Labor Day has come and gone! The Labor Day Holiday was busy in Willow Creek and many people enjoyed the river. We were very fortunate in that there were NO river problems. (rescues or drownings) There was plenty of things to do on the river, swimming, tubing, rafting and a little fishing. I have been away too long and will try to be more efficient (get on the ball) from now on. I hope everyone had a good Holiday with family.

 

We are now starting the Fall fishing season although we can not harvest Fall Run Chinook Salmon or Coho Salmon, but we can harvest Hatchery Steelhead, ½-pounders and trout. The Willow Creek Weir is up and running and the Trinity River Hatchery has started to collect eggs as of September 2, 2025. Next week we should be able to report on how well the hatchery is doing. So far, the counts are looking good but it is still way too early to know if the returns are on the road to recovery. I really hope so! 

 

Junction City Weir summary: Julian Week 36, ending Sep. 9, 2025: Chinook Salmon, 40-jacks, season total 242; 32-adults, total 72, season total 638; Coho Salmon, 0- jacks, 0-adults, season total 0; Steelhead, 3-1/2-lbs, 3-adults, total 6, season total 190, 37- hatchery; Brown Trout 1, total 1, season total 35.

 

Willow Creek summary:  Julian Week 36, ending Sep. 9, 2025: Chinook Salmon, 157-jacks, season total 168, 229-adults, total 286, season total 416: Coho Salmon, 1-jacks, o- adults, total 1, season total 1; Steelhead, 0½-lbs, 68- adults, total 68, season total 83, 31- hatchery.

 

Lewiston Lake: I didn’t receive a report from Lewiston Lake this week but I expect fishing is good. I would expect the early mornings would be your best bet. I expect to hear from Louise for the next report. 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, Butch, (530)623-2803. I have not received any fishing information from Indian Creek Lodge for some time now.

 

Willow Creek area: Below Big Rock in the early morning has been producing some ½-pounder action in the mornings and evenings with the rain. Up at the mouth of Willow Creek has also been producing some ½-pounders. I haven’t checked out Tish Tang yet but it should be good fishing below the weir. Up above the mouth of South Fork where the water is cooler fishing should be picking up now. I haven’t found anybody up there yet for a report. Don’t forget the river above Hawkins Bar to Cedar Flat is closed to fishing. Right now, the South Fork is very warm and not fishable. Up river, Bucktail and Steel Bridge runs were doing fair to good last week producing some adult Steelhead and ½-pounders. North Coast Outfitters (Bruce McGreger) said they even caught and released four adult salmon. 

 

Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 2,398cfs. This is a decrease of 103cfs. The Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area is flowing 1,078cfs an increase of 130cfs from the last report. I haven’t received a fishing report from the Upper Klamath for a while but the reports of Fall Chinook Salmon increasing in spawning numbers at Shovel and Jenning Creeks is very good news.  To get the latest fishing information I suggest you call 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: These readings are for September 14th at midnight. It appears that readings are being posted a day late. Whiskeytown Lake is 99%, an increase of 1% with inflows of 1,634cfs and releases of 1,781cfs.  Shasta Lake is 61% of capacity, a decrease of 3% and minus 7ft with inflows of 2,712cfs and releasing 6,019cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 91% of capacity, a decrease of 5% with inflows of 7,758cfs and releases of 7,816cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 65% of capacity, a decrease of 5% and minus 16ft, with inflows of 3,731cfs with releases of 9,666cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 47% of capacity, a decrease of 3% and minus 3ft, with inflows of 1,681cfs with releases of 2,118cfs into the American River. Trinity Lake storage is 1,891,651AF a decrease of 92,106AF of storage. 
 

Trinity Lake: The lake is 37ft below the overflow, an increase of 4ft and 77% of capacity (a decrease of 4%) with inflows of 361cfs and releasing 2,197cfs into Lewiston Lake with 1,707cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant, and releasing 7,816cfs into the Sacramento River. 
 

Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 94% of capacity, a decrease 4% and water releases of 472cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 48.1 degrees, as of 0:00pam today Sunday September 14, 2025.  Limekiln Gulch is 4.89 at 443cfs. Douglas City is 6.68ft with flows of 469cfs with water temperatures of 55.8 degrees. Junction City (gauge is out of order), Helena is 9.08ft at 514cfs with water temps of 60.3 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) (Gauge is still out of order). South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 2.41 at 114cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 628cfs, air is 75 degrees and water at 67 degrees, Hoopa is 11.59ft at 816cfs with water at 68.0 degrees. 
 

Klamath River flows and conditions: Flows at the Iron Gate/ Bogas Creek are 1.96ft with flows of 1,078cfs, an increase of 130cfs. Seiad Valley is 2.34ft at 1,354cfs. Indian Creek is 3.41ft at 52cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be 1,406cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 1,325cfs, and the Salmon River is 1.65ft at 257cfs. Orleans is 2.51ft at 1,582cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 8.16ft flowing at 3,074cfs with water temps of 69.9 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 4.48ft with flows of 267cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 11.29ft at N/A. 

 

Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 89 and a low of 56 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.73in with a water year total to date of 54.23 and 1.75in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 91 and a low of 49. The weather predicted for the next week is looking like scattered clouds with fall type weather. Good weather for fishing.