Trinity River

greatest steelheading in decades.

The average size of a Trinity River steelhead ranges from four to eight pounds, while mature adults measuring over ten pounds are hooked on a regular basis. In addition to the steelhead, anglers on the Trinity River have the opportunity to hook into fresh Chinook and Coho salmon, and even sea-run brown trout. Whereas a great week of steelheading on most rivers can mean one or two fish hooked, our Trinity River guides regularly hook multiple fish nearly every day of the season.

sections of river available, guides are able to cover a lot of water and find the fish that are constantly moving through the system. Having the ability to cover 10 or more river miles during a day's fishing enables our guides to put our clients in front of more fish, and ultimately to have more opportunities at catching steelhead.

There are two main techniques used to fly fish for steelhead on the Trinity River:  Swinging flies and nymphing. Swinging flies is the most traditional method to target steelhead, and can be effective in the early season (October-November) when water temperatures are warmer and the steelhead are more active and aggressive. Day in and day out, however, our guides prefer to drift nymphs under indicators, as they have found over the decades that we've been guiding this river that it is far and above the most productive way to catch fish. The Trinity River's deep pools and channels are ideal for dead-drifting nymphs.

specialty or, perhaps, the equipment involved. Some of our guides are more instruction-oriented than others and are better suited for the novice wanting to combine a day of guided fishing with a learning experience, while others just plain know how to catch fish.

If you have a specific request or have been with us before, we can help reserve guide dates with one of your favorite guides based on that guide's specific availability. If not, we're happy to hook you up with one of several of our guides who specialize on our Northern California freestone streams.

will be traveling and don't want to hassle with dragging along all of your gear, you may want to consider our guide trip "Package Deal." This inclusive option is only an additional $50 per day, and with it the guides will provide the necessary rods, reels, flies, tackle and equipment to ensure that you have the right gear and flies for the day. If you're an experienced angler and/or fly tier, call ahead and we'll let you know exactly what flies are producing so you can be sure to tie them beforehand or bring them along.

Third Angler:
Navigating the Trinity River requires small, maneuverable drift boats and rafts, so we can never accommodate more than two anglers at a time.

The winter run of steelhead start to show as early as Thanksgiving, with fresh fish migrating upriver throughout the rest of the winter season. The majority of these winter fish are wild, and the average size of the steelhead generally gets progressively larger later into the winter months. Water temperatures are considerably colder, so the steelhead are less likely to move for traditional fly patterns and dead-drifting nymphs is the preferred method for hooking Trinity River Steelhead from November through February.

Winter weather ranges from mid-60s to below freezing. The winter steelhead season is not for the faint of heart, making it ideal for true steelhead die-hards willing to brave the cold in order to catch these special creatures. The benefit to the colder weather, however, is that it definitely helps to keep the crowds away.

The best conditions for fishing on the Trinity from October through February are stormy days, or the days immediately following a storm. Wet weather gets steelhead on the move. Fish on the move are burning calories, more active, and more likely to eat your fly. The upper 40 miles of the Trinity are primarily controlled by flow releases from Lewiston Dam which remain low all winter long, so there are very few days when the river blows out to unfishable conditions, and it will always clear within a day or two.

March through June:
Most years we can catch steelhead on the Trinity River right up to the middle of March. Every year right around March 15, however, the Lewiston Hatchery releases its steelhead and salmon smolts into the river, and though there may still be steelhead around getting your flies through the millions of smolts can be next to impossible.

The Fly Fishing Only Section of the Trinity opens early for the month of April, and can bring about some fun fishing before the General Trout Opener on the last Saturday in April. There are usually still a few holdover adult steelhead to be found, but the real draw to the fly-only water this time of year is dry fly fishing for the many smolts and trout-sized immature steelhead that populate these upriver riffles and runs.

Early May marks the start of the purging flows on the Trinity. As part of the Trinity River Restoration Project, Lewiston Dam begins to release very high flows (from 5,000-12,000 cfs). These high flows are designed to provide extra habitat for the smolts of the native salmon and steelhead of the river, and to help push the immature fish out to the ocean. They're ultimately great for the river's anadromous fish, but they do make fishing a non-issue on the Trinity for the months of May and June until the flows begin to drop in mid-July.

Weaverville Hotel & Emporium
481 Main Street (PO Box 537)
Weaverville, CA 96093
Phone: 530-623-2222 or (800) 750-8853
Website: www.weavervillehotel.com
•  Conveniently located in Weaverville Old Town, in the same block as LaGrange, The Garden Cafe, Johnny's Pizza and two saloons, the Weaverville Hotel (last rebuilt in 1880) is right next to the Band Stand. Only 7 rooms, all with private bath, most with claw-footed tubs, gas log fireplaces, and four-poster beds. The hotel was completely renovated and restored to its original high ceilings and wood floors in 2004. Perfect for a relaxing stay or a pleasant, romantic fishing weekend.

Weaverville Victorian Inn
200 S Miner St
Weaverville, CA 96093
Phone: 530-623-4432
•  The Weaverville Victorian Inn is easy to find on Highway 299 right as you come into the town of Weaverville and is close to several local eateries, grocery stores, etc.

Whitmore Inn (Bed and Breakfast)
761 Main St.
Weaverville, CA 96093
Phone: 530-623-2509
Website: www.whitmoreinn.com
•  Bed and Breakfast near downtown Weaverville, within walking distance of La Grange Restaurant

Rental Properties:

Fishtail Retreat
Phone: 408-356-4040
Website: www.fishtaleretreat.com
•  The Fish Tale Retreat is a cozy cabin located right on the Trinity River with river access at Bucktail, a great option for self-reliant groups of anglers.

RV Parks and Campgrounds:

Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort
PO Box 148
Rush Creek Rd
Lewiston, CA 96052
Phone: 530-778-3894
Website: www.lewistonbridgerv.com
•  Clean, well-kept, walking access to the Trinity River, convenient location just across the river from historic "downtown" Lewiston. Rental trailers also available.