Some time ago, I wrote an article about ‘Lead Ammunition” and the banning of lead to hunt. I tried to warn fishing people that we had better watch out. Well, we have been had!! The day before Trump took office, Obama ordered that fishing tackle with lead be banned from being used on ALL federal lands.

California has 26 national parks and 47,797,533 acres of federal land! Thanks to Mr. Marko Mlikotin and Western Outdoor News' Feb. 3rd issue, two major articles were published about the banning of the use of lead fishing tackle on federal lands. How this will affect us from fishing the Klamath/Trinity/Smith Rivers is an unknown at this time, but all of these rivers flow through U.S. National Forests. Does that mean that we will have to get rid of all fishing tackle with lead? It could!

We just might want to write Mr. Marko Mlikotin, executive director of California Sport-Fishing League, letters of support for his efforts to try and reverse this ban. You also might want to get a copy of this edition of WON to read the articles yourselves.

The Banning of LEAD for any sporting activities has been on the agenda of the anti hunting/fishing groups for a long time, without science to back it up.  I am not saying lead is good, but the use of lead in fishing tackle has not been scientifically substantiated as being harmful to  the environment, as of yet!

New Rules: As of January 1, 2018, persons 20 and under MUST have a California Boater Card, and thereafter, each year the requirement with increase by five years of age until by January 1, 2025, all persons operating a motorized recreational vessel on California state waterways has a California Boater Card. How does one get this California Boater Card? You will have to take a Division of Boating and Waterways class. The class will be available on internet or somewhere locally.

Trinity River Hatchery Counts: TRH trapping summary for Jan. 29 - Feb.4; fall Chinook season totals, 1,512; spring Chinook season totals, 2,107, season totals 3,619; Coho season totals, 527; Steelhead, 144, season total 1,226.

Fishing: We are having a few days of beautiful fishing weather and the rivers are blown out! The forecast is not looking any better as the rain is expected to be coming back to the Trinity-Klamath Valley by Wednesday. Yes, we need the rain and snow pack up in the mountains, but we also need a few days that one can get out to try fishing for these wonderful winter run steelhead. It is disparaging to watch the river bar in front of my house go under water every time it rains because that means the it will be at least one to two weeks before one can get out to fish the river. The good part is that the upper section of the Trinity clears much faster and can be fishable in just a few days. I am talking about the very upper section from Lewiston down to Douglas City. If Douglas City is 1,000cfs then it is too high to fish the upper sections. The good part is that with the high water the Coho and native Steelhead can reach their spawning grounds much easier and we will see a much better return in about three hears. Yes the storms make fishing lousy but it helps many of the native fish to spawn.

Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate Dam is releasing 6,240cfs at this time so I would say fishing the Klamath is unfishable at this time. With the flows down river in the thousands cfs it will be a while before one will be able to wet a line. I just hope this will flush out the parasites that are causing the loss of our juvenile solenoids. 

Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 98% of capacity with inflows of 3,488cfs and releasing 3,246cfs into Clear Creek & Keswick. Shasta is 96% of capacity (an increase of 17% & plus 29ft) inflows of 65,103cfs and releasing 49,426cfs, Keswick is 92% of capacity with inflows of 50,6693cfs and releasing 49,030cfs; Lake Oroville is 101% of capacity (a increase of 22% & plus 71ft), inflow is 84,436cfs and releases are 59,472cfs; Lake Folsom is 77% of capacity (plus 33% & plus 33ft.) inflows are 56,824cfs and releases are 77,247cfs. 

Trinity Lake: The Lake is 50ft below the overflow (decrease of 18ft)and 70% of capacity (9% increase) Inflow to Trinity Lake is 11,277cfs and Trinity Dam is releasing 117cfs to Lewiston Lake with 3,488cfs going to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Keswick Power Plant with 49,030cfs being released to the Sacramento River. 

Trinity River Flows and Conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 326cfs, water temps of 44.6 and air is 45 degrees at 12:00pm. today. Limekiln Gulch is 5.5ft at 911cfs, water temps are 42.9 degrees and air is 61.  Douglas City is 8ft at 1,860cfs, water temps of 43.1 and air is 48. Junction City is 5.2ft at 3,150cfs.  Helena is 14.7ft at 4,460cfs with water temps of 44.6. Cedar Flat is 10.7ft at 8,540cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 18.6Kcfs air is 48and water at 45. Hoopa is 24.5ft at 29.7Kcfs with water temps of 46.9. Flows at the mouth of the Trinity at Klamath River are estimated to be 75.5Kcfs.

Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 6,240cfs.  Seiad Valley is 11.7ft at 18.1Kcfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 19.9Kcfs. Somes Bar is estimated at 34.7Kcfs. Orleans is 17.3ft. at 45.8Kcfs. Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 27.1ft at 105Kcfs and water temperatures of 45.6 degrees. Flows at Smith River, Dr. Fine Bridge are 12.6ft at 12.4Kcfs. 

Temperatures in the Valley last week were 60/43 degrees with 6.2 inches of rain with a season total of 61.45in of rain and 2.5in of snow. Temperatures in the valley next week are expected to be 67/43 degrees; we have had several nice days with sunshine but more rain is coming by Wednesday the showers and rain next week.

Good Fish’en and Good Luck but remember; “Keep your tip up with a tight line lands fish.”