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Trinity Lake and Reports

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Monday, July 17th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 78

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished today with Johnny Mac. Now you'd think that a couple of bass guides could find fish. Well, they can. Johnny and I caught over 50 fish today ( OK they weren't all keepers) and were able to locate a few quality fish as well. A 4.5 smallie anchored a 16 lb limit of smallies, which ain't bad for Trinity in July in 100 deg heat.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Johnny is a non-boater right now due to an unfortunate incident. Give him a call and take him fishing. Don't let all that knowledge go to waste.

Thursday, July 13th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 70

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: He Mike the fishing really sucks. I would suggest staying home.
    City: Trinity Center

Thursday, July 6th, 2006

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Maybe Trinity lake needs its own forum!!!can anyone tell me how the fishing is? its a three hour drive from Medford.I look here each day for the fishing report and there is always an argument on this report page.How is the fishing?????
    City: Medford

Tuesday, July 4th, 2006

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: MR MODE.
    FISHING LISCENSES ARE NOT FOOD STAMP CARDS.
    City: McKinleyville

    Tips: MR. MODE
    GO KILL FISH SOMEWHERE ELSE LIKE ARIZONA

Friday, June 30th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 70+

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Finally the fishing is beginning to return to normal. The water level is still falling but not near as dramatically as it has been. I fished with clients the last 2 days and although the lake is not what I'd consider on fire, we caught enough so that everyone had a good time. Cinnamon Senkos around willows and darter head worms on points were the best producers.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Be careful out there this weekend, watch out for the other guy. Boats don't have turn signals, and I guess that's why most folks don't bother to look before they turn. I came up on a boat yesterday and not being sure what he might do I slowed to see which way he might go next. Sure enough a hard left right across my bow. Just because an accident isn't your fault doesn't mean it's gonna hurt less.

Sunday, June 25th, 2006

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Well put Mr.Mode.....I do however want to say that starving people in other countries and Nukes have no place on this board...actually if they used the nukes we would have less starving people....do they have bass lakes in Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea? We could have some new water to fish......
    City: REDDIN

Friday, June 23rd, 2006

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    Water Temp: Warm

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I must say that I am rather concerned about the past reports regarding fish that were caught and eaten. Oh my goodness! Don't tell me, fish that were legally caught were consumed by humans. Don't say it is so. Please don't say it is so. NO! Don't eat the black bass. Cage raised trout taste better. Probably alot like cat food. Come on guys stop it. Sounds like a bunch of Sh_t slurring from a guide that can't stand other fisherman catching better quality fish more consistently than himself. Truth hurts. Trinity Lake was built for recreational activities. That means eating fish. I am going to travel hundreds of miles with my kids to eat fish that I could buy at Costco. Your catch and release goals only satisfies your own pocket. Quit using this site to enhance your business. THe reason our lake is so healthy with quality fish is the fact that fish are culled and eaten. Hey, lets over stock the lake like many others. When you pay 40 bucks to fish in this state, I am going to keep and eat fish. SORRY. I am a conservationist and I don't think anything is wrong with eating fish. So what, a five pound fish. Who cares! Many more fish are out there. More than stars in the sky. If you guys don't want to share the lake that is fine I will be out there catching and eating fish. If you want to protect a fishery. How about the Trinity. The dam destroyed the river. Hundreds of miles taken away from anadromous fish. Can't keep fish in the lake, can't keep fish out of the river. This PC BS is going too far. Stop the gill netting in the river. I am dang tired of people crying. Put it reality. I would be alot more concerned about the nuts in the world with nuclear weapons and people starving in other countries than some guys having a good time and eating a few fish.
    City: Lewiston

    Tips: Paint your truck. Buy a Ranger, Champion boats suck.

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I fished Trinity on the evening of the 17th and the morning of the 18th. I fished with my 6 year old son and his 7 year old friend and his father. This was the fullest I have ever seen Trinity Lake and the views and mountain air were great. The fishing was also good. We caught close to 40 fish in about 8 hrs of fishing over two days. It was just a great trip and a great Father's day gift to spend the day fishing with my boy. By the way, my boy caught a 3.3 smallie on the first day and a 2.8 smallie on the second day. These were the largest fish he's ever caught. It was a great experience to see his face and to hear the excitement in his voice. These are memories that will last a lifetime. Thaks John Gray for the excellent time on my guided trip last year and for the tips so I could share this great fishery with other fisherman.
    City: eureka

    Tips: Gitzits, in both the tailings and the East Fork. Please practise catch and release with these beautiful fish, so that more fisherman and kids can enjoy the lake for many years to come.

