Trinity River Fishing Report

Report Updated March 17, 2010

Last round of steelies

The steelie fishing is winding down up on the upper river and hardly a soul is fishing down below. Up top, a few fresh late-running wild adults are showing
for anglers side-drifting eggs or pulling small Hot Shots between Lewiston and Junction City. Fluff chuckers have been using, Golden Stones, Glo Bugs and Hare’s Ears.

And then, of course, there are a few fall sore tails around too…but they’re not all that exciting: skinny, and look & fight like a wet gym sock.

About the Trinity River

The upper river is a small, intimate affair that looks more like a trout stream than a steelhead and salmon factory. But appearances mean nothing…lurking in the Trinity’s small, clear flows is usually a big mass of salmon and steelies. The hatchery at Lewiston is the end of the line for the fish, so they start piling up from about Junction City on up to the top.

In recent years, the word definitely has gotten out about the Trinity and anglers have been showing up in droves to fish for fall steelies and kings. There’s plenty of activity all winter for steelhead and then things settle down a bit until the first waves of spring Chinook poke into the river in June. There’s also a population of sea-run browns here…

As you head downriver, the Trinity picks up stream and there’s a lot of water to explore. The Class 5 white water of the Burt Ranch Gorge, the tight switchbacks below Hawkins Bar and the smooth, gravel flats near Willow Creek and Hoopa — and everything in between.

To classify the Trinity is difficult, but we can say this…she’s one hell of a gorgeous salmon and steelhead river! Generally speaking, the kings and steelies (coho are off limits) don’t get huge here, but most years the sheer numbers of them make up for any size deficiencies.

Pulling plugs out of a driftboat or raft…fly fishing off the bank…drifting eggs from shore. You can do it all here — and chances are, you’re going to get bit!

How to tie an Egg Loop
How to wrap a Kwikfish