Current Fishing Report

I spent a very nice spring day today scouting a "new" reach of the Klamath River with my buddy Mark Tompkins.  Iron Gate Dam was removed one year ago and you can now float through the area that was formerly inundated by the reservoir.  We launched from the temporary Fall Creek access which is at the upstream end of the old reservoir.  This access is pretty rough and suitable for rafts only at this point. You have to drag your raft over numerous large boulders to reach the river.  However, the still-under-construction Fall Creek Access across the river looks very nice and should be suitable for drift boats on trailers when it's finished.  The float from the Fall Creek Access to the Iron Gate Access (where we use to launch below the dam) is about six miles and is entirely class I and II.  This float can be done in two hours if you don't stop, but someday when fishing is allowed in this stretch, I think it would make for a full day of fishing.  There is great water for nymphing and swinging in this stretch.  When the sediment washes out, I also think a lot of salmon will be spawning in this reach.  The water types on this float are similar to what you see from Iron Gate to Klamathon Bridge, but there are more riffles, some of which are extensive.Just above the Fall Creek Access is the Ward's Canyon whitewater run.  This is the section between the old Copco Dam and the head of Iron Gate Reservoir.  It's very steep and consists of class IV and V rapids one after the other.  Make sure to avoid this stretch unless you're floating with experts or on a commercial whitewater rafting trip!The Fall Creek - Iron Gate float has amazing scenery due to the geology of the area.  There are several areas with columnar basalt formations similar to Devil's Postpile.  The California Poppies really stole the show on this trip.  They were in full bloom and were worthy of an invasion of super-bloom-seeking instagrammers.  Thankfully there were none of those around!  Most of the bottom of the lake has been revegetated with native plants, although there are some invasive plants making some headway, too.  If you get out and walk around you may find cakes of dried mud that have cracked and separated.  If you grab a piece, you can throw it in the river and which it float like a cork.  If you walk up higher you may encounter areas that appear solid but are actually made up of individual pillars of soil separated by cracks up to three feet deep.  Watch your step!The river has about a foot of visibility in this stretch.  Be careful stepping into the river because you may sink into the fine sediment.  Fishing is not currently allowed in the footprint of the old reservoirs, and the clarity is sufficiently bad right now that I don't think I would be tempted to try.  Salmon and steelhead will be traveling through this area come fall.  The river is currently open to fishing year-round below the Iron Gate Access.  It's really hard to predict how long it will take for all the fine sediment in the river bottom to disperse.  If there is still just a foot of visibility this fall, then it should be possible to do some steelheading below Iron Gate.  It will get much better if the visibility improves.I think the outlook for fishing on the Lower Klamath is better, though.  Last August the river was fishable at the mouth even when the visibility at Iron Gate was only a foot.  It only became fishable once the final coffer-dam removal began and the water at Iron Gate looked like chocolate pudding.  A lot of crystal clear water flows into the Klamath between Iron Gate and the mouth.  The Shasta, Scott, Salmon and Trinity Rivers contribute almost two thirds of the flow during the fall months and will hopefully dilute the turbid water resulting from the dam removal.  The Lower Klamath also experienced flows of over 100,000cfs this winter.  Those high flows help move sediment out to the ocean.  We'll be taking a look at our Spey Camp site soon and we expect to be fishing this fall!  In the meantime, I encourage you to check out the river up around the old dam sites.

The California poppies were in full bloom!

The new Fall Creek boat ramp near the head of the former Iron Gate Reservoir, under construction

The scenery on this float is top-notch!

Columnar basalt formation

The raft worked great but a drift boat should be fine when the new access is built

More of the poppy super-bloom

We have the following openings in our 2022 Lower Klamath River Spey Camps:Sep 9-12: 3 spotsOct 6-9: 1 spotContact Andrew Harris for more information about our Spey Camps! 

