TRINITY RIVER FISHING REPORT – February 19, 2024
From Willow Creek, CA. By E. B. Duggan “D” Fishing, 707-599-2357 at yen2fish@yahoo.com
RIVER RESTORATION / RIVER FLOWS
The TRRP did a fair job of notification for the Upper Conner Creek Boat Launch. It would have been much better if they had tried to reach out to the Raft Companies and the general public that use the Junction City Campground launch. This is a very poplar launching area and is used by many guides and rafters not just guides. I would have liked to have seen some more guides there for input. I will say there was some very good representation there for input but I did not see one rafting company present or general public user there. Usually, TRRP tries to make the public aware of river projects for scoping. The problem is that TRRP usually does not incorporate the input information into the plan. Sometimes the public input is more valid than science, especially when it comes from “Old Timers” that have lived and worked along the river for many many years, some prior to the Dam! As for Winter River Flows, I am not really sure that they work as the science says it should. I do agree that we must try to see if it does help more fish to reach the estuary down on the Klamath as this benefits al users. Maybe it should be done in smaller increments first then try larger ones. One thing the TRRP and TMC should do is try to under stand the economic side of the program. I have seen where the economic side is not even considered. This is bad for the river and the counties involved.
Right now both the Klamath and Trinity Rivers are blown out and very muddy. This time of the year is usually prime time for Steelhead fishing but the weather has really changed this year. These atmospheric storms hitting the west coast are really doing some serious damage as well as making the rivers unfishable. Usually, one could plan on fishing in between storms and make some great hook ups but these “Pineapple Express” storms are killing any type of good fishing.
Trinity River Hatchery summary: Julian Week 6 ending on Feb. 18, 2024: Chinook salmon, 0-jacks, 0-adults, season total 11,935, Ads clipped season total 2,171; Coho salmon, 0-jacks, season total 124, 0-aduts, season total 2,423, Ads clipped season total 2.382. Returns are finally looking good for 2023-24 season.
Fishing: These winter storms are taking control on the streams and the river. Several of the river gauges are still out and repair is not looking good for the present. Fishing has been pretty slow due to the heavy rains and the river reaching very high levels. Normally one could do fairly good in between storms but it seems as though these atmospheric river storms are making fishing fairly hard what with the high water. All I can say is try to fallow the weather forecasts and be ready when the rivers drop low enough to reach fishable waters. For upper river conditions you might want to call Indian Creek Lodge, Cory, (530) 623-6294, Junction City, Bitch, (530)0623-2803, for Lewiston Lake, Pine Cove Marina, Matt or Louise (530)778-3878
Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 40,082cfs. This is an increase of 22,432cfs. Iron Gate Dam is releasing 1,115cfs. The Klamath was clearing but now is blown out,
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 93% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) with inflows of 2,994cfs and releasing 1,750cfs into Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is 84% of capacity (an increase of 1% plus 1ft) with inflows of 24,805cfs and releasing 13,253cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 86% (an increase of 4%) with inflows of 14,579cfs and releasing 14,932cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 80% of capacity (an increase of 1% plus 4ft) with inflows of 2,480cfs with releases of 2,680cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 68% of capacity (an increase of 2% plus 2ft) with inflows of 5,031cfs with releases of 5,994cfs into the American river. Trinity Lake is 1,665,929AF an increase of 42,459AF, increasing the storage in the lake. The Trinity Alps is the water source for Trinity Lake but the snowpack is not increasing like it should.
Trinity Lake: The lake is 53ft below the overflow (a decrease of 4ft) and % of capacity (an increase of 7%) with inflows of 2,588cfs and releasing 316cfs into Lewiston Lake with -0cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to Keswick Power Plant, releasing 14,932cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 92% of capacity (a decrease of 5%) and water releases of 316cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 46.6 degrees, as of 10:30am today Munday February 19, 2024. Limekiln Gulch is 5.65ft at 1,104cfs. Douglas City is 8.72ft with flows of 2,313cfs with water temperatures of 45.8 degrees. Junction City is 4.41ft at 2,960cfs. Helena is 13.94ft at 3,995cfs with water temps of 49.4 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is N/Aft at 0.00cfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 11.81t at 10,070cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 13,965cfs and air is 48 degrees and water at 46.9 degrees, Hoopa is 22.55ft at 24,472cfs with water at 47.4 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath in Weitchpec are estimated to be 40,082cfs an increase of 22,4332cfs.
Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate is releasing 1,115cfs, an increase of 127cfs. Seiad Valley is 4.24ft at 3,095cfs. Indian Creek is 6.58ft at 1,303cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 4,398cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 1,558fs, and the Salmon River is 5.46ft at 4,052cfs. Orleans is 10.07ft at 15,610cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 18.93ft at 45,540cfs and water temps are 48 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 12.11ft with flows of 11,547cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 18.50ft at N/A cfs.
Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of61 and a low of 35 degrees. Rain for the week was 2.56in with a water year total to date of 35.73 inches and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 64 and a low of 39. The weather predicted for next week look like rain the first part of the week and showers the rest of the week.
Good Fishin and Good Luck but remember; “keep your tip up with a tight line lands fish”
Websites: www.norcalfishreports.com/spots/1896/trinity-river—willow-creek-weir.php, info@willowcreekchamber.com