The New Emergency Spring Salmon Fishing Regulations for the Klamath River Basin have been released to the public! It is official, I got the word Thursday from CDFW about noon, the new salmon regulations have finally been released and are posted on the Fish and Game website with a public announcement release. The Spring Chinook Salmon season will open July 1st and run thru Aug. 31st.With quotas almost double that of last year for the Klamath River Basin there should be some very good fishing in the Klamath estuary for the opening. I know many guides have been anxious to get the good news and plan to be ready to go fishing on opening day. The basin wide quota for the Klamath River Basin this year is 7,636 adult Chinook salmon. (The spring salmon bag limit is 1 salmon per day with 2 in possession.) The Fall Chinook salmon season opens September 1st and runs thru Dec 31st or until the quotas have been reached in each section of the rivers, or whichever comes first.
Kids Fishing Derby: Winners of the “Kids Fish Lake Fish Derby” were; FISHING – Preschool to 2nd Grade, 1st Hallena Moschetti, 2nd Mason Goff, 3rd Jonnae Johnson, ; 3rd Grade to 5th Grade, 1st Leslie McLaughlin, 2nd Jack Joe Marshall, 3rdJonathan Haynes; 6th Grade to 8th Grade; 1st Elijah Estrada, 2nd Ashlyn Alameda, 3rd Lisa Koehler: CASTING – Preschool to 2nd Grade, 1st Anaya Polly, 2nd Hanelle Polly, 3rd River Christie; 3rd Grade to 5th Grade, 1st Alice McLaughlin, 2nd Boaz Bruckner, 3rdLucas Olsen, 6th to 8th Grade, 1st Akane Polly, 2nd Riley Leydecker, 3rd Caleb Bensen.
The Grand Prize for the largest fish of the tournament, Seth Polly a 3lb Large Mouth Bass, the “Jake Wittner Sportsmanship Trophy” went to Alison Osceola for overall tournament sportsmanship. This was one of our best programs for the summer celebrating the 45th Annul Fish Lake “Kids Fish Lake Fish Derby”. (My 20th) I would like to thank all of our sponsors and helpers that helped provide and put on this event for the kids.
Fishing: Fishing has been a little bit slow on the Lower Trinity due to the higher water flows but steelhead are being caught if one will take the time and work at it. We are not expected to reach full summer water releases until Aug. 6th, which is late for summer flows, and then there will be extra water releases in August for tribal ceremonies. (White Deer Skin Dance – the Boat Dance) The ceremonies usually come with the Harvest Moon (Full Moon) in Aug. this usually helps bring the fall run a little early. As for the Upper Trinity fishing has been a bit slow because not many people are fishing the river. I expect because of the confusion over the fishing regulations and the closure of salmon fishing. This has not been the best year for fishing on the Trinity even though there are fish in the river. With the increase of salmon returns and quotas I am looking to having a very good fall fishing season.
Mid-Klamath: The Klamath at Weitchpec is flowing about 6,668cfs but the river is a beautiful green with many areas to fish from the bank. The river is still pretty high for drift boats but a motorized boat should do ok. The Upper Klamath is a little higher than usual for this time of year but with Iron Gate releasing 1,116cfs there should be good fishing for trout above I-5. As you move down the Klamath the river starts to pickup more snow melt that increases water flow. Orleans is flowing at 3,255cfs.
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 98% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows 1,228cfs and releasing 1,147cfs on to Keswick and the Sacramento River. Shasta is 96% of capacity (a decrease of 2% minus 3ft) with inflows of 4,997cfs and releasing 8,986cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 94% (an increase of 3%) with inflows of 10,319cfs and releasing 9,998cfs into the Sacramento river. Oroville Lake is 98% of capacity (an increase of 1% plus 2ft) with inflows of 4,6335cfs with releases of 5,373cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 95% of capacity (a decrease of 2% plus 2ft) with inflows of 4,265cfs with releases of 5,469cfs into the American river.
Trinity Lake: the lake is 8ft below the overflow (a decrease of 3ft) and 95% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) and inflows are 895cfs and releases are 2,886cfs into Lewiston Lake with 711cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown Lake and on to Keswick Power Plant, which is releasing 9,998cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 2,175cfs and water temperatures of 49.6 degrees and air at N/A as of 2:00pm today Saturday June 29, 2019. Limekiln Gulch is 6.75ft at 2,165cfs and water temps of N/A. Douglas City is 8.59ft and flows of 2,424cfs. with air temps of 84 and water at 51.6 degrees. Junction City is 4.55ft at 2,260cfs. Helena is 12.53ft at 2,439cfs with water temps of 52.8 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is 6.67ft at 2,733cfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 3.06ft at 366cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 3,099cfs and air is 86 degrees and water at 56 degrees. Hoopa is 14.52ft at 3,413cfs and water is 58.8 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath are estimated to be 6,668cfs.
Klamath: Iron Gate is releasing 1,116cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.74ft at 1,665cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 1,801cfs, the Salmon River is 2.86ft at 744cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 2,511cfs. Orleans is 3.88ft at 3.255cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 10.62ft at 7,680cfs and water temps of 63.7 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jedia Smith is 5.52ft and flows of 635cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 12.29ft at N/A cfs.
Temperatures in the Valley last week were 98 hi with a low of 47. Rain for the week was 0.01in with total rain for the water year to date of 67.7 inches, with snow of 4.5in. in the valley to date.
Forecast for temperatures next week are expected to reach 100 with a low of 53, the prediction is for sunshine for the next week and a half and then a scattering of clouds. The expected high is for Sunday and then maybe a cool down.
