From Willow Creek, CA. By E. B. Duggan “D” Fishing, 707-599-2357 at yen2fish@yahoo.com
TRINITY RIVER FLOWS DROPPING TO WINTER FLOWS
The Bureau of Reclamation will be dropping water releases into the Trinity for normal winter flows of 300cfs on Wednesday, October 16th. This is about the normal time BOR reduces water release from Trinity Dam into the Trinity River for winter water releases. In the years past this is when winter storms used to come into Northern California. That hasn’t happened for many many years. Now winter storms are not coming into Northern California until November sometime. They say it is because of “Clemet Change” but I am not a scientist so I cannot officially say so. I do remember my uncle having to go into the woods years ago to winterize logging equipment about this time of year as the rule was “all logging equipment was to be out of the woods by October 15th or left in until spring”.
Things are changing over on the Klamath River counting stations. CDFW now counts Bogus Creek, Shasta River, Scott River, Jenny Creek and Shovel Creek for fish returns. (For Chinook Salmon and Coho Salmon) It will be interesting to see what kind of Salmon returns we get not that the Dams are down and the river flows free again. I did see where a Salmon was seen swimming up-river of the Iron Gate Dam. This could be a good sign of recovery for the upper Klamath River. It would be great to see large Salmon returns on the Kamath like years ago. That will not happen overnight! It will take many years and lots of river restoration before we are able to see that happen. I would love to see it happen though.
Junction City Weir summary: Julian Week 40, 2024, ending Oct. 7, 2025: Chinook Salmon; 14- jacks, 8-adults, total 22, season total 214; Coho Salmon; 0-jacks, 0-adults, total 0, season total 0; Steelhead; 3-1/2lbs, 43-adults, total 46, season total 161; 6- Brown Trout, season total 25.
Willow Creek weir summary: Julian week 40 ending Oct. 7, 2024: Chinook Salmon; 16-jacks, 55-adults, total 71,season total 412; Coho Salmon; 0-jacks, 0-adults, total 0, season total 0; Steelhead; 7-1/2-pounders, 56-adults, total 63, season total 449. About 81% of the Steelhead this last count was hatchery clipped fish. This is a good thing as those fish you are able to keep.
Fishing: As winter comes, I have been able to see more people fishing on the river and the counts have been good going through the Willow Creek weir. Remember to fill out your Steelhead report card before you fish the place you want and then after you are done. Kimtu Beach has been doing well fly fishing as has the lower area below the weir at Tish Tang. Big Rock at the bottom of the airport is at the top of the “no fishing zone” but be sure you are above the sign is you fish there. As the river drops you will have to downsize your hardware as the larger spinners and spoons will sink to the bottom and hangup. (Snagg) Using bait is a problem now with so many smolt moving down river. Spinners, Blue Fox, orange or green bodies with silver spinner, Panther Martin, yellow with black or red dots spinner and black bodies work will down here.
Lewiston Lake: Pine Cove Marina, Louise said that fishing has been good even though they have been having warm weather. The fish are deep about two feet off the bottom. Bait fishing, orange – salmon – peach glitter is working the best and night crawlers are doing good also. Lures, Kastmasters, Little Cleos are doing good; Spinners, Panther Martins Yellow and Black are the best. For Lewiston Lake and Trinity Lake information you can call, Pine Cove Marina, Matt or Louise (530)778-3878, for the river you can call Indian Creek Lodge, Andy or Hannah, (530)623-6294), Junction City Store, Butch, (530)623-2803.
Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 2,281cfs. This is an increase of 53cfs. Iron Gate Dam/Bogus Creek area is flowing 1,004cfs a decrease of 5cfs from last time. The Upper Klamath is flowing a bit dirty now that all of the coffer dams and bridges have been removed. I would imagine this could go into the winter rains, hopefully not! I have not been able to get any fishing information from up that way for a while. Seid Vally is flowing 1,025cfs so the river is dropping a bit and is somewhat dirty but the fish seem to be able to negotiate the river ok. Fishing dirty water, you would have to use brighter gear and go up in size for fishing. If you are interested in fishing the Upper Klamath you might call the Marble Mountain Guest Ranch (800) 522-6284, or Scott Caldwell, SC Guide Service (530)905-0758
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 99% of capacity (a decrease of 0%) with inflows of 1,408cfs with releases of 1,473cfs into Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is 59% of capacity (a decrease of 1% and minus 2ft) with inflows of 2,597cfs and releasing 5,198cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 95% of capacity (a decrease of 2%) with inflows of 6,912cfs and releases of 6,851cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 52% of capacity (a decrease of 2% and minus 6ft) with inflows of 2,060cfs with releases of 6,691cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 45% of capacity (a decrease of 1% and minus 8ft) with inflows of 997cfs with releases of 1,804cfs into the American river. Trinity Lake storage is 1,678,197AF a decrease of 28,379AF of storage.
Trinity Lake: The lake is 53ft below the overflow (an increase of 3ft) and 69% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows of -89cfs and releasing 1,766cfs into Lewiston Lake with 1,319cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant while releasing 6,851cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Trinity Lake is 69% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) and 53ft below the overflow an increase of 3ft. Lewiston Dam is 96% of capacity (an increase of 0%) and water releases of 447cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 48.3 degrees, as of 12:30pm today Sunday October 13, 2024. Limekiln Gulch is 4.87ft at 448cfs. Douglas City is 6.67ft with flows of 476cfs with water temperatures of 56.8 degrees. Junction City is 1.91ft at 490cfs. Helena is 8.75ft at 496cfs with water temps of 54.7 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is N/Aft at 0.00cfs (Gauge is still out of order). South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 1.95 at 81cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 577 and air is 73 degrees and water at 58.5 degrees, Hoopa is 11.44ft at 770cfs with water at 61.7 degrees.
Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area flows are 1,004cfs, a decrease of 5cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.10ft at 1,190cfs. Indian Creek is 3.45ft at 57cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be 1,247cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 1,326cfs, and the Salmon River is 1.46ft at 185cfs. Orleans is 2.21ft at 1,511cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 7.91ft at 2,513cfs and water temps are 63.2 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 4.68ft with flows of 278cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 11.38ft at N/A.
Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 86 and a low of 47 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.04in with a water year total to date of 0.04 inches and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. October 1st, we started a new water year of 2025. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 79 and a low of 42. The weather predicted for the next week is some sunshine with some clouds and a cooling down period.
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
