Blog Change

Just a heads up to everyone that we are slowly transitioning our blog over to a new site. This is going to allow us to do a little more with photo and video work as well as having some new people contributing to the blog. We have it started but will take a few weeks to get things going in the direction we want. Check it out at http://steelheadonthespey.wordpress.com

Go for the grab1
JH

Winter on its way

Fall steelheading is drawing to a close and while there are still some late fall fish pushing in, early winters are right on their heels. Last week saw our first encounter with a bright early winter as well as some halfpounders and a few chunky summer/fall steelhead in the mix. Water temps have dropped and the rivers continue to rise and drop making fishing a little hit and miss. We have pretty much switched over to tips and some larger than usual patterns seem to be doing the trick. I have a handful of days left on the mid-lower Trinity and then switching modes to winter steelhead. With plenty of rain, snow, and wind the last week I am ready for some early winter chrome to push into many of our North Coast rivers. Happy Thanksgiving!

Truths of a rising river...

There are a few things that happen with a rising river...
1. Stale fish perk up
2. New fish move in
3. Flows go up
4. The river blows
5. River drops
6. Fish are happy
7. This happens all over again 5 days later


In the last 8 days we have seen around 7" of rain in the Klamath/Trinity basin. Fishing picked up and was good until the rivers blew. It then dropped into shape and no more than a day later we get more rain. Rivers rise and now on the drop. I anticipate good fishing this next week. We should still have some good numbers of half-pounders around and some new big November freshies moving into the system. November can be a great time to hook up with one of those big late fall runs or even the bright early winter run steelhead.



Go for the grab!
JH

Steelhead Report

Been on the water the last ten days now and have seen a variety of fishing conditions on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers. Fishing has been very hit and miss but we are finding fish most days. If you fish hard throughout the day, especially during low light periods you should be able to find a fish or two that are willing to move to a swung or skated fly. Hot flies the past week have been October Hiltons, Silent Assassins, Undertakers, and muddlers.

We are in need of a weather change to get rid of this high pressure that seems to be making fishing a little tougher. Temps are suppose to cool and even a chance of rain here soon. This should suck more fish into the system and perk up the ones that have been around for a little while. The next 2-3 weeks should see some of the best fishing of the season.


John Putnam with 1 of 4 he and is brother in law hooked the other day.


A hard pulling hen that fell to an October Hilton


October Sunset on the Lower Trinity

Fall steelheading in full swing

It's go time! In the past week or so, big numbers of steelhead have moved through the lower Klamath and Trinity. Willow Creek weir counts the last 5 days have been well, REALLY GOOD! The Trinity has seen some good fishing in the past few days with some very nice fish coming to both swung wet flies and skated muddlers. The fish are moving upriver rather quickly and in some good sized pods. Find a pod of fish and you are most likely going to hook more than one! Low light periods have still been best, so look for shade through the morning and again in the late afternoons. Fishing is only going to improve throughout the next month. We will have another report and hopefully some video in the next few days.




Go for the grab!
JH

A few pics from AK

Four months of guiding in the Alaskan Bush has come to an end. A few days of R&R and I will be back on the lower Trinity and Klamath running trips for Fall Steelhead. Just wanted to share a few pics from the summer.

Trinity and Klamath River Fall Steelheading is upon us...

Fall is almost here and we are looking at another great season for steelheading on the Klamath and Trinity Rivers. We have seen good numbers of steelhead pushing into the lower Klamath over the last couple of months with numbers increasing in the last two weeks. We have seen some really nice half-pounders and adults taken on both the Lower Klamath in the glen and the lower Trinity below Willow Creek. As water temps begin to cool in the next week or so, there should be more fish pushing in making for some great swing fishing for steelhead. The early reports from the DFG weir in Willow Creek show very good numbers of both wild and hatchery steelhead moving through the lower river. As these numbers increase in the following 3 weeks we should see an excellent return of steelhead in the mid-lower Trinity river for Spey fishing in October and November. The same can be said for the Klamath. October and November are prime months for floating line fishing both the Klamath and Trinity Rivers. This is our favorite time of year to experience steelhead on skated dry and swung wet flies on or near the surface. We have a limited number of prime dates open in October to experience California’s finest Steelheading.


Available Dates: October 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30

Go for the grab!
JH