Happy Holidays to all of my readers and I wish you the best for the New Year. I am sorry I missed the last week but I was with family and preparing of the coming Holidays. The change of deadlines for the Holidays mixed me up so I missed mine and hope to NOT miss the next few, but if I do I apologize.
With the New Year come some new fishing regulations and another increase in the costs of California licenses for hunting and fishing. The new automatic increase for hunting and fishing is slowly forcing older/ senior citizens on a steady income out of fishing and hunting. This is a shame as we are now seeing a very large increase of retirees that are fishermen being forced out of fishing. The new fishing license will be starting at $58.58, plus the steelhead report card, plus the salmon harvest card and for those that get the second rod stamp you add another $18.36. The good news is that as of January 1st a fishing license is good for 365 days from purchase. Exception: What about Leap Year? That is 366 days? There are also Senior and Disabled licenses available for those who qualify. Seniors over 65 and on SSI or low income may qualify.
Lewiston Lake, Pine Creek Marina: I didn’t hear from Louise or Matt of the Pine Cove Marina and Park so I don’t have anything from Lewiston Lake.
Trinity River Hatchery summary: Julian Week 45 ending Nov.11, 2022; Fall Run Chinook Salmon, 367-adult, 188-jacks, total 585, season total 2,346; Coho salmon, 11-jack, 90-adult, total 101, season total 160; 2-steelhead, season total 35.
Junction City weir summary: Julian week 49 ending Dec. 9, 2022; Chinook salmon, 0 -jack, 9-adult, total 9, season total 3,193; Coho salmon, 0-jack, 17-adult, total 17, season total 240; steelhead, 4-adult, 0-1/2lbs, total 4, season total 221, Brown Trout, 0, season total 22.
Willow Creek weir summary: Julian week 46 ending Nov. 18, 2022; The Willow Creek weir has been removed for the season.
Fishing: The fish are moving through but I have been having trouble finding fishers. It seems as though the fishermen have been scared off the river because of the cold or maybe because of the Holidays. Where are the true winter steelhead fishers? I guess I am a little early as most of the winter steelhead fishers usually start showing up around Mid-January of first week of February. I am sure I will find some soon. If you are looking for some fishing information for the upper river you might give a call to Cory at the Indian Creek Lodge (530)623-6294 or check with Khristine at Del Loma RV Park (530)623-2834.
Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 3,554cfs. This is an increase of 607cfs. Iron Gate Dam is releasing 1,005cfs. Due to the Holiday week, I have not been able to get fishing reports from the Klamath River area. I hope for better next week.
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 86% of capacity (a decrease of 0%) with inflows of 193cfs and releasing 237cfs into Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is 32% of capacity (an increase of 1% plus 2ft) with inflows of 3,341cfs and releasing 2,561cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 88% (an increase of 2%) with inflows of 3,229cfs and releasing 3,292cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 29% of capacity (an increase of 2% plus 9ft) with inflows of 4,851cfs with releases of 1,177cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 28% of capacity (an increase of 3% plus 6ft) with inflows of 1,645cfs with releases of 1,068cfs into the American river. Trinity Lake is at 524,822AF a decrease of 2,817AF. The Cold-Water pool was agreed to be 600,00AF, this winter appears to be contradicting the forecasts of the national weather bureau by being ahead of last years rain fall. From the forecasts we are also having some good snow pack in the Northern Sierras. I haven’t seen any snow reports from the Trinity Alps area yet. We could hopefully have a turnaround in the weather.
Trinity Lake: The lake is 181ft below the overflow (an increase of 1ft) and 21% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows of 279cfs and releasing 322cfs into Lewiston Lake with 25cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to Keswick Power Plant, leaving 524,822AF in lake storage (a decrease of 2,817AF), and releasing 3,292cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 95% of capacity (a decrease of 0%) and water releases of 297cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 44.4 degrees, as of 11:30am today Thursday December 15, 2022. Limekiln Gulch is 4.66ft at 309cfs. Douglas City is 6.28ft with flows of 315cfs with water temperatures of 41.1 degrees. Junction City is 1.78ft at 372cfs. Helena is 8.20ft at 395cfs with water temps of 41.3 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is 2.75ft at 553cfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 2.60ft at 285cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 811cfs and air is 42 degrees and water at 41.5 degrees, Hoopa is 12.37ft at 1,401cfs with water at 41.6 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath in Weitchpec are estimated to be 3,554cfs an increase of 607cfs.
Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate is releasing 1,005cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.19ft at 1,230cfs. Indian Creek is 3.62ft at 125cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 1,712cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 1,814fs, and the Salmon River is 1.84ft at 339cfs. Orleans is 2.69ft at 2,153cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 9.55ft at 5,384cfs and water temps are 42.3 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jed Smith are 6.78ft with flows of 1,640cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 13.51ft at N/A cfs.
Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 46 and a low of 32 degrees. Rain for the week was 7.66in with a water year total to date of 19.41 inches and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 68 and lows of 34. Right now, we are in a fair to nice weather but it looks like we could be in for some light rain showers for the coming weekend and maybe some more snow in the higher elevations.
We are entering the holiday season
