Return to Trinity Outdoors
While soaring unseasonably hot temperatures reaching up to a sizzling 95 degrees, has slowed salon and steelhead fishing on the Trinity River, anglers targeting Lewiston lake trout are scoring on a variety of trout while enjoying the beautiful, hot, Indian summer conditions. After a relatively cool September who would have thought summer-like weather would put a grip on the north state. This past week Redding was 102 degrees---second week of October.
It certainly isn't a lack of fish in the Trinity River this year that has created recent hit or miss fishing. Hot temperatures have put a hold on most all salmon and steelhead fishing. The weather has also accelerated major summer and fall salmon spawning activity through out the entire river. What few fish are caught are taken early and from the mid-river's canyon waters. Plenty of other targets have simply closed their mouths. Salmon that are showing are very impressive, often topping 15 lbs. with a fe pressing over 20-25 lbs.. Great ocean conditions the past few years does wonders.
Some steelhead have been caught with truly no predictable pattern. However anglers targeting salmon spawning waters with egg imitations are scoring on sparse numbers of half-pounders and adults up to 8 lbs. The size of the steelhead showing this year, up to ll lbs., reflects a big fish year. Some rain or cloudy weather would do wonders for our fishery. Anglers should keep their eye out for the next frontal system and go for it. Everything is pointing to an excellent steelhead run.
Lewiston lake has been producing some very consistent catches of rainbow, brown trout and kokanee for most all anglers. Excellent fall Callibaetis hatches have dominated the lower flats, from 1 PM until 3 PM and while intense midge hatches dominate from early afternoon right on through the evening.
Fly fishers are actually getting about 3-5 hours of surface activity for a variety of quarry. As a different twist, major schools of 7-13" kokanee are slowly making their way up the lake and taking advantage of the intense midge activity. This time of year, fly fishers are able to target the spirited, tasty targets and score in the numbers.
Following the moving schools and casting film emerging midge patterns is exciting and very rewarding for a quality fish that does not often appear in the fly fishers catch. As always, release all Wild Trout and Steelhead.
Herb Burton operates Trinity Fly Shop in Lewiston and Trinity Alps Angling Experience.