News:

There seems to be some confusion about my last report about “Oceans 21”. The Obama administration wants to add onto the MLPA restrictions by making the MLPA restrictions extend out past the state 3 mile limit and extend the restrictions to the 12 mile federal limit but also add inland fresh water areas that flow to the ocean and their estuaries. Some of these river basins would be the Sacramento and Klamath River Basins. “IF” this were to happen it could possibly end fishing in the Klamath River Basin. This is something we have to watch and notify our representatives about if we don’t want to see fishing restricted more than it is now. If you are against this effort I suggest you notify Cal. Rep. Sam Farr that you are against Executive Order 13547.
Lower Klamath Creel Counts: Lower Klamath season harvest to date, 4,020.This section of the Klamath is still open to the take of jack salmon and now steelhead and seems to be producing good fishing on a regular basis for those who take the time and effort to fish there. I get reports that fresh fish just keep coming into the Klamath.

Willow Creek Weir Count:

Oct. 14; Chinook, 2 jacks, 6 adults, total 8, to date1, 400. Coho; 37 jacks, 21 adult, total 39, to date183.  Steelhead: 41-1/2lbs, 108 adults, total 149, to date 1,417.
Fishing: Fishing has again picked up over the past week. Oct. 16, last Sunday Travis Hill of Big Bar landed a fresh bright chrome Chinook weighing 35.2lbs. It was 41in long and girth of 26in. Now that is a whopper of the week fish!  This pas week I have been fishing up river doing Junction City and above Del Loma with fly fishing clients. We were fishing for steelhead and were able to land quite a few trout (6-10in) and some very nice half-pounders. Then my mentor came up Willow Creek for a visit from Nevada to fish and hunt. Orval “Brownie” Brown who use to own the Lazy BB RV Park in Salyer, fished with me and he was able to land quite a few trout (6-10in) and 8 half-pounders. The problem was that all but one fish were native fish and only one was a”keeper” hatchery fish. While fishing the Salyer to Willow Creek stretch I noticed a lot of boats fishing Sandy Bar to Hoopa and all boats were able to hook salmon. The problem was that some of the salmon were getting very dark. I would say about 50/50 were fresh fish in the Hoopa section and about 40/60 were fresh fish in the Hawkins Bar to Willow Creek section. The steelhead was about 60/40 native on the Trinity from Junction City down. This is good because we have been trying to reverse the hatchery stock so they would not be over whelming the native stock.

 Klamath:

The Mid-Klamath above the Weitchpec Bridge is still producing fresh salmon and fishing has been good but not hot. My buddy John from E Ne Nuck informed me that the forest service closed the campground when the fishing was just starting to get really going and hunting season is still open. What a shame because that could turn fishermen away for coming into the area. I have word that fishing in Orleans is on the upswing and getting better as more fish head up the Klamath. I have been checking the water temperatures for the Lower Trinity and the Mid-Klamath and it appears that water temps are staying 58 to 60 degrees. Maybe this is why we are having such good fishing on the lower sections.  Trinity River Flows and Conditions:
Trinity Lake is 47? (20ft decrease) below the over flow and at 86.3% of capacity (0.7% increase) at 12:00pm today.

Trinity River:

Inflow to Trinity Lake is 2,038cfs .Trinity Dam releases are 2,058cfs to Lewiston Lake with 1,736cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake. Lewiston Dam releases are 302cfs, water temps 48.3, air is 65. Limekiln Gulch is 4.9ft at 321cfs. Douglas City is 6ft at 380fs, water temps are 51, air 65. Junction City is 1.5ft at 467cfs. Helena is 9.3ft at 520cfs. Cedar Flat is 2.9ft at 520cfs. Willow Creek estimate is 661cfs, water at 58, air at 64. Hoopa is 11.8ft at 833cfs, water temps 60.2 degrees. Mouth of the Trinity is 3,013cfs with water temperatures of 61.2 degrees. Weitchpec water temps 59.4.

Klamath River Releases:

Iron Gate Dam is releasing 1,0250cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.5ft at 1,450cfs. Happy Camp is 1,540cfs. Somes Bar is 1,914cfs. Orleans is 3.9ft at 2,180cfs. Klamath at 101 is 8.8ft at 3,540cfs water temp at 60.8 degrees. Temperatures in the valley last week were 74/47 degrees with 0 inches of rain, total to date 7.0 inches Weather next week in the valley is predicted to be 68/34 degrees, with sun Mon, Tue, Wed and Thu, Fri, Sat partly cloudy mornings and Sunday being sunny. Tuesday is going to be cold with possibly some ice along the river.