I finally tracked down the Klamath River Basin In-River Sportsmen Fall Chinook salmon quotas for the 2018 season.
Total In-River quota is 19% of the Harvestable Surplus Fall Chinook salmon that comes to 3,490 fall salmon for the Klamath, Trinity, Shasta and Scott rivers. The Shasta and Scott are tributaries to the Klamath but are restricted to fishing for salmon but are counted in the fishable area.
Spring Chinook limits are; two (2) fish per day any size two (2) in possession until Aug. 15th on the Lower Klamath and then Fall Chinook salmon regulations take effect. For the Upper Klamath and Trinity Rivers Spring Chinook is; two (2) fish per day 2 in possession.
The Lower Klamath from the Weitchpec Bridge to the mouth of the Klamath opens August 15 and closes when the quota is met and receives 1,745 Chinook salmon to harvest; of that amount 524 salmon are allocated to the Spit. [New Spit rules are]; two (2) salmon per day only one (1) may be an adult over 22 inches. Here’s the catch “if you catch an adult first you must leave the area and not fish there the rest of that day”, you can go up above the Hwy 101 Bridge and catch your other salmon that must be a jack, (under 22 inches).
The Upper Klamath allocated 17% equals 593salmon and opens Sept. 1st from the Weitchpec Bridge up to Iron Gate Dam; two (2) Chinook salmon per day of which only one (1) can be an adult over 22 inches.
Trinity River allocated 33% equals 1,152 Chinook salmon and opens Sept. 1st; Lower Trinity River is from the mouth of the Trinity River to the Hawkins Bar Bridge; Special Note the Trinity River closes to all fishing Sept. 1st from the Hawkins Bar Bridge to the Cedar Flat Bridge Hwy 299 East; Upper Trinity River from Cedar flat Bridge East to the Old Lewiston Bridge in Lewiston. Limit is two (2) salmon per day of only one (1) adult over 22 inches with six (6) in possession and NO more than three (3) adults over 22 inches.
There you have it and I hope it is not too confusing.
Notice: The Trinity River Spring Releases are in the process and will be fluctuating between 900cfs to 1,600cfs for the months of May and June plus there will be some snow melt added to the flows as the temperatures heat up. You can go to the Trinity River Restoration Project website to get the most recent water releases for more accurate flows.
Fishing: Right now fishing will be very difficult due to the fluctuating water releases. The best opportunities will be when the water releases are dropping sometime around June 12th – 14th. The upper Trinity will be the best area first and then as the river drops you will able to move down river. Fishing high water I usually have used larger hardware such as #4 or 5 spinners or 5/8th oz spoons. Best colors are Orange body w/silver blade or florescent green body w/silver blade or spoons to match the same colors.
Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate Dam is releasing 1,649cfs today. This will negate any fishing on the Upper Klamath for at least a week maybe more. We are going to have to be patient and wait for Mother Nature to calm down before there will be much of a chance to fish. As it is the sunny days are adding snow melt to the water flows.
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 86% of capacity (an increase of 0%) with inflows of 148cfs and releasing 261cfs into Clear Creek and on to Keswick. Shasta is 90% (an increase of 2% and 4ft) with inflows of 9,473cfs and releasing 3,061cfs, Keswick is 95% of capacity (an increase of 1%) with inflows of 3,408cfs and releasing 3,094cfs; Oroville Lake is 64% capacity (an increase of4% & plus 8ft), inflow is 9,053cfs and releases are 4,885cfs; Folsom Lake is 79% of capacity minus 3% & minus 2ft.) inflows are 8,599cfs and releases are 8,392cfs.
Trinity Lake: The Lake is 34ft below the overflow (an increase of 0ft) and 79% of capacity (0% increase) Inflow to Trinity Lake is 1,588cfs and Trinity Dam is releasing 1,963cfs to Lewiston Lake with 1,656cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Keswick Power Plant and it is releasing 3,723cfs to the Sacramento River.
Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 307cfs with water temps of 53.2 degrees and air is 78 at 3:30pm today. Limekiln Gulch is 4.9t at 389cfs, with water temps of 54 degrees. Douglas City is 6.4ft at 496cfs, water temps of 55.1 degrees and air is 82. Junction City is 2.2ft at 644cfs. Helena is 9.9ft at 887cfs with water temps of 57.1. Cedar Flat is 4.9ft at 1,629cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 3.263cfs and air is 78 with water at 56. Hoopa is 15.9ft at 5,346cfs with water temps of 55.6. Flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at Klamath River are estimated to be 13.3Kcfs.
Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 1,649cfs. Seiad Valley is 4.5ft at 3,449cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 4,002cfs, Salmon River is 4.6ft at 2,725cfs, Somes Bar is estimated at 7,991cfs and Orleans is 7.5ft. at 9,516cfs and the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 13.8ft at 20.7Kcfs, with water temperatures of 54.2 degrees. Flows at Smith River, Dr. Fine Bridge are 8.6ft at 4,150cfs.
The low temperatures for Valley last week were 37/41 degrees and the high was 78 with 0.6in of rain with a season total of 66.1in of rain with a total of 4.15in of snow. Temperatures in the valley next week are expected to be 84/44 degrees with partly cloudy weather during the week and some sun in the afternoons.
