I hope all had a Great Thanksgiving and am wishing all Happy Holidays!

I know it is a little early but we are starting to see some very early Winter Steelhead. Saturday a friend of mine and his buddy went on the South Fork to Kimtu run. They were flyfishing and hooked three adults landed two, all were of good size. They also caught and released a dozen or more ½-pounders. They said that the upper river was a bit crowded so they came down here to give it a try! I know this is a bit early for the Steelies but why not enjoy. The next storm should bring in a good run of fish but I have not seen any storms predicted for a while to come. Here in Willow Creek, I have seen fishermen out fishing before Thanksgiving. This is a good sign for one to check out their gear and get ready to go fishing. It looks like fishing on the lower river is picking up. Fishing the Hoopa area might be even better.

Up River the launching areas were busy Saturday, Sky Ranch had 8 riggs, Evans Bar had 5 riggs, JC Campground launch had 9 riggs. John at the Junction City weir said that there a few Steelies all week, one or two a week. That doesn’t sound like a lot of fish but I didn’t get an up river report form the Indian Creek area.

It looks like BLM will probably start the winter variance flows of 6,500cfs around February 15th this year. TRRP put out a notice that the Trinity Management Council there is a need to make it. I sure wish they had to go without a pay check for a week or two then maybe they would understand why the guides get so mad. 6,500cfs makes it very hard to fish from a raft of drift boat, no trip no pay!  

Trinity River Hatchery summary: The Trinity River Hatchery count for Julian Week 45, ending Nov. 11, 2025; Chinook Salmon, 194-Jacks, 2993-adults, total 1,187, season total 4,829, 1,139 hatchery fish; Coho Salmon, 0-Jacks, 0-adults, season total 4; Steelhead, 1-1/2-lbs, 1-adult, total 28, season total 116, 116- hatchery, season total 49.

Junction City Weir summary:  Julian Week 46, ending Nov. 18, 2025: Chinook Salmon, 9-jacks, 8-adults, total 17, season total 1,274, 177-Hatchery Chinook; Coho Salmon, 0- jacks, 0-adults, season total 63; Steelhead, 0-1/2-lbs, 12-adults, total 7, season total 400, 144- Hatchery Steelhead; Brown Trout 0, total 0, season total 80.

Willow Creek summary: The WC weir was pulled October 20th due to rain and the possibility of washing out the weir.  Julian Week 42, ending Oct. 21, 2025: Chinook Salmon, 12-jacks, season total 1,959, 253-Hatcher Chinook: Coho Salmon, 1-jacks, 3- adults, total 3, season total 13, 8-Hatchery Coho; Steelhead, 4-½-lbs, 80- adults, total 84, season total 601, 168- Hatchery Steelhead.

Klamath River summary: Shasta River starting Dec. 4, 2025, 2025 count; Chinook Salmon, 5,859- season total, Coho Salmon total 2, 240-adult Steelhead season total 278;  Scott River Dec. 4,2025; 2,877 Chinook Salmon, 38  Shasta River, Chinook Salmon season total 2,876, Coho Salmon-  38 season total, 109, 140 Steelhead; Bogus Creek starting Sep. 26, 2025, ending Dec. 4,2025 count, 316-Chinook Salmon, season total 1,283, 0-Coho, season total 39, 0-Steelhead, season total 124;  Jenny Creek starting Sep. 19, 2025, Dec. 4, 2025 count; 208-Chinook Salmon, total 861, 0- Coho Salmon, season total0, 1-Steelhead, total 12; Shovel Creek starting Sep. 2025, ending Dec. 4, 20256 count; 263- Chinook Salmon, season total 723, 4- Coho Salmon, 0 Steelhead. This doesn’t count spawning downstream of the weirs.

Lewiston Lake: Lewiston Lake is still having fair water flowing through but is getting close to winter flows, but I haven’t had a report of how the fishing is so it would be a guess. You can contact the Pine Cove Marina and ask Louise or Matt (530)778-3878) for Lewiston Lake fishing; for the Upper Trinity River you can call Indian Creek Lodge, Andy or Hannah, (530)623-6294), Junction City Store, (530)623-2803. The Junction City store has a new owner and I have not contacted her yet.  

Willow Creek area: Willow Creek is starting to see some Winter Run Steelhead. This is a good thing. I have been seeing fishermen out a Kimtu and at the mouth of South Fork. Fishing is good but should get hot after the next storm. Up river has been a little crowded with rafters and drift boats. You can still get some fish as the weir at Evens Bar (Junction City Weir) is counting fish. 

Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 3,128cfs. This is a decrease of 1,891cfs. The Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area is flowing 982cfs a decrease of 104cfs from the last report.  I’m still having some trouble making contact for the upper river but hope to change that soon. The river is open to fishing and there has been reports of some fair fishing for trout. The weir counting for Jenny Creek and Shover Cree are pulled so the counting for that area is over for the season. The recovery of the Klamath River is looking good and should improve each year hopefully. For information I suggest you call or check out their face book Marble Mountain Guest Ranch (800) 522-6284, or Scott Caldwell, SC Guide Service (530)905-0758 to get proper fishing information to fish the Upper Klamath.

Lake Conditions: It appears that the readings are being posted a day late. Whiskeytown Lake is 84 %, a decrease of 2% with inflows of 132cfs and releases of 265cfs.  Shasta Lake is 59% of capacity, an increase of 1% and plus 0ft with inflows of 3,527cfs and releasing 4,269cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 90% of capacity, an increase of 1% with inflows of 4,397cfs and releases of 4,269cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 51% of capacity, a decrease of 1% and minus 3ft, with inflows of 2,413cfs with releases of 3,293cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 46% of capacity, an increase of 1% and plus 3ft, with inflows of 1,636cfs with releases of 1,141cfs into the American River. Trinity Lake storage is 1,797,585AF an increase of 7,638AF of storage. 

Trinity Lake: The lake is 44ft below the overflow, an increase of 0ft and 73% of capacity, an increase of 0%, with inflows of 559cfs and releasing 343cfs into Lewiston Lake with 250cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant, and releasing 4,269cfs into the Sacramento River, an increase of 215cfs. 

Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 95% of capacity, an increase 0% and water releases of 309cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 46.2 degrees, as of 0:00pam today Sunday/Monday December 9, 2025.  Limekiln Gulch is 4.69 at 332cfs. Douglas City is 6.52ft with flows of 405cfs with water temperatures of 45.2 degrees. Helena is 8.87ft at 444cfs with water temps of 45.0 degrees. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 3.07 at 249cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 693cfs, air is 43 degrees and water at 45.9 degrees, Hoopa is 12.11ft at 1,154cfs with water at 46.6 degrees. 

Klamath River flows and conditions: Flows at Bogas Creek are 1.79ft with flows of 982cfs, a decrease of 104cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.57ft at 1,523cfs. Indian Creek is 3.38ft at 74cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be 1,574cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 1,562cfs, and the Salmon River is 13.99ft at 412cfs. Orleans is 2.88ft at 1,974cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 8.68ft flowing at 4,052cfs with water temps of 47.8 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 6.46ft with flows of 1,468cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 12.36ft at N/A.

Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 59 and a low of 35 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.01in with a water year total to date of 10.51 and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 66 and a low of 40. The weather predicted for the next week is scattered clouds with sunshine in between and the possibility of showers Monday.