Fall-Run steelhead season is in full swing on the Trinity River and other Nor-Cal rivers
(Coastal Rivers will be after January 1st)
I’ll cut right to it and say that the upper Trinity River has been tough!
It’s been a grind finding consistent, solid, adult steelhead lately. We are working for a few good opportunities each day on adult fish.
There are lots of half-pounders and “tweeners” in the system… and some smaller summer-run fish… but the bigger fall-run stlhd have been just trickling in and seem to be running late.
If I were to venture a guess as to why… I’d probably point to the fact we have had VERY LITTLE rainfall this season, to date. Sept-Oct was very dry and so far in November its been dry, too. However, there is a much anticipated wet cycle starting this weekend Saturday 11/14/26. So we are very excited to see what a good rain will bring.
Also, keep in mind the salmon runs this season… they also seemed a little later… both on the L Sac and the Trinity. 3 weeks roughly behind schedule.
So, take this with a grain of salt… and I have no idea if the stlhd runs are mimicking that or not, just anecdotal observations from being on the river many days each week since July 1st.
We are only in the beginning of the steelhead season and we have a lot to look forward to. Hopefully, this weather change and a few good inches of rain will get things going!
Stay tuned…
