This Memorial Day is nice with sunshine and clear skies. We should take a minute to remember all those in the service serving our country and those who served our country but never made it home. I thank you for your moment. In the past Memorial Day weekend was the kickoff for all Trout fishing but with the new rules, Trout season opens at different times throughout the Sierras and Inland lakes. It is now the unofficial kickoff for the summer and everyone is anxious to get out and enjoy the First Long Weekend of summer. I hope everyone has a great and safe weekend! As of now all Trout areas are open with some doing very well while others are still having some problems with high flowing streams and a little bit of snow. The different times that Trout season opens is a little bit confusing but most of us were able to muddle through it I hope.
Notice: The Fish Lake “Kids Fish Derby” is schedule for June 23, 2018, so you might want to mark your calendar. The USFS is having some troubles with the water systems for the camp grounds right now but I really hope that this will be cleared up by the time comes for the “Kids Fishing Derby”. I have been notified that most all of the camp sites in the Mad River Lower Trinity, Orleans and Ukonom Ranger Districts will be dry camp site due to a problem with having a “certified water person” to take care of the potable water systems at the campsites.
Fishing: Right now water releases on the Trinity are fluctuating from 1,700cfs down to 1,350cfs and back up to 1,600cfs then back down again. This will continue through the first week of June. With this kind of water fluctuating it is going to be very difficult to do much fishing on the Trinity. The best opportunities will be when the water releases start dropping sometime around June 12th – 14th. The upper Trinity will be the best area first for any type of fishing and then as the river drops you will able to move down river to your favorite area to fish. When fishing high water I usually have used larger hardware such as #4 or #5 spinners or 5/8th oz spoons. Best colors for me are Orange body w/silver blade or florescent green body w/silver blade or spoons to match the same colors. Also work the slower back eddies and the shallower waters.
Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate Dam is releasing 1,446cfs today. That is a decrease of 1,513cfs from three weeks ago. Fishing the Upper Klamath from I-5 to the dam could possibly be fishable for the Memorial Day weekend but a call to your favorite fishing area could let you know if the area is fishable.
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 99% of capacity (an increase of 4%) with inflows of 313cfs and releasing 168cfs into Clear Creek and on to Keswick. Shasta is 88% (a decrease of 1% and 3ft) with inflows of 4,461cfs and releasing 9,006cfs, Keswick is 87% of capacity (a decrease of 3%) with inflows of 9,275cfs and releasing 9,499cfs; Oroville Lake is 64% capacity (a decrease of 1% & minus 3ft), inflow is 3,720cfs and releases are 4,063cfs; Folsom Lake is 98% of capacity plus 2% & plus 2ft.) inflows are 3,985cfs and releases are 3,545cfs.
Trinity Lake: The Lake is 37ft below the overflow (a decrease of 1ft) and 78% of capacity (0% decrease) Inflow to Trinity Lake is 1,043cfs and Trinity Dam is releasing 1,876cfs to Lewiston Lake with 179cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Keswick Power Plant and it is releasing 9,499cfs to the Sacramento River.
Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 1,697cfs with water temps of 50.8 degrees and air is 74 at 1:30pm today. Limekiln Gulch is 6.2ft at 1,707cfs, with water temps of 53.4 degrees. Douglas City is 7.8t at 1,577cfs, water temps of 53.7 degrees and air is 78. Junction City is 6.3ft at 1,450cfs. Helena is 11.4ft at 1,690cfs with water temps of 55.5. Cedar Flat is 5.6ft at 2,084cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 2,636cfs and air is 82 with water at 59. Hoopa is 14.5ft at 3,314cfs with water temps of 60.8. Flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at Klamath River are estimated to be 8,480cfs.
Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 1,446cfs. Seiad Valley is 3.6ft at 2,508cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 2,704cfs, Salmon River is 3.3ft at 1,228cfs, Somes Bar is estimated at 3,938cfs and Orleans is 5.2ft. at 5,166cfs and the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 11.2ft at 10.7Kcfs, with water temperatures of 62.5 degrees. Flows at Smith River, Dr. Fine Bridge are 6ft at 1,150cfs.
The low temperatures for Valley last week were 50 to 54 and the high was 83 with 0.4in of rain with a season total of 68.45in of rain with a total of 4.15in of snow. Temperatures in the valley next week are expected get up to 87/46 degrees with some sunshine mixed in.