Wednesday, June 21st, 2006

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: As many of you know, I organized some benefit tournies this spring for a scholarship fund set up by the family of Jason Fisher. Even with a small turnout we managed to raise over $1000.00. Late last week a lady from the Chico Bass Club called me and wanted my address so they could make a donation. It arrived today. I want to express my deepest thanks, and the gratitude of the Fisher family to Chico Bass Club. If I even know anyone in that club, I'm not aware of who it might be. Your generous gesture was even more significant in light of recent events here at Trinity. You have renewed my faith in what the sport of bass fishing should be all about. Thank you!!!
    City: Weaverville

Saturday, June 17th, 2006

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    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Went up to the East fork and Flipped Sweet Beavers in the Brush... Caught several Largemouth over 5 pounds and had a 6.5... Also 3.2 pound smallie... Awesome day with over 20 pounds... The big girls are in the outside brush piles...

    Thanks Trinity Lake!
    City: Castaic

    Tips: Flip the deeper brush piles

Monday, June 12th, 2006

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I have just received a call from an SPI representative who told me, and I fully beleive him, that SPI in no way sanctioned or helped organize the Hook em and Cook em that took place at Preacher Meadow on the 3rd. Apparently this has been a yearly occourance for quite a number of years, and has been informally called the SPI tourney. Originally it was a tourney with proper permits and care was taken to release fish alive. Somehow it became what we witnessed on the third. It was organized by a former SPI employee and a few present employees were present, although none from this immediate area. I'm releived that I finally got this call, and to find that SPI was not involved. I will however continue to condem what happened in the hope that they will not come back another year.
    City: Weaverville

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: John,

    Im coming up to Trinity for some fun fishing, any areas you recommend to catch some smallies??
    City: Castaic

Saturday, June 10th, 2006

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    Water Temp: hot

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Guys, if there was ever a time to band together it is now. Assuming this is all true (coming from John, I have the fullest confidence in the accuracy of the information). Let me be the first to suggest that we stage our own "Tournament" on the day they plan Shock and Awe next year. Seriously, this has to stop. Yes, it is "leagal" to keep the accepted limit of bass. And yes, we all deep hook one once in a while and hope it will survive as we watch it swim away. Most of us think of that fish days later and hope it made it. But encouraging a large group of people to bring in the biggest limit they can, all at the same time, on the same day, in the middle of the spawn? And all the fish are killed? Come on now. That is just plain wrong. Let's keep up the chatter on this and put our heads together so this doesn't happen again. Maybe the management at SPI needs a lesson on the subject of how a bass tournament is run. Rule #1: DON'T KILL THE FISH!!! They say you pick your battles, This is one I'm willing to fight. This goes way beyond a couple of guys keeping a few trophy smallies. This is a planned, large scale slaughter of spawning large and smallmouth bass at Trinity Lake. That's all there is to it. Let's do something to protect the most beautiful place to fish in the entire state.
    City: Eureka

    Tips: If anyone at SPI could be reached, I would be curious of their opinion on this. Maybe they just don't realize what they're doing is wrong. It could be as simple as that. My opinion: No matter what, those fish must be saved if they plan on doing this again next year.

Sunday, June 4th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: And now for the rest of the story. SPI enjoyed an extremely successful picnic. Over 200 bass made it to the scales and then to the filet knife. Largemouth over 6lbs, smallies to 4-10, it didn't matter. These boys are equal opportunity carvers. Money was paid out, coolers were filled with filets and everybody went home happy. They enjoyed themselves so much they even set the date for next years event.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Assuming half of those fish were females (which lay approx. 4000 eggs/pound) and they averaged around 2 lbs a piece, then approx. 800,000 eggs were thrown in the trash. Assuming a 1% survival rate 8000 fish were killed. Hope indigestion was widespread.

