This is the day before Christmas and winter steelhead are coming up the river. I hope everyone has a good Christmas.

Do you hear that big swoooosh? That’s the water rushing down south. Last week Obama signed the finance bill which Senator Feinstein attached the water bill and the controversial rider to. About the same time, the courts ruled that Governor Brown’s Tunnel project to take water from the Sacramento was not harmful to the Delta or the environment so there goes more water south. Another federal ruling by Judge Marilyn Blank Horn rejected the Government’s argument that the diversion of water amounted to a “regulatory taking” of water. All I can see is that we are not over the drought yet and more water is going to go south by rulings. How are the reservoirs going to fill enough for everyone to have a “fair share” of water? Fish need water, farmers need water and the cities need water yet there is no more storage being built or even on the books to be provided in the near future. I stated many years ago that water will end up being the next “Gold Rush” and sure enough it is coming true!  

CDFW / Yurok Spawning Survey: main stem of the Trinity from Lewiston to Cedar Flat; Dec. 20, 13 Redds were counted for a total of 1,631 Redds for the season. Derek Rupert of USFW stated that this would be the last count for the year. This is the lowest spawning count since they started surveying 15 years ago. This is not a good notice for the salmon. If something doesn’t happen soon we could lose the salmon run and only have hatchery salmon on the Trinity. The good news is that the winter run of steelhead has started coming up the Trinity. I guess that the large flush of water going down the Klamath and Trinity Rivers sent the message to them to start up the rivers.  

TRH: The hatchery has reached their egg quota for the spring run; as of Oct 29 thru Nov. 4; Dec. 17 thru Dec. 23, Fall Chinook salmon entering the hatchery; adults 3, season total 1,512, Chinook Total 3,619, Coho 3, season total 527, steelhead 223, season total 794.

Klamath River Weir counts: Nov.30, Bogus Creek, 780 salmon, Shasta River 2,897 salmon, Scott River 959. (Did not receive a count) 

Fishing: Fishing has been very slow due to the heavy rains and rising rivers but now we are seeing fresh steelhead coming up the Trinity. The last three days Todd LeBoeuf of “Tiger T Guide service fished the upper Trinity from Douglas City to Pigeon Point, first day they landed 9 steelhead to up to 9 1/2 lbs the largest, second day they landed 8 fish largest being 8lbs, yesterday they landed 9 fish the largest being 9lbs. Most were native fish and were released but several were hatchery fish including the 9 pounder with many smaller adults ranging from 2 to 9lbs but only one ½-pounder. The first day they had to use plugs but as the river dropped they were able to use bait and last some flies.

Yesterday they also landed several chrome bright steelies which indicates that the fish are on a mission to get up river FAST! The sad news is that the Lower Trinity is high from New River and South Fork and hard fishing. Right now the river is dropping and is a pea soup green. One has to be careful as to where they chose to fish but I would suggest night crawlers for now and move up to #4 or #5 spinners or 1/3rd oz spoons. If you want to use hardware I would suggest bright colors at first then as the rivers clears switch to blue/silver, orange/silver or maroon /bronze. As you can see I like spoons but spinners work too. 

Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate is releasing 2,620cfs; so fishing above I-5 will be a little hard until the flows are dropped back to 1,000cfs or lower. If you plan on fishing above I-5 you might want to contact Scot Caldwell of S C Guide service.

Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 867% of capacity with inflows of  1,152cfs and releasing 364cfs into Clear Creek; Shasta is 74% of capacity (an increase of 2% &4ft), inflows are 15,338cfs and releases are 9,317; Keswick is 85% of capacity with inflows of  15,068cfs and releases are 9,753cfs; Lake Orville is 55% of capacity (a increase of  3% & plus 8ft), inflow is 8,091cfs and releases are 2,273cfs; Lake Folsom is 45% of capacity (minus 5% & minus 19ft.) inflows are 5,523cfs and releases are 12,014cfs.

Trinity Lake: The Lake is 90ft (an increase of 2ft.) below the overflow and 51% of capacity (1% increase) Inflow to Trinity Lake is 2,665cfs and the Trinity Dam is releasing 655cfs to Lewiston Lake with 347cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Keswick Power Plant with 9,753cfs being released to the Sacramento River. 

Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 308fs, water temps are N/A and air is N/A degrees at 12:00pam. today. Limekiln Gulch is N/Aft at 425, water temps are N/A and air is N/A.  Douglas City is 6.2ft at 633cfs, water temps of N/A and air is N/A. Junction City is 2.4ft at 804cfs.  Helena is 10.2ft at 1,040cfs with water temps of N/A. 

Cedar Flat is 5.6ft at 2,010cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 4,280cfs air is 43 and water at N/A.  Hoopa is 17.39.9ft at 7,640cfs with water temps of N/A.  Flows at the mouth of the Trinity at Klamath River are estimated to be 19.2Kcfs.

Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 2,620cfs.  Seiad Valley is 5.6ft at 5,000cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 5,495cfs. Somes Bar is estimated at 8.9Kcfs. Orleans is 8.8ft. at 11.6Kcfs. Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 15.3ft at 25.6Kcfs and water temperatures of N/A degrees. Flows at Smith River, Dr. Fine Bridge are 10.6ft at 7,200cfs.

Temperatures in the Valley last week were 45/28 degrees with 1.40inches of rain with a season total of 34.9in of rain and a trace of snow with some freezing. Temperatures in the valley next week are expected to be 61/24 degrees; there is going to be some cloudy days with sunshine and then a week of scattered showers for the New Year. Fishing will be cold so come prepared with a thermos of hot coffee or hot cocoa.