I just got back from the Middle Klamath after a few days and the river is fishing great! Multiple adults each day along with plenty of the famed half pounders. Grease lining muddlers and traditional irons was the approach to which worked excellent. I will be fishing up there until Mother Nature decides to bless us with large amounts of precipitation. Head on over to the website or give us a call and get on the books, don't let this opportunity pass you by.

 The Lower Klamath is fishing good for Steelhead, flows are a tad low but water temps continue to drop and conditions overall are good, except the smoke, hard to hide from it anywhere !  We're catching a mix of adults, 4-8 lbs and 1/2 pounders, 1/2 lbers are providing most of the action right now. The conditions at the mouth are currently a little skinny so fresh Salmon and Steelhead continue to enter from the Pacific but in smaller pods. The weather is forecast to potentialy change a week out, to a wetter pattern, keep your fingers crossed.

We have a guest looking for a fishing buddy for a Lower Klamath River steelhead trip Oct 1-2-3.  If you're interested in splitting this trip please let us know!  That's a great time of year to swing flies on the Klamath.  

We have just finalized our 2020 Klamath Spey Camp schedule.  Like last year, we will be offering two camps each week.  One is a 2-night weekend camp that starts mid-day Friday and ends mid-day Sunday.  The other is a 3-night camp that starts mid-day Monday and ends mid-day Thursday.  Our camps start in mid-September and go through mid-October.  Come join us for great instruction, meals, camaraderie, and fishing!  For more information on exact dates and pricing please visit www.SpeyCamp.com.

A good time was had by all at our past weekend Spey Camp. Our camp is one of the best venues in the world of Pacific Northwest steelhead fishing. We offer excellent food prepared by a professional chef, amazing camping infrastructure, Spey instruction, modern jet boats, and the best home water on the Klamath. Floating lines with meddlers was a top producing rig this weekend, which is epic. This is an experience every steelheader should have on their List. You’ll want to book early to secure your spot for next year.

Karen booked up in a epic tailout

Amazing views, sunsets, and star gazing from camp

Steelhead weather

A chunky Klamath half pounder

Pete and Karen got steelhead every day

I returned home last night after spending a week at our Klamath River Spey Camp…and what a week! We had two really fun groups and some exceptional weather. The fishing started out a little scratchy, but the grab started to pick up the last few days. Our guests were rewarded with a nice mix of half-pounders and adults. It seems a new push of fish came through as my guests hooked six adults on the last day of camp. By far, the most effective method was fishing a floating line as these summer fish are willing to move for a swung fly. Camp was amazing and the food is so good! I’m already looking forward to next year’s camps! 

Kim with a bright wild fish

Chicken Marsala with roasted broccoli

Mike with some wild chrome

Brian Kohlman just sent these photos over from spey camp.  He says fishing has been good with a mix of halfpounders, adults, and jacks in the mix.  Gino has been having good luck on floating lines and leaders, getting some epic grabs just below the surface!

Camp lit up at night

The evening campfire at Spey Camp

Swinging the Lower Klamath

We are now down to two discounted openings left.  These are both very short-notice cancellations and we can re-book these spots at a discounted rate.  Contact Andrew Harris at 530-632-3465 for pricing info.  September 23-26 midweek camp: 1 spot.  September 27-29 weekend camp: 1 spot. Current Fishing Report: We just finished up our 2nd spey camp which is already somewhat legendary for the intense rainstorms and great fishing.  The river came up a little and the steelhead seemed to be in their happy place.  Gino had one of his best single days of guiding ever on the Lower Klamath a few days ago.  There are good numbers of adult steelhead in the system!

We just had a couple more cancellations for our Klamath Spey Camps.  The following openings are now available at a significant discount:Sept 20-22 - 1 spotSept 27-29 - 1 spotOct 7-10 - 2 spotsCall Andrew Harris at 530-632-3465 for more information on these discounted openings! 

This could be you!

