Don’t forget Tuesday is the preliminary reports for 2012 salmon returns to be held in Santa Rosa if you are interested in attending please check the Special Report for the location.
 

March 3 will start the PFMC meeting in Sacramento and help to set the 2012 salmon quotas for Wash, Org, and Calif. I hope to attend so that might make it a bit difficult to send out a fishing report. Be sure I will report about the meeting and what went on so you can start planning your 2012 salmon fishing trips. From the numbers I have seen so far it looks good with maybe more three year olds the four.
 

We did receive some rain last week but not enough to make much difference to the river but it did move fish around a bit which could be good foe fishing. I only hope that we get some more rain of significance. Rain will not help the water year much but it will help move more fish into the upper Trinity and out of the Klamath. I have yet to meet with the Hupas to try and open the reservation to fishing but I have hopes that something will happen soon.
 

Trinity River Hatchery Counts:
 

The TRH continues to count more steelhead going into the hatchery. Fall totals for the 2011 season are; week of Feb.18; Steelhead 161, total 5,427, 2010 total 2,037. Fall Chinook – 15,722, 2011 total 22,302, 2010 totals 11,908. Coho salmon to date 4,784, 2010 total 4,431. At this time there has not been any more Coho come into the hatchery.
 

 

Fishing:
 

The upper sections of the Trinity are in good condition after the rains and some more fish have moved into the upper river. Indian Creek to Douglas City saw a spurt of fresh steelies but not great numbers. Douglas City to Junction City was about the same but a little more fish. Drift boats were seeing 1-4 fish per trip using small bits of roe or flies. Junction City down to Pigeon Point saw a litter better action this weekend but not a great increase, again using roe or flies.
 

I did not get any report form Del Loma but if more fresh fish moved up the river I would think they were able to see some action as well. In all cases there were more reports of hatchery down runners.
 

Hawkins Bar/Willow Creek areas saw a little bit more action, more so on the Willow Creek run as the Hawkins Bar section is hard long run for drift boats and most of the fishing is done from the bank from private property. There are some areas that are not private property but one has to be careful and not trespass without permission. There are some property owners that will allow fishermen to cross their property to fish but you have to ask and get permission first. One might try to go to lighter line as the water clears.
 

Klamath: The Weitchpec/Orleans area has been doing better as the river keeps dropping the fishing gets some what better. My buddy John has been fishing this section and he said that if you fish those areas that the drift boats aren’t using   fishing is much better. You do have to go to lighter line as he has dropped down to 6# test leaders and smaller spinners to be effective. 
Trinity River flows and conditions:
 

Trinity Lake is 32ft (0.8ft decrease) below the over flow and at 80% of capacity (0.2% increase) of capacity at 11:00am to day. Inflow to the lake is 1,162cfs and dam releases are 1,934cfs to Lewiston Lake with 1,162cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake and the Sacramento River.
Trinity River: Lewiston Dam releases are 312cfs, water temps 45.6, air is 44 degrees. Limekiln Gulch is 5ft at 371cfs. Douglas City is 6ft at 407cfs, water temps 45, air is 46. Junction City is 1.6ft at 507cfs. Helena is 9.7ft at 677cfs and water at 45. Cedar Flat is 4.2ft at 1,030cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 1,383cfs, air 46, and water 44.8. Hoopa is 14.2ft at 3,110cfs, water temps 45 degrees. Mouth of the Trinity at Klamath is 8,050cfs
 

Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 998cfs. Seiad Valley is 3ft at 1,910cfs. Happy Camp estimated at 2,235cfs. Somes Bar estimated at 3,750cfs. Orleans is 5.7ft at 4,890cfs. Klamath at 101 is 11.4ft at 10.1K, water temps of 45.4 degrees.
 

Temperatures in the valley last week were 65/33 degrees with 0.95 inches of rain, total to date 38.2 inches. The weather next week expected to be 56/28, Mon – sun & clear, Tue – cloudy w/wind, Wed – rain, Thu–showers, Fri – partly cloudy, Sat- partly cloudy, Sun – partly cloudy, Mon, showers.