The Fish Sniffer

(Weaverville) Fly fishermen targeting steelhead are experiencing “excellent” action on the Trinity River from Lewiston to Willow Creek, reported Beth Price at Trinity Outdoors.

“The fish are showing all up and down the river,” she noted. “Fly fishers are doing best using Copper Johns, stoneflies and Glo Bugs, while spin fishermen are using Blue Fox spinners with silver blades and Glo Bugs.”

Most Trinity steelhead range from 3 to 8 pounds, with an occasional fish in the 8 to 12 pound class reported. Salmon are also being caught, but they are starting to get dark. 

Steve Huber of Steve Huber’s Guide Service reported a great day of fishing on October 22, when his clients hooks a total of 21 salmon and steelhead combined, landing 9. However the fishing from Lewiston on down has been slower than that most days. 

Landlocked king salmon fishing is slow on Trinity Lake, but trollers are bagging big numbers of small kokanee still.

“My last trip to the lake produced lots of kokanee in the 8 to 10 inch range and one 16 inch rainbow,” said Mike Elster, fishing guide. “We caught our fish while trolling Apex lures down to 100 feet in front of the dam. One other boater landed a 3-1/2 lb. king, but we didn’t hook any.”

Trinity Lake is 2,322.13 feet in elevation and the lake is holding 1,739,490 acre feet of water, 71 precent of capacity and 107 percent of the 10 year average. Releases to the Trinity River below Lewiston Dam are currently 845 cfs.