A beautiful tailout for swinging a fly

I've been on the Klamath the last two days helping Gino set up Spey Camp.  Gino has really taken the camp to a whole new level this year with the addition of wall tents for the cooking and dining areas.  I'm also very excited about our chef Amanda who is going to provide some amazing food.  I'm looking forward to wetting a line this evening and tomorrow now that most of the setup is done.  Word is that fishing has been good for both steelhead and salmon.  Stay tuned!

View of the cook tent

We've added some all tents this year

Due to cancellations, we have a few significantly discounted openings in  our 2019 Klamath River Spey Camps:Sep 16-19 (Monday-Thursday). Sep 27-29 (Friday-Sunday). Oct 7-10 (Monday-Thursday). Please get in touch ASAP if you are interested in filling one of these discounted spots! We also have an open spot in the Sep 20-22 camp available at our regular rate of $1495.

We just had a cancellation in our September 16-19 Spey Camp.  This is the only spot available this year in one of our 3-night camps.  We also have 2 spots available in our weekend camp Sept 20-22 and one spot open in our weekend camp Sept 27-29.  Midweek camps are $1795 and weekend camps are $1495.  If you are interested in one of these spots please get in touch soon!

Our Klamath River Spey Camps begin one month from today!  We are down to 3 open spots, all of them in our 2-night Friday-Sunday weekend camps, which cost $1495.  We have two spots open September 20-22 and 1 spot open September 27-29.  For those of you who are enrolled already, watch your inbox for a more detailed itinerary and pack list coming in the next day or so.  We are really looking forward to hosting all of you in this amazing wilderness venue!

Halfpounders will hopefully be in abundance

Dax Messett on the scene at Spey Camp 2017

Classic steelhead patterns are on the menu

Spey Camp is back for 2019!  I will be back to one of my favorite venues in all of steelhead angling for two camps: a weekend camp from September 27-29 and a full camp from September 30-October 3rd.  Leslie and I just got an awesome new jet boat for the Lower Klamath, Rogue, and other venues.I've guided and hosted trips to the top camp destinations in the steelhead world, and I have to say in all honesty that our Spey Camp is one of the finest in the industry. The prime factors in a steelhead camping experience are: Logistics, location, venue/fishing opportunities, guides, food, and accommodation.  Our Spey Camp exceeds expectations in all of these aspects.Logistics are super easy, as we pick you up at the boat ramp when you arrive and head a few miles upriver to camp, where you are based for your whole trip.  No waking up at 4 am at the hotel to get to the ramp, then race in the dark to claim a spot.  Our camp is located on one of the best runs on the entire river.  Wake up, have a relaxing cup of coffee, and sache down to the river and be first though one of the most epic runs in all of summer steelhead fishing.  Then have a bite to eat, grab a few essentials and head out in our modern jet boats to fish the nearby famed classic swing runs of the wild and scenic Lower Klamath River.  After a full day of fishing, relax by the campfire and enjoy a magnificent dinner.  Pretty epic.  You can go alot further and pay alot more to fish for steelhead on crowded rivers a few hundred miles away from the ocean.  The Klamath also features easy wading and beautiful scenery in a wilderness environment.  Jet boat access only, no roads, no driftboats or rafters keep out a fair amount of pressure.As always, Confluence guides are highly experienced and have an instruction based guide philosophy.  We love teaching the art of speycasting, so all experience levels are welcome.  Being Sage Elite Pros, Gino and I have all the Sage rods, RIo lines, custom tied flies, tips, etc. that you need.   If you just want to be left alone to fish, we are cool with that too...its your trip!Please feel free to E mail me with any questions.  I also just opened up my Fall calendar for spey trips and instruction on the Upper Rogue, which will fill in soon.

Our new Game Changer...

Apres fishing at Spey Camp is legendary. Meet new fishing buddies!

