Yes I took some time off to spend with my family and that is why you have not seen a fishing report lately. 
Well Christmas and the New Years have come and gone. I hope you got that new fly rod or fishing rod or fishing reel you asked Santa for. A change that has occurred as of the first of the New Year, the old Calif. Department of Fish & Game is no more and will now be known as Cal Fish & Wildlife, compliments of our dear friends and animal protectors. 

The rains came and the river went up and then went back down, then we had a little bit of sun and the snow started to melt and the river came back up and is now on its way back down. This is all good because more steelhead have now moved into the river which will start our winter steelhead fishing. This means we will have to get our new 2013 fishing license and steelhead report cards. It also means that we have to send in our 2012 salmon harvest card and steelhead report cards. The address is on the back of the report cards. Be sure that you send them in because it helps to determine the 2013 season harvest that will be started on in the near future. 

The International Sportsmen Exhibit will be Jan. 10 – 13 at Cal Expo in Sacramento. If you have any interest in the outdoors at all you want to sure to attend this event. You also want to be sure to bring along you kids as there will be plenty of things for them to see and do. One event is the Kids Fishing Pond sponsored by Western Outdoor News. Another booth you want to stop by is My Outdoor Buddy for a chance at some great prizes of fishing or hunting that will be offered to anyone who stops by and fills out an entry form. It’s FREE and you are not obligated to buy or subscribe to anything. Just check it out!  

I will once again meet with the Hoopa Tribal Council to try and work out some type of pass program that will allow us to cross Tribal lands to fish the Trinity River again. I know many of you have contacted me to see what was happening there but things just didn’t work out for last year. I am hoping that something can be worked out for the 2013 season so that fishermen can fish on the reservation once again as they have done so in years past. Let’s hope for the best.

Fishing: 

The upper Trinity was blown out for a couple of days around the holidays but is now back into great fishing condition. The cold weather has made fishing a little harder but that is why they call it winter fishing. As the steelhead moved on up to the hatchery fishing slowed down some but the new run should take care of that problem. Fishing the Douglas City to Junction City has picked up as new fresh fish come in. There is some showers predicted for the area with the possibility of snow showers but that just makes fishing all the more interesting. 
Del Loma fishermen have returned and they are landing some nice steelies.  Patrick said that a couple of drift boats came by the other day and they said they landed 8 fish with some nice adults back trolling plugs. Yesterday a boat from the park was able to hook four Iron Heads up to 7lbs and a Germen Brown back trolling plugs and flies.  From what I have seen the upper river is emerald green and clear enough to see the bottom. 

Hawkins Bar to the South Fork looks the same except that there are few fishermen working the waters. South Fork adds a little bit of color but the river is still steelhead green with about 4 – 6 feet of visibility. Just right for fishing! You must remember that the river is still a little higher than it is in the fall so caution is the word and be sure to use some.

The Mid-Klamath: the Klamath is still a little high but is very fishable. My contacts in Weitchpec said that the river is dropping at a good rate and fish are moving through. The upper section of the Klamath above I-5 is in very fishable shape with a good fishing for trout and small adult steelhead. You do have to be careful and dress warm. I always recommend that one should always have a thermos of hot coffee or hot cocoa waiting on the bank or in your boat for a quick pick-me-up to help relieve you of the cold. It also helps to be prepared for rain or snow.

Trinity River Flows and conditions: 

Trinity Lake is 36ft. (1ft increase) below the overflow and 78% of capacity (1% increase) at 12:00PM today. 
Inflow to the lake is 807cfs and dam releases are 1,099cfs to Lewiston Lake with 807cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake and then on to the Sacramento River at Keswick.     

Trinity River: Lewiston Dam releases are 292cfs water temps 43, air is 35 degrees. Limekiln Gulch is 4.8ft at 357cfs. Douglas City is 6.2ft at 462cfs, water temps 41, air is 33. Junction City is 2ft at 585cfs.  Helena is 9.8ft at 759cfs with water at 41. Cedar Flat is 4.3ft at 1,180cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 2,112cfs, air 40, and water 00. Hoopa is 15ft at 3,760cfs, water temps 40 degrees. Mouth of the Trinity at the Klamath is 9,100cfs.

Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 1,120cfs. Seiad Valley is 3.2ft at 2,030cfs. Happy Camp estimated at 2,130cfs. Somes Bar estimated at 4,020cfs. Orleans is 5.9ft at 5,310cfs. Klamath at 101 is 12.2ft at 12.6K cfs & water temps of 41 degrees. Smith River is 8.2ft at 2,860 cfs.

Temperatures in the Valley last week were 45/31 degrees with 12.5 inches of rain, total to date 39.15 inches. The Weather in the valley next week is expected to be 51/33 degrees with showers, rain and possible snow. 
Mon/showers, Tue/mostly cloudy, Wed/showers, Thu/sun, Fri/rain w-snow showers, Sat/sun, Sun/partly cloudy, Mon/sun.