Good weather results in good fishing on Trinity

Don Terbush

For The Times-Standard

April 17, 2008

Guide Rich Mossholder makes no claims about being able to predict the future, but does foresee springers showing on the Klamath River in the next week or so and a good season ahead.

In the meantime, Willow Creek guide Ed Duggan reports the upper Trinity River has been fishing good all week. “Even the 'Fly Fishing Only section has been a good producer,” he notes. “The only problem I could see was that there were very few fishers out there working the river.

”I did notice that the bigger German Browns had moved on down river,” he pointed out. “They were spread out from Junction City clear down to Willow Creek. Now we will have an even bigger problem in that every one will come up to fish this next week and the water flows will start just as the fishing really kicks in.

”All up and down the Trinity fishing has picked up as the water flows have kind of evened out. German Brown trout have moved into Hawkins Bar and Willow Creek areas and many of the down-runners have put on weight ,” he continued, “and lost their spawning colors and look like bright chrome fresh from the ocean steelies.

”Some of the better spots to fish for the steelhead are just below incoming streams or at the tail-outs of nice deep pools. The Browns are going to be holding in the bigger back eddies so they can sneak out to catch the food as it comes by. Remember Browns like night crawlers and baby fish so if you can find an area where either of these sources of food might be hanging out I would sure give it a good try in hopes of hooking into one of those beauties. Several Browns up to seven pounds have been landed in the lower river lately.”

Ed adds that he has not heard from the mid-Klamath lately “but from the water flows I would imagine it has been hard fishing above the Orleans-Somes Bar sections of the river. Weitchpec has had a fair to good run of big half-pounders just above the mouth of the Trinity all the way up to the Slate/Bluff Creek area. These guys are a lot of fun to catch-and-release on ultra light gear or a fly rod. Just be careful that you don't run out of water as they can break you off just as fast as an adult when you are fishing light.”

Spring Water Releases

The spring water releases are to start midnight April 20 and reach their peak flows of 6,100 cfs by May 6th and then have an eight day bench before the flows start to descend. From May 6 to June 6 the water releases will continue to decline until they reach 2,000 cfs from June 6 to July 7 will stay at 2,000 cfs at which time they will drop to 700 cfs by July 14th, by July 28th the water flows will be 450 cfs and remain there through the summer.

Sacramento River Report

Fishing for wild rainbow trout on the lower Sacramento or Sacramento River from Redding downstream below Anderson has been good with multiple hook-ups for anglers both on conventional spin and fly gear. River releases from Keswick dam near Redding have increased to 5,500cfs. Boats can pass the Cypress bridge construction in Redding up to 7,000cfs.

Trout fishing is improving with the increased spring flows. Side drifting small Glo bugs in various egg pattern color combos and/or live cricket or crawler's with a Quickie puffball have worked well. Back trolling small Hot Shots 50's or small K-4K-5 Kwikfish in various color combos can also be very effective for wild rainbow trout one to three pounds.

Take-a-Kid Fishing Day

A free fishing day event for children 15 years old and younger will be held at Freshwater Lagoon from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.

The “Take-a-Kid Fishing is for all families to come together and discover how much fun you can have fishing. Community volunteers will be on hand to teach techniques of casting, baiting the hook, landing the fish, careful release, and safe fishing practices. Prizes donated by the community will be raffled off to registered participants 15 years and younger.

Loaner fishing rods will be available on a first come, first served basis. Children 15 years of age and younger do not need a fishing license. However, all other regulations still apply.

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Source:  http://www.times-standard.com/localsports/ci_8955583