TRINITY RIVER FISHING REPORT – November 20, 2023

From Willow Creek, CA. By E. B. Duggan “D” Fishing, 707-599-2357 at yen2fish@yahoo.com

THE RIVERS ARE DROPPING AS THE FISHING IMPROVES

Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your turkey.
    The weather is clearing to some degree as the Trinity drops. As I traveled to Redding I checked along the river and observed about a half dozen or more bank fishermen on the upper sections of the river and about a dozen trailers at several put-ins. Because it was so early in the morning, we saw more bank fishers than drifters. Over all it looked as though there were plenty of fishers taking advantage of the nicer weather. Sorry I was not able to find out how well they did but from the information I did get the fishers in the upper part of the river did good compared to the lower sections of the river. With the predicted clearer weather coming I would expect the fishing to cool down a bit waiting the next storm to come in and bring it back up. With more water in the river, we hopefully should see an increase in the return of fish to the Klamath River Basin.
     Because I was away for short time and the Holiday season, I was unable to communicate with the person I have been working with at TRRP so I have nothing to report about TRRP at this time.
    A Bill proposing the termination of the CVPIA environmental restoration program could possibly terminate water releases into the Trinity River. The Bill HR 4394 Energy and Water Development Act would terminate environmental restoration provisions of the Central Valley project Improvement Act. The Bill is part of the FY24 Budget. It could possibly defund the TRRP and the TMC, it could also allow more water from the Trinity River to be shipped over to the Central Valley. Again, Farmers vs Fishermen. Infighting is NOT going to help fish or farmers as both will run out of water, then what?
Trinity River Hatchery summary: Julian Week 44 ending Nov. 4, 2023, Fall Chinook Salmon, 458 -jacks, 1,1150 -adults, total 1,608, seasonal total 1,875; Coho Salmon, 13- jacks, 13-adults, total 14, seasonal total 46; Steelhead 4. Season total 55; Ads clipped -total 51.
Junction City Weir summary: Julian Week 44 ending Nov. 4, 2023; Chinook Salmon, 32- jacks, 177- adults, total of 209, seasonal total 2,895, seasonal Ads clipped 257; Coho Salmon, 2-jacks, 5- adults, total 7, seasonal total 63; Steelhead, 1- ½-pounders, 1- adults, total 2, seasonal total 272, ads clipped 137; 1-Brown Trout, seasonal total 22.
Willow Creek Weir summary: Julian Week 44 ending Nov. 4, 2023; there appears to be a mix up on data, Chinook Salmon, 0-jacks, 0- adults, total 0, seasonal total 814, seasonal total Ads clipped 4, seasonal total 125; Coho Salmon, 0- jack, 0-adult, total 0, season total 10, ad clipped total 96; Steelhead, 1-1/2-pounders, 5- adults, total 6, seasonal total 317 (hatchery total 174).
Fishing: The Trinity River Valley is desperately in need of some rain. The river is dropping and I am not seeing more fish coming into the river. This could crimp the Holiday fishing that many fishermen count on. I have not seen an increase of fishing in the lower river over the weekend. Usually over the Thanksgiving weekend I start see more fishermen in the willow creek area but not so far. What I did see in the upper river was very up lifting as it meant more people out enjoying the outdoors and the river.
Mid-Klamath and Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 5,185cfs, this is a decrease of 2,172cfs from last week. Iron Gate Dam is currently releasing 988cfs a decrease of 48cfs from last week. The Klamath River decrease in water releases with no prediction of rain in the near future could hurt the return and spawning in the Upper Klamath which is just the opposite of the intension of the Dam removal. Rain would improve fishing in the Mid-Klamath for the Holidays. If you are interested in fishing the Mid and Upper Klamth you might give a call to Doug Cole at Marble Mountain Resort (530-522-6284) or to fish above I-5 a call to Scott Caldwell (530-905-0758)
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 95% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) with inflows of 348cfs and releasing 253cfs over to the Keswick Reservoir. Shasta Lake is 68% of capacity (an increase of 1% plus 1ft) with inflows of 4,038cfs and releasing 5,078cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 93% (an increase of 6%) with inflows of 5,747cfs and releasing 5,011cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 66% of capacity (a decrease of 1% minus 1ft) with inflows of 4,722cfs with releases of 7,574cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 52% of capacity (a decrease of 2% minus 2ft) with inflows of 1,414cfs with releases of 2,154cfs into the American river. Trinity Lake is 1,212,831AF an increase of 409AF.
Trinity Lake: The lake is 93ft below the overflow (an increase of 0ft) and 50% of capacity (a decrease of 0%) with inflows of 1,166cfs and releasing 700cfs into Lewiston Lake with 411cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to Keswick Power Plant, and releasing 4,992cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 93% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) and water releases of 311cfs into the Trinity River with water temperatures of 48.3 degrees, as of 12:30pmtoday Monday November 20, 2023. Limekiln Gulch is 4.72ft at flows of 335cfs. Douglas City is 6.53ft with flows of 359cfs with water temperatures of 46.2 degrees. Junction City is 1.68ft at 403cfs. Helena is 8.66ft at 527cfs with water temps of 47.2 degrees. Burnt Ranch at Cedar Flat is N/Aft at N/Acfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 3.56ft at 319cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 1,114cfs and air is 61 degrees and water at 49.3 degrees, Hoopa is 13.01ft at 1,882cfs with water at 50.1 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath in Weitchpec are estimated to be 5,185cfs an increase of 2,172cfs.
Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate is releasing 988cfs a decrease of 43cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.31ft at 1,315cfs. Indian Creek is 4.38ft at 233cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 1,548cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 2,619cfs, and the Salmon River is 2.45ft at 681cfs. Orleans is 3.78ft at 3,300cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 10.51ft at 8,332cfs and water temps are 50 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jedia Smith are 6.03t with flows of 1,054cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 12.83ft at N/A. Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 63 and a low of 42 degrees. Rain for the week was 2.25in with a water year total to date of 11.25 inches and 0.00in of snow for a total of 0.00in. in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 70 degrees and a low of 35. The weather predicted to be sunny with very little chance of rain. This could make it hard to find good fishing for the Thanks giving Holiday.

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