Freestone · Mixed · Northern California

South Fork Trinity River

Trinity River venue image
Google Places

The biggest undammed tributary in the Trinity system, wild and remote down past Hyampom, and a river that still runs on its own schedule — flashy in winter, low and warm by late summer.

Species

A proper day on the water

River steady at a fishable height. A proper day for it.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for steelhead
Warm — slow
15°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for steelhead
  • Temperature5528% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6612% weight
Conditions
Level
1.02 m
Water temp
15.3°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
26°C
Wind
NW 15 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1018 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for steelhead
When
Winter, when rains bring flow and shape
Where
The biggest undammed tributary in the Trinity system, wild and remote down past Hyampom, and a river that still runs on its own schedule — flashy in winter,…
Why this works
Good — water clarity is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • CDFW and tribal regulations — barbless, wild-fish release; reach/seasonal closures apply
  • ESA-listed coho and spring-run Chinook present: do not target listed fish; release unharmed; respect all closures.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The biggest undammed tributary in the Trinity system, wild and remote down past Hyampom, and a river that still runs on its own schedule — flashy in winter, low and warm by late summer. It's important habitat for spring-run Chinook and ESA-listed coho, which makes it conservation-first water like its Klamath-basin cousins. The steelhead interest belongs to the winter, when the rains bring flow and the river takes shape, but the honest reading here is about the recovering runs. We give you presence and timing, read the conditions, and otherwise leave it be.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 3