norm and that the canyon helped keep the sun off the water for longer periods.

By my experience, the Cabin fishes better in Sept-Oct and does not fish nearly as well later into the season. It also does not fish as well now as it used to but can still be worth the trip down if you hit it when the Isos are coming off.

[matt johnson]

Jasonh and Darian,

Good advice on not fixating on a single steelhead run and ignoring the rest of the river. It's just that when an author writes: "In my own opinion this riffle is one of the finest in the country and worth any effort to get to for the serious fly fisherman", I start feeling a bit compulsive and need to swing a fly through that water. I have poked around a few other places on the Lower Trinity such as Tish Tand and lower in the Hoopa area, but have thus far had some "bad energy" going on down there and have never really caught anything. I love the area nonetheless, think it is wild and beautiful country, and plan on spending more time there in the future.

Bill,

I will do my best to pick up the torch left by the great California steelheaders that have passed through your life and your shop. I feel very honored to have met a few of them myself. I just need Olivia to grow up to be my steelhead side-kick and then I will be in business.

ycflyfisher,

thanks for your interesting reply. The riflle I was on was indeed at the bottom of a "trail". There was a head, a little tranistion water into a 10-12 foot deep run, then a nice tailout. The run portion was fished from a "rock wall" of sorts on river right. This area tailed out into another riffle which looked a little to fast and curved to the left. Sound familiar? Isonychia's in late Sept/Oct eh?? Sounds like maybe the genesis of the Silver Hilton? At least an explanation of its effectiveness? Cool. Matt

[Jasonh]

All this talk of runs, riffles, and tailouts on the lower trinity is making me anxious to get uo and fish for those chromers. I cant wait to get up there with the spey rod!

Jason Hartwick

[Darian]

Hi Digger,..... After fishing there since the late '60s, I've heard some interesting anecdotes about problems for fisherman in that area....

As of a couple of years ago, the tribe hadn't begun charging for access to the res. However, vandalism of parked vehicles, etc., in that area is still a very real possibility.... Also, if you happen onto an area with nets in the water, you might expect someone to come out an check up on your activities....

But, other than that most of the problems I've had were with other, discourteous fisherman....

[ycflyfisher]

Matt,

I think the spot you were at is a bit upstream of the Cabin. I've always thought that Henry Hilton tied his bug to imitate a drowned Iso. I've always advocated tying Hilton's with a much shorter than the flyshop variants longer wing, and in smaller sizes than the typical 6&8's. When the wind is blowing(and it always is in Sept) on the Lower T and middle Klamath , the surface can get littered with Iso duns.