Muddy! Too much rain has fallen on the Trinity River!

Trinity River - Douglas City, CA


by The Fly Shop
3-17-2012
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Current River Conditions:
But conditions can improve on portions of the Trinity, allowing good to great fishing to occur. This season steelhead fishing has extended well into this month, showing no signs of slowing down. Obviously, the stormy weather has stymied our angling aspirations. Give the Trinity a few days and expect improvement.

Hot Bugs:
Best fly patterns have not changed much over the past couple weeks. They include the #8 TB Golden Stone, Mercer's Poxy-back BH Golden Stone, #14 Red Copper John, Psycho Princes in various sizes and colors, #12-16 PT Nymphs. Egg patterns in pink, orange, peachy, salmon egg should be the fly box.

Click here for up to date Trinity River flow

The Fly Shop's ? Tips:
Bring fresh, new tippet. 1X and 2X. Leaders should be tapered to 0x if you want to land a super hot Trinity Steelhead. Search the tail-outs and the very upper edges of the riffles and glides. Bring a Intermediate, Slow and Medium VersiLeader in 7' lengths for swinging to steelhead. Suspending nymphs of all kinds under an indicator is a very popular and effective approach to presenting a fly or two.

River Fact:
Sad to say, but Grateful Dead singer Jerry Garcia's father drowned in the Trinity River. While on vacation with his family near Arcata in Northern California in 1947, his father went fly-fishing in the Trinity River. Upon entering he slipped on a rock, plummeting into the deep rapids of the river. By the time he was pulled from the water, he had already drowned.

Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:

• Speroni's Skwala
• Mayfly Cripple Limestone
• Hackle Stacker BWO
• Adams #14-16

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Psycho Prince Dirty Pink #12-14
• Micro Mayfly Black #14-16
• Red Copper John #12-14
• GB Poxy Back Hares Ear #12-14
• GB Half Flash Back P.T. #12-16
• TB Solitude Stone #8
• Pat's Rubber Leg Brown #6-8

Streamers/Leeches:
• Beaded Crystal Bugger Silver
• Muddler Minnow #4-10
• Clouser Olive/White
• Zack's Zugger Grey/White

Eggs:
• Boles Bazookas
• Micro Spawn Eggs Pink
• Clown Egg #4-10

Fly Fishing Gear:

Our Recommendations:

• Echo SR Switch Rod 5-6wt
• Airflow Skagit Switch Heads
• W J Confluence Pack