Quotas being met on the Klamath and Trinity
The Chinook salmon quotas for the Upper Klamath and Upper Trinity have been met for adult Chinook salmon on Sunday October 24. As of October 25, 2021 you can only harvest jacks, (salmon under 23 inches, 2 per day, 6 in possession) on he Klamath above Weitchpec and above Cedar Flat Hwy 299 Bridge on the Trinity Rivers. The Lower Trinity from below the Hawkins Bar Bridge down to the confluence with the Klmath you can still harvest adult Chinook salmon over 23 inches. Two salmon per day, only 1 adult over 23 inches, total 6 salmon in possession with no more than 3 adult Chinook salmon over 23 inches in possession on the Lower Trinity until sundown Sunday October 31st. I know this is confusing but I have tried to make it as simple as possible. You may still harvest Hatchery steelhead on both Klamath and the Trinity Rivers or catch and release, your preference.
Today the Trinity River is blown out below the South Fork but fishable above the North Fork of the Trinity. The Klamath is fishable above Somes Bar but both rivers are dropping and should be fishable by next weekend if we have no more rain by then.
The fires are pretty much out or under control because of the rain. Now we have to watch out for mud slides within and around the fire areas. There is still a slide blocking Hwy 299 between Del Loma and Burnt Ranch School Rd. Traffic is being piloted through during the week from 7am to 7pm at 1.5hr intervals and on the hour on weekends from 7am to 7pm.
Lower Klamath Harvest Survey: Julian Week 41 ending Oct. 14, 2021 for Fall Run Chinook salmon for below Hwy 101 Bridge; 0-jack, 0-adults, total 0, season total 389. Chinook salmon above Hwy 101 Bridge; 43-jacks, 7-adults total 50, season total 3,060.
Junction City weir summary: Julian week 42 ending the week of Oct. 21, 2021 for Fall-Run Chinook salmon; 24 – jacks, 104 – adults, total of 129, season total of 1,753; Coho salmon, 0- jacks, season total 0, 7 adults, total 7, season total 22; steelhead, 0- 1/2lber,7- adults, for total of 7, season total 120; Brown trout 1, season total 7.
Willow Creek weir summary: Julian Week 42 ending Oct. 21 for Fall Chinook salmon; 46-jacks, 224-adults, total 270, season total 3,367; Coho salmon; 7-jack, 17 adults, total 24, season total 196; steelhead, 1-1/2lbers, 74-adults, total 75, season total 337.
Upper Klamath summary: Julian Week 42 observed through Oct. 18, Shasta River 6,659; Bogus Creek 1,306 adult Chinook salmon; Scott River, 23, a significant number have already spawned, no new counts as of Sept. 17.
Fishing: The Trinity is muddy and blown out below the South Fork but fishable above the North Fork. See above regulation changes. Fishing below the Bridge at Hawkins Bar should be available by the weekend if we don’t have any more rain for the week. The W.C. weir has counted some fairly good-sized adult steelhead of over 24 inches. Those would be 4lbs or better with some being hatchery fish which can be kept to take home. The rain has stared the temperatures to drop so you will be experiencing some cooler weather so come prepared and have something warm to drink when you come out of the water.
Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 16,991cfs. This is an increase of 14,961cfs. Iron Gate Dam is releasing 1,016cfs. With the temperatures dropping and the water cooling down. The Weitchpec, Orleans areas are blown out right now but should be fishable by the weekend. The better fishing will be above Somes Bar and Happy Camp. Above I-5 should be the hot spot right now.
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 93% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows of 1,390cfs and releasing 798cfs in to Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is 22% of capacity (a decrease of 0% minus 1ft) with inflows of 13,564cfs and releasing 4,810cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 85% (a decrease of 2%) with inflows of 5,975cfs and releasing 6,010cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 25% of capacity (an increase of 3% minus 6ft) with inflows of 39.839cfs with releases of 999cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 23% of capacity (a decrease of 1% minus 2ft) with inflows of 6,182cfs with releases of 209cfs into the American river.
Trinity Lake: The lake is 159ft below the overflow (an increase of 1ft) and 27% of capacity (a decrease of 0%) with inflows of 4,410cfs and releasing 380cfs into Lewiston Lake with 71cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown Lake and on to Keswick Power Plant, which is releasing 6,010cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 95% of capacity (an increase of 5%) and water releases are 309cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 53.4 degrees, as of 10:00am today Monday October 25, 2021. Limekiln Gulch is 4.84ft at 405cfs. Douglas City is 6.63ft with flows of 525cfs with air temps of N/A and water temperatures of 50.6 degrees. Junction City is 2.35ft at 683cfs. Helena is 10.03ft at 1,077cfs with water temps of 50.4 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is 6.42ft at 2,639cfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 6.97ft at 3,094cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 5,733cfs and air is 52 degrees and water at 51 degrees and the river is muddy. Hoopa is 18.03ft at 9,590cfs and water is 52.3 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath in Weitchpec are estimated to be 16,991cfs an increase of 14,961cfs.
Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate is releasing 1,016cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.57ft at 1,512cfs. Indian Creek is 5.04ft at 544cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 2,056cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 5,344cfs, and the Salmon River is 4.13ft at 2,057cfs. Orleans is 6.39ft at 7,401cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 14.44ft at 22,231cfs and water temps are 53.5 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jed Smith are 10.31ft with flows of 6,789cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 16.93 ft at N/A cfs.
Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 65 and a low of 41 degrees. Rain for the week was 7.56in with a water year total to date of 7.77 inches (note: the water year ended on Sept. 30 and the new water year started Oct. 1) and 0.0in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted weather for next week is high of 77 and a low of 51. The predicted weather for next week is possible showers for Wednesday then a warming up for the rest of the week and cloudy overcast for the weekend. That could mean some good fishing for next weekend. Let’s hope so.