Just received a report that Trinity Lake is releasing muddy water into Lewiston Lake and then on into the Trinity River on Jan. 4. The water conditions are making it tough fishing in Lewiston Lake. How long this will be going on is not known at this time but it could be clearing up soon. Most of the creeks are on the rise which makes the Trinity River on the rise from the top to the bottom as I write this report. The trinity was fishable from Lewiston to the South Fork and fishable from the bank to Hoopa in some places. The Trinity was just coming into good fishing conditions below the South Fork when the new storm came in. As of now the Trinity is expecting rain Monday through Wednesday then a gain for the weekend. These are not going to be strong storms but could keep the Trinity with high water for most of the week. Depending on how strong these storms are could make the difference on how fishable the river will be. The upper most part of the Trinity usually clears faster than the lower sections. I would plan on my fishing with this information in mind! Trinity River Hatchery: TRH counts for fall run Salmon is done as no more salmon are coming into the hatchery. Steelhead this week 96, season total 1,826. Chinook salmon season total for Fall Run and winter run, 5,235; Coho salmon, 3,021. It appears that the TRH made their adult quota for hatchery salmon eggs.

Klamath River at Iron Gate: Count for Dec. 12: Shasta station, Chinook salmon 6,544 Coho 37; Bogus Creek, Chinook salmon 2,131, Coho 14; Scott River, Chinook salmon 386, Coho 217. This is the last counts I have received for the Klamath Iron Gate Hatchery.

Fishing: The Rivers are on the rise and with the coming storms the river could reach high water conditions by the weekend. If you are planning on fishing the Trinity you should call ahead before coming making the trip to make sure that the river is fishable in the area you wish to fish

Mid Klamath: The Mid-Klamath is on the rise and could become too high to fish. Above the I-5 the Klamath could be fishable and should have plenty of fish available because there has been a continuous run of fresh steelhead moving up the river ever since these last set of storms came in. If you are looking to fish this section of the Klamath, I-5 to Iron Gate, I would call Scott Caldwell of S C Guide service as he fishes this area all the time and could give you a good last minute- up-date on the weather and fishing conditions.

Reservoir Conditions: Whiskeytown is 85% of capacity, inflow is 434cfs, releases are 524cfs; Shasta is 33% of capacity (plus 4ft.), inflow is 6,280cfs, releases are 2,223cfs; Keswick is 93% of capacity and inflow is 3,096cfs and releasing 3,086cfs; Lake Orville is 30% of capacity (plus 5ft); inflow is 3,111cfs, and releases are 372cfs. Lake Folsom is 26% of capacity (plus 1%), inflow is 2.190cfs and releases are 394cfs.

Trinity Lake: The Lake is 185ft (an increase of 4ft.) below the overflow and 21% of capacity (1% decrease) Inflow to Trinity Lake is 1,022cfs and the Trinity Dam is releasing 411cfs to Lewiston Lake with 993fs going to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Keswick Power Plant with 2,086cfs being released to the Sacramento River.

Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 312cfs, water temps are 44.6 and air is 40 degrees at 1:00p.m. today. Limekiln Gulch is 4.9ft at 406cfs, water temps are 43.1 and air is 40; Douglas City is 6.4ft at 534cfs, water temps of 43 and air is 41. Junction City is 2.7ft at 625cfs. Helena is 9.7 ft at 811cfs with water temps of 43.6. Cedar Flat is 4.9ft at 1,580cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 3,370cfs, air is 44, and water 44.5, Hoopa is 16.2ft at 5,560cfs, water temps of 45.1. Flows at the mouth of the Trinity at Klamath are estimated to be 11.3Kcfs.

Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 1,010cfs. Seiad Valley is 3ft at 1,870cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 2,202cfs. Somes Bar is estimated at 4,380cfs. Orleans is 5.9ft. at 5,820cfs. Klamath at Terwer Creek is 12.9ft at 15Kcfs and water temperatures of 45.4 degrees. Flows at Smith River, Dr. Fine Bridge are 9.2ft at 4,510cfs.
Temperatures in the Valley last week were 50/39 degrees with 1.25 inches of rain with a season total of 32.15 inches of rain and 1.35in. of snow. Temperatures in the valley next week are expected to be 52/37 degrees, with storms coming in Mon thru Wed and Fri thru Mon, over next weekend.

Good Fish’en and Good Luck but remember; “Keep your tip up with a tight line lands fish.”