Trinity River Fishing Report 03/08/24 (Bottom of page)
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater
Species
Steelhead
Brown Trout (Sea Run)
Coho Salmon
Chinook Salmon
Smallmouth Bass
Size
Medium
Location
Northern California
Nearest Towns
Lewiston
Season
Year – round but species dependent
Access:
Very Good
Non-Resident License
State of California
Weather
National Weather Service Link
USGS Real Time Stream Flow
(Lewiston)
USGS Real Time Stream Flow
(South Fork)
Seasons:
The season is open year-round but it is highly species dependent
Spring:
Although steelhead can be caught well into March, the Spring season is very slow. The flows are high on into the month of July.
Summer:
Summer is the best time to fish for the Spring run of Chinook Salmon.
Fall:
Fly fishing the Trinity River is great during Fall because of the steelhead runs.
Winter:
The winter months are prime months for steelhead fishing
Recommended Tackle & Gear
For Steelhead and Salmon
Fly Line:
7, 8 , 9 or 10 weight for appropriate typerod, sinking, sinking tip and floating
Leaders:
10#, 12# in 9 to 15 feet lengths
Tippets:
10# and 12#
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly 7, 8, 9 and 10 ft. single hand rods
Fly Reels:
For 7 to 10 weight lines
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
KISS Strike Indicators, Lanyards, etc.
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing On The Trinity River In California
The Trinity River is one of, if not the best steelhead rivers in California. It’s a one-hundred and ten mile long tributary of the Klamath River. The tailwater flows from the Lewiston Dam through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the Six Rivers National Forest. Although this river and its migrating fish have had its problems with dams at one time, the reclamation efforts have resulted in large numbers of steelhead returning to its waters. It’s now a top notch steelhead fishery.
The steelhead average about six pounds. They are hard fighting fish that will give anyone with a fly rod a thrill as well as a challenge. The steelhead start coming into the river as early as August but the early season runs are nothing to compare to the October runs. October and November are the two most popular months for steelhead fishing on the Trinity River. The fish can be caught through the winter and on into the first of March. The water levels are controlled by the dam discharges and to some extent, by the tributaries that flow into the upper Trinity River.
The best steelhead fishing takes place in the upper part of the Trinity River from the dam downstream about forty miles to the North Fork of the Trinity River. There are canyon sections, deep runs and pools and some rapids in what can only be described as a very beautiful wild river.
Chinook salmon come into the river during the Spring. These are large fish averaging about fifteen pounds. The salmon can be caught on the fly in deeper water during the summer.
The sea-run brown trout start to show up in August. These fish average about six pounds. They will take flies similarly to the steelhead.
The section just below the dam is a fly fishing only section. There are sections of the river that wading anglers can fish but the best and most popular way to fish the Trinity River is from a drift boat.
Trinity River Fly Fishing Report:
01/21/20 Sorry for the missed reports.
We are currently getting good reports
from customers fishing the upper river.
Stream levels are at a normal level and
the river in good shape.
02/10/2020 Fish are being caught from
Lewiston to Cedar Flats in good
numbers. We think this should continue
for the coming week.
02/25/20 Our customers are catching
fish in the canyon and all the way up to
Lewiston. This coming week should
another good one.
03/25/20 Lots of fish are being caught
in the upper river. It doesn’t get much
better than this. Fish are present down
to Willow Creek.
05/25/20 Steelhead fishing is done for the
season. Send us an email for a
recommended fly and gear list.
sales@perfectflystore.com
07/10/20 There are half pounders in the
river and a few summer chinook. Stream
levels are in good shape below Lewiston.
07/23/20 Lots of half-pounders are in the
river and being caught. No reports yet of
summer chinook being caught but they
are in the river.
08/10/20 The catching is still very slow.
08/27/20 Fish are in the lower river and it
won’t be long before it gets good. Now is
the time to get your gear and flies ready.
09/27/20 Low warm water and few fish. It
should start cooling off soon.
10/12/20 The stream levels are up above
normal flows and there are a lot of fish in
the lower river. Lots of half-pounders and
a few grown steelhead are being caught
by our customers.
10/28/20 Stream flows are down to 300 cfs
and some large browns and a few
steelhead are being caught swinging and
nymphing. Get your flies and gear ready.
Give us a call or email for fly
recommendations.
04/22/21 Trout can be caught in good numbers. Hatches of Golden stoneflies, Salmonflies, Spotted and Green sedge caddis, Pale Morning Duns, and other insects are hatching.
05/03/21 We received a good report from a customer fly fishing for trout this past week. There are good hatches taking place.
05/20/21 The summer flows have began and the levels are fluctuating. Check back with us around July 1st.
05/27/21 The levels are up and down but generally low. There is rain expected this weekend. There won’t be much action until the first of July.
06/04/21 Now is a good time to get your flies and gear in order for the upcoming good fishing. Give us a call or send us an email for a recommended fly and gear list.
08/10/21 There some movement of fish in the lower river. Don’t wait for conditions to get good and lots of fish are being caught before you get the flies and gear you need. It won’t be much longer.
08/17/21 We are getting reports of some fish in the system near Lewiston.
08/25/21 Two customers sent in reports catching adult steelhead. The were caught below Lewiston. Be sure to check the smoke and fires situation prior to leaving.
09/03/21 The National Forest closure until the 17th of September is affecting the fishing as well as smoke. We didn’t receive any reports this past week.
09/11/21 Still no reports.
09/19/21 The Forest closure is over. Rain is badly needed and with some luck may come very soon. Keep in touch.
