As the Trinity drops the salmon are starting to move into the river. The upper river is seeing more bright fish and Greys Falls is seeing more salmon holding. I have heard that the Falls is starting to get loaded with fishermen and sometimes one has to wait for a spot to fish. Water flows are getting to a state for very good fishing on both the Klamath and Trinity.
There was no fishing report last week because I was up in Oregon checking on the Umpqua, McKenzie and Willamette Rivers on a short vacation to the Oregon Gardens. I am sorry for those of you that read my report each week and there was none. I wish you Good Fish’en and thank you for following my column.
Fishing: Fishing has started to really pick up now that the water flows are getting back towards summer flows. We are going to see the releases reach 450cfs Aug. 6th. All the reports I have been getting people are coming back into camp with their one salmon. Seeing the upper Trinity this past week the water was beautiful, clear and very fishable. The days have been hot but are cooling down some this weekend but the following week it is supposed the turn hot again. With the sun coming out so bright the fish will start to go deep by mid-mornings and one will have to change tactics. It will be early mornings and late afternoons into the evenings as the salmon move up river seeking cooler water.
Mid-Klamath: The Klamath at Weitchpec is flowing about 1,616cfs and the river is a nice green. As the river drops a little more, we will see the river start to turn a little brown but right now the river is in great shape for fishing. There are very few fishermen out on the Klamath now, mostly locals. Sometime around the 1st or 2nd week of August we should start to see more larger fish move into the river. River temperatures are starting to climb a little bit right now but not so much that it is hampering good fishing.
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 97% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows 2,523cfs and releasing 2,447cfs on to Keswick and the Sacramento River. Shasta is 93% of capacity (a decrease of 3% minus 5ft) with inflows of 4,535cfs and releasing 9,361cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 94% (an increase of 0%) with inflows of 11,110cfs and releasing 10,923cfs into the Sacramento river. Oroville Lake is 94% of capacity (a decrease of 4% minus 7ft) with inflows of 2,991cfs with releases of 8,021cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 90% 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 11ft below the overflow (an increase of 3ft) and 95% of capacity (a decrease of 2 %) and inflows are 654cfs and releases are 2,205cfs into Lewiston Lake with 1,264cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown Lake and on to Keswick Power Plant, which is releasing 10,923cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 941cfs and water temperatures of 50.3 degrees and air at N/A as of 11:00am today Saturday July 14, 2019. Limekiln Gulch is 5.67ft at 1,030cfs and water temps of N/A. Douglas City is 7.38ft and flows of 1,061cfs. with air temps of 83 and water at 51.9 degrees. Junction City is 3.12ft at 1,150cfs. Helena is 10,48ft at 1,129cfs with water temps of 58.6 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is 4.69ft at 1,405cfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 2.72ft at 211cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 1,616cfs and air is 85 degrees and water at 61 degrees. Hoopa is 13.20ft at 2,007cfs and water is 63.9 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath are estimated to be 4,505cfs.
Klamath: Iron Gate is releasing 896cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.24ft at 1,284cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 1,390cfs, the Salmon River is 2.56ft at 557cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 1,941cfs. Orleans is 3.39ft at 2,498cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 9.68ft at 5,182cfs and water temps of 69.6 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jedia Smith is 5.22ft and flows of 479cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 12.06ft at N/A cfs.
Temperatures in the Valley last week were 95 hi with a low of 55. Rain for the week was 0.00in with total rain for the water year to date of 67.7 inches, with snow of 4.5in. in the valley to date. Forecasts for next week are for temperatures in the low to mid 90s and lots of sunshine after the weekend. I know I would like some cooler weather and cooler water so the summer steelhead would make a run for their holding waters.