Lifting mist on the legendary river

Be first and last to fish for chrome on one of the best runs on the Lower Klamath

Epic sunsets every night at Spey Camp

Well...the weather is cooling down, the smoke is thinning out and the fishing is getting hot in the North State. Over the past several weeks Fresh, Bright Steelhead have been pushing into the Lower Klamath and making their way up the and into the Cooler waters of the Trinity. Swinging for Chrome bright Steelhead on the Lower Klamath has been Good to Great with a mix of scrapy half pounders and adults, we've landed Steelhead to 6lbs and I've seen several in the 8-10lb class ! All indications so far is that we're seeing a stronger run of both Steelhead and Salmon then we've seen in the past couple of Seasons ! Trending in the right Direction !Speycasting for Trout and Steelhead on the Lower Sac is picking up as well and should only get better as we move into October and November, I've had some pretty good days out there over the past weeks.My schedule is fairly limited this Fall but if you are interested in getting out on either of these  Awesome Swing waters feel free to Contact myself or Andrew Harris directly to see I can fit you in...Tight Lines 

The Lower Klamath is fishing fair/good with a mix of 1/2 pounders and adults to 4lbs, I jumped a couple of chrome bright steelhead in the 8-10 lb range in a tailout making there way up river. The mouth of the Klamath is open and fresh Steelhead continue to trickle in, the numbers are down from the average but the pressure on the Lower Klamath is almost nonexistent resulting in some pretty darn good fishing at times ! as well as being some of the best swing water in the Lower 48 !The fishing on the Trinity is similar, a fair number of steelhead, the overall numbers are down but the size is up from typical. The Feds have trapped and released some fairly large Steelhead at the weir in Willow Creek recently.The Swing fishing on the Lower Sac is better then normal for this time of year for wild Rainbow's and a mix of Wild and Hatchery Steelhead. With a lack of Salmon on Red's the fish don't seem to have there typical October tunnel vision of feeding almost exclusevly on Salmon Eggs.

the gate is open...

Good stuff...

The conditions on the Lower Klamath as are as good as they get right now, the HUGE flows of last Winter have rejuvenated and altered many of the Swing Runs for the better and water quality is good as it gets . The past couple of months the river has seen fresh pushes of adult and 1/2 pounder Steelhead, the numbers don't appear to be huge...but they're there !Angler pressure has been low which at times can lead to some pretty darn good fishing as well as a Great overall angling experience, over the past week we have hooked into, and landed some... Chrome Bright Adult Steelhead and 1/2 pounders as well as Dime Bright Kings, just the right size for a 6 weight Spey Rod.If you are an avid Spey Caster and have never been, you should highly consider a trip to the Lower Klamath, there might be different water elswhere but I would argue that there is no better water !.... and if your a novice or just want to try out Spey casting and Swinging for Steelhead, this is an excelent venue for that as well.My schedule is limited this year but I do still have some available dates...and it's not too soon to plan for next Season , I'll be on the Lower Klamath from early Sept to late October 

Just another Epic Tailout....

My wife Dava had been interested in learning to spey cast, so I took the smart approach and signed her up for Confluence Outfitter's Spey Camp.  I came along to audit the class so I could better work with my clients during our swing trips - and so I could actually fish on my own for four days!  I brought my jet boat and was able to learn some great swing runs on the lower Klamath.  We will be going back!Gino, Dax, and Leslie did an incredible job and the property is absolutely beautiful!  The food was AMAZING!  I think we both may have gained a pound or two. The course of instruction was loosely structured (no set times), but very effective in the end.  Gino, Dax, and Leslie were able to provide each of the students with a lot of one-on-one instruction throughout the four days.  The Spey Camps are timed around the famed half-pounder run on the Klamath and everyone hooked into fish, some hooked into several!If you have ever wanted to learn to spey cast, or even if you have some experience casting a two-handed rod - I would highly recommend attending next year's Spey Camps! This is great experience if you want to go with a group of buddies, or simply go by yourself.  The friendships Dava and I made during Spey Camp will be long lasting!