09/28/21 Sorry for the wrong information on the closure. It is still closed until at least November 15th due to fire damage.
10/11/21 Fish are present from Lewiston downstream through Steiner Flats. We received one good report from a customer this past week.
10/20/21 Closures are still in effect. Everything above Douglas City is open. There are good numbers of fish from Lewiston downstream through Steiner Flat.
11/01/21 We are getting some very good reports from customers catching steelhead below Lewiston. Swinging, eggs and nymphing methods are all working.
11/16/21 More good reports are coming in from customers. Conditions are very good. Our eggs, streamers and nymphs are working good. Click Here to check our our steelhead fly patterns. Call or write us for fly information.
12/04/21 We are still getting some good reports from customers catching steelhead. Conditions are good.
11/24/21 Conditions remain excellent. We continue to get good reports from customers.
12/12/21 More good reports from customers came in this past week. Conditions are good.
12/20/21 The Conditions are still good even though the weather hasn’t been so good. We continue to get good catch reports from customers.
12/28/21 The weather is lousy to say the least but the fishing is red hot. We received two more good reports from customers fishing this past week.
01/05/22 Three more good reports have come in from the past week. Steelhead are being caught in fairly good numbers. Fish our SH nymphs in the deeper water slowly near the bottom.
01/13/22 We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week. It has slowed a little but still okay.
01/21/22 We received two more good reports from customers fishing below the dam. Conditions are good. Our steelhead nymphs and streamers are working good.
01/29/22 The stream is still turning out decent numbers of steelhead for our customers. Both swinging and nymphs have been working.
02/06/22 Excellent conditions exist. We received four good reports from customers fishing this past week.
02/14/22 Conditions are still excellent. We received five good reports from customers fishing for steelhead this past week. There are lots of fish in the river.
02/22/22 The stream is still in very good condition. We received three more good reports from customers fishing this past week.
03/02/22 The river is in great shape. We received three good reports from customers fishing this past week. Good hatches are taking place.
03/10/22 We received three more good reports from customers fishing the river this past week. Conditions remain very good.
03/26/22 The river is in very good shape and our customers are catching good numbers of steelhead. There are lots of insects hatching as well.
04/03/22 Excellent conditions exist. We are getting some very good steelhead catch reports. Both swinging our steelhead flies and fishing our steelhead nymphs are effective.
04/11/22 Conditions continue to be excellent. Great hatches of PMDs, BWOs, Spotted sedge caddis, Golden stoneflies and other insects are taking place.
04/19/22 Pulse flows have started and that just about ends the fly fishing opportunity for a while.
05/13/22 Conditions remain poor. We recommend you fish other locations.
0711/22 Conditions are still very poor and you should choose another destination but it is time to start getting ready for the upcoming good season.
09/14/22 The conditions are much better flow wise and water temperature wise. Fish should begin to come into the river. Now is the time to get your flies and gear together.
10/07/22 Conditions are improving fast and fish are coming in the lower river. We received two good reports from customers fishing lately. It should be very good, very soon.
11/06/22 Good conditions exist. The rain has helped. Good fish are being caught swinging and nymphing.
11/23/22 Good numbers of fish are being caught by our customers. Both swinging and nymphing methods are working good.
02/16/23 Lots of good size fish are being caught. Swinging out steelhead streamers and nymphs are working. Fish below Douglas City. Lots of good hatches are taking place as well.
03/07/23 The river is turning out some nice fish for our customers. Both swinging and nymphing methods are working. We received two good reports recently.
03/18/23 Conditions are not very good. The water is stained with low visibility. There are still some steelhead in the river if you want to try it.
03/28/23 Conditions are still very poor.
05/08/23 Flows are very high and still going up.
05/18/23 The stream is still high and dirty. Give it some more time to drop and clear.
05/29/23 Conditions are still very poor with very high water levels.
08/28/23 The stream is being to turn out some good catches. Salmon are in the river spawning and swinging streamers and egg flies is working for our customers.
09/05/23 The stream is turning out some very good catches. Our Giant Black stonefly nymphs and chartreuse egg sucking leech flies are working good.
10/18/23 The flow rate has dropped to around 300, but conditions are still favorable with fish being caught.
10/27/23 We continue to get good report from customer. Nymphing and swinging methods are both working good with our Perfect Flies.
11/06/23 The stream is in great shape full of spawning salmon and egg eating steelhead. Our Estaz egg flies are working as well as our steelhead nymphs.
11/13/23 Excellent conditions exist. Lots of steelhead are being caught. Salmon are spawning and our egg patterns working along with other flies and methods.
11/20/23 The stream is turning out some very good numbers for our customers. Salmon are near finished spawning and or Estaz eggs and Steelhead nymphs and streamers are working good.
11/30/23 We received three more good reports from customers fishing the last week catching steelhead.
12/11/23 The action is red hot. We are getting some very good reports from our customers.
12/26/23 The action is red hot again after the high levels. Swinging our leech patterns and our estaz eggs are working good.
01/08/24 The stream is turning out good numbers of fish for our customers. Swinging and nymphing methods are both working good.
01/16/24 The river is still in okay shape with some nice fish being caught. Our Hexigenia Steelhead nymphs are working good along with our Estaz egg flies.
02/08/24 We are still getting some good reports from customers on steelhead catches.
03/08/24 Conditions are poor. We didn’t receive any catch reports from anyone this past week.
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly and gear recommendations. Pacific Steelhead Flies: Salmon Flies