It’s a fishing day

Trinity River (Lewiston) fishing conditions · California

Today, 11 am–8 pmChinook salmon

The bite peaks at 92. Water is 49°, close to the 50° chinook salmon like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 92 for chinook salmon, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Chinook salmon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 92Mon
  2. 92
  3. 84
  4. 843 am
  5. 84
  6. 84
  7. 846 am
  8. 84
  9. 82
  10. 829 am
  11. 82
  12. 92
  13. 9212 pm
  14. 92
  15. 92
  16. 923 pm
  17. 92
  18. 92
  19. 926 pm
  20. 92
  21. 82
  22. 829 pm
  23. 82
  24. 82
  25. 82Tue
  26. 82
  27. 82
  28. 823 am
  29. 82
  30. 82
  31. 826 am
  32. 82
  33. 82
  34. 829 am
  35. 82
  36. 82
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
49°F

Chinook salmon range 42–58°

Wind
5 mph

From the southwest

Flow
315 cfs

steady · +0% in 24 h

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:34 am

Sky
Clear

5% chance of rain

Air
51°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are California regulations for these waters.

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

92GoToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

49°
32°42–58° · ideal 50°68°

Why

Right in chinook salmon's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Open. Keep fish within the limits. California: salmon may be taken only on the river reaches and dates listed in the special regulations; every other inland water is closed to salmon. Klamath, Trinity and Central Valley seasons are set each spring and can close in-season, and a North Coast Salmon Report Card is required on the Klamath, Trinity and Smith.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Steelhead

Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

92GoToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

49°
30°40–55° · ideal 48°65°

Why

Right in steelhead's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 2–60 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. California: a steelhead is any rainbow trout over 16" in anadromous water. Hatchery fish only (adipose fin clipped); wild (intact-fin) steelhead must be released. 2 hatchery trout or steelhead a day where open, 4 in possession. Seasons and gear are set reach by reach, and a Steelhead Report Card is required.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on steelhead

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

–Not scoredNo targeting

No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.

Water

49°
34°44–58° · ideal 53°68°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside coho salmon's active range. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. Coho (silver) salmon may not be taken in any California water; an incidentally hooked coho must be released unharmed immediately.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

The water

  • Water temperature49°F
  • River315 cfs · steady · +0% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.07 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:34 am
  • Sunset today6:15 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:50 am–8:50 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. California CDFW has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A cold Klamath-system tailwater below Lewiston Dam in the Northern California mountains — wild and hatchery steelhead and chinook and coho salmon in classic drift water. A renowned fly and drift-boat river. Live USGS flow and temperature at Lewiston.

Old Lewiston Bridge to Cedar Flat: 2 hatchery steelhead and 10 brown trout a day all year; spring chinook 1 a day Jul 1–Aug 31; fall-run quota 2 a day (only 1 over 23") from Sep 1. Above the Old Lewiston Bridge the river is fly-only, open Apr 1–Sep 15, with no salmon. Coho must be released; report cards required.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Shasta Lake26 mi · CaliforniaBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 11 am
74Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Trinity River (Lewiston)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Trinity River (Lewiston) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Trinity River (Lewiston)?

Trinity River (Lewiston) is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Coho Salmon. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Trinity River (Lewiston)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Trinity River (Lewiston) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Trinity River (Lewiston) have?

Trinity River (Lewiston) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Old Lewiston Bridge to Cedar Flat: 2 hatchery steelhead and 10 brown trout a day all year; spring chinook 1 a day Jul 1–Aug 31; fall-run quota 2 a day (only 1 over 23") from Sep 1. Above the Old Lewiston Bridge the river is fly-only, open Apr 1–Sep 15, with no salmon. Coho must be released; report cards required.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Trinity River (Lewiston)?

state agency regulations apply at Trinity River (Lewiston). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Trinity River (Lewiston) tidal water?

No. Trinity River (Lewiston) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.