Saturday, June 3rd, 2006

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went back to the lake again and found the fishing to still be pretty good even though I got a late start. The main reason I went however, was to check out the reports that I had been getting about a little informal tournament that was going on. Sure enough, SPI employees were having their annual Hook em and Cook em tourney. It seems that teams are weighing in ten fish limits then getting out the filet knives. Now I could be wrong about some of this, but the participants I spoke to were with the understanding that they were to bring their ten fish limits to Preacher Meadow Campground, which the Forest Service provided to them, to be weighed. I'm going to find out a lot more and when I do I'll post it immediately. I'm particularly interested in how many Blacks are weighed with chewed up tails as they are now in full blown spawning mode. The 2 fish limit, which was instituted to protect the spawn, has got to be extended on this lake, as I have caught spawning Blacks well after the 4th of July for the past several years. I can only hope that either my information is wrong, or, that the fishing really sucked for these guys today. Don't get me wrong, I grew up being a consumptive angler and I have nothing against eating a 2lb fish or 2 once in a while. But somehow we need to educate folks better about the fact that the reason Trinity Lake is such an incredible fishery is that 98% of the fish that are caught here die of natural causes, not by getting stabbed by a filet knife.
    City: W

    Tips: SPI is a neighbor of mine, and for the 16 yrs I've been here, they've been good neighbors. It doesn't seem possible that it is a sanctioned event supported by the company. That I'm going to try and find out about also. If any of you know any of the participants of this event, maybe you could help educate them a little. I came home early because my choice of educational tool would probably have resulted in my being arrested.

Friday, June 2nd, 2006

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    Water Temp: 64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Finally! Back on the lake today with a client from LaLa Land. Showed up at the ramp at 5:30 to find that the lake had dropped about 4' since I saw it last. Oh Oh! We all know what happens when the water starts dropping. The fish disappear. Based on what I've figured out the last few years, I could see that a big change of plans was in order. As near as I can tell, when the lake comes up a foot the fish move right on up with it. When it drops a foot the fish drop 20'. OK, I know an area that has been holding a ton of good smallies, so let's try those willows nearby, which are in 20' of water and see if my theory is correct. I really like throwing topwater early this time of year, so I hand my client a spook. After tossing around the willows a few times with no takers, I give him a gitzit and it stops dropping about 5' down, in 20' of water. SET HOOK! 4.5 smallie. Next cast, gitzit makes it down maybe 15' SET HOOK! 5.5 LM Whew! Mission accomplished. Guide can relax the rest of the day. Next stop 4+ smallie on a speed trap, plus a couple more quality smallies on the gitzit. Wow! almost 20 lbs in the boat and it's going to be 7:00 AM in a few minutes. The fishing stayed pretty good the rest of the day although I'm not sure we would have culled any of those first 5, we came close with several of the 20 or so we caught the rest of the day. I felt that the rain-drizzle that went on most of the morning, probably mitigated the falling water scenario, but the fish continued to bite even after the sun came out.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: For those of you who are fishing the ABA tourney next weekend, kindly forget everything you have read in this report. See you there.

Wednesday, May 24th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 60

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: This is more of a lake report than a fishing report. The lake level is currently 3' above full pool.They are releasing approx 13,000 cfs out of the lake, 10,000 down the river and the rest into the tunnel. However the inflow is up around 17,000 which means the lake is expected to rise a few more feet. If it comes up 3 more feet, approx. 1/3 of the Trinity Center parking lot will be under water. They have already shut off the power at Cedar Stock dock and are using generators for the store and Gas pumps. This because the transformer is under water. Cedar Stock will be open for the holiday weekend, but they may have to suspend operations at Trinity Center. Call ahead if you're planning to head this way.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Cedar Stock # is 286-2225.

Tuesday, May 16th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Had the same folks out today. Yesterday We started at 9:00 and the fishing was great right from the start. Being an early riser I convinced them that we had probably missed the best fishing of the day. They agreed to meet me at 6 and sure enough, the first quality fish was caught at 9:30. Sure glad I dragged them out so early. From 10:00 on the bite was pretty hot. 3 fish in the 4 lb class and quite a few Shasta Hogs (Trinity Dinks) made for a good day considering the Trolling motor died first thing. Off the water at noon with the best 5 @ 17lbs, again all smallies.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Flats...

Monday, May 15th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Let's see, how do I put this? I don't want to overstate any thing. O.K. I got it, "The lake is finally on fire." 30 fish today, all but 4 or five keepers, best 5 over 18lbs, all smallies. Yep, that says it all.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Same crew is out tomorrow. Hope they ain't spoiled because it's Trinity and we could get skunked. I'll let you know.

Wednesday, May 10th, 2006

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: What end of the lake is more productive? Trinity Center area or down by the dam
    City: Coast