Trinity River: Steelhead Country

While there might not be much fish around during spring, it can be a productive time to target half-pounders and post-spawn adults with dry flies. We see a consistent March brown hatch here starting in late February through March. These fish that are finishing up their spawning are looking to put weight back on before heading back to the Pacific Ocean and will take dry flies with a vengeance. This is one of the few opportunities where our Trinity River fly fishing guides can help you catch adult steelhead on dead drifted dry flies. On top of that, there aren’t very many other anglers around during this time of year, so solitude is easy to find.

Fall is typically the most productive time to be on the Trinity River. By September, the summer-run steelhead begin their big push upriver, where our guides like to target them from Willow Creek upstream to Junction City. The fish in late August and September are as hot as you will see. They’re still fresh from the salt and take the swung fly well because of the elevated water temps. September might be one of our favorite months of the year here due to the lack of pressure and solitude you can find. As we move into October and November, the fish start to pile up in larger numbers, bringing some of our highest volume days. Salmon are starting to spawn in October and November, so the steelhead will key into the bugs and eggs that are naturally in the drift.

Steelhead fishing on the Trinity River in the winter can also be productive. Although the weather may not be as accommodating as the fall, fishing can more than make up for the colder temps, as we typically see the biggest fish of the year during the cold, wet winter months. These are the conditions that separate the diehards from the fair-weather fisherman, and the rewards can be tremendous. As Thanksgiving rolls around, the winter-run fish start to make their migration upstream and will settle into the slower, winter haunts, where we like to target them with smaller nymphs and eggs on the dead drift. If you are able to time your trip just after a storm, when the river is on the drop and clearing – you should be prepared for a very productive day of steelhead fishing.