It is hard to believe that it is October already and Fall weather is suppose to be cooler weather. Not this week! We are experiencing some false summer in October when it normally is in mid-September. I know it is crazy but this year we are having mixed weather patterns. From all indications the area is going to experience a hard winter. That could bring a lot snow and rain. With all the fires Northern California has seen the last couple of years it could cause some problems. It could also affect the creeks and rivers to the degree of fish returns two years from now. Only time will tell.

The Trinity River is seeing a very good return of Salmon so far. The return of Hatchery Steelhead is on the low side so far but could increase with larger water flows during the winter. Fishing has been good but not hot in any location yet. Let’s hope that the winter run does well and we see lots of fish. Right now, the Trinity is receiving 456cfs but the winter flows should kick in sometime 
Mid-October.

Lower Klamath creel count: Below Hwy 101 Bridge; Julian Week 38, ending Sep. 30, 2026; Chinook Salmon, 0-jack, season total 230. 0-adult, total 0, season total 651, total harvest 881; harvesting of adult Salmon has met the quota; Above Hwy 101 Bridge; 31-jack, total 8921, 3-addult, total 740, season total 1,632.

Upper Klamath creel count: Julian Week 40, ending Oct. 7, 2026; Bogus Creek, Chinook Salmon, 1-adults, 0-jacks season total 1. Coho Salmom, 0-adults, season total 0. Shasta River, Chinook Salmon, net 3,192, Coho, 13-adults, 2-jacks, season total 15, Steelhead, 22 net count. Scott River, Chinook Salmon. 1-adults, 0-jacks, season total 2. Jenny Creek, Chinook Salmon, 0-adult, 0-jacks, season total; 0 Coho Salmon, 0-adult, 0-jack, season total 0; Shovel Creek, Chinook Salmon, 3-adult, 0-jack, season total 3. 

Trinity River Hatchery summary: I have not received the summary yet. Julian Week 39, ending Sept. 30, 2026, Chinook Salmon, 13-jacks, season total 16, 259-adults, season total 341, season total Salmon 359: Coho Salmon, 0-jacks, season total 0, 0-adulta, season total 0; Steelhead, 0-12/lbs, season total 0, 0-adults, season total 0.

Willow Creek/ Hoopa weir summary: I have not received the summary yet. Julian Week 39, ending Sep. 30, 2026; Chinook Salmon, 176-jacks, season total 404, 547-adults, season total 884, combined total 1,288; Coho Salmon, 0-jacks, season total 0; Steelhead, 0-1/2lbs season total 0, 0-adults, season total 0.

Lewiston Lake: Pine Cove Marina, fishing is improving as water flows decrease and Fall sets in. The morning fish is the best right now. The Fly fishers are doing the best with Copper Johns, PT Nymphs and Olive Woolies, Bait fishers are doing best with Rainbow Power and White Power Eggs, Hardware fishers using 1/8oz or 1/2oz Plain Silver units (Spinners or Spoons).  Lewiston Lake is receiving 1,076cfs from Trinity Lake and releasing 438cfs into the river. If you would like to know more up to date fishing you can contact the Pine Cove Marina and ask Louise or Matt (530)778-3878), for Upper Trinity River you can call Junction City Store, (530)623-2803 or North Coast Outfitters (415)596-3488. 

Willow Creek area: As the water flows decrease a bit, I am seeing more fishermen out in the mornings with some limits being landed. Bait seems to be the best alter in the mornings and hardware in the early mornings. With the heat coming back fishing will go back to very early mornings. The fly fishers are doing ok but not as well. You will be looking at getting off the water around noon. Up river the drift boats are using plugs in the mornings and roe as it gets a little later. There has been a fair number of boats working the upper river but not a lot of bank fishers yet.

Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Mid-Klamath Creel counts are increasing some, which is good news. The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing ???cfs. This is a decrease of ???cfs. The Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area is flowing 993cfs an increase of 74cfs from the last report.  The river is still flowing fair in the upper river and getting cooler as we ae getting closer to winter weather. The lower river at Terwer Creek is 65.0 degrees, a decrease from last week. For some reason the CED report was unable to receive the signal and I had no readings from the Scott River down to the Klamath at Terwer Creek. The counts are showing much better movement of Salmon now that the river is cooling down. For better information you can call or check out the face book for Marble Mountain Guest Ranch (800) 522-6284, or call Scott Caldwell, SC Guide Service (530)905-0758 to get the latest fishing information for fishing the Upper Klamath.

Lake Conditions: Trinity Lake is at 1,684,887AF, a decrease of 2,836AF. Whiskeytown Lake is 98%, a decrease of 1% with inflows of 761577cfs and releases of 453cfs.  Shasta Lake is 54% of capacity, a decrease of 0% and minus 2ft with inflows of 2,996cfs and releasing 5,460cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 91% of capacity, an increase of 1% with inflows of 5,751cfs and releases of 6,003cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 47% of capacity, a decrease of 2% and minus 8ft, with inflows of 2,919cfs with releases of 8,136cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 43% of capacity, a decrease of 1% and minus 2ft, with inflows of 1,499cfs with releases of 2,163cfs into the American River. 

Trinity Lake: The lake is 52ft below the overflow, an increase of 1ft and 69% of capacity, a decrease 0%, with inflows of 136cfs and releasing 970cfs into Lewiston Lake with 514cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant, and releasing 6,003cfs into the Sacramento River, an increase of 741cfs. 

Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 99% of capacity, an increase 4% and water releases of 456cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 50.7 degrees, as of 0:00pam today Oct. 3, 2026 Limekiln Gulch is 4.86ft. with flows of 464cfs. Douglas City is 6.69ft with flows of 473cfs and water temperatures of 56.0 degrees. Helena is 9.11ft with flows of 490cfs with water temps of 58.1 degrees. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 2.56 with flows of 62cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 552cfs, air is 86 degrees and water at 61.5 degrees, Hoopa is 11.32ft with flows of 703cfs with water at 63.5 degrees.

Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate/Bogas Creek is 1.91ft with flows of 993cfs, an increase of 6cfs. Seiad Valley is ???ft with flows of ???cfs. Indian Creek is ?? cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be ???cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be ???cfs, and the Salmon River is ???ft with flows of ???cfs. Orleans is ??? cfs, the Klamath River flows at Terwer Creek is 7.81ft and flows of 2.485cfs with water temps of 65.6 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 4.34ft with flows of 217fs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 11.10ft at N/A.

Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 93 and a low of 47 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.00in with a water year total to date of 58.57 and 1.45in of snow in Willow Creek. The new water year started October 1, 2026. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 95 and a low of 45. We are looking at a warming up for the next week.

Websites: MyOutdoorBuddy.com, Willowcreekchamber.com,
from Willow Creek, CA Phone 530-629-3554, E-mail yen2fish@yahoo.com